ER OF 14 AUGUST 1957

14 August 1957

Dear Baha'i Brother:

Your Assembly's communications with their enclosures and material sent
under separate cover have all arrived safely, and the beloved Guardian has
instructed me to answer you on his behalf, and to acknowledge receipt of
the letters dated as follows: June 14, August 8 and 28, September 2,
October 27, November 19 and 22 and December 4 and 26, 1956; and January 1
and 15, February 4, March 1, 2 and 9, April 2, 16 and 25, June 14, 19
(two) and July 3, 8 and 19.

As a number of questions raised in your letters have been answered by
cable, or through the Secretary, I will not go into them again here.

He thanks your Assembly for the trouble you took in sending him the
samples of tiles in connection with the Archives floor. A rubber tile has
now been ordered from England, which he considers will be satisfactory.

As a member of your National Assembly has so recently visited Haifa,
namely, dear Mrs. Anna Grossmann, and many of the points concerning the
Temple land were discussed with her, she has no doubt by now conveyed to
you the Guardian's views.

He feels that the German National Assembly must be extremely practical in
handling this matter and expedite the purchase of a site for the Temple as
soon as possible, and without strings attached, such as the necessity to
build a road at our expense, or to raise loans from other National Bodies,
which is extremely impracticable and very unwise. The German friends have
money for their land and the beginning of their Temple on hand, and should
conserve this money for the purpose stipulated, and neither ask other
National Bodies for loans, nor become involved with municipal or state
authorities, who want to get as much out of the Baha'is as possible,
while, at the same time, it would seem, giving them as little help as
possible.

He also discussed with Mrs. Grossmann certain matters she brought up as
regards the Temple design and size. She has no doubt reported his views to
your Assembly.

He was shocked and indignant to hear of the conduct of certain of the
Persian Baha'i students in Germany which had been so criminal as to lead
to their imprisonment. He feels that your Assembly must keep before its
eyes the balance specified by Baha'u'llah, Himself, in other words,
justice, reward and retribution. Although the Cause is still young and
tender, and many of the believers inexperienced, and therefore loving
forbearan