f that far-off continent, in the numerous
diversified and widely scattered Islands of the South Pacific Ocean. It
will in fact signalize the third stage in the evolution of the Faith in
that newly opened, highly promising, far-flung continent--an evolution
which commenced, during the concluding decade of 'Abdu'l-Baha's Ministry
and of the Heroic Age of the Faith, with the birth and rise of the Baha'i
Administrative Order, and which was subsequently accelerated through the
formulation during the opening years of the Formative Age of the Baha'i
Dispensation, of two successive Plans, designed to broaden and reinforce
the foundations of that nascent Order in Australia, New Zealand and
Tasmania. The inauguration of the third and most glorious phase in this
historic and momentous development must now depend on the consummation of
the tasks willingly shouldered by this youthful, this virile and greatly
beloved community, which, despite its physical remoteness from the heart
and world centre of the Faith, the smallness of its size, its limited
resources and the vastness of the field under the jurisdiction of its
elected representatives, has made such great strides since its inception,
has shown such exemplary devotion and loyalty, and has preserved and
reinforced so nobly the solidity of its foundations.

This Community, which owes its birth to the revelation of the Tablets of
the Divine Plan, must now brace itself, during the fleeting months that
lie ahead, for a supreme, a concerted and sustained effort to ensure the
attainment of the objectives of the present Plan, and thereby acquire the
spiritual potentialities essential to the launching of a mighty Crusade,
in collaboration with the Trustees of the Plan, conceived by the Center of
Baha'u'llah's Covenant, and with its neighbouring sister communities in
Latin America and in the Indian Sub-continent, destined to culminate in
the fullness of time in the Spiritual conquest of the multitudinous
islands of the South Pacific Ocean.

So exalted a mission, so strenuous a task, so weighty a responsibility
call for, while the Present Preparatory Plan speeds to its end, an
unprecedented demonstration on the part of young and old, or both men and
women, whether administrators or teachers, veterans or neophytes, of
solidarity, determination, zeal and constancy, a still greater display of
self-sacrifice, a wider dispersion of forces, a more energetic discharge
of duty, a clearer vision,