... description: 1926, Esslemont Ruhi Afnan 8 May MS 10 author: Esslemont Ruhi Afnan title: Pilgrim Notes notes: ... # Pilgrim Notes ## Esslemont Ruhi Afnan ### 1926, Esslemont Ruhi Afnan 8 May MS 10 ------ ## Pilgrim Notes ### Esslemont, Rúḥí Afnán ### 1926 Shoghi Effendi Persian Colony., Haifa Palestine 8th May, 1925 Mrs. S. Blundell c/o Andrews Bro. Prop. Lt 5th Milton St. London E.L.2 Alláh-el-Abhá! Dear Bahá’í Sister, Shoghi Effendi was very pleased to receive this morning your letter of 28th April, but we were very sorry to hear you have been ill and hope your health will soon be completely restored. It was nice that you saw Shoghi’s sister and Sohiel’s brother in London. I forget whether I gave you the address of Mr. and Mrs. King of Messes Hafnan and King, 202 year old Christ lurch Rd. Bournemouth. They are very kind hearted Bahá’ís and will be delighted to see any of you if you call. Both of them work in the business and you are more likely to see them if you call there. They live alone the shop. I gave your sister Challi’s address at West-Moons (Herndon Lodge). You can get there by bus from __ ________. (She keeps a nursing home) or you can go by train from West-___ to West Moon station which is within 5 minutes to Herndon Lodge. I hope you will be ____. As I write, the Greatest Holy Leaf is on a visit to the Shrine of the Master. It is over a year, I think, since she has been able to visit the shrine and until now she has not seen the new Gardens, in the trying out of which Shoghi Effendi has taken such a deep interest. The Gardens are looking lovely now and it is easy to imagine how delighted she will be. One day during the feast of Riḍván she and the Holy Master were alike to visit Bahjí and the Garden of Riḍván. I have quite recovered from my pleurisy now and am steadily regaining my strength. Shoghi Effendi is still tired. I hope he will soon be able to take a rest. All the friends here join in loving greetings and best wishes to yourself, your son, daughter, Mrs. Stevenson and Effie Baker. With warmest greetings, your brother o the service of the Beloved. J.E. Esselmont. ------ My dear precious sister in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: I was so glad to hear from you directly and learn of your improved health and meeting with the English Bahá’ís. I need not assure of my ardent prayers for your happiness, happiness and continued success in the service of the cause. I hope and pray you will be enabled by the guiding spirit of the Master not only to stimulate the interest of your friends and relatives in this cause out to make of some of ___ interest and whole-hearted believer and supporters of the Faith. Shoghi ------ Mr. Blundell Persian Colony Haifa 3 May 1926 Dear Spiritual Sister: Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated Jan. 24, 1926. He hopes that after the long vacation you have, had you are ready to begin again spread the Cause in New Zealand with even greater energy than before. The people here seem to be brave in their outlook, receptive to any idea which helps the human family from decreasing its burden. Shoghi Effendi was most chagrined to hear of the sudden death of your son and wishes me to extend to you his deepest live and sympathy. There is no special new here except that, we have removed to the new pilgrim-house. Miss Baker is well and very busy entertaining the friends and arranging the new home. Shoghi Effendi as well as the other members of the family are well and send you their love and greeting. They earnestly pray for your success and hope to hear, before long, the __ in many of your victories in the field of service to the Cause. Please convey my loving greeting to your son and daughter. Yours most sincerely, Rúḥí Afnán ------ My dear fellow worker; I wish to express in person my deep sympathy in the heavy loss you have sustained. May the Beloved comforter strengthen you and sustain you in your bereavement. The memory of your visit to the Holy Land is still fresh and vivid in my mind and I pray and supplicate at the Holy Shrines that your labours in the Cause may yield an abundant harvest. Your sympathies another. L. E. ------ My very dear Mrs. Blindell: Shoghi Effendi has been in receipt of your interesting letter dated June 7, 1926. It is a great pity that your health has more or less handicapped you in your service to the Cause. We, however hope, that this weakness will soon vanish and your health and strength be fully restored. The case of the teacher who has been in Palestine is one really to be lame. All such persons instead of procuring their information from the very sources, when they are so near to it, they go to the missionaries who are undoubtedly biased. They are immediately told that the cause is nothing more than a sect of As the Holy Land please assure ___. ------ My dear fellow worker: I rejoice to learn that your dear sons are rallying gradually the significance of this unique and mighty cause, and my constant and fervent prayer is that you may witness erelong the friction of their slow yet sure spiritual evolution. Persevere in your labours for I entertain and cherish the brightest hopes for the future awakening of promising New Zealand. I shall ever remember the memorable visit of the first New Zealand believers. Islám; a movement that may do immerse good to the Muḥammadan world, but far from ranking with Christianity or satisfying its needs. Then they refer this ignorant and innocent person to books such as Brown’s. It is their fault for having gone to the wrong sources for proper information, but once they have gone, it is not their mistake to have been mislead. We have heard of such many instances and there is absolutely no remedy except to place them until they find the truth for themselves. We can pnly pray for their guidance. Shoghi Effendi always prays for you as well as the other. The other Auckland friends, so that I bought your combined effort the Cause may prosper there and obtain a strong position in the life of the people. I am not the least familiar with the social condition there, but I am sure there is a ready field for active service. Yours in His Name, Rúḥí Afnán ------ Haifa, 23-10-1926 Dear Spiritual Sister; Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated 11-9-26. He was most grateful to learn that the Cause is becoming more and more known and appreciated by the people in New Zealand. This is as important as the actual increase of the number of friends for it means that the principles are gradually permeating the thoughts of the people and making them more ready and receptive to the full identification of their beliefs with the precepts of the Cause. Shoghi Effendi wishes me to assure you of his prayers for you as well as the other friends in New Zealand. He hopes that they will increase both in number as well as in spiritual understandings insight. The reports that we occasionally receive from there are most encouraging and hopeful. It seems that the people there due to their breadth of mind and lack of traditional drawbacks show better project than many other places. With deepest loving greetings. Yours in His Name Rúḥí Afnán ------ My dear co-worker; Your letter rejoiced my heart. I request you to persevere and renew your splendid efforts for me. Consolidation of the work already achieved. I have great hopes in the herald of the south and trust the the editor will be guided strengthen in his noble undertaking – he obliged if you send me any copies of newspapers that may publish anything on the Cause as I am preparing a collection of them in the Holy Land. Please assure the friends in New Zealand of my continued prayers at the Holy Shrines for the success of their pioneer work. Your ___ brother. Shoghi