Dearly loved
friends,
The brilliance of
Paris in the story of European civilization bids fair to be renewed with even
greater splendour during the Day of the Lord of Hosts and the establishment of
God's Kingdom on earth. The annals of Paris in this Day have already acquired
eternal lustre from events of mightier import, of greater universal
significance and more sacred character than any which its past history has
witnessed. The visits of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Centre of God's inviolable Covenant,
alone outshine in historical importance anything in the long history of France,
and are immortalized in the greatly loved collection of His discourses given in
that capital city. Beyond this, we recall with awe and pride that it was at
'Abdu'l-Bahá's instruction that the illustrious May Maxwell succeeded in establishing
in Paris the first Bahá'í centre on the European Continent, a continent
described by Shoghi Effendi as "the cradle of a civilization to some of
whose beneficent features the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh has paid significant tribute;
on whose soil both the Greek and Roman civilizations were born and flourished;
which has contributed so richly to the unfoldment of American civilization; the
fountainhead of American culture; the mother of Christendom, and the scene of
the greatest exploits of the followers of Jesus Christ," and experiencing
"the first stirrings of that spiritual revolution" which must
culminate in the permanent establishment throughout its diversified lands of
the divinely ordained Order of Bahá'u'lláh. This first centre was rapidly
reinforced by the conversion of the first English believer and of the first
Frenchman to accept the Faith -- the distinguished Hippolyte Dreyfus, whose
"Pre-eminent role" it was to kindle "the torch which is destined
to shed eternal illumination upon his native land and its people" and by
Laura Barney, whose "imperishable service" was to transmit to
posterity Some Answered Questions. The steadfastness and devotion of the Paris
Bahá'í Community during the dark and sombre days of the Second World War earned
great praise from the beloved Guardian of the Faith, while the recent signs of
widespread and effective teaching work throughout France lend wings to the hope
that this veteran, sorely tested and steadfast community is about to gather the
harvest of those potent seeds sown and nourished so lovingly by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
It is highly propitious that this city, thrice blessed by the presence of the Master, should be the scene of the first International Bahá'í Conference in France and one of the eight International Conferences to be held around the world during the Five Year Plan. You are gathered in this historic spot to deliberate on the fortunes of that Plan, to derive inspiration from the deeds performed there in the Heroic Age of our Faith and from your association together, to rededicate yourselves to the service of Bahá'u'lláh and to determine, each and every one, how best you can promote the victory of the Five Year Plan. We call to your attention 'Abdu'l-Bahá's words:
The call of Ya
Baha'u'l-Abha can be heard far and wide. It is my hope that this soul-stirring
melody of the Abha Kingdom may also be raised high in Paris, for Paris is
tumultuous in all things. I pray the Almighty that the music and singing of the
beloved of God will be so loud that the vibrations thereof may cause the limbs
of Paris to quake. I await very joyful tidings from the friends in Paris.
Unquestionably the divine melody will in the future be raised in that city, but
I long that this may happen in these days of the Covenant, and that you will be
the enchanting songsters and the sweet-singing nightingales of that land.
Our hopes are high
and we pray at the Sacred Threshold that from this Conference will surge
throughout Europe a wave of such sacrificial teaching as will impel large
numbers of its diverse and highly talented peoples to embrace the Faith of God
and dedicate themselves to the redemption of mankind under the glorious banner
of the Prince of Peace.
The Universal House
of Justice
(‘Messages from the
Universal House of Justice 1963 to 1986’)
