You
must not make the great mistake of judging our Faith by one community which
obviously needs to study and obey the Bahá'í teachings. Human frailties and
peculiarities can be a great test. But the only way, or perhaps I should say
the first and best way, to remedy such situations, is to oneself do what is
right. One soul can be the cause of the spiritual illumination of a continent.
Now that you have seen, and remedied, a great fault in your own life, now that
you see more clearly what is lacking in your own community, there is nothing to
prevent you from arising and showing such an example, such a love and spirit of
service, as to enkindle the hearts of your fellow Bahá'ís.
He
urges you to study deeply the teachings, teach others, study with those Bahá'ís
who are anxious to do so, the deeper teachings of our Faith, and through
example, effort and prayer, bring about a change.
(From a letter dated 30
September 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer;
included in a memorandum prepared by the Research Department of the Universal
House of Justice dated February 1993)
