As regards producing a book of Bahá'í songs, your
understanding that there is no cultural expression which could be called Bahá'í
at this time (distinctive music, literature, art, architecture, etc., being the
flower of the civilization and not coming at the beginning of a new
Revelation), is correct. However, that does not mean that we haven't Bahá'í
songs, in other words, songs written by Bahá'ís on Bahá'í subjects. There is no
objection to getting out a compilation of these, but he does not think money should
be spent in printing it, in view of the state of the National Fund, and the
much more important work in the teaching field which needs to be undertaken
this year. If you can get out such a book in a mimeographed form, he feels this
would be sufficient to meet the needs at this time.
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi dated 21 September 1957
to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. I, Arts and Crafts)
