His brotherly advice to you, and to all loyal and ardent
young believers like you, is that you should deepen your knowledge of the
history and of the tenets of the Faith, not merely by means of careful and
thorough study, but also through active, whole-hearted and continued
participation in all the activities, whether administrative or otherwise, of
your community. The Bahá'í community life provides you with an indispensable
laboratory, where you can translate into living and constructive action the
principles which you imbibe from the Teachings. By becoming a real part of that
living organism you can catch the real spirit which runs throughout the Bahá'í
Teachings. To study the principles, and to try to live according to them, are,
therefore, the two essential mediums through which you can ensure the
development and progress of your inner spiritual life and of your outer
existence as well. May Bahá'u'lláh enable you to attain this high station, and
may He keep the torch of faith for ever burning in your heart!
- Shoghi Effendi (From a letter
dated 2 November 1933 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. II, Youth)
