First and foremost, one should use every possible means to
purge one's heart and motives, otherwise, engaging in any form of enterprise
would be futile. It is also essential to abstain from hypocrisy and blind
imitation, inasmuch as their foul odour is soon detected by every man of
understanding and wisdom. Moreover, the friends must observe the specific times
for the remembrance of God, meditation, devotion and prayer, as it is highly
unlikely, nay impossible, for any enterprise to prosper and develop when
deprived of divine bestowals and confirmation. One can hardly imagine what a
great influence genuine love, truthfulness and purity of motives exert on the souls
of men. But these traits cannot be acquired by any believer unless he makes a
daily effort to gain them...
- Shoghi Effendi (From a
letter dated 19 December 1923 to the Baha’is of the East - translated from
Persian, included in compilation: ‘Living the Life’; also in compilation: ‘Give Me Thy Grace to
Serve Thy Loved Ones’, prepared by the International Teaching Centre for the
Continental Counsellors and their Auxiliaries, May 2018)
