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)
