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 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.
- Shoghi Effendi (From a
letter dated 30 September 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, The Importance of
Deepening Our Knowledge and Understanding of the Faith)
