To all the Hands of the Cause and all National Assemblies of the Bahá'í World:
Hail emergence of the unfoldment in the opening years of the second epoch of the formative age of the Bahá'í Dispensation of the august Institution foreshadowed by the Founder of the Faith and formally established in the Testament of the Center of His Covenant, closely associated in provisions of the same Will with Institution of the Guardianship, destined to assume in the fullness of time, under the aegis of the Guardian, the dual sacred responsibility for protection and propagation of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
Desire to pay warm tribute to the services rendered severally and collectively by appointed hands at the World Center of the Faith and in territories beyond its confines.
Greatly value their support in the erection of the Báb's Sepulcher on Mt. Carmel; in reinforcing ties with the newly emerged State of Israel; in the extension of the International Endowments in the Holy Land; in the initiation of the preliminary measures for the establishment of the Bahá'í World Administrative Center, as well as in their participation in four successive intercontinental Teaching Conferences; in their extensive travels in African territories, in North, Central and South America, in the European, Asiatic and Australian Continents.
This newly constituted body, embarked on its mission with such auspicious circumstances, is now entering the second phase of its evolution signalized by forging of ties with the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'í world for the purpose of lending them assistance in attaining the objectives of the Ten Year Plan.
The hour is ripe for the fifteen Hands residing outside the Holy Land to proceed during Ridván with the appointment, in each continent separately, from among the resident Bahá'ís of that Continent, of Auxiliary Boards, whose members, acting as deputies, assistants and advisers of the Hands, must increasingly lend their assistance for the promotion of the interests of the Ten Year Crusade.
Advise the Hands of the Asiatic, American and European Continents to convene in Tihrán, Wilmette and Frankfurt respectively for the purposes of consultation and nomination.
The Hands of the Cause of the African and Australian Continents must exercise their functions in Kampala and Sydney respectively.
The Auxiliary Boards of the American, European and African Continents must consist of nine members each, of the Asiatic and Australian continents of seven and two respectively.
The allocation of areas in each continent to the members of the Auxiliary Boards, as well as subsidiary matters regarding the development of the activities of the newly appointed bodies, and the manner of collaboration with the National Spiritual Assemblies in their respective Continents, is left to the discretion of the Hands.
All Boards must report and be responsible to the Hands charged with their appointment.
The Hands of each Continent in their turn must keep in close touch with, and report the result of the nominations and progress of the activities of the Boards to the National Assemblies in their respective continents, as well as to the four Hands residing in the Holy Land destined to act as liaison between themselves and the Guardian of the Faith.
Urge the initiation of five Continental Bahá'í Funds which, as they develop, will increasingly facilitate the discharge of the functions assigned to the Boards.
Transmitting five thousand pounds as my initial contribution to be equally divided among the five Continents.
Appeal to the twelve National Assemblies and individuals to insure a steady augmentation of these Funds through annual assignment in National Budgets and by individual contributions.
Advise transmit contributions to Varqá, Holley, Giachery, Banani and Dunn acting as Trustees of the Asiatic, American, European, African and Australian Funds respectively.
Fervently supplicating at the Holy Threshold for an unprecedented measure of blessings on this vital and indispensable organ of the embryonic and steadily unfolding Bahá'í Administrative Order, presaging the emergence of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh which must pave the way for the establishment of the World Civilization destined to attain maturity in the course of successive Dispensations in the Five Thousand Century Bahá'í Cycle.
Airmail copies to all Hands and National Assemblies.
--Shoghi
[Cablegram, April 6, 1954]