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All-America Centennial Convention

Message to 1943 Convention

14 April 1943

DESIRE ANNOUNCE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES VALIANT BLESSED TRIUMPHANT AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY ASSEMBLED BENEATH DOME RECENTLY COMPLETED MOTHER TEMPLE WEST ON OCCASION CONVENTION INAUGURATING HUNDREDTH YEAR FIRST BAHÁ’Í CENTURY MOMENTOUS DECISION CONVENE MAY 1944 ALL-AMERICA CENTENNIAL CONVENTION COMPRISING DELEGATES TO BE SEPARATELY ELECTED BY EACH STATE PROVINCE IN NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT AND TO WHICH EVERY REPUBLIC LATIN AMERICA MAY SEND ONE REPRESENTATIVE. ALL GROUPS ALL ISOLATED BELIEVERS AS WELL AS ALL LOCAL COMMUNITIES ALREADY POSSESSING ASSEMBLIES WILL HENCEFORTH SHARE IN ELECTION CONVENTION DELEGATES. MULTIPLICATION BAHÁ’Í CENTERS AND REMARKABLE INCREASE NUMBERS GROUPS ISOLATED BELIEVERS PROMPT MY DECISION. HISTORIC OCCASION NEXT YEAR’S FESTIVITIES COMMEMORATING ALIKE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY BIRTH FAITH BAHÁ’U’LLÁH AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY ITS ESTABLISHMENT WESTERN HEMISPHERE AND CELEBRATING COMPLETION EXTERIOR ORNAMENTATION FIRST HOUSE WORSHIP WESTERN WORLD IMPERATIVELY DEMAND IT. DETAILS PROJECT ALREADY MAILED. CONGRATULATE BEST BELOVED AMERICAN BELIEVERS SHARE THEIR JOY WISH THEM GODSPEED CONFIDENT STILL GREATER VICTORIES AS THEY FORGE AHEAD COURSE SECOND BAHÁ’Í CENTURY ALONG PATH LEADING THEM HIGH DESTINY. HOPE FORWARD IN TIME FOR SOLEMN THANKSGIVING SERVICE TO BE HELD IN AUDITORIUM TEMPLE EVENING MAY TWENTY-SECOND HOUR EPOCH-MAKING DECLARATION SACRED PORTRAIT BÁB ONLY COPY EVER SENT OUT FROM HOLY LAND TO BE UNVEILED DEDICATION CEREMONY AND REPOSE FOR ALL TIME TOGETHER WITH BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S BLESSED HAIR BENEATH DOME HOLY EDIFICE WITHIN HEART NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.⁶⁴