Giving “Prompt” New Meaning

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More than 75 years ago Shoghi Effendi sent this cable to Margaret Stevenson :

14 March 1932

Stevenson, 3 Cowie Road, Parnell, Auckland

INFORM BERTRAM DEWING ENSURE PROMPT TRANSLATION ESSLEMONTS BOOK MAORI

The above was one of four cables the Guardian sent out on that day requesting translation of Esslements book. The other languages were Greek, Hungarian, Czech, Rumanian, English Braille and Burmese. Unlike Maori, they were completed within a few years of the request.

new-zealand-bahais.pngWell, the great news is that they finally did it!
I congratulate the NSA of New Zealand in this monumental achievement. Now, I know some of you will be quick to jump on this and criticise the NSA for shirking direct instructions from the then Head of the Faith. You’re so predictable!

Did you ever think that maybe someone misplaced the pen at the Baha’i National Office in Auckland?

No, I didn’t think so.

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  • http://bahaisonline.net Steve Marshall

    Thanks for acknowledging this inspiring story of fortitude and procrastination. Implicit in your presentation is the adage “good things take time”. I can tell you now that the New Zealand Baha’is — generations of them — have been working systematically for the past 75 years on this project (The Bertram Dewing Memorial Translation Project, that is). Finally, not only is the translation almost complete (thanks to Google Translate), but also a vast international advertising campaign has been put in motion. That campaign, codenamed “BNE” is only now bearing fruit.

    p.s. If a certain calamitous disenrolled Baha’i tries to tell you that BNE stands for “Bloody Never-Ending”, do not listen to her.

  • http://bahaisonline.net Steve Marshall

    Thanks for acknowledging this inspiring story of fortitude and procrastination. Implicit in your presentation is the adage “good things take time”. I can tell you now that the New Zealand Baha’is — generations of them — have been working systematically for the past 75 years on this project (The Bertram Dewing Memorial Translation Project, that is). Finally, not only is the translation almost complete (thanks to Google Translate), but also a vast international advertising campaign has been put in motion. That campaign, codenamed “BNE” is only now bearing fruit.

    p.s. If a certain calamitous disenrolled Baha’i tries to tell you that BNE stands for “Bloody Never-Ending”, do not listen to her.

  • Greg_vesey

    hi steve ,
    Interested to know of this site ,how long has it been up and going ?I am not sure that I have met you before ,are you in the auckland cluster ? i am overseas at present time but interested to take part in discussions that are meaningfull.
    regards greg