July 20. On this date in 1940, in the midst of World War II, Shoghi Effendi sent a cable to North American Bahá'ís calling it the "essential prerequisite (to) world reunification moving (to its) appointed climax."

July 20. On this date in 1940, in the midst of World War II, Shoghi Effendi sent a cable to North American Bahá'ís calling it the "essential prerequisite (to) world reunification moving (to its) appointed climax."

LONG-PREDICTED WORLD-ENCIRCLING CONFLAGRATION, ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE WORLD UNIFICATION INEXORABLY MOVING APPOINTED CLIMAX. ITS FIRES FIRST LIT FAR EAST SUBSEQUENTLY RAVAGING EUROPE ENVELOPING AFRICA NOW THREATEN DEVASTATION BOTH NEAR EAST FAR WEST RESPECTIVELY ENSHRINING WORLD CENTER AND CHIEF REMAINING CITADEL FAITH BAHA'U'LLAH. DIVINELY APPOINTED PLAN MUST WILL LIKEWISE PURSUE UNDEFLECTED PREDESTINED COURSE. TIME PRESSING. SETTLEMENT TWO REMAINING LATIN REPUBLICS SOUNDER CONSOLIDATION THROUGH FORMATION FIRMLY KNIT GROUPS IN NEWLY OPENED TERRITORIES PROVISION ADEQUATE MEANS ORNAMENTATION LAST SIX FACES FIRST STORY TEMPLE STAND OUT VITAL REQUIREMENTS APPROACHING SUPREMELY CHALLENGING HOUR. EYES HEART ANXIOUSLY LONGINGLY TURNED NEW WORLD WITNESS EVIDENCES NEW STILL MORE HEROIC PHASE ENTERPRISE CONFIDENTLY ENTRUSTED VIGILANT CARE AMERICAN BELIEVERS BY EVER-WATCHFUL POWERFULLY SUSTAINING MASTER. REFUSE BELIEVE COMMUNITY SO RICHLY ENDOWED GREATLY ENVIED REPEATEDLY HONORED WILL SUFFER SLIGHTEST RELAXATION ITS RESOLUTION JEOPARDIZE SPIRITUAL PRIZES PAINSTAKINGLY DESERVEDLY WON THROUGHOUT STATES PROVINCES REPUBLICS WESTERN HEMISPHERE.