June 15. On this date in 1925, Shoghi effendi addressed a message to Sir Herbert Samuel, as described in Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum in The Heart and Nerve Centre in her book The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.

 

June 15. On this date in 1925, Shoghi effendi addressed a message to Sir Herbert Samuel, as described in Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum in The Heart and Nerve Centre in her book The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.

When Sir Herbert Samuel's term of office was drawing to a close the Guardian sent to him, on June 15, 1925, one of those messages that so effectively forged links of good will with the government, expressing his own and the Bahá'ís abiding sense of gratitude and deep appreciation of the "kind and noble attitude which Your Excellency has taken towards the various problems that have beset them since the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá ... The Bahá'ís ... remembering the acts of sympathy and good will which the Palestine Administration under your guidance has shown them in the past, will confidently endeavour to contribute their full share to the material prosperity as well as the spiritual advancement of a land so sacred and precious to them all."

As High Commissioner, Herbert Samuel was the first Jew to govern the historic land of Israel in 2,000 years, and his appointment was regarded by the Muslim-Christian Associations as the "first step in formation of Zionist national home in the midst of Arab people." Herbert Samuel welcomed the arrival of Jewish settlers under the auspices of the Palestine Jewish Colonization Association and recognised Hebrew as one of the three official languages of the Mandate territory.

Shoghi Effendi had a warm and extended relationship with Herbert Samuel. For example, Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum describes a letter Shoghi Effendi received from Herbert Samuel shortly after 'Abdu'l-Bahá's death, 

While Shoghi Effendi was thus occupied and was gathering his powers and beginning to write letters such as these to the Bahá'ís in different countries, he received the following letter from the High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, dated 24 January 1922: 

Dear Mr. Rabbani, 

I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of Jan. 16., and to thank you for the kind expression it contains. It would be unfortunate if the ever to be lamented death of Sir 'Abdu'l-Bahá were to interfere with the completion of your Oxford career, and I hope that may not be the case. I am much interested to learn of the measures that have been taken to provide for the stable organization of the Bahá'í Movement. Should you be at any time in Jerusalem in would be a pleasure to me to see you here.

Yours sincerely,

Herbert Samuel