Humanity’s suffering is inevitable

Suffering for mankind is inevitable. Man suffers - - he is cleansed. It is a cleansing force. 

(Notes of the words of Shoghi Effendi, recorded by Ben Lavy during his pilgrimage in 1953)

Mankind’s stage of maturity

Mankind is now approaching the stage of maturity. Maturity means, responsibility, and all men are responsible to God for their acts on earth. Great responsibility - both as individuals and as leaders of men. 

(Notes of the words of Shoghi Effendi, recorded by Ben Lavy during his pilgrimage in 1953)

Canada’s Temple ground

He [the Guardian] reminded me that Canada does not yet have its Temple grounds. I relayed to him a remark of one of the friends. This friend wondered if the Divine Hand of Providence were preventing us from finding Temple grounds because possibly we were ignoring ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s statement as quoted by Mrs. Maxwell that the Temple would be built on the slopes of Mt. Royal.

He said that ‘Abdu’l-Baha was not necessarily referring to the National Temple of Canada. He directed that if it becomes clearly impossible to find Temple grounds in Toronto, the NSA should seek property in Ottawa – not Montreal.

One evening he told us that he had just received good news. Italy had purchased its Temple land. He then said, with a smile as he turned to me, “Italy is off my list – only Canada remains on my list – my black one. I have two lists, a black one and a white one’” 

- Allan Raynor  (Notes of his pilgrimage in 1956)