…that primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Lote-Tree, grown out, blest, tender, verdant and flourishing from the Twin Holy Trees; the most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from out the Twin surging seas…
To ensure that the purpose of His Message is achieved - the oneness of mankind - and to protect the unity of the Baháʼí community, Bahá’u’lláh appointed His oldest son; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as Center of the Covenant of God, He also ordained the establishment of the The Universal House of Justice. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His role as Center of the Covenant, laid the foundations for the work of the Universal House of Justice and in His Will and Testament, He appointed Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith and the one to whom the Baháʼís turn after Him. Both the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice are entrusted by Bahá’u’lláh to ap-ply the principles of the Faith, to spread its teachings and to support and empower its institutions to serve the needs of an ever-advancing civilization.
In the Will and Testament recorded in His own handwriting , ‘Abdu’l-Bahá appointed His grandson: Shoghi Effendi to lead the affairs of the Baháʼís of the world as Ex-pounder and Interpreter of the Baháʼí Writings and teachings. With exceptional wisdom, insight and great dedication, He worked systematically for 36 years in overseeing the development of the Baháʼí world, deepening the understanding and strengthening the unity of its community. Shoghi Effendi left a rich legacy of writings and translated many Baháʼí books to English in a style that was characterized by exceptional rhetoric and originality in use of language. Though the thousands of letters that He wrote, He presented a deep insight to the spiritual dimension of civilization and the dynamics of social transformation, revealing a bright future for humanity.
After Shoghi Effendi passed away on 4th November, 1957, the affairs of the Baháʼí World passed on to the Baháʼí administration that is represented by the Universal House of Justice, as ordained by Bahá’u’lláh in the ‘Kitáb-i-Aqdas’, the book of laws.
The film: 'Glimpses of a Hundred Years of Endeavour' shows glimpses of the achievements of Shoghi Effendi and a hundred years of endeavours and learnings of a Baháʼí community that is ever advancing. It summarizes the current society’s efforts in contributing to a world that is based on the principle of the oneness of humanity.
