Such was the nature of Shoghi Effendi's exposition of the
Word of God ‑ an astonishment and a new breath of life to all who had thought
religion to be limited to 'the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill', to idealism
and the expression of vague and pious hopes, to personal salvation, requiring
the believers to have patience and firmness in faith that the Promised One
would bring about the Kingdom of God on earth in His Own good time. It was
Shoghi Effendi who said, in effect, Oh no; you must study and toil and sweat
and sacrifice and God of His bounty will reward your efforts. He uncovered for
us all that marvellous guidance and direction of which we knew nothing, led us
into his dynamic programme for building that Kingdom of God on earth ‑ long
anticipated, Christ‑promised, and now to be ushered in through our services to
the King of Glory.
- David Hofman (The late
member of the Universal House of Justice, from an essay: ‘Shoghi Effendi Expounder of the Word of God’; included in ‘Studying the Writings of Shoghi
Effendi’, published by George Ronald)