One evening during their [Mr. and Mrs. Featherstone’s]
pilgrimage, the Guardian had sent a message to the pilgrims to begin dinner and
he would join them a little later. They did so and during the meal, the Guardian
came in, sat down and, before commencing to eat, as though he could not hold
back the news any longer, burst out with an announcement of a series of changes
he was planning to make to the administration of the Faith, including an
extension of the institution of the Hands of the Cause who would have
‘deputies' (the Auxiliary Board members) and other developments. Suddenly the
Guardian paused, and Rúhíyyih Khánum said, "But, Shoghi Effendi, you
didn't say anything about this before." Perhaps realising the impact these
sudden and far-reaching announcements were having on the pilgrims and the
others at the dinner table, the Guardian bowed his head and replied, very
softly: "I did not know before this evening – I am under the guidance of
Bahá'u'lláh." All these new developments had come into his mind as a
ready-made plan, through the guidance he was promised by the Master. This seems
to be the way the Guardian operated.
(Related by Hand of the Cause Collis
Featherstone about his pilgrimage in 1953, quoted by Bill Washington concerning
his own pilgrimage in 1957: ‘Recollections of Pilgrimage: Nine Days with the
Guardian in 1957’)
