From Letters Written on Behalf of Shoghi Effendi to Individual Believers
With regard to the question that you had asked, Shoghi Effendi feels that as he has formerly said in Bahá’í meetings it is quite proper for some of the friends to deliver talks, but their speeches must have a direct bearing on the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and our dear Master. It is not absolutely necessary that in all the meetings only the writings and utterances of Bahá’u’lláh and the Master should be read, but when lectures and talks are given they must bear either directly or indirectly on the Cause.
Regarding your question as to the advisability of holding Bahá’í meetings at a time coinciding with church meetings; the Guardian would advise the friends to avoid such a coincidence, as otherwise many church people may feel offended, and this may lead to unnecessary and even harmful misunderstandings and developments which may injure the Cause and affect its prestige in the eyes of the public. The friends should, under all circumstances, be careful not to arouse unnecessarily any feelings of religious antagonism.
(5 September 1936, published in Bahá’í News 111 (October 1937), p. 1) [29]
Since you have found in the Bahá’í Teachings the fulfilment of your highest aspirations and the realization of those ideals most dear to your heart, it is your paramount duty now to spare no effort for their study and their dissemination.
To this end, the Guardian would recommend that, in addition to your studies of Bahá’í writings, you closely associate with your fellow-Bahá’ís, and take part in various activities of your local group, so that you may not only acquire a theoretical knowledge of the Cause, but grow to become a loving, active and efficient member of the Community.
...In some places the Bahá’ís have held meetings for prayer, for people who desire to meet and pray. As we have such wonderful prayers and meditations in our writings, the reading of these with friends who are interested in and crave for this type of small meeting is often a step towards attracting them to the Faith. Perhaps you could start such an activity in your city.
We should try not to introduce any set patterns into our teaching methods; however, if this form of group meditation produces unity and a deeper understanding of the teachings, he sees no reason why it should be not used at least in the beginning of a teaching class—providing the people want to, like it, and fully understand it has nothing to do with the teachings of the Faith, but is a method which sometimes proves helpful.