An Appreciation by Shoghi Effendi
Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in 'Abdu'l-Baha:
With feelings of profound sorrow I am moved to address you
these few lines, mourning the loss which the Cause has undoubtedly sustained by
the passing of one who, for many years and in circumstances of exceptional
significance, rendered the sacred Threshold distinctive and inestimable
services. The hand of Divine Decree has removed, by the death of our talented
and dearly beloved friend, Mr. Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, yet another
outstanding figure in the Cause of Baha'u'llah, who, by his brilliant gifts of
mind and heart as well as by the divers achievements of his life, has truly
enriched the annals of God's immortal Faith.
A pioneer of the Cause of Baha'u'llah ever since its
celestial light first warmed and illuminated the West, he has, by his close
association with the person of 'Abdu'l-Baha, by his numerous and extensive
travels in Eastern and Western lands, by his contact with all sections of
society, by his scholarly presentation of the history and fundamentals of the
Faith, and lastly by his unforgettable share in the settlement of the complex
and pressing issues that called for expert assistance in the days following
'Abdu'l-Baha's passing, achieved a standing which few have as yet attained.
