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In July, 1938, Queen Marie of Rumania passed away. A message of condolence was communicated, in the name of all Baha'i communities in East and West, to her daughter, the Queen of Yugoslavia, to which she replied expressing "sincere thanks to all of Baha'u'llah's followers." The National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Persia addressed, on behalf of the followers of the Faith in Baha'u'llah's native land, a letter expressive of grief and sympathy to her son, the King of Rumania and the Rumanian Royal Family, the text of which was in both Persian and English. An expression of profound and loving sympathy was sent by Martha Root to Princess Ileana, and was gratefully acknowledged by her. Memorial gatherings were held in the Queen's memory, at which a meed of honor was paid to her bold and epochal confession of faith in the Fatherhood of Baha'u'llah, to her recognition of the station of the Prophet of Islam and to the several encomiums from her pen. On the first anniversary of her death the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States and Canada demonstrated its grateful admiration and affection for the deceased Queen by associating itself, through an imposing floral offering, with the impressive memorial service, held in her honor, and arranged by the Rumanian Minister, in Bethlehem Chapel, at the Cathedral of Washington, D.C., at which the American delegation, headed by the Secretary of State and including government officials and representatives of the Army and Navy, the British, French and Italian Ambassadors, and representatives of other European embassies and legations joined in a common tribute to one who, apart from the imperishable renown achieved by her in the Kingdom of Baha'u'llah, had earned, in this earthly life, the esteem and love of many a soul living beyond the confines of her own country. (395:1) Queen Marie's acknowledgment of the Divine Message stands as the first fruits of the vision which Baha'u'llah had seen long before in His captivity, and had announced in His Kitab- i- Aqdas. "How great," He wrote, "the blessedness that awaits the King who will arise to aid My Cause in My Kingdom, who will detach himself from all else but Me!... All must glorify his name, must reverence his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of My Name, the Omnipotent Protector of all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms. Such a king is the very eye of mankind, the luminous ornament on the brow of creation, the fountain- head of blessings unto the whole world. Offer up, O people of Baha, your substance, nay your very lives for his assistance."
(395:2)
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