Some friends live so far from anyone else that no news ever reaches them, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá thought that simply arriving at their door was a service worth a long journey. Pioneering begins there, in the wish to carry encouragement to people who might feel forgotten, and it grows into something larger: leaving one’s city for the love of God, settling where receptive souls have no teacher, and letting movement itself become a kind of life. The counsel is never reckless. It asks about means, about whether teaching would cause disturbance, about the care owed to travellers and emigrants once they have gone. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá longed to walk those roads himself, on foot and in poverty, and blessed those who could. Luke’s picture of messengers sent in pairs, greeting each household with peace and staying where they are received, shows a similar grace of arrival [1]. The road then opens onto the methods by which the Cause is taught and onto the prayers that accompany pioneers and travel teachers wherever they settle.
Therefore believers should be despatched to other regions and new areas to promote the divine teachings.
Even travelling and passing through these foreign lands is beneficial, for there are some places so isolated from others that the friends do not receive news from anywhere.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1907-Dec-25, to Spiritual Assembly of Tihran -- AB01081)
02
Likewise, teachers must travel to various regions. If teaching would cause mischief, let them engage in encouraging and educating the friends so that those souls may become attracted and joyous, seeking gladness and rapture, finding new life and becoming fresh and verdant through the holy fragrances.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1908-Feb-03+, to Spiritual Assembly of Tihran -- AB01174)
03
You should in all conditions be mindful of the state of the travelers and emigrants - upon them be the grace of God and His mercy - for these souls are souls who have been blessed with the infinite outpourings of the Lord of Names and Attributes.
And if means become available, emigrate to other lands for the sake of God's Cause - this hath been and ever shall be praiseworthy, for in some countries there exist receptive souls, yet guides and teachers are lacking.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1292-05-19 [1875-Jun-23], to Jinab-i-Mu'allim Ahmad -- BH03336)
05
In speaking of the spreading the Fragrances of the Kingdom, Abdul-Baha said "In movements there is life, in immobility there is death. The traveling of the teachers from place to place, from Orient to Occident, and from country to country, is one of the greatest means for spreading the Fragrances, and for sowing spiritual seeds in the souls of the people."
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Remey and Struven in May 1910 -- ABU3365)
06
O that I could travel, even though on foot and in the utmost poverty, to these regions, and, raising the call of "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha" in cities, villages, mountains, deserts and oceans, promote the divine teachings! This, alas, I cannot do. How intensely I deplore it! Please God, ye may achieve it.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablet of the Divine Plan (U.S. and Canada II), 1916-Apr-11, to Baha'is of the United States and Canada -- AB00049)
07
It is also recorded in the blessed Gospel: Travel ye throughout the world and call ye the people to the Kingdom of God. Now this is the time that you may arise and perform this most great service and become the cause of the guidance of innumerable souls. Thus through this superhuman service the rays of peace and conciliation may illumine and enlighten all the regions and the world of humanity may find peace and composure.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablet of the Divine Plan (Western states I), 1916-Apr-01, to Baha'is of Eleven Western States -- AB00936)
08
O Divine Herald! Give thanks to God, your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, for having enabled you to travel through lands and be a stranger far from home, proclaiming the rising of the Sun of Truth in those regions and exalting the Word of God with proofs and clear evidences, until you blow into the trumpet and the psalms of the House of David.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1921-Jul-19, to Shaykh Muhyid-Din Al-Kurdi -- AB02262)
09
Blessed art thou for having migrated unto God and detached thyself from thy home for the love of God, the King, the Mighty, the Loving.
(Bahá’u’lláh, to Nabil Qabl-i-Ali the emigrant -- BH02513)
10
Blessed art thou, O thou who hast migrated unto God, for having departed from My City and turned thy face toward My countenance until thou didst enter this noble station. Rejoice thou in this most great favor, then render thanks unto God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of all in the heavens and on earth.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1292-11-29 [1875-Dec-27], to Jinab-i-Hazza -- BH04793)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
11
They that have forsaken their country for the purpose of teaching Our Cause -these shall the Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power. A company of Our chosen angels shall go forth with them, as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.... If he be kindled with the fire of His love, if he forgoeth all created things, the words he uttereth shall set on fire them that hear him.
GWB#157 p334-335, Ruhi6.1.29
Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified
Sentence boundary needs source review; the supplied wording is retained.
12
The most meritorious service which anyone could render is to bring the light of divine guidance and the quickening power of the spirit to an entirely new area. Humanity is crying for salvation; and it is only by the Baha'is going into the various areas of the world, that it can be brought to them. This is the reason the Guardian has encouraged all of the friends to disperse to new territories, for this is the hour for the quickening of the world.
LG#1994 (11 Mar. 1956 on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)
Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified
13
The movement itself from place to place, when undertaken for the sake of God, hath always exerted, and can now exert, its influence in the world. In the Books of old the station of them that have voyaged far and near in order to guide the servants of God hath been set forth and written down.