timeline will and testament
this note will be a timeline of how the W&T of Abdu'l-Baha' was spread through the Baha'i community. Remey for instance writes of being shown the W&T by Shoghi in 1922 but he also reports in his journals that as late as 1933 the W&T was not available to all Baha'is for instance it was not available to German Baha'is in 1933. Succession has always been something that has been obfuscated among Baha'i leaders starting with the Bab, in relation to the community while insiders have had special knowledge of succession.
"The Cause of God must be protected from the enemies of the Faith, and from those who sow seeds of doubt in the hearts of the believers, and the greatest of all protections is knowledge: there is no doubt that the silliest of all charges ever made is that the “Will and Testament” of the Master is a forgery! It is all in His own hand, sealed in more than one place with His own seal, and was opened after His death
by some members of His own family, who took it from His own safe, in this house, and from that day it has been kept in the safe under lock and key. The charges of Mrs. White were the result of an unbalanced mind. No other enemy, even those who were shrewd and clever, made this foolish accusation!"
From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, The Light of Divine Guidance v I, p. 134
Ruth White notes that she was one of the early believers given the W&T before others. Showing that she was viewed at the time as a confidant of the leadership of the Faith group.