Bahá’í News/Inserts/Issue 346/Teaching-A Personal and Sacred Duty/Text
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Individual Study and Group Discussion
FOR SPIRITUAL REINFORCEMENT
Teaching — A Personal and Sacred Duty
Now, surely, if ever, is the time for us, the chosen ones of Baha’u’ll4h and the bearers of His Message to the world, to endeavor by day and by night, to deepen, first and foremost, the Spirit of His Cause in our own individual lives, and then labor, and labor incessantly to exemplify in all our dealings with our fellowmen that noble Spirit of which His beloved Son ‘Abdu’l-Baha has been all the days of His life a true and unique exponent. The sayings of our beloved Master have been noised abroad, His name has filled all regions, and the eyes of mankind are now turned expectant towards His disciples who bear His name and profess His teachings. Shall we not by our daily life vindicate the high claims of His teachings, and prove by our services the influence of His undying Spirit? This is our highest privilege, and our most sacred duty.
— Shoghi Effendi, Bahai Administration, p. 69
Having obtained a clear understanding of the true character of our mission, the methods to adopt, the course to pursue, and having attained sufficiently the individual regeneration — the essential requisite of teaching — let us arise to teach His Cause with righteousness, conviction, understanding and vigor. Let this be the paramount and most urgent duty of every Baha’i. Let us make it the dominating passion of our life. . . - Let us too bear in mind the example which our beloved Master has clearly set before us. Wise and tactful in His approach, wakeful and attentive in His early intercourse, broad and liberal in all His public utterances, cautious and gradual in the unfolding of the essential verities of the Cause, passionate in His appeal yet sober in argument, confident in tone, unswerving in conviction, dignified in His manners — such were the distinguishing features of our Beloved’s noble presentation of the Cause of Baha’u’llah.
— Shoghi Effendi
Bah@’i Administration, p. 35
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Each individual Baha’i must likewise feel that it is his personal duty to the Cause
at this time and his greatest privilege, and must ask himself what he can do... to
hasten the attainment of the goals of the World Crusade. The Baha’is are the leaven
of God, which must leaven the lump of their nation. In direct ratio to their success
will be the protection vouchsafed, not only to them but to their country. These are the
immutable laws of God, from which there is no escape: “For unto whomsoever much
is given, of him shall be much required.”
They cannot be the chosen people of God—the ones who have received the bounty of accepting Him in His Day, the recipients of the Master’s Divine Plan — and do nothing about it. The obligation to teach is the obligation of every Baha’i, and particularly, the obligations of the American Baha’is towards humanity are great and inescapable. To the degree to which they discharge them will they be blessed and protected, happy and satisfied.
— Shoghi Effendi’s last letter to the American Baha’is, through his secretary, September 21, 1957
The answers to the questions in this study outline are found in the following books available from the Bahai Publishing Trust, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, [linois:
The Covenant and Administration (C & A) — $1.00 The Advent of Divine Justice (ADJ) — $1.50 The Tablets of the Divine Plan (TDP) —$.35
(New printing of America’s Spiritual Mission)
Before discussing the following questions the individuals and group should read the
introductory quotations given above and the following pages from The Advent of Divine Justice: 37-44, 49-51, 69-70.
— National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahd’is
of the United States.
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10.
Li.
12.
13.
14.
QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION
. What does ‘Abdu’l-Baha promise to those “who deliver the Message?”” What hap pens if this work is neglected? (C&A 23)
Who should teach? (ADJ 37-38)
. What does Shoghi Effendi say about the lack of schooling and experience in con nection with winning souls for the Faith? Give an example... (ADJ 38)
Name as many reasons as you can for the present urgency in teaching the Faith.
(ADJ 39-40) What preparation is needed to enable a Baha’i to become a good teacher? (ADJ 41) Do you think an individual should postpone his efforts to teach until he has acquired
all of the knowledge and background mentioned by Shoghi Effendi in The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 42? Why?
. What is the National Spiritual Assembly doing to help the American Baha’is grasp
the essential verities of the Faith? What should the individual Baha’i do to find and attract ready souls? (ADJ 42-43)
What are the successive stages through which a teacher should lead his contact to embrace the Faith? (ADJ 43)
What guidance does Shoghi Effendi give for (1) making contacts and (2) preparing them for full membership in the Baha’i community? (ADJ 43-44)
What example was set by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in attracting souls to the Faith? (ADJ 43; second reference above)
What should be the ultimate goal in winning a new believer for the Faith? (ADJ 43)
Enumerate the spiritual principles that should be employed by the Baha’i who arises to teach, whether as a pioneer or a member of his own community. (ADJ 49-51)
What does Baha’u’llah say about “this day’ and the duty of those who bear His Name?
(ADJ 69-71)
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15.
16.
i.
18.
19.
What assistance is available to aid the American Baha’is to carry out the instructions and objectives of teaching as given by Shoghi Effendi in the pages of The Advent of Divine Justice used as references in this outline?
The American Baha’is were endowed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha with a unique spiritual mission in the world. Where is this mission described? (TDP — Introduction; and 1213)
What relationship does the present World Crusade have to this spiritual mission? (TDP — Introduction)
Read together and discuss the tablets revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha for the region in which your state is located. (TDP)
Learn and use daily one of the prayers revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in The Tablets of the Divine Plan for your state.