| ←Previous | Bahá’í News Issue 188 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
| BAHÁ’Í |  |
NEWS |
| No. 188 | OCTOBER, 1946 | YEAR 103 | BAHA’I ERA |
“Help Ye the One True God”[edit]
The Day Star of Truth that shineth in its meridian splendor beareth us witness! They who are the people of God have no ambition except to revive the world, to ennoble its life, and regenerate its peoples. Truthfulness and good-will have, at all times marked their relations with all men. Their outward conduct is but a reflection of their inward life, and their inward life a mirror of their outward conduct. No veil hideth or obscureth the verities on which their Faith is established. Before the eyes of all men these verities have been laid bare, and can be unmistakably recognized. Their very acts attest the truth of these words.
O friends! Help ye the one true God, exalted be His glory, by your goodly deeds, by such conduct and character as shall be acceptable in his sight. He that seeketh to be a helper of God in this Day, let him close his eyes to whatever he may possess, and open them to the things of God. Let him cease to occupy himself with that which profiteth him, and concern himself with that which shall exalt the all-compelling name of the Almighty. He should cleanse his heart from all evil passions and corrupt desires, for the fear of God is the weapon that can render him victorious, the primary instrument whereby he can achieve his purpose. The fear of God is the shield that defendeth His cause, the buckler that enableth His people to attain victory. It is a standard that no man can abase, a force that no power can rival. By its aid, and by the leave of Him who is the Lord of Hosts, they that have drawn nigh unto God have been able to subdue and conquer the citadels of the hearts of men.
“My Constant Prayer, My Ardent Hope”[edit]
Letter from the Guardian To the N.S.A.[edit]
Dear and valued co-workers:
The new Plan on which the American Bahá’í community has embarked, in the course of the opening years of the second Bahá’í century, is of such vastness and complexity as to require the utmost vigor, vigilance and consecration on the part of both the general body of its prosecutors and those who are called upon, as their national elected representatives, to conduct its operation, define its processes, watch over its execution, and ensure its ultimate success. The obstacles confronting both its participants and organizers, particularly in the European field, are formidable, and call for the utmost courage, perseverance, fortitude and self-sacrifice.
The precarious international situation in both Hemispheres, the distress and preoccupation of the masses, in most of the countries to which pioneers will soon be proceeding, with the cares of every day life, the severe restrictions which are still imposed on visitors and travellers in foreign lands, the religious conservatism and spiritual lethargy which characterize the population in most of the lands where the new pioneers are to labor, add to the challenge of the task, and render all the more glorious the labors of the national community that has arisen to achieve what posterity will regard as the greatest collective enterprise, not only in the history of the community itself, but in the annals of the Faith with which it stands identified.
The initial success of the enterprise which has been so auspiciously launched, the enthusiasm which it has already engendered throughout Latin America, the hopes it has aroused amid the suffering and scattered believers in war-torn Europe, the feelings of admiration and envy it has excited throughout several communities in the Bahá’í world in both the East and the West, augur well for the future course of its operation, and foreshadow the splendors of the victories which its consummation must witness. The forces that have been released through the birth of the Plan must be directed into the most effective channels, the spirit that has been kindled must be continually nourished, the facilities at the disposal of its organizers must be fully utilized, each and every barrier that may obstruct its expansion must be determinedly removed, every assistance which Bahá’í communities in various lands may wish, or be able, to offer, should be wholeheartedly welcomed, every measure that will serve to reinforce the bonds uniting the newly-fledged communities in the Latin world, and to stimulate the movement, and raise the spirits, of itinerant teachers and settlers laboring in the continent of Europe must be speedily undertaken, if the colossal task, which in the course of seven brief years must be carried out, is to be befittingly consummated.
The sterner the task, the graver the responsibilities, the wider the field of exertion, the more persistently must the privileged members of this enviable community strive, and the loftier must be the height to which they should aspire, in the course of their God-given mission, and throughout every stage in the irresistible and divinely guided evolution of their community life.
Setbacks may well surprise them; trials and disappointments may tax their patience and resourcefulness; the forces of darkness, either from within or from without, may seek to dampen their ardor, to disrupt their unity and break their spirit; pitfalls may surround the little band that must act as a vanguard to the host which must, in the years to come, spiritually raise up the sorely ravaged continent of Europe. None of these, however fierce, sinister or unyielding they may appear, must be allowed to deflect the protagonists of a God-impelled Plan, from the
[Page 2]
course which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has chosen for them, and which the agencies
of a firmly established, laboriously
erected, Administrative Order, are
now enabling them to effectively
pursue.
That they may press forward with undiminished fervor, with undimmed vision, with unfaltering steps, with indivisible unity, with unflinching determination until the shining goal is attained is my constant prayer, my ardent hope, and the dearest wish of my heart.
Your true and grateful brother,
Haifa, Palestine
July 20, 1946
The following statements were written by the Guardian through his secretary in a letter dated July 20, 1946, the postscript of which, signed by Shoghi Effendi, is printed above.
Seven Year Plan[edit]
You can well imagine that much of his thoughts are now centered on the work of the new Seven Year Plan. Its tremendous importance cannot be over emphasized, for on its success hangs the success or failure of the future work which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His wisdom apportioned to the Bahá’ís of North America. The Guardian, however, having had now for 25 years the experience of working with the American believers, no longer has any doubts as to their capacity for work, their devotion, their loyalty and their determination to never fail their Faith! It is therefore with a mind at rest and a confident heart that he has entrusted to them the great tasks of the next seven years.
Temple Services[edit]
As regards the whole question of the Temple and services held in it:
He wishes to emphasize that he is very anxious, now that this first and greatest Temple of the West has been built, and will, within a few years, be used for worship and regular services by the Bahá’ís, that no forms, no rituals, no set customs be introduced over and above the bare minimum outlined in the teachings. The nature of these gatherings is for prayer, meditation and the reading of writings from the Sacred Scriptures of our Faith and other Faiths; there can be one or a number of readers; any Bahá’í chosen, or even, non-Bahá’í, may read. The gatherings should be simple, dignified, and designed to uplift the soul and educate it through hearing the creative word. No speeches may be made, no extraneous matter introduced.
The use of pulpits is forbidden by Bahá’u’lláh; if, in order to be more clearly heard, the person reading stands on a low platform, there is no objection, but this should not be incorporated as an architectural feature of the building.
As he already informed you by cable, he thinks that the best seating arrangement from every standpoint is that the section of the audience in the center of the auditorium, beneath the dome, should face towards ‘Akká, and all the other seats around this central space should be placed in the form of a circle so that the seats face inwards towards the center of the Temple. In other words a central mass facing ‘Akká-wards, surrounded by circular rows of seats facing inwards.
The reader should stand where he or she will be best seen and heard by all. All minor details regarding this matter are left to the discretion of your Assembly to decide after receiving the advice of experts. As he already informed you, he suggests using fixed rather than movable seats.
Vocal music alone may be used and the position of the singers or singer is also a matter for your Assembly to decide; but again, there should be no fixed point, no architectural details marking a special spot. Acoustics should certainly be the main consideration in placing the singers.
The Guardian feels that the Temple, if divided into an auditorium and eight or nine small rooms, would have a far too circumscribed seating capacity for a National House of Worship and that also the small rooms would serve no useful purpose whatever. In view of this he instructed you to do away entirely with these superfluous rooms; the whole main floor of the building should form one vast auditorium with no dividing walls at all. What provision for keeping the cold out, and what entrances you wish to make constant use of, are matters for your Assembly to decide after receiving expert advice.
Color may be used in the interior—and, indeed, it was Mr. Bourgeois’ intention to use it, as the original cross-section showing the interior, which now hangs here in the archives, shows. (The photographic plate and reproduction of this drawing you already received.) The Guardian feels very strongly that you should adhere as much as possible to the architect’s own design for the interior—otherwise the homogeneity of the building will be destroyed, which would be a fatal mistake. Any modifications should be in the nature of eliminating or simplifying—and only when absolutely necessary—Bourgeois’s designs, and such changes should only be made by an experienced architect and decorator, and not be left to the discrimination of mere laymen.
He approves of lighting being employed as part of the decorative scheme, but suggests you avoid anything in the nature of producing a gloomy or bizarre effect.
As he cabled you, he approves of opaque white glass being used wherever recommended on the ground floor in order to provide the interior with the necessary privacy.
Very careful consideration should be given to the acoustics of the auditorium, and wood or any other material may be used in the interior in order to facilitate this.
The use of all nine or only a certain number of entrances is left to you to decide in consultation with your advisers.
He need not tell you how very important the decisions are which you will now be called upon to make in connection with completing the Temple interior. He urges you, at all times, to receive the very best technical advice, and to bear in mind that the main thing is that the meetings in the Temple should be conducted in a beautiful and peaceful setting, in comfort and with dignity and simplicity, and that the audience should be able to hear perfectly and the tone values be pleasant to the ear.
Bahá’í Music[edit]
Music, as one of the arts, is a natural cultural development, and the Guardian does not feel that there should be any cultivation of “Bahá’í Music” any more than we are trying to develop a Bahá’í school of painting or writing. The believers are free to paint, write and compose as their talents guide them. If music is written, incorporating the sacred writings, the friends are free to make use of it, but it should never be considered a requirement at Bahá’í meetings to have such music. The further away the friends keep from any set forms, the better, for they must realize that the Cause is absolutely
[Page 3]
universal, and what might
seem a beautiful addition to their
mode of celebrating a Feast, etc.,
would perhaps fall on the ears of
people of another country as unpleasant sounds—and vice versa. As
long as they have music for its own
sake it is all right, but they should
not consider it Bahá’í music.
Acts of Immorality[edit]
Any blatant acts of immorality on the part of the Bahá’ís should be strongly censored; the friends should be urged to abandon such relationships immediately, straighten out their affairs, and conduct themselves as Bahá’ís; if they refuse to do this, in spite of the warnings of the Assembly, they should be punished through being deprived of their voting rights. The N.S.A. is empowered to settle such cases of flagrant immorality without referring them to the Guardian.
Formation of National Assemblies In Central and South America and Canada[edit]
As he already informed you by cable, the West Indies, Mexico and Panama are considered part of Central America, and will be under the jurisdiction of the Central American N.S. A. The Canal Zone and Puerto Rico also are part of this area and under its jurisdiction. Two N. S. A.’s will be formed; one for Central and one for South America. They will adopt their own constitutions after election, which should follow as closely as possible that of your own body. This new constitution — for obviously these two new N. S. A.’s will not seek for Latin America to have two different ones — will be in Spanish, and will be published in the Bahá’í World, there to join its sister constitutions in English, German, Arabic and Persian. The Canadian constitution should, likewise, be patterned on and closely follow your own.
Your Assembly must determine the number of delegates, and call the first Conventions of these three new national bodies, and they must receive a certain amount of supervision and guidance from you until the end of the present Seven Year Plan, when they will pass directly under the supervision of the Guardian. Your Assembly is, so to speak, their sponsor, and they will become independent at the end of this present plan.
Bahá’í Funeral Services[edit]
There is no objection whatsoever
The funeral of John D. Bosch at Olive Hill Cemetery, Geyserville, July 24, 1946
to non-Bahá’ís being present when
the long prayer for the dead is read*,
as long as they respect our manner
of reading it by rising and standing
as the Bahá’ís do on this occasion.
Nor, indeed, is there any objection
to non-Bahá’ís being present during
the reading of any Bahá’í prayer for
the departed.
An official Bahá’í funeral service should only be given for a believer, but there is no objection to the reading of Bahá’í prayers, or indeed to a Bahá’í conducting the funeral service of a non-Bahá’í, if this has been requested.
In reporting Bahá’í marriages it is much better to mention that the ceremony was performed by the Assembly, as this is the proper thing to do, and an individual only acts for the Assembly on this occasion. As a funeral is not a legal ceremony more latitude can be allowed, especially as the family of the deceased may want some particular Bahá’í friend to officiate.
_____
* This explanation deals with the question raised by the NSA in a letter to the
Guardian: “The Assembly wishes to
know whether one of the prayers used
for the departed is to be read only when
those present are all Bahá’ís, or whether
its use is unrestricted like other texts.
This is the prayer appearing on pages
70, 71 and 72 of “Bahá’í Prayers.”
International Relief[edit]
Concerning the question of the Philippines, they are not under your Assembly’s jurisdiction, but you can, being such a sturdy and prosperous community, lend them a helping hand and advise them. The Guardian urges great caution, however, in handling the situation there; this is a new community which has never had any close contact with Bahá’ís from other countries, and well organized and recognized administrative bodies — such as existed in Germany, Austria and Burma before the war. You should ascertain if the people requesting help really need it, and are really Bahá’ís. He would not recommend that anything more than food parcels, clothes, and Bahá’í literature be sent them at present, and he hopes the way will open for a competent Bahá’í teacher to visit them, and help them organize their affairs on a true Bahá’í basis.
He feels that sufficient relief funds have now been accumulated in Tíhrán, and that, except for any parcels of food and gifts individual believers may still wish to send, any sums on hand for this purpose should be directed into the European teaching and publishing work.
Radio Station in Temple[edit]
The Guardian approves in principle of a radio station, and sees no objection to its being in the Temple; but he considers the cost you quote too much of a burden at the present time for the Fund to bear, in view of the multiple expenses of the new Seven Year Plan. If there is any way it can be done for a price you feel the Fund could pay, and which would be more reasonable, he approves of your doing it.
Object of Inter-Racial Work[edit]
The following letter by the Guardian, written through his secretary, was addressed to the Race Unity Committee on December 30, 1945, and is published with the Guardian’s consent.
“He feels that as the main object of the Bahá’í inter-racial work is to abolish prejudice against any and
[Page 4]
every race and minority group, it is
obviously proper for them to include
in particular any group that is receiving especially bad treatment—such as the Japanese-Americans are
being subjected to. There is also no
reason why work should not be done
among and in cooperation with the
Mexicans, the Chinese and so on.
“He has always been very anxious to have the Indians taught and enlisted under the banner of the Faith, in view of the Master’s remarkable statements about the possibilities of their future and that they represent the aboriginal American population.
“The Negroes, likewise, are, one might say, a key problem and epitomize the feelings of color prejudice so rife in the United States. That is why he has so constantly emphasized the importance of the Bahá’ís actively and continuously demonstrating that in the Faith this cruel and horrible taint of discrimination against, and contempt for, them does not exist but on the contrary is supplanted by a feeling of esteem for their great gifts and a complete lack of prejudice in every field of life.
“The work of the Race Unity Committee should include, as far as is possible, contacts with all minority groups, and wherever there is a particularly stout prejudice against a special group—such as the feelings against the Japanese in the Western States and the Negroes in the Southern (states), etc., efforts should be made to counteract it by showing publicly the Bahá’í example of loving tolerance and brotherly association.”
Keep in Touch with Local Youth Activities[edit]
The following excerpts from letter of the Guardian, written through his secretary and addressed to the National Youth Committee under date of October 20, 1945, are published with the Guardian’s consent.
“He feels that one of the primary duties of your Committee is to encourage young Bahá’ís to prepare themselves for pioneer work, in Latin America; as he has already informed the American believers, the tremendous tasks facing them in Europe—indeed, all over the world—cannot be embarked upon until they have finished the work begun in South America. In this field youthful Bahá’ís have already accomplished much, and he hopes others will arise and follow them.
“Now that the war is over and so many young people are being released from the services and returning to a more normal life, the young Bahá’ís in every city should make a point of keeping in touch with local youth activities and clubs, and should make their views known to as many young people in as many ways as possible. Above all, they should set a high example to them; chastity, politeness, friendliness, hospitality, joyous optimism about the ultimate future happiness and well-being of mankind, should distinguish them and win over to them the love and admiration of their fellow-youth. The thing which is most conspicuously lacking in modern life is a high standard of conduct and good character; the young Bahá’ís must demonstrate both, if they hope to seriously win over to the Faith members of their own generation so sorely disillusioned and so contaminated by the laxity war gives rise to.”
National Spiritual Assembly[edit]
National Consultation on Race Unity[edit]
Dear Bahá’í friends:
At its September meeting the National Spiritual Assembly adopted comprehensive plans for general consultation on the subject of race unity teaching, to focus attention upon this basic application of the principle of the oneness of mankind and prepare the way for the adoption of new methods and policies which can intensify the influence of the entire Bahá’í community as an instrument for the removal of prejudice and separation between the races on this continent.
Steps have been taken to invite the members of the National Race Unity Committee to consult with the NSA from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., Sunday, December 8, and to hold a general consultation with the believers in Temple Foundation Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. that same day. Luncheon will be served in Temple Foundation if possible.
The Temple Program Committee has been requested to arrange the program of the public meeting at 3:30 p.m. December 8 as a meeting devoted to the theme of “The Bahá’í Basis for Human Relations,” dealing directly with the Bahá’í conception of unity.
A special invitation is being extended to the National Teaching Committee and the Regional Teaching Committees and Assemblies of the following States to be represented at the general conference:
| Maryland | Kansas |
| Virginia | Missouri |
| West Virginia | Nebraska |
| Dist. of | Alabama |
| Columbia | Mississippi |
| No. Carolina | Louisiana |
| So. Carolina | Arkansas |
| Georgia | Oklahoma |
| Florida | Texas |
| Kentucky | Tennessee |
| Indiana |
The National Race Unity Committee has been requested to help arrange a banquet in collaboration with
the Chicago Assembly to be held in
Chicago Saturday evening, December 7, along the lines of the impressive race unity banquets held by the
Chicago Assembly in recent years.
Finally, a special committee of the NSA has been appointed to compile a manual on Bahá’í race teachings and policies, the issuance of which will unify our minds and hearts on the most effective ways of serving race unity in all parts of the country, and release a powerful new impetus both individual and collective for hastening the advent of Divine justice.
The various National Committees, Regional Committees, Assemblies and communities are requested to note these plans and prepare to enter into them with ardor and efficiency.
As the details are worked out, later and more comprehensive announcements will be made.
The Status of Bahá’í Youth in the Community[edit]
Since there has not been a common understanding of the place of Bahá’í Youth in the community, the National Spiritual Assembly has decided upon the following principles:
First, the term “Bahá’í” is not limited to declared believers twenty-one years of age or older. Young people between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one are Bahá’ís even though they may be referred to as Bahá’í Youth. The members of a community are all the declared believers in that community, regardless of age.
Second, each individual, fifteen years of age and older, becomes a registered believer upon acceptance of the qualifications of faith set forth
[Page 5]
by the Guardian and by declaration
to a Spiritual Assembly or to a Regional Committee. All individuals,
regardless of age, should be lovingly
and carefully prepared for acceptance into the community.
Third, it is not necessary for a regularly enrolled Bahá’í Youth to redeclare his faith at the age of twenty-one. When a Bahá’í Youth declares his faith, it should be a spiritual step binding upon him for the rest of his life and not a mere statement of some future intention. On reaching the age of 21, the individual is to notify the local Assembly secretary or the regional committee so that he may be registered as a voting member.
Fourth, individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one have all the rights and privileges of a community member except voting in Bahá’í elections. Bahá’í Youth may participate without question in all the consultations of the community; they may serve on any committee of the local Assembly; in fact, it is the conviction of the members of the National Assembly that local Assemblies should use all feasible opportunities to give encouragement, experience, and training to the younger members of the community. Bahá’í Youth may also serve on national and regional committees.
Fifth, members of the community under twenty-one may not serve as Convention delegates or as members of a local or National Assembly. In these matters, as in voting for these positions, the age limit of twenty-one must be maintained in order to assure the legal position of the local and National Assemblies.
Sixth, the children of believers may attend the Nineteen Day Feasts and other intimate gatherings of the community, but when they reach the age of fifteen, the local Assembly should lovingly inquire if they wish to declare their faith and enroll as members of the community. If they do not declare their faith after fifteen, they do not have the rights and privileges of community membership. The local Assembly is cautioned not to exert undue pressure on such young people but to treat them in a very kindly spirit and, when they wish to declare their faith, to assist them in careful preparation to understand the significance of such a step.
The Guardian has repeatedly stated the tremendous responsibilities to be discharged by the present
Mrs. Etty Graeffe (second from left) sailed from New York on the S. S. Stavangerfjord, with Mrs. Solveigh Corbit (not in picture) on September 7th, the first pioneers to set forth under the direction of the European Teaching Committee. Mrs. Graeffe will be the resident director of the Geneva Office under the E.T.C., and Mrs. Corbit is the pioneer to Norway. From left to right the pioneers are, Mrs. Jetty Straub, Mrs. Graeffe, Miss Rita Van Sombeek and Miss Madeleine Humbert. Mrs. Straub and Miss Van Sombeek sailed for Holland Sept. 25th; Miss Humbert is to leave for Belgium in January. The other Bahá’ís bidding the pioneers Godspeed are Mrs. A. K. Kalantar and Mrs. A. G. Tichenor.
generation of Bahá’í Youth. All local
Assemblies are urged to adopt a
consistent policy of encouragement
for the development of a generation
of trained and devoted Bahá’í Youth.
The First Pioneers to Europe[edit]
The great new project of the Second Seven Year Plan is that of bringing the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to ten European countries. Therefore the National Spiritual Assembly appointed a European Teaching Committee with the following membership: Edna True, Chairman, Mary Barton, Paul Haney, Anna Kunz, Charles Mason Remey, Julia Shows, Mary Sprague, Dr. Katherine True and Clara Wood.
The first meeting of the European Teaching Committee was held on June 26, 1946, and plans were laid out in accordance with the Guardian’s letter to the Bahá’ís of North America, dated June 15, 1946. In this message of the Guardian, the committee was directed to dispatch nine pioneers immediately to the capitals of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, to start their teaching work; to furnish the pioneers with adequate Bahá’í literature translated into all the languages needed for these countries.
The Guardian’s convention message and his letter to the North American Bahá’ís in June, created tremendous interest throughout the United States and the European Teaching Committee is very happy to report that a number of wonderful souls have volunteered to take up pioneer work in the goal countries mentioned by the Guardian. As of this date (Sept. 3, 1946), the committee can report that these posts have been filled by Bahá’í pioneers who are nationals of the countries the Guardian wishes opened up at this time. This is one of the miracles of Bahá’u’lláh, because these volunteers already are completely familiar with the languages necessary and the fact of their being nationals greatly expedites the matter of getting passports and visas.
As a vital part of the European teaching campaign, the Guardian has requested that the European Teaching Committee set up an auxiliary office in Geneva, Switzerland, as an adjunct to the Bahá’í International Bureau. Mrs. Etty Graeffe has been chosen to be in charge of this office and is sailing on September 7 to make a survey of the goal countries
[Page 6]
on her way to Geneva. With Mrs.
Graeffe will sail Mrs. Solveigh V.
Corbit, who will be our pioneer to
Norway. On Sept. 18, Miss Rita Van
Sombeek and her sister, Mrs. Jetty
Straub, of the New York City Bahá’í
community, will take up their posts
in Holland. Later, on Oct. 18, Mr.
and Mrs. Anders Nielsen with their
son, of the Burbank, Calif., Bahá’í
community, will embark for Denmark, to take up their post in that
country. Miss Madeline Humbert of
the New York City Bahá’í community,
leaves in late September or early
October, for Belgium to serve as
pioneer in Brussels. As soon as traveling and passport arrangements can
be completed, our chosen pioneers
will be dispatched to Spain, Portugal,
Italy and Luxembourg.
Our chairman, Miss Edna True, will be sailing the latter part of September to make a personal survey of some of the goal countries and to help in establishing the Geneva office and to consult with the British Publishing Trust.
Each pioneer will be equipped with Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era in the language of the country to which he is going as well as with a pamphlet for free distribution, which has been especially compiled by the European Teaching Committee for this purpose. The committee is also very fortunate in having some of the other Writings already existing in several of the languages required.
The committee feels assured that the community of the believers in North America will join them in their special prayers for the inauguration of this new and tremendous project.
KATHERINE K. TRUE, News Editor
Plan of the Public Meetings Campaign[edit]
The function of the Public Meetings Committee as outlined by the National Spiritual Assembly is “to bring the teachings to the leaders and masses through a series of public meetings in various cities to be conducted with the cooperation of the respective local Assemblies.”
Continuing the work so admirably begun last year, “key cities” have already been selected: Minneapolis, Winnipeg, Montreal, Binghamton, Urbana, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Baltimore, Miami, Nashville, Pittsburg, and Cleveland. The climax of the campaign will be the Convention Public Meeting.
The theme this year is “World Order Through World Faith” and in most instances but one speaker will be used. This together with a fine musical program, well-planned publicity, exhibits, and radio broadcasts will, we know, again bring the name Bahá’í to the attention of the masses.
The programs or invitations this year are quite outstanding in appearance, something that will not be idly laid aside by those receiving them.
The first meeting is scheduled for Minneapolis on October 13th and the prayers of all the friends are requested for this city and each one to follow.
The eleven key cities of last year have been supplied a budget and invited to again join in this work by putting on a similar meeting this year. They will also use the theme “World Order Through World Faith” and thus the momentum begun last year will be doubled.
Special stress is being laid on the follow-up work to be planned well in advance by a special committee organized for this purpose, which with the assistance of the Regional and National Teaching Committees has, by far, the most important work to do, that of keeping alive the interest of the seekers attracted to the Cause through the public meetings.
National Bahá’í Advertising Begins[edit]
Following general approval of plans by the NSA in July, the Public Relations Committee met July 28 and made decisions on details of the work. This report covers activities conducted in July and August, 1946.
1. Two releases have been sent direct to newspapers and news magazines during each of these two months, through the public relations firm of Harry Coleman, Chicago. The list includes papers in towns of 25,000 and more population. The subjects used in July: Commemoration of the Martyrdom of the Báb; plans for interior ornamentation of Temple. August themes: world changes in religion today; the public campaign to be conducted this year on world order through world faith.
2. A release for use by Assemblies, groups and active workers locally has been prepared in each of these months, for distribution through the committee bulletin. This series of publicity does not duplicate the material issued direct.
3. A schedule of national advertising has been adopted, including the following magazines: Newsweek, for the general public; World Report, for those directly interested in world peace; Editor and Publisher and Publishers Auxiliary, for editors, columnists, feature writers; and Broadcasting, for radio announcers, station managers, program editors, etc. The public advertising goes in two magazines having a circulation of 763, 781. The papers going to press and radio workers have a circulation of 34,795.
The general, public advertising features the theme of World Truth for a World Era, and offers free copies of booklet reprinting several talks from The Promulgation of Universal Peace. This is a 32-page pamphlet entitled World Order Through World Faith, carrying out the theme of the whole public campaign this year.
The advertising planned for professional men in the press and radio fields is intended to make the name “Bahá’í” have a definite and important significance. A copy of the summary of the teachings is to be sent free on request.
The September schedule has been placed as follows: Newsweek, September 23, ½ column; Editor and Publisher, September 14, ½ column; Publishers Auxiliary, September 14, 42 lines (three inches); Broadcasting, September 16, ½ column.
This effort marks the beginning of national Bahá’í advertising in America, and the accumulative effort should be to make the Faith far more generally known to the public and also to key persons influential in press and radio fields.
4. The Committee has entered into a contract with the Coleman firm for professional services including publicity, advertising and special public relations work from July, 1946 to April, 1947. The firm is now working with the various Chicago bureaus which can feature visits to the Temple by national convention and other travelers coming to Chicago this year.
5. The Committee is preparing 200 copies of a “Public Relations Kit” containing publicity, advertising and other material which can be used by national committees, local Assemblies, groups and traveling teachers.
6. Contacts by mail. The Committee is mailing out to selected lists of key persons on a regular monthly schedule copies of printed matter,
[Page 7]
including the Summary of the Teachings, Chicago Tribune Temple picture reprint, and special reprints of
Bahá’í material: A Pattern for Future Society, Industrial Justice, The Principle of Religious Unity, and
The Reality of Brotherhood. 10,000
each of these four reprints are to
come from the printer in September.
10,000 Summaries were printed in
August. A second edition of The Coming of World Religion is expected
by September. Lists of names can
be sent to the Committee for this
contacts work, and the Committee
will use as many as possible, as
well as names taken from the Temple Guides Committee Register of
Visitors.
7. In order to make available for local use the material offered by the Committee in the form of publicity, advertising, photographs, etc., a plan has been adopted for issuing a bulletin about nine times during the year. The first number was prepared in July, but the mimeographing and mailing has been delayed by conditions outside our control. The bulletin also offers useful suggestions for local campaigns.
Our present direct press publicity schedule carries the Bahá’í releases to some 673 papers in about 350 towns.
Latin American News[edit]
Latin American activity is hitting a new high in preparation for consolidation of existing Bahá’í Communities and the extension of the Message to the masses. Chile is setting the pace by opening extension teaching in four different cities; two in the deep south; one under the direction of the so recently formed Assembly in Valparaiso, and another further north. The four are Temuco, Mulchen, Valdivia and Viña del Mar. The friends in Guayaquil, Ecuador, have been assisting Hascle Cornbleth in the goal city of Quito. A center has been opened and Hascle reports regular weekly meetings with average attendance of 15.
Gayle Woolson is now teaching in Cali where the Masons have opened their lodge to listen to the Message. She will also visit Guayaquil and Quito in Ecuador, and later, Medellin, Cartagena and Barranquilla in Colombia. Miss Lotus Peterson of St. Paul is planning to leave as a pioneer to open up the new goal city of Maracaibo, Venezuela. The Assembly in Caracas is doing extension teaching in Maracay, Valencia and Puerto Cabello. Mrs. Woolson will visit them later. Gwenne Sholtis is working in the new goal city of Sucre, Bolivia, with the result that there are now four active Bahá’ís there, one brand new, and several persons near to the Cause. Miss Sholtis will go in December to Lima for change of climate and will join there in the regional drive to open Callao. The Assembly of Lima, Peru, assisted by Miss Eve Nicklin; has opened a center in Callao; there is a small group and a new believer has just registered.
Miss Virginia Orbison has gone to the goal city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the first believer there has just registered. Mr. and Mrs. Edmund J. Miessler of Columbus Grove, Ohio, are sailing to Brazil on the 15th of September, to settle there with their two children as resident pioneers. Mr. Miessler is manager of the Sao Paulo branch of a large importing firm.
In Central America, Mrs. Marcia Steward is making a survey of all six countries with a view to consolidating existing Assemblies and stimulating extension teaching work. Mrs. Louise Caswell has gone to the goal city of Colon, where there are now three active believers, one just registered. Dr. Escalante is opening extension teaching in the new goal city of La Ceiba in Honduras. In the West Indies, Dr. Malcolm King, pioneer at Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and chairman of regional work in the Islands, will make a trip to Kingston, Jamaica, to consult with the Assembly, choose a goal city in Jamaica and begin regional teaching there. In Cuba, Jean Silver is teaching in the goal city of Cienfuegos, and Dr. Walter Blomquist of Havana has been visiting and teaching in Santa Clara, with the result that a class of twenty-two students has been formed. Santiago is the goal city in the Dominican Republic and the Assembly in Ciudad Trujillo is doing extension teaching there.
Mrs. Shirley Warde and the Assembly of Buenos Aires are preparing the first South American Teaching Conference to be held in that city November 8 to 11. Delegates from all the South American countries are invited to attend and splendid publicity has been granted. Mrs. Amelia Collins will attend as official representative of the Inter-America Committee and of the National Spiritual Assembly. Mrs. Warde, Artemus Lamb of Punta Arenas and Hugo Arteageatabeitia of Valparaiso are collaborating on an up-to-date radio series, including suitable scripts for all cities and also transcriptions on discs. Artemus has been making a survey of Chile and plans also to survey Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, to consult with his regional committee and assist in the stimulation of extension teaching. Fourteen new Bahá’ís have registered this month.
Latin American Spiritual Assemblies Elected April 21, 1946[edit]
| Appeal for Settlers and Teachers
Brattleboro, Vt., Wilmington, Del., Greenville, S.C., Louisville, Ky., Fargo, N.D., Laramie, Wyo., Boise, Idaho. The National Spiritual Assembly makes urgent appeal that all believers who can volunteer to settle in any of these cities, or even give brief or occasional teaching help, notify the National Teaching Committee at once. |
South America
- Brazil—Rio de Janeiro and Bahia
- Venezuela—Caracas
- Colombia—Bogotá and Mogotes
- Ecuador—Guayaquil
- Peru—Lima
- Bolivia—La Paz
- Paraguay—Asunción
- Chile—Punta Arenas, Santiago and Valparaiso
- Argentina—Buenos Aires
- Uruguay—Montevideo
Central America
- Guatemala—Ciudad de Guatemala
- Honduras—Tegucigalpa
- Nicaragua—Managua
- Costa Rica—Puntarenas and San José
- El Salvador—San Salvador
- Panama—Panama City
West Indies
- Cuba—Havana
- Haiti—Port-au-Prince
- Dominican Republic—Ciudad Trujillo
- Puerto Rico—San Juán
- Jamaica—Kingston, B. W. I.
North American Continent
- Mexico—Ciudad de Mejico
Bahá’í Literature in Spanish for North America[edit]
The Bahá’í Publishing and Distributing Center for Spanish literature in Panama requests that believers desiring to order Spanish books for North America be apprised of the
[Page 8]
conditions governing the ordering of
these. Every order must be accompanied by a bank draft in the name
of Comité Bahá’í de Publición y Distribución, and be sent to this
Committee at the following address:
Apdo. 2008, Ancon, Zona del Canal.
The Committee has in stock in Spanish the following: New Era, 63c;
Dispensation, 15c; Prayers, 14c; Answered Questions, 60c; various
pamphlets from 2 to 3c apiece. There
will soon be available, the following two books: The Wisdom of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 42c. and The Great Announcement, 35c.
Summer Teaching Circuits[edit]
The program of expansion and consolidation which has been outlined by the Guardian for the first two years of the second Seven Year Plan involves the immediate reinforcement and strengthening of seven of our “spiritual prizes” won during the first Seven Year Plan; the further consolidation of fifty small Assemblies; the speedy conversion into Assemblies of “over thirty groups having six or more members”; the achievement one hundred and seventy-five Assemblies functioning in North America.
The National and Regional Committees are bending every effort to bring these needs before the body of the believers and to solicit their help in this great task. Regional Teaching Conferences have been held in many cities to stimulate and focus the attention of the believers on the goals which have been set for the region; inter-regional circuits have been developed to provide teaching help to the weaker Assemblies; the large Assemblies have been asked to cooperate with the Regional Teaching Committees by providing teaching help to nearby groups and Assemblies, as well as settlers to reinforce and hold the status of established Assemblies; and various teaching bulletins and teaching aids have also been made available.
During the summer RTC reports indicate that twenty new isolated believers have been enrolled, and many regional projects have been completed with most encouraging results.
Nine inter-regional circuits provided teaching assistance to Assemblies in the Northeastern, Southern, Central and Western states. Mrs. Mamie Seto of San Francisco, Calif. enroute to Louhelen in June visited Boise, Ida., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Laramie, Wyo. Successful meetings are also reported in Lima, Cleveland, and Albuquerque. Commenting on her trip Mrs. Seto writes ‘Everywhere I went I found a new readiness on the part of people, which makes our new task easier.”
During July and August while attending the Green Acre Bahá’í School, Mrs. Sara E. Witt of Santa Monica, Calif. gave teaching help to the Assemblies of Portsmouth, Boston, Providence, New Haven, Hampden, Brattleboro and the group in Hartford, Conn. In Brattleboro, Mrs. Witt spoke on “The Gateway to Spiritual Rebirth” and the local Spiritual Assembly reports that Mrs. Witt “has given us a very encouraging start for our work under the Second Seven Year Plan.” Mr. and Mrs. Crane of Hackensack, N. J., also visited Brattleboro enroute home from a teaching trip to the Maritimes in July.
Mrs. Margarite Ullrich of Oak Park, Ill., with her two daughters, Marjorie and Florence, and Robert Miessler visited Greensboro, N.C., Greenville, S.C., Augusta and Atlanta, Ga., from June 17th to 30th. The Augusta Assembly reports that Mrs. Ullrich “gave a talk on the Temple and Temple slides were shown at the Oliver General Hospital” as well as at the homes of Mrs. Sego and Mrs. Allen. The young people entertained with violin, piano and vocal music and at the Greenville meeting Robert Miessler gave a review of This Earth One Country. Fireside meetings as well as public meetings were planned in all of the cities visited.
Another group,—composed of Miss Pari Zia-Walrath, Miss Betty Scheffler and Mr. Harlan Scheffler,—from the Temple area, and Mr. Ross Woodman of Winnipeg, Manitoba, devoted their vacation period to teaching and presented symposiums in Sioux Falls, S.C., Fargo, N.D., Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., from July 22 to 31st.
On a circuit planned in cooperation with the Canadian Teaching Committee, Dr. Edris Rice-Wray attended the Conference at Banff, Alberta, in August and on her return made several stop-overs in Montana and Minnesota.
Mr. Alvin Blum of Little-Rock, Ark., again visited St. Louis, Independence, Kansas City, Missouri and Topeka, Kansas, in August and reports the meetings well attended.
En route to International School this summer, Mr. Mason Remey
Mrs. Marguerite Ullrich and daughters Marjorie and Florence with Robert Miessler during their teaching trip in the South, June, 1946.
made stop-overs in Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Ohio, Indianapolis,
Ind. and Topeka, Kansas.
In August, when Mr. John McHenry with his wife and two children moved to California, stop-overs were arranged and meetings were planned in Waterloo, Ia.; Omaha, Neb.; Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyo.; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Salt Lake City and Reno, Nevada.
Another Bahá’í family moving to California from New York state, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd H. Munson, and their son, are making stop-overs enroute so that the friends can plan fireside meetings in Fort Wayne, Ind., Peoria Ill., Oklahoma City, Okla., and in Albuquerque, N.M. They also plan to visit isolated believers in Joplin, Mo., and Jefferson City, Mo., and in Kingman, Arizona.
Mrs. Ruth Moffett visited Manchester and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in July and two new believers were enrolled following the meeting. In Cedar Rapids she appeared on the “Distinguished Guest” program for a ten-minute broadcast during which she was interviewed.
Regional Teaching Committees also report many circuits and projects which have been successfully completed during the summer months. One of especial significance, because it resulted in the strengthening of one of the weaker Assemblies, is the Regional Teaching Conference held in Richmond Highlands, Washington, on July 27th and 28th. Arrangements
[Page 9]
were made for twenty
three over-night guests by a local
housing committee and a food committee planned a dinner served cafeteria style to sixty-one persons attending the Conference. “Saturday
afternoon the conference discussed
the Guardian’s message,” Mrs.
Helen Wilks, RTC secretary, reports,
“and in the evening a public meeting was held in the Masonic Hall,
beautifully decorated for the occasion
by Venus Curl of the Seattle community. Mr. John Schurcliff of Tacoma and Mrs. Alice Elmendorff of
Seattle spoke on ‘Unity in World
Religion.’ About seventy-five attended this meeting. On Sunday, a
study class on ‘The Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,’ was conducted and in the afternoon Convention
and Summer School reports were
given.
The children sang songs which they
had learned at Summer School, and
stood on a natural rock platform
edged with rocks and flowers, with
trees on either side, which made a
beautiful setting.” The report further states that as a result the Assembly is “over the hump,” and
that much care is being given to
the planning of follow-up meetings
there, with the chairman, speaker,
and hostess working together closely
to insure the success of the meetings.
Another very successful project at Hampton Institute, Va., is elsewhere reported in this issue.
In many regions the groups and Assemblies arranged picnics. In Hartford, Conn., 45 people attended a picnic which was given excellent publicity — with a picture of Mr. George Goodman, the speaker, in the local papers—and other regions report similar success. Regional projects have also been developed to help groups in an effort to increase the membership to the required nine for Assembly status in April. In Columbia, S.C., the group is being given regular monthly teaching help by Mrs. Esther Sego of Augusta, Ga. Another group at Glenfield, N.D., is to receive the help of Miss Margaret Detwiler of Fargo, N.D., during the month of September, and this group has recently had a visit from Mr. Hasan Abas who stopped there on his way home from a teaching trip to Edmonton, Alta. The Washington and Oregon RTC plans to send regular teaching help to the groups at Auburn, Kirkland and Bremerton over a period of months to help these groups increase their
Green Acre Bahá’í School, August 25, 1946.
membership. Groups and Assemblies have been visited by Miss Agnes
Alexander of Hawaii, who is visiting
in the United States.
Renewed activity is reported from all regions, with the efforts of the believers directed along the course charted by the Guardian to accomplish the task “summoning us to a challenge, unprecedented in its gravity and force.”
What Displays Do You Need?[edit]
What kind of display-exhibit material do you need or would you like to have in your community?
Do you have available space or large or small store windows; can you use a booth at the near-by state or county fair? Would your public Library use a counter display?
This committee covers the wide range activity field of sound film, slide-programs and photographs. But as an immediate project, it is the desire of this committee to develop the most effective display ideas possible to attract the largest number of people. They hope to keep the ideas simple enough for the friends to construct and assemble displays from the materials at hand.
One project now under the direction of the committee, as of its August 11th meeting, is a portfolio of photographs and designs of actual and proposed displays and exhibits. Whatever of this project is accepted by the National Assembly will be circulated among the friends to assist them in meeting local needs. For this reason the Visual Education Committee would appreciate an immediate response of surveys of local needs and an outline of requirements.
Bahá’ís and Military Service[edit]
In recent months the National Spiritual Assembly has received several requests for a clarification of the present obligation of Bahá’ís in connection with military service, with particular reference to whether the establishment of the United Nations Organization alters the spiritual necessity for Bahá’ís to apply for and maintain a non-combatant status when the conscription laws provide this opportunity for those who are opposed to combatant training and service because of their religious convictions.
Since the Teachings sanction an international police force as an agency of a sovereign world government, and approve the use of military force against recalcitrant nations refusing to abide by the decisions of a Supreme Tribunal, the question arose as to whether the existence of the United Nations Organization in its present form should change the attitude of Bahá’ís toward military duties which might require the taking of human life.
The National Spiritual Assembly referred this question to our Guardian, and received the following reply in a letter from Haifa, dated July 20, 1946:
“As there is neither an International Police Force nor any immediate prospect of one coming into being, the Bahá’ís should continue to apply, under all circumstances, for exemption from any military duties that necessitate the taking of life. There is no justification for any change of attitude on our part at the present time.”
Therefore it is still the spiritual obligation of Bahá’ís in the United States and Canada who may be called into military service to apply for a non-combatant status in accordance with the previous instructions of the National Spiritual Assembly as outlined in the various special bulletins and rulings issued since 1941, and which can be obtained from the National Office. It is also still incumbent upon those already in the armed forces to maintain their non-combatant status, regardless of the consequences upon their personal safety, their convenience, the type of
[Page 10]
activity they must discharge, or the
rank to which they may be assigned.
(See ruling of N.S.A., published on
page 4, Bahá’í News, April, 1943).
Bahá’í News Reporting[edit]
The new deadlines for reports to be sent Bahá’í News are as follows:
- Local News — the 10th of each month.
- Regional News — the 10th of each month.
- National Committee Reports — the 20th of each month.
News desired from local communities is that of successful teaching experiences, successful publicity, new teaching methods, and special activities to further the progress of the Cause. Photographs are most welcome.
Address: Miss Garreta Busey, 503 West Elm Street, Urbana, Ill.
Hampton Institute Entertains Bahá’ís[edit]
Hampton Institute, the oldest institution of learning for Negroes in the United States, Alma Mater of Booker T. Washington, was host to the Regional Teaching Committee for Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia which met there, on Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28. About fifteen Bahá’ís from the region attended. They were housed in “The Moorings,” an Alumni hall; and their meals were served on the campus at the Holly Tree Inn.
On Saturday evening a public Bahá’í meeting was held in Clarke Hall, about forty attending. Talks were given by Mr. Williams and Miss Elsie Austin of Washington, D.C., on the subject, “The Key to Success in World Affairs.” Major Walter H. Brown, Secretary of Hampton Institute, gave a message of welcome and told of the origin and aims of the Institute. After the meeting colored slides of the Bahá’í Temple and of the various Bahá’í summer schools were shown by Mr. George Miller of Washington.
At dinner Sunday at the Holly Tree Inn we had a number of guests from Hampton and Newport News. Among the guests was President Ralph Bridgeman, of Hampton Institute. He gave a word of welcome and told of the program under way to make Hampton an educational institution which recognizes no barriers of creed, nationality, or color.
The last meeting of the series was Sunday afternoon when a round table discussion was held on “Race Unity in World Affairs.” Miss Austin was moderator and the other participants included a physician, an educator, a Y.W.C.A. secretary.
Several people on the faculty at Hampton attended and seemed to be very much interested in the Bahá’í Faith. Fifteen questionnaire cards were turned in at the meetings. A display of Bahá’í books was at the back of the room and was of much interest to many. Pamphlets for free distribution were on hand and were taken in quite large numbers. Many students who were not able to attend other meetings stopped to look over the literature and take pamphlets.
Because the meetings fell between summer sessions and on a weekend many of the students were away and there was not a large representation of students in the audience. However, the meetings were well attended, all things considered, and it was felt that the venture was most successful in that “key” people at Hampton had a good opportunity to learn about the Faith and seemed warmly interested in it. The invitation has been extended to the Bahá’ís by the Secretary of the Institute to hold similar conferences at Hampton again.
“We felt also that this teaching project was unique in that we were able as a group to associate informally for two days with those whom we wished to interest. It was a little like holding a Bahá’í summer school on a non-Bahá’í campus, and seemed to be a more effective way to stimulate real interest than the holding of an isolated meeting. All of us who went were extremely happy over the whole trip and hope that many seeds were sowed.”
News from Local Communities[edit]
Local news has come to us from several communities, three of which, Atlanta, Charlottetown and Chicago, have appointed news reporters, who already have gone into action. We eagerly await news from others as well.
In ATLANTA the theme for the August weekly Sunday meetings was The Prophet, with the following subtitles: “The Purpose of the Prophet,” “The Proofs of Prophethood,” “The Word of the Prophet,” and “The New Creation.” In September each of the major Prophets will be considered. One of the Atlanta projects
Miss Agnes Alexander (center) with Mrs. P. D. Cunningham of Atlanta (left) and Mrs. Emma Lawrence of Augusta, Ga., June, 1946.
is the association of some of the
community with a group known as
Georgians United for World Federation. Margaret Ruhe writes, “By attending the bi-monthly meetings of
this group we are getting acquainted
with a variety of liberal individuals
who sooner or later may be ready
for the Faith. In the discussion periods we have a wonderful opportunity to hear each one give his
views, and also, we are enabled to
give the Bahá’í point of view. This
group is composed of Quakers, Unitarians, Bahá’ís, Theosophists, Christian Scientists, Communists, Aetheists, Agnostics, Baptists, etc. In
every city there are such groups;
we recommend that Bahá’ís everywhere associate with them. Here is
one good avenue towards finding
ready souls.” Public lectures featuring out-of-town speakers have
been held in the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. John Robarts from Toronto spent from August 16 to 23 in CHARLOTTETOWN doing contacts work. There was a public meeting on “Faith for Freedom” and a broadcast on “A World Faith.” Christine McKay includes a sample of their new publicity venture. In an attempt to make the word “Bahá’í” les formidable to the public, a series of Saturday morning insertions in the Charlottetown Guardian has been initiated with the title, “The Word Bahá’í Means Light.” This is followed with a very short one sentence quotation from Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in which various facets of that Light are revealed. The fourth Maritime Bahá’í Conference was held at Keppoch about five miles from Charlottetown, P.E.I. from June 29 to July 1. The attendance from the
[Page 11]
three Maritime Provinces varied
from nineteen to twenty-four. Doris
Richardson of Toronto was the guest
teacher.
On August 8, 1946, the CHICAGO Community had a program presenting the Case of the American Indian with Mr. Eli Powlas who is a member of the Oneida Tribe and President of the Indian Council as the Bahá’í speaker. The entertainment was by American Indian Artists of Chicago with Anita Sky Eyes rendering readings and songs. Present were about forty-nine of which thirty were non-Bahá’ís. A Japanese-American Citizen’s Group meets once a month at the Center. Recently they requested that a Bahá’í speaker tell them about our Faith, whereupon Horace Holley gave them the Message.
From Oakland comes word that several programs were sponsored at which the late Orcella Rexford spoke. A radio talk, a large public meeting, two public classes, and a banquet led the way to weekly classes attended by a group of non-Bahá’ís at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jones. “God’s Word does not return unto Him void.”
The JACKSON invitation-to-a meeting folder includes a photograph of the House of Worship, a quotation from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on “You Must Be Happy,” prayers for the removal of difficulties, for healing and for protection while travelling, as well as explanations of Bahá’í words and information as to where further material may be obtained.
The CLEVELAND Bahá’ís have inaugurated a new series of public meetings which are held every Sunday at 11 a.m. at the International Institute. Excellent publicity in the newspapers and on the radio is being received. Sarah Martin Pereira writes, “The Community members have spent a summer of intensive study following the study outline of Horace Holley, ‘Deepening the Spiritual Life.’ There is a great deal of enthusiasm about the fireside study groups from which the names of new Bahá’ís should soon be forthcoming.”
The Bahá’í Journal of LOS ANGELES continues to come our way. The August issue states that Andrew Moller is planning a trip by air to Denmark in order to visit his mother who is ill. He will take an international Bahá’í traveler’s letter, and he hopes to spread the Bahá’í Glad Tidings
Bahá’ís of Glendale and Burbank, Calif., attending Seminar held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Anders Nielson.
of world peace. In the same
issue is carried a short biography
of and splendid tribute to John D.
Bosch, who passed away on July
22, 1946. He and his wife gave to
the Bahá’í World Religion all of their
property at Geyserville, California
for a Bahá’í School. “It was through
this beloved Bahá’í (Mr. Bosch) that
the famous scientist Luther Burbank
became attracted to the Faith. Luther Burbank told John and Louise
Bosch ‘of asking his secretary to
read to him from the Bahá’í Teachings when he, all worn out and tired
would come to the house to rest
on his sofa awhile—he felt restoration coming to him from hearing
read the divine words—he was a
natural believer.’ ” To John Bosch
and Luther Burbank together ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed a Tablet.
Intensive Work in the British Isles[edit]
Our readers will remember that the British Bahá’ís have selected 9 goal towns, in which to establish spiritual Assemblies as a step toward the completion of their Six Year Plan. With the cooperation of visiting teachers, a program of regular activity has been mobilized in eight goal towns and four other towns. The cities in which intensive work was done in March and April were Leeds, Northampton, Blackburn, St. Ives, Blackpool, Nottingham, Birmingham, Liverpool, Exeter, Torquay, Bournemouth, Altrincham and Bradford. Among the activities described in these towns we note an exhibition in a shop viewed by 400 people 106 of whom signed the visitors’ book, a Naw-Rúz meeting attended by 84 which brought a notable tribute to the Faith from the non-Bahá’í chairman, a reading of “The Eternal Covenant,” Mr. Balyuzi’s script, which made a direct appeal in a new way to a number of people, the use of a sound truck for advertising and a public meeting at a Theosophical Center. Among the workers in England we note David and Marion Hofman and Mr. Mottahedeh, all well known to American believers. In Blackburn Mr. Mottahedeh spoke at a fireside, “with such love for all in his heart (that) everyone was very happy.” At the Shop Exhibition at Leeds “every Bahá’í friend who assisted ... felt happy and excited ... the atmosphere was so spiritual and peaceful. We had a gramophone hidden away playing soft music, and the sun shone in making the flowers look gayer than ever.”
Local Assemblies Sustaining the Seven Year Plan During August 1946[edit]
- Alabama—Birmingham
- Alaska—Anchorage
- Arizona—E. Phoenix Rural, Phoenix
- Arkansas—Little Rock
- California—Alhambra, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Burlingame, Cloverdale Twp., Glendale, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara
- Canada—Edmonton, Vancouver, Moncton, Halifax, Hamilton, Toronto
- Colorado—Colorado Sprs., Denver
- Connecticut—Hamden
- Delaware—Wilmington
- Dist. Columbia—Washington
- Florida—Jacksonville, Miami
- Georgia—Atlanta, Augusta
- Hawaii—Honolulu, Maui
- Idaho—Boise
- Illinois—Danville, Elmhurst, Evanston, Maywood, Oak Park, Peoria, Springfield, Urbana, Waukegan, Wilmette
- Indiana—Indianapolis, South Bend
- Iowa—Cedar Rapids
- Kansas—Topeka
- Kentucky—Louisville
- Louisiana—New Orleans
- Maine—Eliot
- Maryland—Baltimore
- Massachusetts—Boston, Brookline, Springfield
- Michigan—Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Muskegon
- Minnesota—Minneapolis, St. Paul
- Mississippi—Jackson
- Missouri—Independence, Kansas City, St. Louis
- Montana—Butte
- Nebraska
- Nevada—Reno
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey—Dumont, Teaneck, Newark
- New Mexico—Albuquerque
- New York—Jamestown, New York, Rochester, Yonkers,
- No. Carolina—Greensboro
- Ohio—Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lima
- Oklahoma—Oklahoma City
- Oregon—Portland
- Pennsylvania—Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Scranton
- Rhode Island—Providence
- South Carolina—Greenville
- South Dakota—Sioux Falls
- Tennessee—Memphis
- Texas—Houston
- Utah—Salt Lake City
- Vermont—Brattleboro
- Virginia—Alexandria, Arlington
- Washington—Richmond Highlands, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma
- Wisconsin—Kenosha, Madison, Racine, Wauwatosa, White Fish Bay
- Wyoming—Laramie
- 106 Assemblies contributed
- 32 Assemblies did not contribute
- 65 Groups contributed
- 109 Isolated Bahá’ís contributed.
Calendar[edit]
Anniversaries: Birth of the Báb, October 20; Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, November 12; Day of the Covenant, November 26; Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, November 28, at 1.00 A. M.
Nineteen Day Feasts: Knowledge, October 16; Power, November 4; Speech, November 23.
Meetings of the National Spiritual Assembly: October 12, 13; December 5, 6, 7, 8.
Enrollments[edit]
Wauwatosa, one. Jamestown, one. Miami, one. Chicago, three. Los Angeles, one. Milwaukee, one. Cedar Rapids, two. Alexandria, one. Moncton, two. Long Beach, one. Glendale, three. Richmond Highlands, one. Beverly, one. Butte, one.
Enrollments reported by Regional Teaching Committees in July, six.
New Bahá’í Literature[edit]
| Bahá’í Addresses
Treasurer’s Office:
Bahá’í Publishing Committee:
|
The Publishing Committee announces the following additions to the Bahá’í catalog:—
Bahá’u’lláh kaj la Novo Epoko, Lidja Zamenhof’s Esperanto translation of Dr. Esslemont’s work, published in Germany in 1930. A few copies have been imported from London. $1.00 per copy, paper cover.
The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh, by George Townshend, pamphlet reprint of Dr. Townshend’s introduction to “God Passes By.” 24 pages and cover, 3¼ by 5¾ inches. 100 copies for $4.50.
He Has Come to the Nations, by Marzieh Gail, with illustration of the Garden of Ridván. 12 pages with cover, 3½ by 6 inches. 100 copies for $3.00.
An Aid to the Study of The Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, by Study Aids Committee. (See notice, page 5, September Bahá’í News). This outline provides a convenient and thorough method for use by individual believers and groups of students to know and understand the institutions, agencies and aims of the order which contains the germinating seed of the future civilization. Mimeographed. 16 pages and cover. Ten copies for $1.50.
World Order Through World Faith, selected public addresses of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America. 32-page pamphlet. Six by nine inches. Per copy 15c—ten copies for $1.25.
Send orders to Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Directory Changes[edit]
National Committee: Service to the Blind.
- Mrs. Amedee Gibson, Chairman, 616 N. Oxford Street, Los Angeles, California.
Local Spiritual Assembly, Little Rock, Arkansas.
- Mrs. Lucy Hawkins, Secretary, 1418 Louisiana Street, Little Rock.
| Page | Col. | |
Words of Bahá’u’lláh | 1 | 1 |
| “Help Ye the One True God” | ||
| Letter from Guardian to N.S.A. | ||
Seven Year Plan | 1 | 3 |
Temple | 2 | 1 |
Temple Service | 2 | 2 |
Bahá’í Music | 2 | 3 |
Acts of Immorality | 3 | 1 |
New National Assemblies | 3 | 1 |
Funeral Service | 3 | 2 |
Marriage Service | 3 | 2 |
Radio Station in Temple | 3 | 3 |
| Guardian’s letter to Race | ||
Unity Committee | 3 | 3 |
Guardian’s letter to Youth | 4 | 1 |
| National Spiritual Assembly | ||
Consultation on race unity | 4 | 2 |
Status of youth | 4 | 3 |
Appeal for settlers | 7 | 3 |
On Military Service | 9 | 2 |
Treasurer’s Report | 11 | 3 |
| National Committees | ||
Bahá’í News Reporting | 10 | 1 |
European Teaching | 5 | 2 |
Inter-America | 7 | 1 |
I-A Assemblies | 7 | 3 |
Spanish Literature | 7 | 3 |
National Teaching | 8 | 1 |
Public Meetings | 6 | 1 |
Public Relations | 6 | 2 |
Visual Education | 9 | 2 |
Local Assemblies | 10 | 2 |
British Isles | 11 | 2 |
Hampton Institute | 10 | 1 |
New Bahá’í Literature | 12 | 2 |
Calendar | 12 | 1 |
Enrollments | 12 | 2 |
Directory Changes | 12 | 3 |
Bahá’í Addresses | 12 | 2 |
| Photographs | ||
John D. Bosch Funeral | 3 | 2 |
First European Pioneers | 5 | 2 |
The Ullrichs and R. Miessler | 8 | 3 |
Green Acre School group | 9 | 2 |
Agnes Alexander and two Georgia Friends | 10 | 3 |
Bahá’ís with Mr. and Mrs. Anders Nielson | 11 | 2 |
