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No. 375

BAHA’I YEAR 119

JUNE, 1962

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Center of the Covenant

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Hands Address Special Message to First National Conventions in 11 European Countries

Beloved Friends:

On the occasion of the Riḍván Festival of the one hundred and nineteenth year since the birth of this infinitely glorious Faith, the Bahá’ís the world over join with the community of European believers in rejoicing over the great victories which have been won in the name of Bahá’u’lláh, and which represent the consummation of the labor of sixteen years in the prosecution of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan in the continent of Europe.

From the moment when, at the dawn of this mightiest of Dispensations, the Báb addressed the “Peoples of the West” in His Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’, calling upon them to “issue forth from their cities” and aid His Cause, the process of the spiritual conquest of the Western World was set in motion. Who can estimate the magnitude of the forces released when no less a being than the Author of the Faith Himself set foot, as the Guardian wrote, “on the fringes of the continent of Europe” and revealed there not only some of His most significant words addressed to the rulers of the world, but also “the most momentous Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh,” His Súrih of Kings. The Supreme Manifestation of God, led by the mysterious dispensations of Providence, sojourned on the soil of that continent for a period of almost five years; the Center of His Covenant blessed that continent with His presence in the course of two official and freely undertaken visits which carried Him to no less than eight of its countries. The Guardian of the Faith himself, during his thirty-six-year ministry, visited practically every country in the western part of that same continent, and finally passed away in the capital city of a nation whose impact on the fortunes of mankind, in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, has been wider and more far-reaching than that of any other western power.

A Crowning Event

It was during the first year of peace, following upon the greatest war in the history of mankind, that Shoghi Effendi inaugurated the second stage in the unfoldment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan by calling upon the believers of North America to carry that Plan “a stage further across the ocean to the shores of the Old World and to communicate, through the operation of its regenerative power, its healing influence to the peoples of the most afflicted, impoverished and agitated continent of the globe.” With characteristic valor and determination they poured forth their resources and their pioneers in a steady, redemptive flow, neither slackening their pace nor failing in their responsibility until such time as the work entrusted to their care should yield its promised fruit. The crown of the consecrated labors which have carried them through the second Seven Year Plan, and the mighty World Crusade which succeeded it, is now being placed upon the edifice their hands have largely been instrumental in rearing, through the election, this Riḍván, of no less than eleven independent national spiritual assemblies, in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, raising thereby the number of pillars of the Universal House of Justice to fifteen in that continent which is the cradle of western civilization.

That “host which,” Shoghi Effendi wrote as early as 1946, “must in the years to come spiritually raise up the sorely ravaged continent of Europe” went forth to conquer and conquered on all fronts, in all fields, to a most miraculous degree. Following in the footsteps of those early founders of the Faith who, at the turn of the century established the Cause of God in Paris and London, an ever swelling number of believers, called by him “ambassadors of Bahá’u’lláh’s New World Order,” streamed forth from the New World to the Old. In more recent years these have been richly reinforced by a great flow of consecrated believers from the Cradle of the Faith. Unitedly these Bahá’ís from the West and the East have hastened to fill the goals and achieve the objectives set forth by their Guardian in the provisions of both his Second Seven Year Plan and his Ten Year Crusade, until now, on the eve of the election of the Universal House of Justice, the eleven new national bodies, supplanting those he characterized as “interim regional institutions,” find themselves proudly and securely founded on the requisite number of local assemblies specified by him and are in a position to go forward with courage, confidence and optimism, into the new life awaiting them and the national communities they represent.

The words of Shoghi Effendi himself best describe such pioneers as Europe has received into her bosom: “Of such men and women it may be truly said that to them ‘every foreign land is a fatherland and every fatherland is a foreign land.’ For their citizenship, it must be remembered, is in the Kingdom of Bahá’u’lláh.” The full significance of these pregnant words of the beloved Master is now being partially unveiled before our eyes: “From the beginning of time until the present day the light of Divine Revelation hath arisen in the East and shed its radiance upon the West. The illumination thus shed hath, however, acquired in the West an extraordinary brilliance.” “The day is approaching when ye shall witness how, through the splendor of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, the West will have replaced the East, radiating the light of Divine Guidance.”

European Goals Already Reached

These new national communities, poised on the threshold of their independent existence, may well pause and count their blessings, and in counting them find strength for the work that lies ahead and discern the shape of those tasks they must now set themselves to achieve. Not only have the original ten goal countries been increased, through the addition of Finland, to eleven autonomous areas, but the chain of islands encircling the European continent in the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, have been illumined with the light of the Faith, received their quota of dedicated pioneers and, in a number of instances, been able to establish flourishing groups and assemblies. The difficult goal of Spitzbergen, an outpost of the North where the Guardian so longed to see the banner of the Faith upraised, has been conquered since his passing; national Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds

[Page 3] have been purchased in all eleven capital cities of the sovereign states which have now come of age in the world-encircling Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh; a number of national endowments have been acquired, as well as four of the five sites for future Bahá’í Temples which he specifically mentioned, the most sacred and important of these being that in the capital city of a land to which the beloved Guardian’s heart was deeply attached and which was his own personal gift to the Swiss believers; the first European Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the Mother Temple of the entire continent, has at long last begun to raise its walls in preparation for that joyous day when the followers of the Most Great Name can meet beneath its dome and befittingly praise Him Who is the begetter of their spiritual life, the Law-Giver of the entire planet and the loadstone of the hearts of all His lovers.

Desires and Instructions of the Guardian

On the occasion of the formation of the new national bodies it behooves their newly elected members to orient themselves, from the outset of their activities, to the desires, hopes, and instructions of their departed Guardian whose loving guidance brought them into existence and obedience to whose slightest wish must be at once their greatest protection and the source of their strength and inspiration. The words which he addressed to the European regional assemblies in his first communications to them must now be passed on to their component parts which have attained, in pursuance with the provisions of his Crusade, their independent existence. In 1957 he wrote: “The efforts so nobly exerted in the past by the band of pioneers, resident believers and itinerant teachers in each of these states, must, in consequence of the auspicious opening of a new phase in the establishment of this Divine Order, be multiplied a hundredfold, and the standard of consecration and service to His Cause must be raised to still greater heights.” “A concerted effort, systematic, strenuous and prolonged, must be exerted to increase, to an unprecedented extent, the number of the avowed supporters of the Faith in each of these countries. Simultaneously, a fresh impetus must be lent to the multiplication of isolated centers, groups and local Assemblies, constituting the foundations of the Embryonic World Order of Bahá’u’lláh in those regions.”

“The primary duty laid upon all Bahá’ís by Bahá’u’lláh Himself,” he pointed out in those same letters, “is to teach the Cause of God. It is their greatest privilege and bounty.” “The believers must be encouraged to teach individually in their own homes.” “We have no priests, therefore the service once rendered by priests to their religion is the service every single Bahá’í is expected to render individually to his religion. He must be the one who enlightens new souls, confirms them, heals the wounded and the weary upon the road of life, and gives them to quaff from the chalice of everlasting life — the knowledge of the Manifestation of God in His Day.”

The emphasis which Shoghi Effendi placed on teaching, on the one hand, found its counterpart, on the other, in an equal stress placed upon the importance of not introducing rigidity and uniformity in secondary matters into the administration of the affairs of the communities. In those same historic letters to some of the European regional assemblies elected in 1957 he likewise stated:

“The fundamental purpose of the Bahá’í Administration at this time is to teach the Faith. Administering it is only to coordinate its activities and to safeguard it. The friends must bear this clearly in mind; and he feels that he should point out to your Assembly, just embarking on its historic tasks, what he has many times pointed out to old and tried national bodies, and that is that you should strenuously avoid introducing rules and regulations which will complicate the smooth working of the Faith in your region, handicap the Bahá’ís unnecessarily, and confuse them.” “When problems arise, the National Assembly can deal with them one by one in a loving and understanding manner, applying both the Bahá’í Teachings in the spirit and in the letter to their solution ...” “The fact that the affairs of the believers in these European communities are going to be administered on the spot, and for the most part by native Europeans, who understand both the problems and the psychology of the people, is a tremendous advantage ...”

Every obstacle should be removed from the path of those seeking to embrace the Faith. We are not called upon to insist on a wide degree of knowledge of its Teachings before enrolling new believers; our purpose must be to awaken in the hearts of those whom we seek to enlist in the ranks of Bahá’u’lláh’s followers the belief in Him as the Manifestation of God, the Báb as His Forerunner, the Master as the Center of His Covenant, and win their acceptance of the Administrative Order. We may well ask ourselves if perhaps one of the fundamental reasons why the people are not entering in “troops” in the strongholds of western civilization is this very tendency to seek to educate the mind in the Teachings of the Faith rather than to light in the heart the fire of the love of God and belief in His Chosen One for this Day.

Specific European Tasks

Strongly as our beloved Guardian urged the assemblies not to raise obstacles in the path of those seeking to enroll, he nevertheless laid great emphasis on the importance of educating the Bahá’ís themselves in the Teachings. One of the objectives given by him to the new regional assemblies of Europe was to “extend the scope and increase the number of existing summer schools.” No doubt the new national communities will now develop, as time goes by, separate institutions of this nature for the instruction of the believers and visitors in their area and as adjuncts and instruments of that important process of deepening the knowledge and understanding of those already enrolled.

Every effort should likewise be made to incorporate as soon as possible the new national bodies, as well as all local assemblies existing on a firm foundation; to which should be added the further duty, alike specified by the Guardian himself, of seeking to have Bahá’í Holy Days and the Bahá’í Marriage Certificate recognized by the civil authorities.

Although extraordinary progress has been made in the course of more than a decade, in the vital task of translating and printing Bahá’í literature, it must continue to receive special attention, and the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, to those European nations using French as either their national tongue or one of

[Page 4] their official languages, to cooperate and consult with each other and “avoid all duplication of effort which is a waste of time and money” must be conscientiously borne in mind.

The importance of enrolling in the Cause representatives of various European racial minorities must not be forgotten for a moment, and the duty placed upon the Scandinavian and Finnish communities of introducing the Faith into the three Baltic States must be seriously considered by the new independent national assemblies of that region and sedulously pursued.

Strengthening the New National Communities

At this crucial moment in Bahá’í history when that supreme administrative body, the Universal House of Justice, which Shoghi Effendi likened to the dome which must rest upon the pillars of the national bodies and the foundation of the local bodies, is about to be elected one short year from now, the security of the foundations of these new national assemblies is of paramount importance. It behooves them to recall the words of their Guardian, written at an earlier turning point in the unfoldment of the Divine Plan, but equally applicable to the days we are about to pass through: “The spirit that has inflamed the pioneers who have set the seal of triumph ... must ... be constantly watched, kept alive and nourished.” To no small degree the assemblies of Europe owe their present existence to pioneers, largely drawn from the ranks of the American and Persian believers; their devotion, their self-sacrifice, the deep love for the Guardian of their Faith which led them to leave their own countries and rush to the assistance of young communities struggling to fulfill the present objectives of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Plan, must be acknowledged and receive the homage they deserve. Although problems may arise through the difference in background, language and customs, to meet these and overcome them, with deep Bahá’í love and the firm determination to understand and cooperate, is the obligation not only of every pioneer, but also those native Europeans who are called upon to accept their help and work with them in creating those purely indigenous communities which the Guardian repeatedly pointed out are the only safe foundation for the national and local institutions of the Cause to rest upon.

The responsibility for various territories which the Guardian himself allotted to some of the European regional assemblies as their special province will, until the termination of the Crusade, be allocated as follows: the Balearic Islands to the National Spiritual Assembly of Spain; Sardinia, Sicily, Rhodes, San Marino and Monaco to the National Spiritual Assembly of Italy; Corsica and Liechtenstein to the National Spiritual Assembly of Switzerland.

Financial Support Needed

A special appeal should be made to all the friends, whether residents of these European goal countries or pioneers, to adequately support their National Fund. However humble the offering, the friends must come to realize that contributing to this National Fund on a systematic basis, will enable the National Assembly to carry forward the glorious work of which its members are at once the servants and spiritual trustees. The privilege of supporting the institutions of our Faith cannot be overestimated. Largely due to the sacrifice and generosity of believers in other countries the regional assemblies have been able to carry on their work. Had it been possible for them to receive more they would have accomplished more. Now the time has come when the hitherto nascent communities have emerged into adult existence. They must learn to stand on their own feet, receiving the strength and blessings from on high which such an act brings.

The demands of the European Temple upon the limited resources of the Bahá’ís of that continent are not only extremely heavy during this last year of the Crusade, in order to complete the superstructure in time for the centenary celebration of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh’s Prophetic Mission, but must inevitably continue to be so during the years immediately following this world-wide jubilee. The bounties which will flow from this Mother Temple are, we know, incalculable; as it rises, its shadow will cast far and wide the fame of the Cause of God; it will be another of the great “silent teachers” shedding a lustre on the Faith which the accomplishment of no other single enterprise ever can. We therefore appeal to the new national assemblies and the communities they represent to inaugurate, at the time their National Funds are established, a special European Temple Fund, to which all may contribute in great or small measure, mindful that the act of everyone giving has a spiritual significance far surpassing the size of the gift and releases beneficent forces which react on the life of both the individual and the community in a mysterious and highly potent manner.

What cause for rejoicing the European believers have as they stand on the threshold of a new epoch in the history of the Faith in their continent! North, South and West the long tally of victories nears completion as the last year of the Crusade opens. Before them lies Eastern Europe where many of their brethren still hold aloft the torch of Bahá’u’lláh under conditions requiring the greatest fortitude and persistence, waiting for the day when the remaining goals of our beloved Guardian’s Crusade can be fulfilled. This arm of Bahá’u’lláh’s followers, outstretched over Western Europe and pointing and stretching its fingers towards the East, is already ornamented by more than one priceless jewel, for in Bulgaria are laid to rest George Adam Benke, whom the Guardian called the first European martyr, as well as that “immortal heroine,” Marian Jack, she whom he eulogized as the “shining example to all pioneers of present and future generations of the East and the West.” Dotted over many other countries are precious graves where other teachers and pioneers and “first to believe” of their countrymen lie buried, blessing the soil in which they rest, whilst in the azure waters of the Mediterranean lie the remains of Dorothy Baker, Hand of the Cause, and distinguished servant of the Faith.

No words can better convey the vastness of the opportunities that lie ahead, the sacredness of the responsibilities being presently assumed by so many new national communities, the glorious challenge facing each individual Bahá’í at this time, than those the beloved Guardian himself addressed to the first European Intercontinental Teaching Conference on the occasion of the inauguration of the European campaign

[Page 5] of his global Crusade. In never-to-be-forgotten words he painted the picture of the greatness of Europe’s past, recounted the blessings she had received throughout her distinguished history, and expressed his hope that the believers toiling upon her soil, in the name of Bahá’u’lláh, would outshine in deeds the acts of the disciples of Jesus Christ:

“A continent, occupying such a central and strategic position on the entire planet; so rich and eventful in its history, so diversified in its culture; from whose soil sprang both the Hellenic and Roman civilizations; the mainspring of a civilization to some of whose features Bahá’u’lláh Himself paid tribute; on whose southern shores Christendom first established its home; along whose eastern marches the mighty forces of the Cross and the Crescent so frequently clashed; on whose southwestern extremity a fast evolving Islamic culture yielded its fairest fruit; in whose heart the light of the Reformation shone so brightly, shedding its rays as far as the outlying regions of the globe; the well-spring of American culture; whose northern and western fringes were first warmed and illuminated, less than a century ago, by the dawning light of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh; in whose heart a Community, so rich in promise, was subsequently established; whose soil was later sanctified by the twice-repeated visit of the appointed Center of His Covenant; ... such a continent has at last at this critical hour — this great turning-point in its fortunes — entered upon what may well be regarded as the opening phase of a great spiritual revival that bids fair to eclipse any period in its spiritual history.

“May the elected representatives of the national Bahá’í communities ... aided by the Hands of the Cause and their auxiliary Board, reinforced by the local communities, the groups and isolated believers ... be graciously assisted by the Lord of Hosts ... and lend a tremendous impetus to the conversion, the reconciliation and the ultimate unification of the divers and conflicting peoples, races, and classes dwelling” within that continent.

“May all the privileged participators, enlisting under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh for the promotion of so preeminent and meritorious a Cause, be they from the Eastern or Western Hemisphere, of either sex, white or colored, young or old, neophyte or veteran, whether serving in their capacity as expounders of the teachings, or administrators, of His Faith, as settlers or itinerant teachers, distinguish themselves by such deeds of heroism as will rival, nay outshine, the feats accomplished nineteen hundred years ago, by that little band of God-intoxicated disciples who, fearlessly preaching the Gospel of a newly-arisen Messiah, contributed so decisively to the illumination, the regeneration and the advancement of the entire European continent.”

—HANDS OF THE CAUSE IN THE HOLY LAND

	Rúḥíyyih
Haifa, Israel	Leroy C. Ioas	Paul Haney
April 1962	A. Furútan	A. Q. Faizí

Historic Exchange of Cablegrams between Hands and U.S. Community during Riḍván

Announcement of Home-Front Triumph

Joyfully report (the) attainment (of) all (the) beloved Guardian’s Crusade goals (on) home front. Total minimum (of) three hundred assemblies formed. Net membership increase doubled. One hundred one assemblies incorporated. National Fund greatly augmented (and) stabilized. Devoted love.

April 26, 1962

(Signed) NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Inspiring Reply of the Hands

Rejoice (over the) long anticipated victory (on the) home front, fulfilling (the) beloved Guardian’s plan, vindicating his hopes, justifying his confidence (and) re-arming (the) spiritual vitality (and) strength (of the) champion builders (of) Bahá’u’lláh’s World Order. (The) historic achievements (in the) European (and) Latin American fields (and the) establishment (under the) aegis (of the) American National Assembly (in the) successive Riḍván (periods of) 118 and 119 (of) thirty-two independent national bodies representing (the) harvest (in) three successive stages (in the) unfoldment (of) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan (are) unforgettable. (We are) confident (that the) last year (of the) Crusade will witness (on the) part (of) this greatly blessed, distinguished community (a) mighty wave (of) activity (that will) insure (the) preservation (of these) precious goals (and add) further distinction (to its) unique services.

April 28, 1962

(Signed) HANDSFAITH

Message from the Convention

Beloved Hands of the Faith “through whom the sea of bestowal hath moved:” Hearts (of) delegates (and) friends assembled (for) fifty-fourth annual convention overflow (with) gratitude (for) stirring message, Bahá’u’lláh’s magnificent bounties (and) presence (of) Hands. (We) proclaim (the) joy of living (in this) glorious day as we prayerfully arise (with) undeviating resolve (and) expanded vision (to) assume every responsibility (of our) spiritual destiny (and) deliver palm of victory (at the) appointed hour. Implore prayers (at) holiest Shrine, (and) continued guidance (from) World Center. Warmest Bahá’í love.

April 26, 1962

(Signed) U.S. ANNUAL BAHÁ’Í CONVENTION

Hands Appeal to Delegates for New Victories

Praying (at) Holy Shrines (for) continuous, divine outpouring (to) enable much loved American community, (the) vanguard (of the) host (of) Bahá’u’lláh’s ever-advancing army, (in the) last year (of the) beloved Guardian’s Crusade (to) add new victories (which will) befittingly crown historic, unique labors. Appeal (to) all (the) friends (to) arise (and) insure (that) precious hard-won goals (on the) home front (and) abroad (will be) maintained, (and to) pour forth (their) substance (to) assist (in the) mass teaching (and) erection (of the) European Temple (during) final year (of the) globe-encircling Crusade.

April 29, 1962

(Signed) HANDSFAITH

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International Council Sums Up Recent Events in Bahá’í World

Dear Friends:

As we write this letter the Festival of Riḍván approaches, the greatest of all Bahá’í festivals, when we do well to ponder the words of Bahá’u’lláh which reveal the potency of this day and of the age in which we live: “This Day a door is open wider than both heaven and earth. The eye of the mercy of Him Who is the Desire of the worlds is turned towards all men.” “This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out ‘Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the footstool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne.’ ”

We stand on the threshold of the year which will precede the Most Great Jubilee, the hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh; the year in which the remaining goals of the Ten Year Crusade must be attained and the final sustaining pillars to take part in the first election of God’s mighty House of Justice must be raised and firmly established. It is a year of precious, of awe-inspiring responsibility; a year which should see the Cause of God spreading with unprecedented rapidity in every corner of the globe. “This is the day in which to speak,” proclaims Bahá’u’lláh. “It is incumbent upon the people of Bahá to strive, with the utmost patience and forbearance, to guide the peoples of the world to the Most Great Horizon. Every body calleth aloud for a soul. Heavenly souls must needs quicken, with the breath of the Word of God, the dead bodies with a fresh spirit.” Let us strive with the entire devotion of our hearts to insure that at the end of this year we may celebrate this glorious Centenary with the clear conscience that we have not neglected the precious charge which God has laid upon us.

Plans for World Congress Under Way

The preparations for the World Congress to be held in London are now well under way. The Congress Arrangements

Group of the most primitive Indians of South America, the Guajiros of Colombia. At left is devoted Persian pioneer H. Rezvani.

Committee met at the end of January and the most urgent decisions have been communicated to the national spiritual assemblies. The holding of the Congress was announced to the world at large through a press conference held in Haifa on Monday, March 5, and increasing interest in this event is being shown in many quarters. Some fifteen reporters attended the conference, and the press release was communicated to all the major international wire services. Since then we have been receiving a series of articles which have been appearing in newspapers in this country. The news was also broadcast.

In the Holy Land, the passing of the dearly loved Hand of the Cause, Amelia Collins, was a great loss to the World Center of the Faith. For many years she had been in continual pain, but in spite of this had continued to serve the Faith with an indomitable courage which was a challenge and inspiration to her fellow-servants in the Cause of God.

In our last News Letter we mentioned the visit of the International Council to the President of the State. In a series of visits to Jerusalem some of the Hands introduced the President and Secretary-General of the Council to a number of officials of the State, and the Council is now continuing with these courtesy visits. In response to invitations given on such visits, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Justice both visited the Shrine of the Báb during February. We have also received a visit from a delegation of prominent parliamentarians of the recently formed African Republic of Niger, accompanied by the acting Ambassador of the Côte d’Ivoire; these being part of the continual stream of visitors to the Shrine.

On ‎Feburary February‎ 14, the Council gave a reception in the Western Pilgrim House to over 150 of the prominent citizens of Haifa.

In these ways the cordial relations between the World Center of the Faith and the State in which it is situated, which were so assiduously built up in the lifetime of the beloved Guardian, and developed subsequently by the Hands in the Holy Land, are being continuously fostered.

Thrilling Developments Around the Globe

From many parts of the Bahá’í world we continue to receive news of interesting and thrilling developments. In the Central and East African Region, during the five and a half years since the formation of their National Spiritual Assembly, the number of tribes represented in the Faith has quadrupled; there are five and a half times as many centers, seven times as many local spiritual assemblies, and fourteen times as many Bahá’ís. In November that Regional Assembly reported that following a special training course attended by twenty-one believers, two of them traveled, often on foot, in the Sudan and Congo. They suffered great hardships due to the hostility, suspicion and superstition of the people, and had difficulty in finding food and places to sleep. They contracted serious dysentery from having to drink swamp water, and became critically ill owing

[Page 7] to the complete lack of medicine in the dispensaries of the Congo. But despite these difficulties they persevered, using first one method, then another, to convince the people of their sincerity and the true purpose of their visit. They held a number of meetings in an area which had not been reached before, and were able to leave a nucleus of strong believers well able to carry on the activities there.

In South and West Africa two first historic Bahá’í summer schools were held, one in Malkerns, Swaziland, December 23 to 26, and one in Mulungushi, Northern Rhodesia, December 24 to 26. The holding of these schools is a momentous step in the progress of the Faith in this region, both for the present consolidation of the Cause and as the laying of foundations for the future. The running theme of the Malkerns School was mass conversion and how to attain it. It was the expressed desire of all who attended that this should be achieved in Swaziland before the end of the Crusade. To follow up the work of this school, an all-day teaching meeting was held in Mbabane on January 14, and immediately afterwards three African teachers went out to one of the remote areas of Swaziland and brought in nineteen declarations.

The flame of teaching is still spreading in India, as you will have learned from the announcements of the Hands, and the new believers are showing exemplary devotion and enthusiasm in the path of the Cause. In one place a crippled teacher is carried on his cot from village to village spreading the Word.

A letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil dated February 18 reported that four of the believers had just returned from their bi-monthly trip to visit the Indians high in the mountains above the little town of Itariri on the southeast coast of the state of São Paulo and, their faces aglow, had announced that all of the nineteen adults who comprise that village had that day registered as followers of Bahá’u’lláh.

In many localities in Mexico there have been rapid gains and the number of believers has risen by over seventy per cent since last April. Already a fifty per cent increase in the number of local assemblies is assured for this Riḍván and believers are spreading out to take the Faith to new areas of the country.

From New Zealand comes the long-awaited and wonderful news of the declaration of the first Maori believer, on January 15 in Auckland. Also the report of the celebration of the first Bahá’í marriage legally recognized in that country, on January 29, in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Auckland.

New Life Shown on Many Home Fronts

Perhaps one of the most encouraging signs is the new life shown on many of the home fronts. Canada reports in the December News an unprecedented number of new believers so far this year. Twenty people who became Bahá’ís in the Yukon have spread to such widely scattered places as Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, England, Germany, Washington, California.

Both the United States and the British Isles likewise report unprecedented numbers of declarations, and the rate of increase seems to be rising.

Progress on the Mother Temple of Europe is also continuing. The twenty-seven lower rib-sections are now erected, and the concrete ring joining them is complete. The work of erection had to be suspended until frost-free weather returned, but in the Netherlands, where the sections are being prefabricated, seventeen out of the eighteen middle sections of the intermediate ribs are complete and work on casting the upper sections of the ribs has begun.

As we rejoice in the roll call of victories from every part of the world, let us recall the words of our beloved Guardian, written at the close of his message to the Bahá’í world in Riḍván 1957, and determine that we will, to our utmost capacity, rise to his high expectations and achieve the triumph for which he so fervently strove:

“I appeal, as I close this review of the superb feats already accomplished, in the course of so many campaigns, by the heroic band of the warriors of Bahá’u’lláh, battling in His Name and by His aid for the purification, the unification and the spiritualization of a morally and spiritually bankrupt society, now hovering on the brink of self-destruction, for a renewed dedication, at this critical hour in the fortunes of mankind, on the part of the entire company of my spiritual brethren in every continent of the globe, to the high ideals of the Cause they have espoused, as well as to the immediate accomplishment of the goals of the Crusade on which they have embarked, be they in active service or not, of either sex, young as well as old, rich or poor, whether veteran or newly enrolled — a dedication reminiscent of the pledges which the Dawn-breakers of an earlier Apostolic Age, assembled in conference at Badasht, and faced with issues of a different but equally challenging nature, willingly and solemnly made for the prosecution of the collective task with which they were confronted.

“May this Crusade, on which the privileged heirs and present successors of the heroes of the Primitive Age of our Faith have so auspiciously embarked, yield ... such a harvest as will amaze its prosecutors, astonish the world at large, and draw forth from the Source on high a measure of celestial strength adequate to insure its triumphant consummation.”

—INTERNATIONAL BAHÁ’Í COUNCIL

World Center of the Faith
April 5, 1962

Eight members of the first Spiritual Assembly of Khartoum North (Sudan, Africa), formed April 1961.

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Tidings of Electrifying Victories Highlight Fifty-Fourth U.S. National Convention

The fifty-fourth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of the United States was joyfully exciting and completely wonderful.

Early in its course Zikru’lláh Khádem, Hand of the Cause, was moved to cite from the Seven Valleys, “O Lord, increase my astonishment at Thee!” These words came to mind again and again as the conferees listened in wonderment to recitals of the bounties that had showered down at the conclusion of the Crusade’s ninth year.

Hand of the Cause William Sears, also present during much of the convention, characterized the period in similar fashion, and Convention Chairman H. Borrah Kavelin termed the ninth as the most glorious year in the Crusade.

Joyful News Begins to Arrive

The first good news came from abroad in a cable which reported the formation, in Switzerland, of the first of the eleven new European national assemblies. Within minutes came a telegram from Canada’s National Assembly announcing the achievements of that beloved neighbor community: formation of sixty-one local assemblies — one over the goal set by the Guardian, and including nine Indian assemblies; completion of endowments and translation work, and a total of enrollments that constituted an all-time high.

It was most appropriate that at this point, with the tide of joy running high and expectancy still mounting, the delegates should hear the monumental convention message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land read from the platform. Inspiring and salutary, as always, it pointed out to the Bahá’í world the need “to not only take stock of our precious and numerous victories but also to correctly assess the work still to be accomplished if we are to prove faithful to the priceless trust left in our hands by our beloved Guardian.”

Resounding Victory on the Home Front

Following the appointment of a committee to draft a reply to the great message, the counting of victories was resumed with the reading of the National Assembly’s supplementary report. This time the subject was the United States home front, where prodigies of work and devotion had been performed under the direction of the National Assembly and the National Teaching Committee.

The onetime seemingly unattainable total of 300 local assemblies specified by Shoghi Effendi had been reached and exceeded by one (later still another assembly was reported). Included were seventy-nine completely new assemblies. The goal of one hundred incorporated assemblies had likewise been exceeded by one. And the net increase in membership was twice as large as that of the previous year.

All this the National Assembly was able to cable to the Hands in the Holy Land, along with equally astonishing fiscal news elucidated for the convention later.

Message from Hands of Western Hemisphere

A triumphant yet properly sobering note was sounded when William Sears read a message from the Hands in the Western Hemisphere. Celebrating the victories won, the Hands entreated the believers to preserve those triumphs, and, advancing audaciously along the course laid out by the Guardian, bring in “troops” from among all elements of the population.

With the reading of this message, and through additional remarks by both of the Hands present, the course of the convention turned away temporarily from the recounting of accomplishments to specific guidance for the immediate future. Mr. Khádem reminded the gathering that, having been chosen for all the glories now revealed, it was in order for the friends to make a pledge to Bahá’u’lláh, the Master and the Guardian

Pictures on these pages, beginning at left:

Registration of delegates and visitors, begun on the night before the convention opened, eventually showed a total of well over 1000.

The convention in session in Foundation Hall of the Wilmette House of Worship.

Hand of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem during one of his several inspiring appearances before delegates and visitors.

Miss Edna True, National Assembly member and for sixteen years chairman of the vital European Teaching Committee, addresses the convention. At right is H. Borrah Kavelin, member of the International Council and chairman of both the National Assembly and the convention.

Keynote talks and consultation reflected earnestness, maturity and high resolve to win further victories.

[Page 9] to further accelerate the progress of the Faith.

Mr. Sears strongly reiterated the change in enrollment attitude and procedure first counseled by the Guardian and stressed in messages from the Hands to the Bahá’í world. We must strengthen all our centers; therefore we must not keep new people out of the Faith. We must not try to deepen them before enrollment. They are required to believe something rather than read something. Acknowledgment of and love for Bahá’u’lláh constitute the real basis of growth in the new phase into which the Faith is rapidly passing.

Crusade Achievements Reviewed

There followed reviews of Crusade accomplishments and remaining goals, both on the home front and under the Guardian’s foreign assignments to the American community. The sixteen years of guidance in Western Europe, leading up to the founding of eleven new pillars of the Universal House of Justice; the latest progress in Latin America, evidenced by the enrollment of thousands of new believers, the contacting of sixty-two Indian tribes, and the formation of at least 180 local assemblies; the remarkable victories in Africa; the great advances in northeast Asia, especially in Japan; the introduction of the Faith to fifty-nine Indian tribes in the United States; the machinery for home-front mass proclamation, already successfully tested in three areas and now awaiting application throughout the country — all these gave cause for rejoicing and new dedication. Heartfelt gratitude was expressed throughout the reviews for the history-making help rendered in every field by the ninety-five American Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, over four hundred other U.S. pioneers abroad, and many settlers in domestic goals.

National Fund Augmented and Stabilized

In making his annual report to the convention, National Treasurer Arthur L. Dahl was able to cite fiscal accomplishments equal to those in the home-front teaching. The heavy deficit reported only a few months earlier had been completely wiped out, and for the first time in several years the National Fund showed a surplus. This great feat had been achieved through an unprecedented degree of sacrificial giving on the part of the American believers, total contributions having risen 72% over the previous year.

Accompanying this triumphant report was a proposed 1962-1963 budget 13.6% higher than that of the foregoing year. The increase reflected the growing financial needs for World Crusade teaching, especially on the home front. The U.S. community had for several years looked forward eagerly to the implementation of a program for country-wide mass proclamation. With such a plan now ready and proved by pilot campaigns, and with the national community obviously prepared for further dedicated support of the Fund, the delegates promptly approved the budget.

Convention Moves on Methodically

Immediate reports of victories were now over and the convention moved forward with a combined feeling of well-being and earnestness.

As the delegates prepared themselves for the solemn duty of electing the new National Assembly, the visitors, leaving the site of the deliberations in Foundation Hall, prayed for their guidance in the Temple auditorium. The results of the election are given elsewhere in this issue.

Subsequently plans for the Most Great Jubilee, already explained to the national community in large part prior to the convention, were taken up. It was emphasized that all believers who had any intention or prospect of going to London should promptly send in preliminary registrations. Many of those present took this action at a special Jubilee booth manned by airline and travel-agency personnel. In this connection the friends were admonished that for legal reasons any home-front publicity related to the trip must absolutely avoid any mention of the airline that has been chosen by the Hands of the Cause as the official carrier. In addition there should be no reference to the election of the Universal House of Justice.

Consideration of the summer schools included a report on a project in which a series of “resource units”

[Page 10] A convention display showing results of three pilot proclamation programs proved highly interesting.

— collections of materials and methods for certain teaching jobs — are being worked out, with the expectation that they will eventually provide a flexible curriculum for teaching at all age levels. Other plans encompass staffing and programming for Bahá’í education for the world of tomorrow.

Strengthening the Faith on the Home Front

Consultation on ways and means for the expansion and consolidation of the Faith in the United States brought out many needs and proposals. In connection with the Hands’ recent sanction to form additional local assemblies throughout the present Bahá’í year, Chairman Kavelin suggested increasing the total of assemblies to 310 by September 1. Heavy emphasis was to be placed on the strengthening of inexperienced assemblies, stepped-up proclamation through radio, television and newspapers, and the teaching of minority groups.

Statistics received from 220 communities up to April

National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, 1962-1963. Left to right: Dr. David Ruhe (vice-chairman), Dr. Sarah Pereira, H. Borrah Kavelin (chairman), Miss Edna True (recording secretary), Mrs. Velma Sherrill, Arthur Dahl (treasurer), Amoz Gibson, Miss Charlotte Linfoot (assistant secretary), Hugh Chance (secretary).

Despite inclement weather, most of the people gathered for a convention picture.

4 had shown that while four were composed entirely of Negro members and one other had only one white member, 103 communities had no Negro believers whatever, and another only one. This condition was cited as demonstrating a “deficiency in our focus” — a lack of adequate teaching of minorities.

Among suggestions for remedying the situation were these: have Negroes on the platform in public meetings and try to include them in every television program; hold some meetings in buildings associated with colored people; contact the Negro press and include it in all publicity efforts.

Thrilling Prospects Among American Indians

Auxiliary Board and National Assembly member Amoz Gibson thrilled the convention with news that may herald a massive breakthrough among the American Indians. The Navajos, he reported, want a faith representing all groups, including other tribes, the Negroes and Chinese, and are anxious to present the Bahá’í Teachings to all their people. A big conference scheduled in Arizona will include Hand of the Cause Khádem, who characterized the situation of the Faith on the Indian reservations as “a brush fire in a swift wind.”

A recapitulation of activities of the Bahá’í United Nations Committee confirmed earlier estimates that the special UN Day recording was an overwhelming success. It helped to make the American community stand out among more than 200 organizations cooperating in last year’s UN Day observances, a report of which was addressed to the President of the United States by the U.S. Committee for the United Nations.

The Individual’s Final Crusade Opportunities

Inspirational contributions from both Mr. Khádem and Mr. Sears, and a searching address by Mrs. Anna Marie Honnold, introduced a period of consultation on the individual believer’s opportunities in the last year of the Crusade.

As a first step, Chairman Kavelin issued a call to the overflow crowd of more than 1000 delegates and visitors for volunteers to arise and go to new home-front goals.

[Page 11] A substantial number responded. Thereafter the discussion gravitated to the opportunities of the youth, by whom, said Mr. Khádem, the future of any community can be judged.

Attention was directed to the fact that many opportunities for teaching exist in high schools, colleges and universities, including thirty to forty institutions of higher learning in the South attended largely by colored students. Here the individual can be helped by the College Bureau. In the atmosphere of devotion characterizing the Bureau-sponsored “retreats,” open to contacts as well as enrolled youth, further opportunities arise.

Whether at home or away, it is important that youth meetings breathe an informal atmosphere, and in this regard sponsoring adults can be helpful. Bahá’í youth want to be guided and used. The most important message to convey to them is that they will be used; that they are noble and can serve the Faith with success and distinction. With the rapidly growing youth membership thus encouraged, the Faith will be in good hands.

A Double Celebration and a Finale

The evening of April 28, the third convention day, witnessed a double observance: in the Temple auditorium, a devotional program celebrating the Feast of Riḍván; in Foundation Hall, the country’s first commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Master’s 1912 visit, and of His laying of the cornerstone of the House of Worship. At the second function Hand of the Cause Sears, who had returned after sharing the Canadian convention, delivered a notable commemorative address before an audience of at least 1400 people.

The final convention session was replete with action. First came a plea to attend the West Englewood Souvenir on June 30, where the fiftieth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Unity Feast will surely recapture the spiritual atmosphere of that occasion.

Motions followed to flood the South with Negro and white teachers, and to try to secure the presence there of Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga.

It was announced that the special Bahá’í events for proclaiming the Faith had been reduced to these: World Religion Day, Race Amity Day, World Peace

The convention spurred plans to attend the Most Great Jubilee in London next year.

Day and Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, plus the usual participation in UN Day and Human Rights Day.

Five youths presented a splendid symposium on youth activities, and consultation ensued on how to assist all youth to reach their contemporaries.

Believers contacting Indians were advised to offset church opposition through closer relations fostered by participation in hobbies and by inviting the Indians more to Bahá’í Centers.

The core of the Message, it was stressed, is that the Redeemer has returned under a new name, and with this overriding theme on our lips in this day, anything can happen.

With the end of the great convention at hand, there approached also an end to the great blessing of having two Hands of the Cause present throughout most of the deliberations. “The Faith is shining from the West; we must be living martyrs and give every moment to it,” said Mr. Khádem in his closing words. “Neither the sun nor the moon has witnessed such a day; let us double our numbers by next year,” added Mr. Sears. Then he intoned a prayer in one of the African languages, another prayer followed in English, and the believers filed out of the hall filled with joy and thanksgiving.

A Riḍván devotional service in the Temple auditorium preceded the fifty-year commemoration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit.

[Page 12] The Mother Temple of Europe, near Frankfurt, Germany, showing the scaffolding used in erecting the fourteen-ton middle sections of the curving pillars and the dome elements.

Central and East Africa Offers Striking Example of Growth

The rate of growth of the Faith in some parts of Africa can be judged by the following statistics from the Central and East Africa Region. Between March 1961 and March 1962 the number of believers increased by 9637, the local assemblies by 74 and the centers by 324. Many additional assemblies were expected to be formed during Riḍván.

About 190 African tribes and 17 non-African groups are represented in the region. Teaching is carried on with the aid of literature in many tongues, among which there are now twenty-three vernacular languages. Previously reported Bahá’í schools in the villages of Tilling and Dusai (Uganda) are now providing primary education.

Hand of the Cause ‘Alí-Akbar Furútan (center, second row) with the Milan, Italy, community.

Frankfurt Temple Construction Making Rapid Progress

Despite minor restrictions included in the final building permit, work is progressing rapidly on the Mother Temple of Europe near Frankfurt, Germany.

The mounting of the prefabricated curving pillars was halted during the winter because of possible frost damage. This proved doubly wise when heavy winter storms swept northern Europe in February.

Work was resumed in March and mounting of the heavy middle sections of the twenty-seven pillars was scheduled to be completed in late May. This will be followed by the placing of an upper concrete ring and elements of the dome, completion of the basement and construction of the ambulatory which will encircle the ground floor.

By the end of the summer all raw construction on the Temple is expected to be finished. In the meantime the interior work will have been started in June.

Fiji Believer’s Passing Becomes Unusual Teaching Opportunity

When Nur Ali, well-known and respected believer of Suva, Fiji, passed on recently, his funeral service became the means of introducing many people to the Teachings.

Mr. Ali was the first believer in the Fiji Islands and for several years served as chairman of the Suva Spiritual Assembly, the first one to be established in the entire South Pacific area. His home was a center of Bahá’í activity and the first Bahá’í marriage was solemnized there. And now his Bahá’í burial service also became Fiji’s first.

Because of Mr. Ali’s reputation and wide circle of acquaintances, there was a large gathering at the Suva Cemetery, representing numerous races, religions and sects. The Bahá’ís had printed the program

Believers and friends in New Zealand. At right of center is Ephraim Te Paa, a chief among the Maoris, and the second of these beloved people to enroll in the Faith.

[Page 13] in full and distributed it so that all those present could follow the readings and join in the prayers.

The beauty and simplicity of the service, the fact that it was presented in four languages, and the participation of women and children all helped to make a deep impression. The occasion became an opportunity not only to pay a last tribute to an outstanding and beloved personality but also to make a mass presentation of the Faith.

Indigenous People of Peru Begin to Enter the Faith

A teaching project which it is hoped will develop into conversion of the masses of Peru was begun last summer among the indigenous people in the province of Huancayo, east of the capital city of Lima.

The work was initiated by a Peruvian friend, Fidel Flores, and Carmelo Jachacollo, Bolivian pioneer loaned to Peru for the project. Together these two devoted believers traveled over the area on foot, visiting many villages.

The first successes were won in Fidel Flores’ own family in Pampa Cruz, with whom the pioneers lived for a time. The Floreses are now Peru’s first complete family of indigenous Bahá’ís. Furthermore, the Faith soon overleapt family bounds, so that by early April there were more than enough adult members for a local assembly, and an Indian believer had donated land for a center.

As in Pampa Cruz, the method used by the pioneers in teaching is to live with their contacts and give the Message person by person and family by family. The people wish to learn the Faith deeply and cannot be hurried.

Other factors render it incumbent upon the teachers to “make haste slowly.” Many of the simple country people leave their villages, go to the city and fall prey to the so-called city life. This impairs their purity of heart and makes it difficult for them to accept the Teachings. In addition it is necessary for

The Flores family of Pampa Cruz, the first indigenous Bahá’í family in Peru.

Believers of Pampa Cruz, Peru, who expected to elect their first assembly at Riḍván.

the instructors to speak not only Spanish but also the unwritten Huanca dialect of Quecha, the only tongue known to at least one-half of the people.

These obstacles are well understood by the friends and the teaching work proceeds apace in spite of them. It is consequently expected that many more victories will soon be won in Peru’s Huancayo province.

Mass Proclamation Instituted at North Carolina College

Mass proclamation of the Faith to about 2,000 persons was recently instituted at North Carolina College in Durham with the presentation by the college of Dr. Allan Ward as the Bahá’í speaker for Religious Emphasis Week, and an exhibit in the college library. Later, Hand of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem, during a

Attendants at national teaching conference, held in Pampa Cruz, Peru, on March 19.

[Page 14] visit to the region, attended several meetings and spoke impromptu to groups upon request.

Response from students and teachers alike was so enthusiastic that unscheduled sessions were held in which Dr. Ward amplified the principles and purposes of religion, and specifically of the Faith. Follow-up meetings are now being conducted.

There are at present two believers at the college, one a faculty member and the other a student.

Bolivia Reaches a Triple Goal in Less than Nine Months

In Riḍván 118 the National Assembly of Bolivia planned to double the number of believers, local assemblies and centers during the year. On January 1 of this year, after less than nine months, they were able to inform the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land that their triple goal had been achieved.

In thanksgiving for this bounty the friends held a national congress from March 20 to 22 at Sucre in the southern part of the country. It was attended by more than 300 people, some of whom traveled eight days on foot to reach Sucre.

One of the notable features of current progress in Bolivia is the fact that the enthusiasm of the Indians embracing the Faith so rapidly and in large numbers is being reflected in La Paz, the country’s capital. As a result fourteen souls were enrolled there in two recent months.

Holy Days Recognized in a Florida County

News has reached the National Assembly that the Superintendent of Public Instruction for Monroe County, Florida, some time ago recognized the right of Bahá’í children to remain away from their classes on Bahá’í Holy Days, provided the parents present a written request for permission the day preceding each such day.

There are Bahá’í children attending three schools in the county and all have been excused on this basis. The superintendent’s letter was dated June 9, 1960.

School District in California Recognizes Holy Days

Through the joint efforts of the local Spiritual Assemblies of Fresno and Fresno Judicial District, California, the Board of Education of the Fresno Unified School District, through the Superintendent of Schools, announced to school principals on January 29, 1962, that parents of Bahá’í school children “be granted the privilege of keeping them home on Bahá’í Holy Days.”

The announcement listed the dates and anniversaries that fall in the school year, and stated that “requests must be recognized without penalty” and “that teachers should assist these youngsters in making up any work missed.”

Some of the more than 300 people who attended the national congress at Sucre, Bolivia, in March.

[Page 15]

Celebrations and Pioneering Decisions Feature Hawaiian Activities

Hawaii’s many spring activities included two outstanding observances of the Intercalary Days. The Kauai group ushered in the happy period on February 25 with a beach party, sundown meeting and supper, and continued with celebrations on the three succeeding nights. Combining feasting and fun with purposeful teaching, the believers entertained twenty-one contacts during the various festivities.

Forty-four people attended the first of two celebrations held in Hilo by the believers of Hawaii County. At the second observance, each child offered a prayer as a spiritual gift before material gifts were exchanged.

Meanwhile the Honolulu community seethed with the pioneering spirit. In a single night four believers spontaneously reached decisions to go to Fiji. At about the same time five others made plans to travel to additional posts in the Pacific and on the U.S. mainland. The pioneers included both veterans and new Bahá’ís.

Young People Show Great Interest at Youth Day Observances

Initial reports of World Youth Day observances give evidence of pronounced interest on the part of the young guests who attended them.

A number of university students gathered at a meeting held in Bologna, Italy. Several were unacquainted with the Teachings, with the result that questions did not stop until 2 a.m.

In Toledo, Ohio, the promotion for a public meeting included youth interviews on three radio stations and coverage by a television station. The meeting, addressed by Miss Sharon Ballard, drew twenty-three non-Bahá’ís, most of them young people. All expressed interest in studying; consequently weekly follow-up meetings in the form of study classes are now being held.

A total of sixty-one guests and believers from two states and seven cities attended meetings held on two successive days at the Baton Rouge (Louisiana) center. Dr. Virginia Harden spoke at both events.

A display helped to initiate a promising mass proclamation effort at North Carolina College in Durham.

The Kauai (Hawaii) group converted a schoolroom into a “sidewalk cafe” for a Naw-Rúz dinner attended by thirty, including eleven contacts. Both menu and decorations carried out the theme of spring. The program comprised music, a Bahá’í talk and discussion.

Spiritual Assembly of Las Vegas, Nevada, incorporated April 12, 1962. Left to right, seated: Mrs. Dorothy Stewart (secretary), Mrs. Zona Murdock. Standing: Alvis Allan, Mrs. Gail Hambley (recording secretary), Graham Stewart (treasurer), Robert Callju, Harry Hambley (chairman), Mrs. Wendy Ayoub, Curtis Adams.

Group attending one of two World Youth Day observances held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

[Page 16]

Special Materials Produced for 50th Anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Visit to America

From left: Invitation and envelope, Prestige Brochure and envelope, Book Easel to carry actual copy of “Foundations of World Unity,” Announcement Poster.

A Naw-Rúz party in El Paso, Texas. Half of those present were guests. A talk in English was followed by another in Spanish, and the latter was printed in a local Spanish newspaper, together with this picture. In addition a long newspaper article appeared in the neighboring city of Juarez, Mexico.

BAHA'I IN THE NEWS

On March 20 The Times of Viet Nam ran an article about the Vietnamese believers’ observances of Naw-Rúz, wished its Bahá’í readers a happy new year, and announced a report on the Faith forthcoming in the newspaper’s next Sunday supplement. The report itself took up four pages. It included a survey of the Faith’s history, principles and administration; four pictures, three of which occupied one-half page each, and a large reproduction (with explanation) of the Greatest Name.

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Calendar of Events

FEASTS

June 5 — Núr (Light)

June 24 — Raḥmat (Mercy)

PROCLAMATION EVENT

June 10 — Race Amity Day

U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS

June 15-17

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Bahá’í House of Worship

Visiting Hours

Weekdays

10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Entire building)

  7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Auditorium only)

Sundays and Holidays

10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entire building)

  5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Auditorium only)

Service of Worship

Sundays

3:30 to 4:10 p.m.

Public Meeting

Sunday, June 17

4:15 p.m.

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BAHÁ’Í NEWS is published for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í World Community.

BAHÁ’Í News is edited by an annually appointed Editorial Committee: Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Meinhard, Managing Editors; Mrs. Eunice Braun, International News Editor; Miss D. Thelma Jackson, National News Editor; Miss Charlotte M. Linfoot, National Spiritual Assembly Representative.

Material must be received by the twentieth of the second month preceding date of issue. Address: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.

Change of address should be reported directly to National Bahá’í Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.