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| No. 385 | BAHA’I YEAR 120 | APRIL, 1963 |
Riḍván[edit]
1863
Most Great Festival ... King of Festivals ... Festival of God ... Rejoice, with exceeding gladness, O people of Bahá! as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken ... Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Riḍván and entered it.1
1963
Should be worthily commemorated through the worldwide celebrations of the “Most Great Festival,” the “King of Festivals”—the Festival associated with the accession of Him Who is the Lord of the Kingdom to the throne of everlasting glory ...2 The Most Great Jubilee, which will alike commemorate the Centenary of the formal assumption by the Author of the Bahá’í Revelation of His Prophetic Office, and mark ... the worldwide establishment of the Faith ... thus paving the way for the advent of the Golden Age destined to witness ... the ultimate triumph of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.3
_____
(1) GPB, pp.153,154; (2) MA, pp.100,101; (3)
MBW, p.18.
(At left: Wilmette Temple floodlighted at night.)
First European House of Worship Moves Toward Completion[edit]
Except for a brief period in January, work on the Frankfurt
Temple has continued in spite of the unusually severe winter
which has been felt all over Europe. In order to protect the
labor force and the construction work it was necessary to install a canvas shelter around the ambulatory, which hides the
many glassed entrances already finished.
Pictures, clockwise from upper left:
The snowy foreground shows the need for protecting the ambulatory section.
Interior view of the glassed lantern.
Work goes forward on the roof of the ambulatory.
One of the completed entrances partially hidden by shelter.
The Cause of Life to the World[edit]
Let your ambition be the achievement on earth of a Heavenly civilization! I ask for you the supreme blessing, that you may be so filled with the vitality of the Heavenly Spirit that you may be the cause of life to the world.
IN PREPARING this material I have presupposed
one thing only — that is: When each of us became
a Bahá’í, each knew exactly what he or she was doing.
I’m assuming each one of us was perfectly satisfied
that Bahá’u’lláh was the Spirit of God manifested and,
that being so, each one of us is prepared to accept His
dictates without question and to render unto Him our
love and allegiance. I’m assuming that because He
made the appointment, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá becomes to us
the perfect example of how we should think and act
throughout our lives, and, because of what we believe
‘Abdu’l-Bahá to be, we accept unquestioningly His
appointment of Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian of
the Cause of God.
If this assumption is correct, we will believe in, and fulfill to the utmost of our human ability, all the teachings and all the directions which come to us from those three sources. And to handle this subject logically, it has to be divided into two sections, separate yet interdependent — the individual, and the community. I shall treat community from the two obvious points of view: the Bahá’í community and the civil community in which we live as citizens and as Bahá’ís.
Nineteen-Day Feast — the “Lord’s Supper”[edit]
Let us now direct our thoughts to the individual in the Bahá’í community. The first and most important thing in a Bahá’í’s life is the Nineteen-Day Feast. This was instituted by the Báb, it was ratified by Bahá’u’lláh, it was commended by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and encouraged as a privilege not to be taken lightly, by the Guardian. We should regard it as a privilege and a sacred duty, which should take precedence over every other engagement we have — visitors, business appointments, social engagements and any other meeting whatsoever — excepting those very rare occasions when matters are beyond our control.
The Báb specified the first day of the Bahá’í month to be observed as the Nineteen-Day Feast. Speaking of the Feast, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “This Feast was established by His Holiness, the Báb, to occur once in nineteen days. Likewise, the Blessed Perfection hath commanded, encouraged and reiterated it. Therefore, it hath the utmost importance. Undoubtedly you must give the greatest attention to its establishment and raise it to the highest point of importance, so that it may become continual and constant.”
At the Feast, He said, we should conduct ourselves with the greatest dignity and “encourage and inspire each other with love for the whole human race, invoke God with perfect joy and fragrance ... The owner of the house must personally serve the beloved ones.” If we meet in the true spirit of reverence, humility and adoration for God, then, He says, “that supper is the ‘Lord’s Supper.’ ”
In another place ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said: “Whenever such an entertainment is arranged through spiritual sentiments, shining faces and merciful hearts, it is a ‘Lord’s Supper.’ For the brilliancy of the Kingdom of Abhá will shine and the spirituality of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá become manifest. This is that ‘divine table’ (or food) of which mention is made in the prophecies: ‘On that day they shall gather at the divine table,’ and ‘people shall come from the East and West and arrive in His Kingdom.’ ”
In his book: Religion for Mankind, Horace Holley has written: “The Bahá’í month is signalized throughout the year by the special observance of its first day. At that time the believers in their local communities gather together for their Nineteen-Day Feast. They receive in humility the supreme Feast, the holy and creative Word, the Message revealed by the Manifestation for His cycle and age. They consult and discuss on matters pertaining to the Bahá’í community and service to their Faith. They break bread together, Bahá’ís of different races and peoples, all those who have found the way of union and agreement in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. The fulfillment of all holy communion is here, as the fulfillment of the Word in the coming of the Glory of God.”
Sacredness of Occasion[edit]
With those noble sentiments concerning the Feast in our minds, it is hard to understand how some men can attend such a sacred meeting in an open-neck sport shirt and slacks. How some people, both men and women, can attend in sandals and bare feet! One wouldn’t enter the dining room of a decent hotel without a collar and tie and coat on; neither would one sit at a friend’s table for a meal without a coat on, unless being first invited to remove it. Yet I’ve seen some believers attend a Feast in the most informal attire. This should not be taken as a reflection on any mode of indigenous dress, neither does it relate to the person who wears the best he or she can afford.
We are told that in America, in the days of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, one did not attend a Feast without first bathing
[Page 4]
and then putting on one’s best clothes. Those early
believers appreciated the solemnity of the occasion.
And the spirit in which we attend a Feast is most important. It is not an occasion when, on arrival, we catch up on the latest bit of gossip, nor should we recite our recent illnesses, nor discuss the virtues of our youngsters. But we should approach the Feast in an attitude of prayer. In one’s own home, or in the home of a friend, the observance of the Nineteen-Day Feast is as reverent as holy communion conducted in the greatest of cathedrals.
Community Life — Key to Spiritual Evolution[edit]
Possibly the next most important thing in one’s Bahá’í life, in the Bahá’í community, is one’s relationship to the local and national assemblies. To appreciate the Bahá’í way of life, or the Bahá’í Administrative Order, one must regard it as the forerunner of a new way of life and a new world order, ordained and established by divine decree, and entrusted to mankind for implementation.
Sometimes, I fear, we think of our Cause in too human terms; we think of it as being Jack and Jill or Joe and Julie, people we either admire or dislike. Whereas, the men and women who form the human elements in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh are particles of matter which God is slowly remolding to His own pattern. A new race of humanity is in the evolutionary process; it may take thousands of years before it reaches its highest consummation. In the meantime, we should ever remind ourselves that we, too, are only evolving, as are our Bahá’í brothers and sisters, and, therefore, criticism or judgment ill becomes us.
And, also, we are too parochial in our outlook. We seem to have forgotten the challenge and the assurance that lie in these words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “The moment this divine message is carried forward by the American believers from the shores of America and is propagated through the continents of Europe, of Asia, of Africa and of Australia, and as far as the Islands of the Pacific, this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion. Then will all the peoples of the world witness that this community is spiritually illumined and divinely guided. Then will the whole earth resound with the praises of its majesty and greatness.”
We are met here today, because two people sailed from the shores of America and came to Australia in answer to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s call. Clara and Henry Hyde-Dunn have passed on to the realms of glory, leaving you and me to carry on their work, leaving us to fulfill the trust to establish the New World Order. That is why we should be so careful and prayerful in electing our assemblies, and after having elected them, in being lovingly loyal in our obedience to them. The assembly, even one’s simple local assembly, is the embryo of a mighty and important House of Justice at the center of one’s personal and communal life. As such, we should consult with it on all matters that do, or may, have a bearing on the community.
Next we consider the Fast. This is obligatory for all, with a very few obvious exceptions such as nursing mothers, sick people, old people and those who are traveling, and so on. The Fast, together with the obligatory prayers, is a spiritual and vital obligation enjoined by Bahá’u’lláh upon every believer fifteen years of age and over. Bahá’u’lláh writes: “We have commanded you to pray and fast from the beginning of maturity; this is ordained by God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.”
It is essentially a period of prayer, meditation and spiritual recuperation and should not be neglected on the ground that one gets too hungry! We should learn to make the necessary adjustments in our mode of living so that we have time for spiritual intake to offset the normal food intake.
Coming to a Bahá’í’s everyday life, how are we directed to live it? Let me ask another question: How do we earn our everyday living? By making ourselves familiar with the job, whether it be in the home, industry or commerce. So it is in living the Bahá’í life; we cannot expect to know how, unless we know why! That is one reason why it is essential that we should each set aside every day time for reading the Bahá’í Writings and for prayer and meditation. Only in this way can we learn why, and be aided to know how to live the life required in this exciting and challenging new Age of Bahá’u’lláh.
May I make the plea: Don’t borrow books, build your own Bahá’í library! In this way you will have the books as your own priceless aids to daily devotion. And you’ll need them if you are to fully understand and fulfill the life you believe God called you to live for the sake of humanity — as well as for the sake of your own precious soul!
There are so many facets to a Bahá’í’s life in the community that I can only touch on the more vital ones. There is marriage, requiring consent of all four parents, if they are alive; burial, not cremation (and within one hour’s journey from the place of death); alcohol is forbidden in any form, unless ordered by a doctor to be taken as a medicine.
If we begin to feel that such limitations on our individual freedom are somewhat irksome, it might help us if we were to recall these words of Bahá’u’lláh: “Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst men.” It is not a case of what you or I think, it is a matter of being obedient to the commands of Bahá’u’lláh; it is imperative that we live the life fully in the community, so as to make a striking and intelligent witness to those things which we believe are revealed by God for the good of humanity.
The Bounty of Voluntary Giving[edit]
We are called to serve! It is not sufficient to give only of our time and talents; such giving must be accompanied by a portion of our wealth, no matter how meager that portion may be. Some of us may feel that our time has a value of so much per hour, and that if we donate so many of our valuable hours to the Cause, that is the equivalent of donating so much money. And so it is. But what of those who have given life itself?
The Guardian has said that our free and generous contributions are the lifeblood of the Cause. In this material world the effective spreading of the Faith requires three essentials: spiritual devotion, human time and energy and, thirdly, money. Advertising
Site of the Bahá’í World Congress, this is London’s most famous meeting place. Appropriately, these words form part of the inscription on the eight-hundred-foot mosaic which decorates the outer dome:
“Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine. The wise and their works are in the Hand of God. Glory be to God on high and on earth peace....”
needs skill in preparation and money to pay for it;
teaching needs careful preparation, taking up our
time, and it needs money for transport, if a journey
is involved; the Temples, not only of Australia but of
Frankfurt, need money; books and correspondence
need money; the Hands need money for their work
at the World Center, and local and national assemblies
need money. These requirements are inescapable, and
Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had such implicit trust
in our love and integrity towards the Faith that They
directed that our contributions for the propagation of
the Faith should be entirely voluntary. That places
a heavy responsibility on each one of us, the responsibility of squaring our donations with the needs
of this work and with the blessings God has showered
upon us.
We Possess Only a Trust[edit]
Do we sufficiently appreciate the nature of the days in which we are living? Days fraught with impending war on the one hand, and with much human activity in the cause of peace on the other. Days in which national boundaries are being obliterated; days when, as never before, mankind is striving for its very existence; days when honest effort is being made by thousands of people to establish a just and lasting unity of all peoples in one glorious Commonwealth of Nations. These things humanity desires, nay, craves for, cries out for, and we are keeping back the fulfillment of humanity’s need if we remain silent, if we remain inactive, if we remain ungenerous. We are the repositories of the bounty of God; we are called upon to be the conveyors of God’s solution to man’s problem; we are called to be living letters forming the words which convey the story of God’s love, and of God’s guidance, and of God’s plan for this age.
Then what holds us back? Why are our results not more spectacular? What trips our feet and hinders our tongues? Could it be that we lack complete devotion to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh? Could it be that we are so sure, and so self-satisfied, that we overlook the fact that what we possess is only a trust? It belongs to others, as well as to ourselves. God spare us from the sin of self-righteousness! There is a spirit afoot in this world that is causing people to feel that God is one’s only salvation; that He is the only hope for humanity in every one of its problems. It shows itself in the most unexpected places. What a negative bleat is our assertion that people don’t want to talk about religion!
Recently I saw these words on the wall of a business man’s office: “Lord, Thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older, and will some day be old. Keep me from getting talkative, and particularly from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details — give me wings to get to the point. I ask for grace enough to listen to the tales of others’ pains. Help me to endure them with patience. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains — they are increasing and my love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint — some of them are so hard to live with — but a sour woman is one of the crowning works of the devil. Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all — but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.”
Yes — we not only want a few friends at the end for ourselves but, much more important, we need to win friends today for Bahá’u’lláh; friends who will rise up and bless us because we conveyed to them the bread of life; friends who will help carry to its ultimate fruition the Message of which Bahá’u’lláh Himself said: “He hath but to deliver this clear message.”
It is in our hands to do this ... what holds us back?
What trips our feet and hinders our tongues? Might
not the answer lie in the nature of our response to the
challenge:
- What think ye of Bahá’u’lláh?
[Page 6]
First Bahá’í regional conference of Southern Chile, held in Osorno, January 25-27. Miss Ottlie Rhein, Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, is at extreme left.
Sra. Danila Cabezas of the new Spiritual Assembly of Iquique, Chile, with Eduardo Ignacio, one of the pioneers from Bolivia.
Chile Demonstrates Effective Teaching Effort[edit]
News of the Chilean teaching work is most encouraging. The items which follow were taken from a report written by Lina deSmithson on behalf of the National Assembly of Chile.
Two youth conferences, held at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Santiago — one in November and one in December — drew young Bahá’ís and guests from Curicó and Quilpué as well as from Santiago. Organized by the National Youth Committee, these gatherings were a splendid opportunity for the exchange of teaching ideas and for the youth themselves to prepare and give material on some of the subjects covered. Accommodations for a number of the guests were provided at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds.
In both Curicó and Linares there are now Bahá’í youth, studying at schools of agriculture, who are active in the Faith. The progress in both groups is due to the efforts of the Bahá’í youth of Santiago with the help of the Northern National Teaching Committee.
Several groups have been formed in villages of the nitrate region in the northern interior section of the country through the help of pioneers from Bolivia.
The message was also taken to the port of Iquique, where an assembly was recently formed. Iquique, population about 50,000, was once a flourishing nitrate city, but had been rather lifeless for many years. Thanks to some new industries it is again coming to life. There seems to be great promise for this town again and, it is hoped, for the Faith to spread there.
Alfonso Abara of Loncoche has gone to Easter Island, one of the goals, for teaching work. On his way back he expects to spend a month in Juan Fernandez Island, where much needs to be done; once there was an assembly, but now only some isolated believers.
World Religion Day was celebrated in Valparaiso, Chile’s most important port, with a well attended conference at the Bahá’í Center. A great spirit of understanding and respect was evident, and those present asked that another such event be scheduled in April. Of considerable interest is the fact that both a Catholic priest and a Methodist representative took part in the program.
In the extreme south the work is progressing in
Youth gathered for a regional conference at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Santiago, Chile, in November.
The village of Sibaya near Iquique, Northern Chile, where pioneers from Bolivia helped form a group.
[Page 7]
Punta Arenas. This, the southernmost city in the world,
was dearly loved by the Guardian who always stressed
its importance to the Faith in writing to the Bahá’ís
of Chile. It has had a small community, sorely tried
on occasion, but has never grown much. At the request of the local assembly for a visiting teacher,
Carlos Martinez Vicente, member of the National
Assembly and a fine speaker, went there for concentrated teaching work. Sr. Martinez, a teacher and
the director of his own school in Santiago, was well
received by the press and radio which granted interviews. Advertising and personal invitations also attracted guests. Public meetings were held at the
library and the night school, both of which were made
available without charge. The local believers are
much encouraged and deeply grateful for the activity
which this teaching engendered, and anticipate good
results.
The Bahá’í Summer School opened on January 25 in the town of Quillota near Santiago and Valparaiso, with two sessions of ten days each. This annual school is organized and sponsored by the National Assembly.
Chile is such a long country that travel between regions is often costly. For this reason a regional conference was held in Osorno in the central southern area. Planned for all Bahá’ís who could not attend the school sessions, it also started on January 25 and gathered together believers and their friends from Loncoche, Temuco and Valdivia as well as from Osorno.
Enrollments in Korea Constantly Increase[edit]
Over fifty people attended a teaching conference held February 16-17 in Taegu, Korea’s third largest city, with excellent publicity in all three newspapers. Originally planned as a culmination of two firesides that had been continuing for several months, the conference expanded through the attendance of twenty-five new believers from Kuchang, one of the mass conversion areas.
This was the sixth such conference called in Korea during a two-month period. Others were in Kohado Island, Kyongju, Kuchang, Suwon and Namhae Island. Some of the highlights follow.
The announcement by a Bahá’í of less than two months, Yang Jae-ho, of the enrollment of the entire village of Binji in a very remote area which cannot be reached by vehicle. Mr. Yang explained that Binji is surrounded by similar villages, all awaiting conquest.
The visit of three village elders who, though in their sixties and seventies, traveled five hours from the remote area of Kajo. One of them is the father of a Bahá’í college boy who had pioneered to Kajo, his home village, during the winter vacation. The old men said that they were born, lived all their lives and will die in that one place, and that they now expect their whole village will enter the Faith.
Inspiring talks by visiting teachers from various parts of Korea. The account of two women of Catholic background about how they were led to the Faith via dreams. The announcement by Lee Yoon-sup, who has so devotedly helped establish the Faith in Taegu and Kyongju, that he was leaving to pioneer in the virgin and remote northeastern province. Pledges by new enrollees to devote themselves to the teaching work. The visit to the conference by the most famous Esperanto scholar in Korea and the Esperanto Club of Taegu.
Climax of the conference was the enrollment of sixteen new believers followed by the formation of an assembly which includes five educators and a librarian, and which is completely oriented toward teaching and extending the Faith into the remote areas.
One mother, who brought her two babies and who had studied the Faith but had never attended a Bahá’í meeting before, summed up the conference by saying that in all her years of Christian life she had never seen such a spirit and that however diverse the people were it was like a large, happy, united family. She, too, enrolled.
In less than two months there were forty enrollments recorded in Southwest Korea, and two hundred eighty in Southeast Korea. In both regions many contacts are expected to accept the Faith; in one area, Kuchang, 200 new believers are anticipated.
LEFT: Conference held in Taegu, Southeast Korea, February 16-17, and climaxed by sixteen enrollments and the formation of the fifth new assembly in a two-month period. RIGHT: Three of the first village elders who arose to teach the Faith and whose sacrifice and devotion fanned the flame of mass conversion taking place in Korea.
Mass Teaching in the Subcontinent of India[edit]
Counter-clockwise, from upper right:
Mahadu Soma Gavit, probably one of the oldest men in the world, believed to be about 135, accepted the Faith last November at his home village of Ghagbari, Nasik.
A conference held at Shelgaon during December.
Children of the Bahá’í school in Pulkapura, a village in Central India, with their teacher (at left, wearing glasses).
Dr. Anayat Yegangi, pioneer from India to the Kingdom of Bhutan in the Himalayas, and Mrs. Yegangi, a native Bhutanese. The couple were recently united in a Bahá’í ceremony.
A conference held at Mysore, Southern India, in November 1962.
Two Glorious Years[edit]
FOR THE BAHÁ'ÍS OF INDIA[edit]
It was Shoghi Effendi, our beloved Guardian, who in his last message to the Bahá’í world promised that the last phase of the Crusade would witness “an upsurge of enthusiasm and consecration before which every single as well as collective exploit, associated with any of the three previous phases, will pale.”
India in the past two years has certainly constituted a manifestation of the fulfillment of this promise. It was in February 1961 when the Bahá’ís of this country took active part in the process of teaching the Cause to the masses. And now with hearts uplifted with gratitude to Bahá’u’lláh we witness the unprecedented growth of the Faith in this country within a period of only two years. Confirmations from the Abhá Kingdom are so overwhelming that we have no words to describe them. And no words in this connection are more eloquent than the figures:
| Feb. 1961 | Feb. 1963 | |
| ———— | ———— | |
| Number of believers | 850 | 65,355 |
| Number of assemblies | 58 | 675 |
| Number of groups | 35 | 1,341 |
| Number of isolated centers | 50 | 433 |
| ———— | ———— | |
| TOTAL number of centers | 143 | 2,449 |
There are other figures as well which are heart-warming. Take for instance the quantity of literature produced and distributed during these two years. Over
210,000 copies of books and booklets in seventeen languages have been published and mostly distributed
free of charge. This figure does not include 332,000 picture cards depicting sacred Teachings of the Cause,
which are distributed at various occasions to Bahá’í
friends. These figures again do not include thousands
of copies of materials and daily readings, leaflets, etc.,
which have been cyclostyled and sent to Bahá’í centers
from the national office.
It is interesting to note that in addition to a major teaching institute which was established at Indore, two smaller institutes have started work in Mysore and Gwalior.
One of the great features of mass-teaching work in India is the fact that people from all sections of the country of many races, tribes and religions have entered the Tabernacle of Bahá’u’lláh, and through the power of His words have become so united and integrated that they attract the praise of civil authorities, who have prayed many years for such an integration.
Beginning of a Glorious Destiny[edit]
What is happening in India, both in nature and magnitude, is certainly the beginning of a glorious destiny which this country has under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh. The “upsurge of enthusiasm” is quite manifest among many scores of Bahá’ís, most of whom are very young in the Faith.
Ram Prasad, for example, is fifty years old and accepted the Cause a few months ago. He is from a community, now called Harijans, who were despised by the orthodox section of high-class Indian communities for centuries. They were considered as “untouchables.” By the grace of Bahá’u’lláh, Ram Prasad was charged with spontaneous zeal and enthusiasm. He, of his own accord, without consulting anybody and without being requested by anybody, decided to give the Message in the neighboring village, populated entirely by Brahmins. Imagine: Ram Prasad, a Harijan, decided to guide the Brahmins! This was indeed intolerable to those who considered him an untouchable. They started beating him, cursing him, and tore up the Bahá’í literature he presented to them. But Ram Prasad publicly proclaimed that he had taken a vow not to leave the village without at least one person declaring his faith in Bahá’u’lláh. On the second day the ordeal of Ram Prasad was repeated all over again. Without being frightened or disheartened he stood where he was, smiling and loving. Then came and passed the third, fourth and fifth days. Ram Prasad did not move from the village and withstood all tests for the sake of Bahá’u’lláh. At last on the sixth day the people decided to hear what he had so courageously waited to convey to them. The result is that half of the population of this village of Brahmins is now Bahá’í.
Heroes in the Army of Life[edit]
Behram is an old Bahá’í. He was a Bahá’í when he migrated from Iran to India about forty years ago. He is a sick old man, suffering from diabetes. His eyes, affected by cataract, have recently been operated upon. One day Behram, in response to an appeal from the National Assembly to the community, decided not to miss the fleeting months of the Guardian’s plan, and consulted with his wife, saying: “I will go to teach the Cause in villages even if I die in the field.” He, purchasing a fascinating car, over thirty-two years old, employed a driver, went out of the town to teach the Cause to the masses, and built a shack in a village to serve as a garage for the old car and his headquarters. In about four months he, with the assistance of earlier believers in those villages, attracted over 600 people to the Cause. His diabetes is no more troubling him, and his old age and old car are not depriving him of being among the Army of Life in this Spiritual Crusade of the beloved Guardian. He went into the field to die but he has given life to hundreds. Still he is continuing his efforts.
In the jungles of western India there is a tribe scattered in small villages. Bahá’í teachers found an extremely old man, believed to be about 135 years old. After hearing the Message he not only expressed his faith in Bahá’u’lláh, and persuaded his people to believe in the Manifestation of God for this age, but also
[Page 10]
A group of the believers of Dharan. The town, located on India’s northeast border in the Himalayas, is in the Kingdom of Nepal.
Believers and friends at Ghagbari, one of the villages of the aborigines of Central India. At center is 135-year-old Mahadu Soma Gavit.
thanked God who kept him alive to believe in the
latest Manifestation before leaving this world.
There is an old Buddhist monk in a village in Orissa, eastern India, who had some disciples. He saw Buddha in his dream telling him that on the next day a messenger from Him would come to the monk’s village and deliver His Message to him. Mujibur Rahman, a Bahá’í teacher of Calcutta, closed his tailoring shop to go on a teaching tour. He had to pass through the village of this monk, without intending to break his journey there. While he was passing through, that monk, as if waiting, called Mujibur and his party, asking him, “Do you have some message to deliver?” Mujibur was surprised at this abrupt question and delivered him the Message of God. The monk told his disciples that he was the man about whom he had a dream and that his message was surely the truth. The disciples of the monk are now Bahá’ís but the monk himself has not yet declared his faith in Bahá’u’lláh.
There are a number of champions in this Army who are taking us from height to height and from victory to victory. Many of them are themselves very fresh in the Cause. There is a lady who has left her home and her children to move, literally, day and night, from village to village and from state to state to plant the standard of the Greatest Name in the remote jungles among the forgotten people of the world. For her the scorching sun of the Indian summer or torrential rains in the monsoon are not problems.
Heralding the Day of Guidance[edit]
There is a young man who is going to many parts of the country with his car, leaving behind his young wife and children and aunt to look after his business, just to serve the Cause of God for the love of the beloved Guardian. There are many like him who have left their jobs — whether in business or the medical profession — to move among the people, heralding the advent of the Day of Guidance among the people. There are a few young men who have given up their college studies for one year to teach the Faith, saying that the studies could wait but the Crusade of the beloved Guardian would not last forever.
These are a few examples of the “upsurge of enthusiasm” which have made our previous exploits pale. Praise be to Bahá’u’lláh for His bounties! This is only the beginning.
Believers from the Sehria tribe. These people are among the Adivasis (aborigines) of Central India. About 4000 members of this tribe are now Bahá’ís.
Behram Vatankhah, an old believer from Sholapur, with his aged car. He travels among the villages every day to spread the Message.
[Page 11]
The Swiss youth winter school at Evolene, December 26-January 2, gathered together about seventy believers and
friends, representing Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Persia, U.S.A. as well as Switzerland, for
devotions, classes and recreation. Classes covered such varied subjects as the early events of the Faith, “The
Secret of Divine Civilization” by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, world civilization from the Guardian’s World Order letters and
administration. A deeply enriching experience was shared by all.
|
Special Request from Hands Recalled
The Hands of the Cause in Haifa feel that it is unsuitable to take photographs of people when they are in the court immediately surrounding the monument at the grave of the beloved Guardian. This applies both to people who are in the photographer’s party and to people who are not. All believers who visit the grave are consequently asked to refrain from this practice. |
Some of the students pause on their way to class at the Frogmore Winter School.
LEFT: Group at the Winter School held over the New Year week end at Frogmore, South Carolina. RIGHT: Discussion on the courses continued even during meals.
[Page 12]
LEFT: Two Hands of the Cause in Honolulu — Miss Agnes Alexander on her way from Japan, and William Sears on his way from Haifa to Sydney, Australia. In the background is Mrs. Grayce Carter of Santa Monica, California. RIGHT: Group of Honolulu believers with Mr. Sears.
Hawaiian Teaching Work Continues to Advance[edit]
Hand of the Cause William Sears stopped briefly in Honolulu enroute to Australia, where he was scheduled to do extensive teaching work. During his first evening in Honolulu, Mr. Sears spoke to the believers. The second night he addressed a well attended fireside, greatly stimulating some sixty believers and forty guests by his deep love and ardor.
The Honolulu Extension Teaching Committee has activated a plan in which teams of two believers fly to the outer islands to support the teaching efforts of the local assemblies. One team, for instance, consists of two youth, one a Filipino and one a Caucasian, who play instruments and present the Faith to workers in the canefield camps. Most of the workers are Filipino and receive the Message in Ilocano, Tagalog and pidgin English. Another team, consisting of two Samoan boys who also play instruments, would concurrently be assisting the believers on another island in the rural areas where contacts are difficult to make.
There are five outer islands, and it was planned to establish at least five teams which would rotate among these islands so that coverage would be fresh and maximal.
Navajo believers Hazbah and Edison Tsosie in their hogan on the reservation at Chinle, Arizona.
[edit]
Singular honor was accorded the Faith when a number of non-Indian Bahá’ís were invited to attend a sacred healing ceremony on the Navajo Reservation at Chinle, Arizona, February 1. Since it is rare for non-Indians to be present at such rituals, it is striking that invitations were given simply on the strength of the recipients being members of the Bahá’í Faith.
One non-Indian believer even had the special privilege of a token part in the making of the sand-painting, a task normally restricted to medicine men of the Tribe. The five-day ceremony, designed to bring the unwell person into harmony with the universe, utilizes sacred figures in the sand, requiring many hours of preparation, as well as chants, fetishes and ritual food.
Non-Bahá’í Indians seemed impressed that Bahá’ís, alone among outsiders, respect rather than deprecate the ancient Navajo beliefs and ceremonies.
[Page 13]
The Kebang family of Tumbang Djudjang, Borneo, where a new Spiritual Assembly was recently formed. Mr. Kebang is the head of the village.
Believers Multiply in South-East Asia Region[edit]
A three months teaching trip into the interior of Borneo (Indonesian Kalimantan), a part of the South-East Asia Region, was recently completed by Auxiliary Board member Surip Sukiman. The natives are mostly of the Dayak race, with characteristics similar to the people of Mentawei — pure-heartedness, goodness and honesty. They are not Muslim or Christian, but animists.
It should be noted that transportation in this area is confined to small rowboats which often have to overcome rapid currents through the jungle. The time between villages depends on season, rain and flood. It may take as much as three to five days to get from one to another, and at times no travel is possible.
At first Mr. Sukiman had little success in reaching the masses of Dayak people although he visited many villages. Finally the way was opened when the head of a Dayak village informed him that a boat was going up the river. This was, indeed, an act of Providence because on that particular trip alone Mr. Sukiman was able to enroll 216 natives with subsequent formation of three assemblies in the villages of Tumbang Djudjang, Tamnou and Tamaloe. These new believers are members of two of the Dayak tribes — Penjabung and Uddanung.
Due to the season Mr. Sukiman could not continue to a village where 500 people were waiting to receive the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. Since the head of the village already knew of the Faith and had promised that all his people would accept it, a teacher will undoubtedly go there at the earliest possible moment.
In spite of some restrictions, the Faith is flourishing and new victories are being won in Indonesia. Including Mentawei, there were some 9,000 believers and 110 assemblies the latter part of January.
The following figures for other sections of the South-East Asia Region are of great interest, although they may already be far surpassed. In British Borneo, 7,000 believers with 70 assemblies; in the Philippines, 6,000 believers and 100 assemblies; in Vietnam, nearly 10,000 believers with 147 assemblies (the goal here was originally 100 assemblies).
National Spiritual Assembly of Central and East Africa,
1962-1963. Left to right, seated: Max Kenyerezi, Isobel
Sabri, Oloro Epyeru, Edmund Cardell. Standing: Hassan
Sabri, Charles Nalika, Kolonerio Oule, Philip Hainsworth, Sosporteri Isimai.
Winter conference for French-speaking believers of Switzerland conducted in Lausanne.
Bahá’ís of Almada welcome the first Gypsy (left, rear) to enter the Faith in Portugal.
Thirteenth World Religion Day Proclaims Bahá’í Message[edit]
Proclamation for World Religion Day issued by Mayor W. George Bowdon, Jr. of Alexandria, Louisiana.
Part of the large audience, including fifty guests, at public meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Dr. Sarah Pereira was the speaker.
Moderator Mrs. Verne Johnson and panelists Ramine Khádem, Tom Kavelin, Sue Slavik and Robert Eilers at observance in Decatur, Illinois.
Participants in program at Phoenix, Arizona. From left: Frank Wesley, Miss Alice Tyler, Dr. Dwight Allen, speaker, and Mrs. Mabel Helmick.
World Religion Day exhibit at County Library, Maui, Hawaii, January 15 to February 9. The display was viewed by a large number of people, and many favorable comments were reported by the librarian.
Observed this year on January 20, World Religion
Day was a means of proclamation in communities all
over the United States as well as in many locations
in other parts of the world. Inaugurated in 1950 by
the National Assembly, this annual event has come
to have greater and greater publicity value, with
religion and city editors giving more and more newspaper space and radio and TV stations allowing greater free time. In addition, of course, paid ads and
announcements, posters, invitations, window and library displays have done much to publicize the Faith
and to attract contacts to the various meetings.
In most instances the National Assembly request to confine the occasion to expressing the significance of the Bahá’í Faith was followed. The Bahá’í belief in the oneness of mankind was visibly demonstrated in many meetings by members of more than one race taking part in the program. The gatherings were varied, of course, from large public proclamations with one or more speakers, to open firesides in homes.
Teas, receptions, dinners or other informal sessions were included in some of the observances — at the meeting place, at a nearby restaurant or in a home. In a number of areas several communities pooled their efforts in a joint meeting; in other sections the believers supported the program in their own community and then drove as much as a hundred miles to lend assistance to another town.
Mayor Bowdon of Alexandria, Louisiana, issued a special proclamation for World Religion Day, which undoubtedly added prestige and publicity value to the local observance.
[Page 15]
Saigon, Vietnam, arranged a World Religion Day conference at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, which was very well publicized. Shown are the participants and a small portion of the audience. At the microphone is Mai-Tho-Truyen, vice-president of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, who visited the Wilmette Temple last August.
World Religion Day was observed in Durham, North Carolina, at the Friends Meeting House with Matthew Bullock as speaker. A fellowship hour followed with informal discussion and refreshments.
In Gallup, New Mexico, the event marked the opening of the remodeled Bahá’í Center. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Kahn addressed an audience of about fifty, mostly Navajos. Mr. Kahn, Indian artist, used charts in explaining that answers to Indian problems can be found in the Faith, as well as in explaining the Manifestation in relation to mankind. Amoz Gibson and Gordon Laite also participated in the program.
Baha’i Conference on Papago Land in Arizona[edit]
Upper left: Believers and friends gather for an afternoon program. Plaque in foreground, originated by Franklin Kahn, combines Bahá’u’lláh’s prayer, “Blessed is the spot ..” with a symbolic painting of the Council Fire.
Left: Some of the Indian participants with Hand of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem.
Lower left: Nipo Strongheart, Yakima Indian Bahá’í, speaks during an evening program.
Upper right: Mr. Khádem addresses the gathering of 350 from near and far, with translation into Navajo by Annie Kahn.
Lower right: Segment of the circle formed at the close of the Great Council Fire.
Great Council Fire[edit]
Amid sentinel saguaro cactus on the sun-drenched Arizona desert with the distant Tucson mountains as background, Indians and Bahá’ís from all corners of the continent met in joyful fellowship over the weekend of February 22-24, in response to a call to the Great Council Fire.
In words of loving greeting Hand of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem cited the importance of the Great Council Fire by sharing a message from ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum in which she recalled the beloved Guardian’s statement that at the beginning of the Ten-Year Crusade the Message of Bahá’u’lláh had been given to only a dozen American Indian tribes of whom only a few were represented in the ranks of the Faith. Now, by inspiring contrast, some thirty-four tribes have members in the Faith. Friends from twenty-six Indian tribes were present at the gathering, some of whom were experiencing their first real contact with the Faith. Tribes represented were: Apache, Athabascan, Blackfoot, Cherokee, Chippewa, Cree, Crow, Eskimo, Maidu, Makah, Mohawk, Navajo, Oneida, Otomi, Paiute, Papago, Pit River, Pomo, Sac-Fox, Seneca, Sioux, Soto, Tlingit, Washoe, Winnebago, Yakima.
A message of love from Hand of the Cause William Sears was presented to participants in a special tape recording made when he spoke some time ago to an all-Indian gathering in Canada. Mr. Sear’s greeting to the Indian people there was re-created for the Great Council Fire in Arizona.
On behalf of the American Indian Service Committee, Francis Le Quier, a Chippewa believer, welcomed the group gathered from twenty states, Canada, and Alaska. Palo Verde campground, where the conference was held, lies on Papago Indian land. Joe Gilmore of the Papago tribe welcomed the Bahá’ís, their friends and Indian brothers and remained to actively participate in the three-day program.
On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly Amoz Gibson delivered best wishes for happiness and success in proclaiming the Word of God through this gathering. A telegraphed greeting from the Bahá’ís of Juneau, Alaska, shared a prophetic passage from the Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “May spiritual unity become manifest Light, and the earthly world become a camping place for Heavenly Hosts.”
Recently enrolled Indian Bahá’ís were invited to speak from their hearts to the gathering, as were members of the Caucasian, Negro and Indian races who made their Bahá’í declarations during the conference. Nipo T. Strongheart, venerable Yakima Indian of seventy-six years, termed his acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh “an acknowledgment rather than a declaration.” He recalled that his father had taken him as a young man into the towering forests of the northwest and, sitting beneath the majestic trees, had related to him the universal Indian tradition of brotherhood, counselling him, “The birds sing different songs, but they fly in the same sky; the trees have different bark and bear different fruit, but all grow from Mother Earth.”
John Nelson, chairman of the Pine Springs Assembly on the Navajo reservation, Annie, Chester and Franklin Kahn were frequently called upon to translate, as Navajo friends spoke eloquently of how their new-found Faith fulfills ancient and precious spiritual traditions of their people. Sam Yazzie, an eighty-five-year-old medicine man and newly-declared Bahá’í from Pine Springs, chanted a sacred Prayer of Beauty, invoking blessings of the Great Spirit upon the gathering.
Marian Steffes, an Oneida, and first Indian Bahá’í in the United States, addressed the gathering. Her son, Wayne, now a California resident, served as master of ceremonies on Sunday, while Navajo believers Franklin and Chester Kahn presided over the Council Fire on Saturday.
A delegation of Canadian believers journeyed across the width of the country to attend the Council Fire. Among them was Mohawk Chief Joe Martin of Ontario, who became a Bahá’í only shortly before making the trip. Handsome in his tribal dress and headpiece, he chanted a Mohawk prayer. Friends were delighted to learn that the Chief’s Indian name when translated means “Spreading News.”
A group of Crow Indians, though knowing nothing of the Faith, were attracted by the invitation to the Council Fire and drove from Montana to participate. Resplendent in ceremonial dress of white buckskin, beaded ornamentation and feathered headdress, these friends shared a place of honor with other Indian leaders and Mr. Khádem after their arrival Saturday afternoon.
That evening the entire encampment (totalling 350) was treated to a dinner prepared by the Bahá’ís from Canada and Alaska. A feeling of hospitality and brotherhood marked the three never-to-be-forgotten days.
After dark a huge campfire shed warmth in the cool starlit night. Its glow illumined the faces of friends gathered to share prayers, talk and music. As the fire burned low, Navajo drums and singers took up an irresistible rhythm, and in response a wide circle of dancers formed in the flickering fire light.
At midday on Sunday a larger circle signalized the close of the Council Fire as each person, holding his neighbor’s hand and with heart singing in praises of God, heard the last words of Bahá’u’lláh’s blessed prayer of unity fade into the desert air.
Unforgettable was the experience and unforgettable the words from The Seven Valleys with which Mr. Khádem opened and concluded the Council Fire, “O Lord, increase my astonishment at Thee!”
[Page 18]
ABOVE: View of Karbila, International Bahá’í Summer School, from side of nearby hill just below the site of the future Temple of Honduras. RIGHT: View from high hill near Temple site, looking down on Tegucigalpa 1,000 feet below. The town itself is at an elevation of 3,200 feet above sea level.
Honduras Believers Report Substantial Progress[edit]
During this final year of the beloved Guardian’s Ten-Year Crusade, astounding things have been happening all over the globe. Central America’s little Honduras has its share of éxitos (successes) to report.
At the Second Annual Bahá’í Convention of Honduras last Riḍván, the happy news was announced of the establishment of two new Assemblies, El Porvenir and Triunfo de la Cruz, bringing our total to eight, with two additional centers opened, Siguatepeque and Jaitique.
This year, with still one month before Riḍván and two months before our Third Annual National Convention, we can already anticipate a large increase. Since Riḍván 119 we have opened and established five additional Assemblies — Travesía, San Juan, Nebogo, Zambuco and Rosita. We also have five additional centers newly opened to the Faith, with good possibilities of assemblies before Riḍván 120. They include: Salado, El Sitio, Pimienta, Dos Caminos and the homesite of our summer school and Temple property, Aguacire.
There has been an increase in enrollments during the past year, bringing the total number of believers in Honduras up to more than 250.
A highly successful teaching effort was arranged in Copenhagen, Denmark, by the local Youth Committee in the form of a “Persian Evening.” Pioneers from Iran decorated the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds with beautiful carpets and works of art as a setting for Persian music and talks on Persian culture, history and religion. The youth have now formed a Bahá’í Club which holds weekly gatherings to attract non-Bahá’í youth.
Youth Efforts Bring Rewards[edit]
NEW ENGLAND
From seven states almost a hundred young people converged on the Nashua-Hudson section of New Hampshire for a three-day conference the last of December. Hudson Grange Hall was the locale for the sessions and for meals except breakfast; housing was furnished by nearby believers and even by some contacts.
The agenda was carried out smoothly and right on schedule. Coordination and cooperation were the practical aspects of the gathering with strong overtones of consideration and courtesy. The latter brought welcome comments from neighbors. Devotions, consultation, workshops and true Bahá’í fellowship made up the program. The workshops were most interesting as each one participated. Later, during the final consultation, the desire was expressed for more workshop activity at future conferences.
A public meeting on Saturday opened with a film and, while the hall was darkened, a major portion of the colored community of Nashua joined the audience. Following the film, which was on the evolution of prejudice and excellent, there were readings and a splendid talk entitled, “What it means to be a Bahá’í youth.”
The experience of the social part of the evening will never be forgotten. The Negroes were ready to leave after the program, but everyone encouraged them to stay. Apparently they felt it was all right to attend the meeting, but socializing was another thing. By the close of the evening they were well aware that they were most welcome. Some expressed a desire to know more about the Faith; two attended a conference session on Sunday and were deeply moved.
Of the thirty non-Bahá’ís at the conference, two made their declarations — one from Maine, one from Rhode Island. It is fully expected that two more will declare as a result of the week end.
In summary the words of a reporter are quoted: “I could write all day about the spirit of this occasion ... the unity at every second, the love and maturity ... they were dignified, yet happy as could be. It was beautiful to witness. There are no words to describe it.”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES
In the vast sparsely settled Rocky Mountain area, Bahá’í youth and their friends gathered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, under the shadow of snow-capped Pikes Peak, December 29 and 30. From the plateaus, plains and mountains of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming, some traveling 600 to over 1000 miles, they came for study, prayer, fun and fellowship. These youth not only demonstrated the love of Bahá’u’lláh, but enriched and inspired each other. Some had never met another Bahá’í youth, and to share the week end with the twenty-five in attendance was an experience in itself.
Study and discussions explored the meaning of life, applying Bahá’í principles, prayer and teaching in these fast fleeting months of the Ten-Year Crusade. A highlight of the conference, after a strenuous session of bowling and refreshments, was a late evening prayer session with the shining faces reflecting light from the crackling fire. The power of the spirit released in that room transported all to another world, and inspired the youthful voices to be raised in song of praise resounding throughout the atmosphere.
Each one left the conference filled with joy and with a new dedication to return home to teach this wonderful Faith.
Some of the participants, including Indian and Negro, at Rocky Mountain youth conference held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the last of December.
Section of Bahá’í display in the library of the University of Oregon during January. Hundreds of people visit the building each day.
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
The Bahá’í Fellowship on the campus of the University of Oregon has had great success this past year. One noon each week open informal discussion follows a reading from the talks of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Foundations of World Unity, which has proved to be an excellent means of teaching. Joint meetings with other religious groups on campus have also been of great value.
Notices of Fellowship meetings and the community
[Page 20]
meetings as well appear daily, Monday through Friday, in the campus newspaper which has a very
large circulation. In addition effective use of posters
has given good results.
One of the Bahá’ís works in the University library and was able to put together a complete religious display in the seven large cases in the main circulation room. Six separate cases (5 x 6 ft.) were allotted to different religions, including the Bahá’í Faith. These included pictures, books, the name and a quotation from the Writings on the theme, “Oneness of Religion.” Another huge display area which covered most of one side of the room contained three posters, giving the theme, and the names and a book of seven major religions, again including the Bahá’í Faith. This library is one of the largest in the Northwest being visited by several hundred people each day. The display, shown from January 1 to February 4, was a great success and an excellent teaching medium.
Baha’i Publishing Trust[edit]
Prestige Brochure Available for Jubilee[edit]
Dawn of World Peace. This is the Jubilee pamphlet mentioned in the March SUPPLEMENT. It tells the story of Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration in Baghdad one hundred years ago and of the great festival to commemorate that event this year. It speaks of His banishment, of His imprisonment in the Holy Land, and of His letters to the rulers and religious leaders of the world. Bahá’u’lláh’s Mission is explained and the relevance of His Message to that peace foretold in all of the holy books. The first mention of the Faith in America and how the Teachings were amplified and demonstrated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s coming to the West are related. The joyous celebration to take place in London and the diversified gathering of Bahá’ís from all over the world are part of the story.
Local communities, as well as individuals, should make as wide use of this as possible during the months of April and May especially. It can be mailed or given out at meetings and to personal acquaintances.
This twelve-page pamphlet, typographically designed by Conrad Heleniak, is printed in two colors on soft gray Strathmore text, size 9x6, deckle cover. A limited supply of white envelopes is available.
10 copies (minimum order) | $2.00 |
10 copies (with envelopes-while they last) | $2.25 |
50 copies | $8.50 |
50 copies (with envelopes) | $9.50 |
International News Briefs[edit]
The recent formation of three local assemblies brings the total to twenty-nine in Australia; one more than the minimum number required for the Crusade. The new assemblies are in Lismore and Rockdale, New South Wales, and Prahran, Victoria.
The first aboriginal believer to enter the Faith in New South Wales has been enrolled in Blacktown.
One of the world’s largest curtain-hanging jobs has just been completed at the House of Worship in Wilmette. Approximately two and one-quarter miles of fireproof drapery was installed to replace the panels, encircling the inner walls, which had been damaged by the sun over the past ten years. A spokesman for the company which supplied the material said the project was one of the largest ever to be installed in a single unit enclosure.
Calendar of Events[edit]
- FEASTS
- April 9 — Jalál (Glory)
- April 28 — Jamál (Beauty)
- HOLY DAYS
- Feast of Riḍván — April 21-May 2
- (Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh)
- Feast of Riḍván — April 21-May 2
- WORLD CONGRESS
- London
- April 28-May 2
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
- Weekdays
- 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Auditorium only)
- Sundays and Holidays
- 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entire building)
- Sundays
- 3:30 to 4:10 p.m.
- Sunday, April 2 I
- 4:15 p.m.
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 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.
