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| No. 413 | BAHA’I YEAR 122 | AUGUST, 1965 |
Fort of Khájih at Nayríz in Írán, scene of Vaḥíd’s heroism that preceded his martyrdom. The complete story of the courage of this devoted follower of the Báb can be read on pp. 478-499 of the Dawn-Breakers.
Conventions Elect National Assemblies[edit]
Left: Delegates and friends attending the Eighth National Convention of Mexico. Right: Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery in center holding Greatest Name, with members of the newly elected National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico.
Left above: Fifth National Convention of the Bahá’ís of Cuba, held in La Habana (Havana) April 23-25, 1965. Right above: Bahá’ís from La Habana and Marianao during Naw-Rúz Celebration in March.
Left: Fourth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of Finland held in Helsinki during Riḍván 1965. Right: National Spiritual Assembly of Finland elected at the Convention. Left to right: Mr. M. Namdar, v. chairman; Mr. D. Ojo rec. secretary; Miss Maija Ravola, Dr. H. Zabihian, chairman; Mrs. Toini Saarimen, Miss Sirkka Salmi, Miss Aili Honkanen, Mr. E. Kylliäinen, treasurer; Miss Ritva Yli-Pohja, corres. secretary.
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Left: Group of believers in front of the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Auckland, New Zealand, at the time of the National Convention May 1 and 2, 1965. Right: National Assembly of New Zealand. Seated, left to right: Mrs. J. Simmons, Mrs. P. Butler. Standing, left to right: Mr. P. Leodley, chairman; Mr. Ward, Mr. D. Weeks, Miss F. Whitcombe, Mr. M. Mckenzie, Mr. J. Carr, Mr. P. Sucherigg.
All delegates, except one, were present for the National Convention of North West Africa, held in Rabat, Morocco, May 1-2, 1965. Members of the National Assembly elected at this convention (right above) are as follows, left to right, standing: Dr. Fouad Ahmadpour, Dr. A. Mesbah (chairman), Dr. E. Ta’i, Shawqi Riaz Rawhani, Hosain Ardakani (treasurer), Emad Saberan (vice-chairman). Seated: Mohammed Ma’anan (secretary), Rawshan Mustapha, and Esma’il Mimoun.
Friends and delegates attending the thirty-sixth annual Convention of India held at New Delhi April 27-30, 1965. Following the Convention was a teaching class for three days which was largely attended by villagers from mass-teaching areas. The majority of the delegates came from villages and showed spontaneous and praiseworthy spirit in offering to serve the Faith.
The Fruits of Teaching in Brazil[edit]
The National Convention of Brazil, above, left, was attended by 150 delegates and friends, elected the National Spiritual Assembly shown above at the right, and rejoiced in news of victories in teaching the Faith. Through the efforts of two small communities, the National Teaching Committee and use of the “Integral Teaching Plan,” the five local spiritual assemblies pictured at right and below were brought into being. They are (below, counterclockwise): Gravatai, Viamao, Tapes and Esto; (right) Lauro de Freitas. Members of the National Assembly are: (standing, left to right) Anthony Worley, Vivaldo Ramos, Shapoor Monadjem, Djálal Eghrari, Valiálláh Bartar, Osmar Mendes; (seated, left to right) Mrs. Nylza Taetz, Mrs. Muriel Miessler, Miss Ingeborg Straeke.
Dorothy Baker Institute Inaugurated in Guatemala[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Guatemala have inaugurated the Institute Dorothy Baker in May, 1965 in Chichicastenango. It is named for the Hand of the Cause who loved Latin America, who made many journeys to these countries and served on the Inter-America Teaching Committee for a number of years. Its purpose is to train native believers to be Bahá’í teachers. The present plan is to have an institute the third week of each month. Photo at lower left shows first group attending the sessions.
Hand of the Cause, Dr. Ugo Giachery, was present for the fifth annual convention which is reported as being the “most wonderful we have had.” He is shown in photo of the newly elected National Assembly at left above (last row, second from left), and also with the entire convention group at right above. Auxiliary Board member, Gabriel Torres from El Salvador was also present.
Left: Ninth Annual Convention of Bahá’ís of North East Asia with Hands of the Cause Miss Agnes Alexander and Mr. Collis Featherstone. The Convention was held May 1 and 2 at Toshi center in Tokyo. Right: Hand of the Cause Miss Agnes Alexander, second from left, with members of the National Spiritual Assembly of North East Asia. Left to right seated: Philip Marangella, chairman; Miss Alexander, Mrs. Barbara Sims, corres. secretary; Dr. Ikus Mizuno, v. chairman; Standing left to right: Eugene Schreiber, rec. secretary; Mazazo Odani, Abbas Katirai, Hiroshi Yamazaki, Rouhollah Momtazi. Inset: Ata’u’lláh Moghbel, treasurer.
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Hand, of the Cause, John Ferraby, two Auxiliary Board
members and about eighty friends assembled in Bern,
on April 24 and 25, 1965 for the Fourth Swiss Convention. The Faith has made gains in this European Alpine
country and has spread to all but six of the twenty-five cantons of the Swiss Confederation.
Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada
elected Riḍván 1965, with Hand of the Cause, Zikru’lláh
Khádem (center front), and three Auxiliary Board
members who attended the Canadian convention this
year.
AN INVITATION FOR SUBMISSION OF DESIGNS FOR THE BAHÁ’Í TEMPLE OF PANAMA[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama invites the submission of designs for the Bahá’í Temple to be erected in Panama. Located at a crossroads between East and West, North and South, its construction will have a particular significance among the Bahá’í Temples of the world, including those already built in North America, Africa, Australia, and Europe.
The site on which the Temple will be built is located within the limits of the City of Panama, about six miles from its center. It is at the summit of a hill of volcanic rock formation, 600-700 feet above sea level. The land is two hectares (4.942 acres) in area, and is presently covered with brush and some large trees. Access to the property is by a road that connects with other roads leading into the heart of the city.
The Temple is to be of a size that will provide an auditorium for worship seating five to six hundred people. It need not be similar in appearance to other Bahá’í Temples, but should be nine-sided and surmounted by a dome. A height of forty to forty-five meters would seem adequate, but determination of this will relate to design. No rooms other than the auditorium for worship are to be included, except that space for maintenance, toilets, etc., may be provided in a basement. A separate building for the caretaker could alternatively house these latter facilities.
The climate of Panama is characterized as humid-tropical or tropical-rainy. There is a dry season from January to April and a rainy season from May to December, with considerable variation in rainfall. Thunder storms during the rainy season are frequent. Relative humidity is high, ninety percent much of the time, somewhat lower in the dry season. Temperatures range from the low seventies (Fahrenheit) at night to the high eighties during the day.
Local available building materials include basaltic stone, cement, sand and brick. Other materials in general use in Panama are imported from various parts of the world. A reasonably good level of technology is available.
It is expected that the submitted designs will include a plan, elevation and section. A simple site plan can show means of approach and any suggested landscape features. Other drawings may be submitted in explanation of the design, together with a written description, if desired. The scale and type of drawings is left to the discretion of the authors.
In submitting a design, the author agrees to accept as final all decisions of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama, and agrees to waive any and all claims against the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama or any other Bahá’í body.
Designs are to be sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama, Apartado 513, Panama, Republic of Panama, to arrive by December 31, 1965. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama will consider the designs submitted and will make the final decision as to selection. It is expected that awarding of a contract for architectural services will be in accordance with established professional practice. In the event that none of the designs submitted is accepted, it will be so stated. It may be stipulated that the author of a selected design shall associate with an organization equipped with facilities to handle the architectural and engineering work.
The following items are available from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panama at the above address:
- Map showing the location of the site.
- Topographical survey of the site.
- Tables of temperature, relative humidity and rainfall in Panama.
The Nineteen-Day Feast[edit]
Unique and Peerless Gathering of Bahá’ís[edit]
NOTE: The National Spiritual Assembly suggests that the following article, reprinted from the British Bahá’í Journal be read by the local communities and consulted upon at some future Feast.
The institution of the Nineteen-Day Feast is unique
and peerless amongst all the gatherings and the communal efforts of mankind. Its quality and the mode of
its functioning show the health and virility of a Bahá’í Community. From it can flow an incalculable
and illimitable measure of spiritual power. The beloved Master once said that should the Bahá’ís make
full use of the potentialities of the Nineteen-Day Feast,
they could thereby change the destinies of their town.
He also said that He would be there in this gathering
with the Bahá’ís.
And the converse is also true. A Nineteen-Day Feast held in a climate alien to the life of the Faith, divorced from the principles laid down for the conduct of such a Feast, shut out from its guiding light, becomes a venomous instrument and injures every individual Bahá’í as well as the Community.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá has repeatedly said that if religion becomes the cause of discord it is better to be without it. Medicine is to cure, to heal; should it aggravate a disorder, it becomes lethal. Similarly, a Nineteen-Day Feast reduced to the level of a mechanical ritual or made the area of cantankerous contention cannot but harm. It is better, far better, to be without it.
The more delicate and well-balanced an instrument, the more damaging will be the consequences of its failure....
For us Bahá’ís, as stated by the beloved Master, the Nineteen-Day Feast is what the Holy Communion is for the Christians. Does a sincere Christian go to the Holy Communion to have a jolly time or to be insufferably bored? Of course not.
Fellowship in Baha’u’llah[edit]
The Nineteen-Day Feast, according to the direction of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is composed of three distinct parts, each one well-defined in its scope, and yet all so blended as to form one continuous and unbroken process. In the art of the ballet, music, movement and decor each stand as a separate entity and yet completely merge into one indivisible unit. So are the component parts of the Nineteen-Day Feast. The link and the keynote is fellowship in Bahá’u’lláh.
Experience the Unity[edit]
Bahá’ís come to a Nineteen-Day Feast not so much to partake in communal worship, to express and exchange views and ideas about the multifarious problems of their Community, to associate lovingly with one another, but above all of these, supremely important and vital as they are, Bahá’ís come to a Feast in order to experience the unity unfolded by the Divine Hand of Bahá’u’lláh. A Nineteen-Day Feast that fails to make this experience a blazing, throbbing reality, is nothing but a mechanical performance that will only serve to blazon human frailties.
The conflicting tendencies of the world must be shed outside the doors of the Nineteen-Day Feast. This does not mean either the assumption of an air of indifference or hiding behind a facade of spiritual pride and affected superiority. It only means emptying our hearts and minds to make room for the grace of Bahá’u’lláh. Otherwise a barrier wrought by our own hands will intervene between the communal character of the Feast and the Source which is to feed and sustain it.
“Must Know Intimately”[edit]
The first part of the Feast is devotional. Prayer must come from the depths of one’s heart. Otherwise it is not prayer. It is automation. The words that we use while we pray which are prayers revealed by the Founders of our Faith we must know intimately. We must be familiar with them not just by an intelligent grasp of what they signify, but because of what they evoke from our innermost beings, by the token of the deep longing response they command from our hearts. When the Persian believers chant a prayer at a meeting, it is almost always a prayer that they have used in their own solitary devotionals, with which they are well acquainted. Thus their chanting is not merely giving utterance to a sweet and charming melody. They know the meaning, the import of the words. And words take wings.
Distributing books just a short while prior to the beginning of the devotional part of the Feast and then asking some of the friends present to read prayers or Tablets which they may never have set eyes on before is a practice which has often-times been followed. There are occasions, and abundant they have been, when in spite of this glaring defect, the spirit of the Feast and of those attending it makes full compensation, and the devotional is raised to supreme heights. But this practice is fundamentally wrong, and there have been sad failures....
“With Joy and Gladness”[edit]
Another very important point to bear in mind is the very injunction of Bahá’u’lláh not to burden souls with lengthy recitations of scriptures. He has said: “To chant but one verse with joy and gladness is better for you than reading all the Revelations of the Omnipotent God with carelessness.”
If a believer is giving a Feast, it is his or her privilege to arrange the devotional program. However no local spiritual assembly is bound to observe the custom which has grown up of having one believer or more acting as hosts at a Nineteen-Day Feast. The assembly can take full charge of the devotional and have the cost of refreshments defrayed from the local funds at its disposal. There should be no rigidity of procedure in these respects.
Creative Consultation[edit]
The second stage is usually termed “the business part,” of the Feast, an appellation which can be misconstrued.
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It is the period of consultation. The secretary and the treasurer of the assembly and various
committees present reports. The purpose of these reports is certainly not a mere enumeration of problems, resolutions and decisions. Otherwise the medium
of a bulletin, a newsletter would suffice. The underlying principle is consultation and creative consultation at that. It is a human oddity to cling to the trivial
and talk ad nauseam about it. I remember a Nineteen-Day Feast when a great deal was spoken about
serving tea at a particular function and tempers were
frayed. A principle to uphold most conscientiously is
the inalienable, the sacred right of every believer to
express freely his views on questions and problems
that are the subject of consultation, and to offer suggestions. But the opinions of one or two people, no matter how fervently held and how forcibly expressed,
cannot be taken as the considered view of the whole
Feast unless definitely voted as a recommendation
that emanates from a Nineteen-Day Feast. Should it
fail to do so, it will have gravely compromised a fundamental principle of the Cause, and has much to answer to Bahá’u’lláh.
But the deliberations of the Nineteen-Day Feast must rise above petty thoughts and obstinate hagglings. They must bypass small matters of little value. Certainly any subject that is related to the work of the Cause and the life of the Community can be brought up at the Feast, but to make ponderous issues of trivialities is a grave betrayal of the purpose of the Feast. At all times this thought must be present in our minds that consultation is a unique feature of our Faith, and that consultation is not argumentation. Creative indeed must be the consultation of a Nineteen-Day Feast.
Fellowship and Love[edit]
The third and concluding part of the Feast is of a social nature. When this stage is reached, the atmosphere of the Feast is well established. It can be dismal and intolerably weighed down, it can soar above the stars. And breaking bread together is an ancient and time-honored custom of mankind, symbolic of fellowship and love. In a Bahá’í Feast it transcends the flat level of custom and rite, and becomes a scintillating expression of unity.
Bahá’í Delegations Attend NGO Conference at the United Nations[edit]
Two Bahá’í delegations, one representing the Bahá’í International Community and the other the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, attended the annual Non-Governmental Organizations Conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on May 27-28. Lectures and panels with questions from the floor clarified the work of the UN and the relationship of these organizations to it. The NGOs serve many functions, including the education of their own groups, the education of the general public and a “feed back” to the UN from the grass-roots. The favorable interpretation of the UN, accentuating the positive rather than the negative, has been of vital importance, especially during this critical period in its history.
U Thant, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: “In my experience, 1963 was one of the best years in the history of the United Nations, so far as international relations were concerned. In that year we witnessed the signing of the partial test-ban treaty ... and we witnessed the adoption by the General Assembly of a resolution banning nuclear weapons in outer space.” Unfortunately there has been a set-back in this effort. The Secretary-General regards ignorance, illiteracy, disease and poverty as the real enemies of man. Over two-thirds of the world is thus plagued. He believes that “we have to go to the root of the problem if we are to establish a stable world order, if we are to see that the principles of the United Nations Charter are implemented in all parts of the world.”
Tibor Mende, Chief of the Economic and Social Information Unit of the Office of Public Information, said that the UN is doing a great deal about which the world knows very little. The economic and social field is becoming the center of gravity of the UN, he said. He stated that people feel their lives are wasted. There is great difference between suffering without a purpose and suffering with a purpose, and people no longer are content to remain futile. Three-fourths of the UN activities deal with such problems.
Roger Baldwin, who has proven to the Bahá’ís his concern for the rights of man by his efforts on behalf of the rights of Bahá’ís, said that about one hundred Non-Governmental Organizations are concerned with human rights.
The Conference was told that either the UN has a very bright future or mankind has no future whatever.
It is not a sovereign parliament of the world. The UN can only mirror what is outside its walls.
Bahá’ís by their very presence at this important conference proved that they are among those who will support and help strengthen this vital institution. In this time of crisis, our support is needed as never before.
The representatives of the Bahá’í International Community at the Conference were: Mr. Glenford C. Mitchell, Mrs. Etta Mae Mikhael, and Mr. and Mrs. William Wold.
The delegation representing the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States included Mrs. Florence Steinhauer, Miss Eloise Mitchell, Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas and Mrs. Annamarie Honnold.
Hand of Cause Ramatu’lláh Muhájir Visits North America[edit]
Hand of the Cause, Dr. Ramatu’lláh Muhájir who had completed several weeks of teaching in Central America paid a brief visit to the Bahá’í House of Worship and the National Bahá’í Headquarters in Wilmette, Illinois, June 23.
While in the Temple area, Mr. Muhájir was able to attend the Nineteen-Day Feasts of both the Wilmette and Evanston communities and to speak to the friends about the goals of the Nine-Year Plan.
400 Attend Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in West Englewood[edit]
It is a tradition that the annual Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá held in West Englewood, New Jersey on the fourth Saturday in June is never marred by rain. June 26, 1965 was no exception, the weather being not only clear but ideal in temperature.
Over 400 Bahá’ís and friends gathered at the Evergreen Cabin for picnic and fellowship, but most of all to commemorate together in loving association the day in 1912 when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself addressed the friends at this very spot and predicted that in days to come thousands would gather in celebration of that day.
The meeting was honored by the presence of beloved Hand of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem and National Spiritual Assembly member Paul Pettit, both of whom spoke about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Perfect Exemplar of the Bahá’í Faith and of the mystery of His station. The great responsibilities of the American believers towards the fulfillment of the Divine Plan as well as their present obligations to the Nine Year Plan of the Universal House of Justice were also stressed.
The chairman, Mr. Archie Tichenor referred lovingly to the Hand of the Cause Roy Wilhelm who owned the Evergreen Cabin property when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá visited there. Mr. Tichenor also pointed out that Shoghi Effendi called the first Unity Feast held at the Evergreen Cabin in June 1912 the true birth of the Bahá’í Faith in America.
Music was furnished by Carol Rutstein who, accompanied by her mother, Mrs. Harriet Kelsey, sang “The Lord’s Prayer” and “From the Sweet Scented Streams.” One guest, a Bahá’í, originally from Canton, China, had been taught the Faith by Martha Root and has translated Bahá’í writings into Chinese.
On display was the 1908 Reo automobile in which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rode through the streets of New York. References were given to Biblical prophecies fulfilled by His trip in this car.
After the talks pictures were taken of those present who had seen ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; and finally a commemorative service was held in the grove at the exact spot where the Master addressed the friends in 1912.
Attendants at 1965 Souvenir Feast who saw ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Front, left to right: Mrs. Florence Bettinger
Oliver, Mrs. Rouhieh Jones McComb, Mrs. Bertha Rohe
Clark, Mrs. Rita Magee, Mrs. Amie Wright. Back, left
to right: Curtis Kelsey, Mrs. Lorraine Hopper Welch,
Mrs. Catherine Healy, George Roth.
Picnickers at Souvenir of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá West Englewood, New Jersey June 26, 1965.
The Origin and Purpose of World Peace Day[edit]
World Peace Day observed annually on the third Sunday in September was inaugurated by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States in September 1959 by a “Bahá’í Proclamation Day” to commemorate the first mention of the Bahá’í Faith in America on September 23, 1893. Thereafter it became an annual event known as World Peace Day beginning in 1960. The continuing purpose of this special Bahá’í event is to spread recognition of America’s spiritual destiny to raise the standard of peace in the world.
In recent years an increasing number of State Governors have issued proclamations at the behest of the Bahá’ís thus adding stature and more widespread knowledge of this Bahá’í endeavor.
One of the objectives of the Nine Year Plan is to secure such proclamations from every state in the United States, and the Bahá’ís in state capitals are urged to see that this is done. Obviously, only one local spiritual assembly should make the approach to the Governor’s office for the purpose. Reference to back issues of Bahá’í News will suggest the procedure and the content of the proclamation. Once such a proclamation has been issued, it is a simple matter to request a repetition each year.
Varied Observances of Race Unity Day in the United States[edit]
Observance of Race Unity Day in the United States this year was marked by a wide variety of activities, many of which took the form of well advertised public meetings at which speakers discussed race unity as an essential requirement for a peaceful society. There were also many informal gatherings such as picnics which provided opportunity for fellowship and public demonstration of the Bahá’í belief in and practice of the oneness of mankind. In most instances a very special effort was made to reach the Negro members of the community by inviting Negro speakers, musicians and choral groups to participate.
Testimonial Dinner[edit]
One unique observance was a Louis Gregory testimonial dinner sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Urbana, Illinois, assisted by their neighboring community of Champaign. On this occasion a plaque was awarded to the individual chosen by the Urbana Assembly from among the persons suggested by organizations and individuals for their contributions toward better racial harmony in the community. One hundred and forty were present to hear about Louis Gregory and to honor the recipient of the award and others who had been nominated. The program included an address on “Race Unity—Key to World Peace” by Professor Robert E. Hayden, Bahá’í poet and member of the faculty of Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee. There was a follow-up “Glad to Have Met You” party at the Bahá’í Center the night after the dinner at which Professor Hayden read some of his poetry.
Newspaper publicity included announcements of the award, invitations to the public to recommend recipients, a picture of the members of the special committee appointed to select the winner, a 15-inch article by a newspaper reporter on Louis Gregory, a picture and a 14-inch article about Professor Hayden as speaker, a story on the twelve nominees for the award, and a picture of the presentation of the plaque. Especially gratifying was the TV coverage of the event. All three local channels showed the presentation of the award, some of them two or three different times. One station, WILL-TV, featured a five minute interview with Professor Hayden on race unity during its regular news program at 6:30 the following evening.
United Nations Party[edit]
In order to attract attendance at the Race Unity observance in San Francisco, California, the Bahá’ís sponsored an informal “United Nations Dance” in Chinatown the night preceding Race Unity Day inviting any and all who could do so to come in the national dress of their homeland. The following day the formal observance of Race Unity Day, also held in Chinatown, consisted of a formal public meeting with Mrs. Mamie Seto as a speaker. Mrs. Seto was a Bahá’í pioneer in Hong Kong during almost all of the World Crusade.
Donald E. Moyer, right, winner of the Louis Gregory
award plaque. With him are Prof. Hayden, Bahá’í poet
and speaker, and Champaign Mayor Emmerson Dexter
who presented the award.
Picnics[edit]
In Tucson, Arizona, one of the local Bahá’í families was host for a picnic attended by fifty adults and children, mostly non-Bahá’ís. The program consisted of carefully planned music and talks. The meeting opened with the reading of a prayer for unity followed by a song by a nine-year-old girl accompanied on a portable organ by her four-year-old sister, both daughters of the minister of a Negro Baptist Church. Three Bahá’í speakers, including one youth, talked on the need
San Francisco, California Race Unity Day meeting held in Chinatown. Mr. Lim P. Lee and Mrs. Mamie Seto (seated front center) were the speakers.
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for race unity in order to establish a peaceful world.
The program ended with a choral selection by the children of the House of Prayer Church led by a Negro
minister.
Picnic marks Race Unity Day in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Cleveland and Euclid Bahá’í communities in
Ohio planned their program to provide a full day’s
observance, beginning with an intercommunity picnic
sponsored by the Cleveland friends after which all
attended the public meeting in Euclid. The speaker for
the evening was Mr. Julien Madison, Negro representative of the NAACP and Cleveland Urban League
who stressed the need for race unity and outlined the
problems involved in achieving it. Mr. John Copeland,
Bahá’í, explained how it will be accomplished under the
World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.
For one month prior to a similar display in the U.S. Grant Hotel where the San Diego, California, Bahá’ís celebrated Race Unity Day, the public library featured an international doll collection centered about the theme “The Earth is One Country and Mankind Its Citizens.” The theme for the display in the hotel was the same as that for the public meeting, namely, “The Earth is One Home; Let it be in Unity.” Mrs. F. Joseph McCormack was the speaker. A luncheon in the hotel dining room for the Bahá’ís and their guests followed the meeting.
A panel of three Bahá’í speakers, two from Waterloo and one from Cedar Falls, representing three races, was the featured program for the Race Unity Day observance in Waterloo, Iowa.
St. Petersburg, Florida, had as its guest speaker Mrs. Constance Baker. Of the forty-two present, twelve were Negroes.
Governor’s Testimonial[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Sacramento and Sacramento Municipal Court District communities in California sponsored a picnic in one of the local parks. The formal program included talks by a local attorney representing the NAACP and a Bahá’í from San Francisco. A high point was the reading of the following letter from the Governor of California, Edmund G. Brown:
“I am pleased to join with you on this Race Unity Day to observe one of the great truths of all religious beliefs — the brotherhood of man. In America we have a unique grasp of the essential truth of that belief. For our country has been founded and grown great through the strength of our dedication to a democratic society, firmly anchored in our belief of brotherhood. On this day, let us all join in a prayer for the race unity we all believe in so profoundly.”
Programs in Churches[edit]
Recognizing the reluctance of the Negro community to attend meetings away from their own church, the Bahá’ís of Key West, Florida, decided to take their Race Unity Day program to a Negro church. Having attended one of the Negro churches having a white minister as part of their observance of the Birthday of Bahá’u’lláh, the Bahá’ís hoped to lay the foundation for their Race Unity Day observance by offering a program of Bahá’í slides in this same church, but the minister rejected the program. The Bahá’ís then sought permission to give both programs on two successive Sunday evenings in another Negro church. Although he said he had never heard of the Bahá’í Faith, the minister said he would welcome anyone who was trying to unite the races. He was greatly impressed with the program, particularly with the Bahá’í prayers. He asked first the choir and then the congregation to say the word “Bahá’í” and then said: “I want you to remember that word so that the next time you see the word ‘Bahá’í’ you will recognize it.” He strongly urged the members of the congregation to come to see the Bahá’í pictures of the Holy Land the following Sunday, to hear what “these friends” have to say and to bring friends with them.
The Bellevue Bahá’í group of Washington, consisting of three adults and one youth, drew an attendance of 82 persons at their picnic, including Bahá’ís and their contacts from six neighboring communities and groups.
Mayor Edward Munoz of Gallup, New Mexico signs
Race Unity Day Proclamation. With him are Mrs.
Eulalio Bobo of Beverly Hills, California and James
Stone of Gallup.
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The event received excellent publicity in the newspapers and in adult education classes one of which
was a course on “The Negro in United States History,”
conducted by Mrs. Naomi Robinson, a member of the
Bellevue Group. A sign at the picnic site carrying the
word “Bahá’í” drew considerable notice and favorable
comments from persons going down to the nearby
beach to swim.
Part of display of portraits by local artists sponsored
by the Bahá’ís of Spokane, Washington in connection
with their Race Unity Day Observance.
International Arts[edit]
Beverly Hills, Culver City and Santa Monica Bahá’í communities in California cooperated in presenting a program emphasizing appreciation of international and racial arts. Fifteen nations were represented by instrumental, solo, choral, and dance numbers. Russ Garcia, internationally known composer and conductor, arranged the choral music. Robert Quigley, Vice-Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, an award-winning radio and TV producer, gave a short introduction to the Bahá’í Faith. The reprint on the Faith from the April issue of Ebony Magazine was attached to each program and many inquirers sought out additional literature and addresses of firesides.
The program was presented in the International Students Center just off the UCLA campus. Many of the 300 persons attending were students from the university.
The Bahá’ís of Scottsdale, Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, were hosts at a Race Unity Breakfast Cook-out in Scottsdale Community Center with more than sixty in attendance. Invitations to the public were extended by means of posters placed in local markets, drug stores, gift shops, book stores and at the Indian Center on the nearby Salt River Reservation. At the close of the breakfast all gathered for prayers in Spanish, Persian and English. The spirit of those attending was so joyous that many returned for the afternoon fireside at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Johnson where Mr. Elliot Sater was the speaker.
Portrait Display[edit]
An afternoon open house at the local YWCA sponsored by the Spokane, Washington, Bahá’ís featured a display of portraits representing nine different races. These were original oils and charcoals by five area artists, including one who is a Bahá’í. Publicity included two newspaper invitations and spot announcements on eight radio stations. There was also a personal interview on KREM-TV featuring the Bahá’í artist, Mrs. Mary Parker, and two of her portraits. Her oil pastel portrait of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, belonging to the Bahá’í community, was also included in the display. This was the first time that an interview on the Bahá’í Faith had been telecast in Spokane. Beautiful background music was provided by a tape recording prepared by the Bahá’ís of the Spokane County Second Commissioners District.
Racial Unity Panels[edit]
Salem’s (Oregon) Race Unity Day public meeting featured a Bahá’í panel comprised of Mrs. Melba King, Eskimo, Clyde Johnson, Negro, Mrs. Una Dean, Caucasian, and Shigsicho Tanaka, Japanese, who spoke on the various universal teachings of the Bahá’í Faith under the general theme, “Race Unity — Means for Peace.” A no-host picnic preceded the meeting. Invitations were sent to members of Salem’s Human Relations Commission and the newly formed Inter-Faith Interracial Committee. The meeting was also publicized in the bulletin of the Presbyterian Church whose minister is a member of the Human Relations Committee. The warmth and sincerity of the panel members and the visiting Bahá’ís reached the hearts of all present, many of whom stayed a while to visit and said they would come again.
Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bahá’ís planned both a youth Race Unity evening for Saturday and a public meeting for Sunday. Mr. Lightener, a Civil Rights worker from Indianapolis, and Miss Bettijane Walker of Toledo, Ohio, were the speakers for the Saturday night program, which was followed by a discussion and evening of dancing. Although the attendance was not as large as expected at the youth meeting, the discussion was excellent and lively. The Sunday meeting
International doll collection displayed in San Diego, California for week before Race Unity Day.
[Page 13]
addressed by Miss Walker was attended by seventy-five persons. A Negro choral group and members of
the Bahá’í Children’s Sunday School provided the
music. A news broadcast from one of the local TV
stations came and interviewed Miss Walker, took a
picture of her with some of the children, and broadcast the film on the Sunday night news broadcast.
Approximately eighty persons attended the meeting in Portland, Oregon. Represented were Negroes, Indians, Eskimos, Caucasians, and visitors from Persia, Cambodia and England. The speakers were Mr. John Holley, Negro, Director of Community Services for the Urban League of Portland, and Mr. George P. LaVatta, a Shoshone-Bannock Indian and administrative officer assigned to education with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Bahá’í speaker was Dr. Graham Conroy, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Portland State College. Mr. Vernon Thompson, a newly enrolled Negro Bahá’í in Portland, served as moderator and conducted a lively question and answer period following the talks.
The fact that the only available room in the hotel where the Bahá’í Center is located was a large ballroom presented a great challenge to the New York Bahá’í community to gather a large audience for its observance of Race Unity Day. Publicity in neighborhood papers and personal invitations attracted some two hundred persons. The speaker, Dr. George Goodman, a Bahá’í, who is Director of Community Relations at radio station WLIB, introduced his subject with interesting anecdotes and then gave a stirring conclusion with the Bahá’í message. Music and refreshments created an informal and friendly atmosphere which prevailed throughout the meeting.
The Race Unity Day observance co-sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Inglewood and Culver City Judicial District, California, also took the form of a picnic in beautiful Centinela Park. The speaker was David Bond, Bahá’í, well-known Shakesperean actor and producer, whose subject was “The Bahá’í Concept of Race Unity.” He began his talk by reciting Bahá’u’lláh’s words “Blessed is the Spot.” Music and group singing added warmth and fellowship to the day.
Guest speakers for Race Unity Day in Columbus, Ohio, were Mr. and Mrs. L. Paul Harris of Mattoon, Illinois, whose subject was “Race Unity, Means for Peace.” They also appeared on a televised interview on WLWC-TV. On the preceding evening Mr. and Mrs. Harris gave a colored slide program on the Holy Land, including pictures of the Bahá’í Congress and the Frankfort Temple.
Other communities that reported observances of Race Unity Day similar to those mentioned above were: Denver, Jefferson County and Boulder in Colorado; Montclair, New Jersey; Laramie, Wyoming; Kokomo, Indiana; Wichita, Kansas; Alhambra, California; Minot, North Dakota; Lima, Ohio; Lawrence, Kansas; Racine, Wisconsin; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Provo, Utah; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Melrose Township, Springfield and Peoria Heights in Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Omaha, Nebraska.
Bahá’ís and friends in St. Paul Minnesota gathered to
hear radio broadcast of Bahá’í panel on Race Unity
Day. Elsa Steinmetz from Bern, Switzerland led the
discussion afterwards.
Race Unity Day meeting in New York City. The chairman, Mrs. Linda Jones, is seated and at the right is the
speaker, Dr. George Goodman.
Opportunity Knocks[edit]
With increasing opportunities presented by the press, radio, television and leading magazines, the friends are urged to survey public libraries, school libraries and college libraries in their areas for the purpose of: (1) placing Bahá’í books for the first time; (2) adding later editions and recently published books; and (3) removing outdated and unofficially published books.
It is more evident in recent months that there has developed a greater awareness of the Faith on the part of the general public. This is an avenue that must not be overlooked, and each community should make some effort to follow through with the above suggestions—else some priceless opportunity be missed.
[Page 14]
Local Spiritual Assembly of Waukesha, Wisconsin incorporated April, 1965. Back row, left to right: Mrs.
Naoma Parker, Mrs. Ann Holmstrom, Kenneth Parker,
Mrs. Laura Hartkopf, Mrs. Grace Anderson. Seated,
left to right: Mrs. Maxine Kennel, Albin E. Kubala,
Charles Kennel, Mrs. Rose Kubala.
Local Spiritual Assembly of North Olmsted, Ohio formed
April 21, 1965. Standing, left to right: Mrs. Ruth Kitson,
William Rees, Mrs. Esther Rees, Kiumars Haghighi,
Noble Curry. Seated, left to right: Miss Pat Kitson, Mrs.
Dolores Haghighi, Dr. Daryush Haghighi, Mrs. Margaret
Curry.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Peterborough, New Hampshire, formed Riḍván, 1965. Rear, left to right: Mrs.
Jane Grover, Mrs. Grace Ross, George Goding, chairman; Mrs. Mary Goding, secretary; Miss Sandra Whitney. Front, left to right: John Marlowe, Mrs. Nancy
Bowditch, Mrs. Rubie Tuttle, treasurer; Mrs. Polly
Marlowe, vice chairman.
Local Spiritual Assembly of North Maricopa County,
Arizona formed April 21, 1965. Rear, left to right: Raymond H. Helmick, vice chairman; Joseph Sharp, Y.
Cecile Malkiewica, William Cornelius Davis, Col. C.
Bradford Cleveland, chairman. Front, left to right:
Mabel L. Helmick, Vida R. Grassie, Elizabeth H.
Sharp, treasurer; Lenore P. Cleveland, secretary.
Recognition of Bahá’í Holy Days[edit]
One of the goals of the Nine Year Plan is recognition of Bahá’í Holy Days in each State. Mrs. Glades Steffensen, an isolated believer in Andalusia, Illinois, mother of two small children attending the public grade school, wrote to the local school authorities asking permission for her children to be excused on the Bahá’í Holy Days. She received an immediate assent from the principal. She reports that she simply wrote a letter requesting that her children be excused, a letter — all that is needed in most instances and yet how often the friends fail to take the time or effort to do this much. This shows that such recognition need not wait until there are enough believers in a locality to form an assembly, for here is a striking example of what the individual, an isolated believer, can do in achieving a goal of the Nine Year Plan.
The local assembly of Costa Mesa, California, is happy to report that superintendents of both the elementary and high schools in that school district have recognized the Bahá’í Holy Days and that Bahá’í pupils may be excused from classes on these days.
BAHA'I IN THE NEWS[edit]
Mrs. Lynette Storm (left), Toledo, Ohio, daughter of
early believer, Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford, with Mrs.
Margaret Ruhe of Wilmette, Illinois at Bahá’í meeting
in Toledo. Mrs. Ford was an art guide at the World’s
Fair in Chicago in 1893 where she heard about the Faith
and accepted it at that time.
The Blade, daily newspaper of Toledo, Ohio, June 5 carried on page 10 two articles on the Bahá’í Faith. One was the Associated Press release from Haifa by Hal McClure about the Bahá’í religion, illustrated by a picture of the Shrine of the Báb, the other was a feature article by a Blade staff writer titled: “Bahá’í Faith Unites Diverse Groups.” It is an interview with Mrs. Margaret Ruhe of Wilmette, Illinois, on the occasion of her visit to Toledo and includes a brief statement of the principles of the Faith and of its introduction to America in 1893. The article was accompanied by a photograph of Mrs. Ruhe with Mrs. Lynette Storm, daughter of Mary Hanford Ford, one of the very early teachers and writers of the Faith and one of the first Americans to accept Bahá’u’lláh.
For some time the merchants of Salem, Oregon, have sponsored a series of articles on “The Churches of Our Community” in the Saturday edition of the Statesman and the Capital Journal which have wide circulation in the cities and counties surrounding Salem. Each article is set out in large type in a box measuring eight by thirteen inches. Number 77 in the series, Saturday, May 22, was devoted to an article on the Bahá’í Faith, submitted by the Spiritual Assembly of Salem. Brief quotations from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh were included to define the purpose of man, the purpose of the Manifestation of God, and the purpose underlying the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. A post-office box address and telephone number were given for readers desiring more information.
The Daily Times-Advocate, Escondido, California, on May 22 carried a five-column, 18-inch long article titled: “History of Bahá’í World Faith Told.” The material was submitted by Mrs. Louise Sweeney, local Bahá’í, at the request of the religious editor who has been very generous in giving publicity to Bahá’í activities in Escondido and the North County community. Besides an excellent, brief statement of the nature, aims, purposes and history of the Faith there are pictures of the International Archives building at the World Center and of the four existing Bahá’í Houses of Worship.
The Minot (North Dakota) Daily News, June 12, carried an 11-inch three column article by a staff writer about Mrs. Vera D. Esinhart, a local Bahá’í, who has “a tremendous urge to help people” and who is compiling a book containing quotations collected from many sources over many years and which she finds worth remembering. The title of the story is: “Minot Bahá’í Settler Wants to Publish Book of Gems on Religion, Philosophy.” A picture of Mrs. Esinhart at her typewriter accompanies the article which also mentions Mrs. Esinhart’s plans to hold a tea in her yard on Race Unity Day to which the public was invited.
Two newspapers in the West Indies have recently given several columns to excellent articles on the Faith. The Trinidad Sunday Mirror published a photo of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and an article with the following, large heading: “A Message of Peace and New Way of Life.” The West Indian of St. Georges, Grenada, gave a 24-column inch space and clearly stated that Bahá’u’lláh was the return of the spirit of Christ. “Since God’s will for man cannot be ignored forever,” it reads, “this vital truth revealed and expounded by Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, must, some day, capture the attention of every honest, independent seeker after truth.”
American Pioneer Passes to Abhá Kingdom[edit]
On Friday, June 25, 1965, Mrs. Etta Woodlen, pioneer to Barbados in the Caribbean, passed away suddenly while visiting in her former home city of Wilmington, Delaware. She had been very active as a teacher at her pioneer post, leaving a thriving and growing community of believers there. It is understood that she is the first American pioneer under the Nine Year Plan who has passed away.
Bahá’í Distribution and Service Department[edit]
Panel of Baha’is on ABC Network[edit]
On June 13, 1965 the ABC Network made available to its local radio stations a 24-minute panel program on the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’ís appearing on the panel were Hand of the Cause Mr. William Sears, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Florence Mayberry and Dr. Daniel Jordan. A taped reproduction of this very well received program is now available, for use only in Bahá’í firesides and other meetings. It must not be used in radio programs.
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National Bahá’í Addresses
Please Address Mail Correctly! National Bahá’í Administrative Headquarters: National Treasurer: Make Checks Payable to: National Bahá’í Fund Bahá’í Publishing Trust: Make Checks Payable to: Bahá’í Publishing Trust Bahá’í News: |
Seven inch reel tape, speed 7½ i.p.s., postpaid ...$3.50
“Growing Pains of a Local Spiritual Assembly”[edit]
The Community Development Committee’s first recording, “Growing Pains of a Local Spiritual Assembly” is about the conduct, duties, and responsibilities of the assembly, its members and its officers. This playlet was written by Hand of the Cause ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, portraying in humorous but effective manner the mistakes, the planning, the devotion and the earnestness evident in assembly meetings. It was produced by a group of professional Bahá’ís in California. The Committee has made a gift of a tape to each local assembly. Others may wish copies and these are now available for the use of Bahá’ís only. It should not be used in firesides.
Five inch reel tape, speed 3¾ i.p.s., postpaid ...$2.50
“Do It Yourself” Visual Aids for Children’s Classes[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Paramus, New Jersey, displayed at the 1965 National Convention “Do It Yourself” visual aids for the spiritual education of preschool and early school children. The theme is “Learning Can Be Fun.” Six of these aids are being made available in kit form on the following subjects: 1. The Hand Puppet, 2. The Four Kingdoms, 3. Prayer, 4. Bahá’ís Build, 5. The Year of Events, and 6. Spiritual Growth.
Mimeographed kits of six subjects, 5 sets postpaid $1.00
The above may be ordered from Bahai Distribution and Service Department, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
Calendar of Events[edit]
- FEASTS
- August 20—Asmá’ (Names)
- September 8—‘Izzat (Might)
Baha’i Publishing Trust[edit]
Unity from Diversity. This statement, prepared by Dr. Daniel Jordan, discusses the prejudices that are prevalent in society today, particularly as they apply to interracial marriages, the false and unscientific beliefs that exist in this respect and the Bahá’í principle of the oneness of mankind, “based on equal rights and common responsibilities.” The Bahá’í teachings on marriage in general are also explained, including the necessity for parental consent “since the solidarity of society depends upon the stability of the family.” While not a mass distribution item, this should prove a valuable aid in clarifying Bahá’í beliefs.
20 copies | $1.00 |
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
- Daily
- 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Entire building)
- Sundays
- 3:30 to 4:10 p.m.
- Sunday, August 15
- 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: Mrs. Sylvia Parmelee, Managing Editor; Mrs. Eunice Braun, International Editor; Miss Charlotte 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. 60091.
Change of address should be reported directly to National Bahá’í Office. 112 Linden Avenue. Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
