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| Bahá’í News | December 1977 | Bahá’í Year 134 |
‘The Light of the Pacific,’ Part 1
| Contents |
The Bahá’í Faith in Hawaii |
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Part 1: Early history and expansion in the Islands | 2 |
Dorothy Baker: a reminiscence |
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A glimpse at the last days of an indefatigable Bahá’í teacher | 8 |
Around the world |
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News from Bahá’í communities in every corner of the globe | 10 |
Cover
This month marks the 76th anniversary of the introduction of the Bahá’í Faith in the Hawaiian Islands. Bahá’í News observes the occasion with the first of a two-part series on the growth and development of the Faith in Hawaii. Part 1 covers the period from December 1901 when the Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander brought the Faith to the Islands to the election in April 1964 of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands.
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Bahá’í News is published monthly for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A.
The Bahá’í Faith in
Hawaii[edit]
By TONY A. PELLE
First of two parts[edit]
On December 26, 1976, the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands observed the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the Faith to the Islands. As the Hawaiian Bahá’í community heads toward its 100th anniversary, it is appropriate that we look back to the beginnings of the Faith there to see how far it has come and where it is today.
The Hawaiian Islands[edit]
The Hawaiian Islands are considered to be the most isolated archipelago in the world. Situated more than 2,000 miles from the nearest point on the American continent, they are also more than 2,000 miles from the nearest major island group to the South.
Yet this group of islands has become known as the Paradise of the Pacific and a flower garden of peoples. Over the years Hawaii has added to its shores peoples of sharply contrasting ethnic and racial origin — Polynesians, Chinese, Japanese, Okinawans, Filipinos, Portuguese, Koreans, Puerto Ricans, Micronesians, Melanesians, Spaniards, Germans, Russians and others.
Not only is Hawaii a melting pot of ethnic and racial groups, it is a blend of East and West, a blend that is reflected in its religions as well as its social and cultural life.
Hawaii became the 50th member of the United States in 1959, and is the only state that previously was ruled by a king.
Today Hawaii has a Bahá’í National Spiritual Assembly, a proud history of
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many Bahá’í achievements, and is the crossroads for Bahá’í activity in the Pacific Ocean. Many islands in the Pacific bear the mark of Hawaii’s interest and assistance. From this midpoint in the Pacific, television programs about the Bahá’í Faith are produced and used around the world.
The Beginnings[edit]
The Bahá’í Faith came to the Hawaiian Islands on December 26, 1901. It was brought by Agnes Baldwin Alexander, a descendant of one of the earliest Christian missionary families to leave New England and eventually make its permanent home in Hawaii.
Agnes’ parents, the Rev. and Mrs. William Patterson Alexander, left Massachusetts in 1831 to sail for Honolulu, two years after her mother’s parents arrived in the Islands.
“After a voyage of 186 days, Honolulu was reached in May 1832. When we contemplate the hardships of these pioneers of God’s Faith, we may better appreciate the material blessings bestowed on us in the Bahá’í Dispensation,” Miss Alexander later wrote.
Agnes Alexander first heard of the Bahá’í Faith in 1900 in Rome. Here is how she described the occasion:
“One day in the dining room of the pension (boarding house) where I was staying in Rome, some people sitting across the long table attracted me. So strong was the magnet which drew me to them, that I gazed at them until ashamed. They seemed to have a happiness which was different from others.
“Later I learned that they were Mrs. Charlotte Dixon and her two daughters, who were returning to the United States after a visit with the Master in ‘Akká. The happiness which I had seen in their faces was a reflection from ‘Akká.
“A few days later, while sitting in the parlor, I overheard them in conversation with a lady who had heard of the Cause in Persia. Little did I comprehend what they were talking about, but my heart was stirred, and the realization came to me that it was the truth.
“The next day I met Mrs. Dixon in the elevator. Taking her hand, I asked her if she would tell me what it was she had. That evening, as I sat listening to her, my heart was touched and tears came to my eyes...”
The Hand of the Cause of God Agnes Baldwin Alexander. The photo was taken in 1957.
Mary Fantom from the island of Maui who was the first native-born Hawaiian to accept the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
Before Mrs. Dixon left Rome she gave Agnes a letter to sign declaring her belief that the Promised One had come. From Rome, Agnes traveled to Paris where she spent three and one-half months and met other Bahá’ís — May Bolles, Laura Dreyfus-Barney, Lua and Dr. Getsinger, and others who had met with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
As Agnes prepared to begin a journey homeward, she received a Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“To Miss Alexander, the servant of God, through Miss Bolles.
“O thou maid servant of God!
“The tongues have spoken of thy attraction to God and the pens have testified of thy burning by the Fire of the Love of God. Indeed the heart of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá approves of this because it feels its heat from this distant and Blessed Spot.
“O maid servant of God! By God, the Truth, the Spirit of Christ from the Supreme Concourse doth in every time and aspect announce to thee this Great Good News.
“Be therefore a divine bird; proceed to thy native country; spread the wings of sanctity over those spots and sing and chant and celebrate the Name of the Lord, that thou mayest gladden the Supreme Concourse and make the seeking souls hasten unto thee as moths hasten to the lamp and thus illumine that distant country by the Light of God.
“Upon thee be salutations and praise.”
Agnes traveled from Paris to London, then by steamer to Portland, Maine, and from there to the Green Acre School at Eliot, Maine, to New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and finally by steamer to Honolulu.
The Faith Is Planted[edit]
She arrived in Honolulu on December 26, 1901, and later wrote of it: “Strange feelings came over me as the steamer on which I voyaged to Honolulu neared the shore, for alone I was to stand there, the first Bahá’í to touch that soil.”
While in Paris, Agnes had met Clarence Hobrom Smith who was visiting the city. His father’s parents also were missionaries to Hawaii. Agnes wanted to tell him about the Faith, but kept delaying. Finally, as they were about to part, as she later wrote, “... I felt if I did not speak I would die, and said abruptly, ‘Christ has come!’ ”
The following day Mr. Smith came to see her and told her that he believed.
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Two months after Agnes returned to Honolulu, Clarence Smith returned to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Owen Smith. Also living there was a Miss Elizabeth Muther, of Austrian parentage. He approached Miss Muther about the Teachings, but she wasn’t interested and was even somewhat annoyed.
Later, with the help of visiting Bahá’ís, according to Miss Alexander’s later written account of the early days of the Faith in Hawaii, “Miss Muther turned to God and prayed that He would reveal to her the Truth, that she was ready to accept whatever trials might come in her path. In less than half an hour she found herself saying aloud, ‘This is God’s Truth! This is God’s Truth!’ ”
Thus by 1902 there were three believers in Hawaii: Miss Alexander, Mr. Smith, and Miss Muther.
It was Miss Muther whom God was to use, in Miss Alexander’s words, “as His instrument to confirm the first Japanese Bahá’í of the world.”
Kanichi Yamamoto, who was then 23 years old, had come to Hawaii from Japan and was serving in the Smith home. He knew little English, and Miss Muther helped him learn the language.
Miss Muther also told him of the Bahá’í Faith. He accepted it, and later wrote to the Master to express his gratitude. He rewrote the letter four times before he was satisfied but felt he could not adequately express his feelings in English.
Miss Muther told him it would be all right to compose the letter in Japanese and that she was sure the Master would understand the spirit of the letter. When the reply came, Mr. Yamamoto said that although his letter was written in Japanese, the Master had fully understood it and fully answered him.
Early Meetings and Growth[edit]
The three Honolulu Bahá’ís would meet on a hilltop in Pacific Heights and read prayers and Tablets. These were the first Bahá’í meetings in Hawaii.
In the summer of 1902, Miss Alexander and Miss Muther gave the Message on the island of Maui.
The Master sent many Tablets to the early believers in Honolulu to encourage them and to answer their questions. Between the year 1901 and His passing in 1921, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed 41 Tablets to residents of Hawaii.
In 1905, Clarence Smith left Honolulu and eventually went to Italy where he married and lived for many years. After his marriage, he lost interest in the Cause, but through him, the seed was planted for Elizabeth Muther, and later for his sister, Mrs. S.A. (Katherine) Baldwin, to become firm Bahá’ís.
Slowly, the Faith began to grow in Honolulu. In 1905 a Mrs. Otis, the soloist in the Central Union Church, became a Bahá’í and opened her home on Bates Street for weekly meetings.
Later, Dr. and Mrs. George Jacob Augur became Bahá’ís, and from 1907 to 1927 their home on Beretania Street in the heart of Honolulu became “the radiant center of the Cause” where weekly meetings were held and the Bahá’í library was kept.
Dr. Augur was a homeopathic physician who had come to Hawaii from Oakland, California. Miss Alexander wrote of Dr. Augur, who was to become another of the disciples of Bahá’u’lláh, that he was “gifted with rare spiritual insight in his comprehension of the Station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his love for Him. His words were few, but he could quote from the words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in answer to questions. He was blessed with six Tablets from the Master.”
Again, the Faith grew in Honolulu. Miss Abby Frances Johnson, the daughter of missionaries to Hawaii, declared, and it was at her home in Pearl City that many Feasts were held. In 1909, Miss Ella Louise Rowland became a Bahá’í, and for many years served as the recording secretary for the Honolulu Bahá’ís. Mrs. Augustus (Margaret) Knudsen was another of the early Bahá’ís.
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Hawaii facts and figures
The eight major islands are Oahu (where Honolulu is located), Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii, Niihau (which is privately owned) and Kahoolawe (a military bombing range). Honolulu, the capital city, is 2,397 miles from San Francisco. The highest peak in the state is Mauna Kea, 13,796 feet above sea ievel. The population of Hawaii in 1976 was 886,000, which included 123,000 members of the U.S. armed forces and military dependents. The state averages nearly 80,000 visitors daily. |
The first Bahá’í travelers to visit Hawaii were Charles Mason Remey of Washington, D.C., and Howard C. Struven of Baltimore. They stopped while en route to the Orient on November 23, 1909, and spent three weeks in Honolulu.
The first Bahá’í lecture in the Islands was given at the home of Miss Alexander at 2 p.m. that same day. About 40 persons were present to hear a talk by Mr. Remey, and a report of it appeared in the next morning’s paper.
The article opened many doors to the Faith. The first public talk on the Faith in
| ...in December 1911 the Bahá’ís received a message from the Master in which He said, ‘I love the friends of Honolulu very much because they are good and are lovers of each other and live in unity. I am always with them, and because of their love and unity they shall not be in want of anything.’ |
Honolulu was given by Mr. Remey on November 29 at the Alexander Young Hotel, and was attended by around 75 persons. Mr. Remey gave talks at other public places including the New Thought Center and the Oahu Prison, and as a result, several articles appeared in the press with headlines such as “Would Unite All Religions” and “What the Bahá’í Movement Really Is.”
In April 1910, the believers started to hold business meetings twice a month on the work of the Faith in Hawaii. At these meetings letters were read from Bahá’ís in distant lands and other business conducted. When later the Spiritual Assembly of Honolulu was formed, the pattern of twice-monthly meetings was continued. In January 1911, the Honolulu believers started evening meetings for teaching the Cause.
Through a Bahá’í, Mme. Aurela Bethlen, who visited Honolulu en route to the Orient, then saw the Master in Egypt on December 26, 1911, the Bahá’ís received a message from the Master in which He said, “I love the friends of Honolulu very much because they are good and are lovers of each other and live in unity. I am always with them, and because of their love and unity they shall not be in want of anything. The more they unite and love each other, the greater will be the bounties of Bahá’u’lláh to them. I love them very much.”
From Local Assembly to National Assembly[edit]
From this small but significant beginning, the Bahá’í Faith grew in Hawaii to spread not only on the island of Oahu, where Honolulu is located, but to the islands of Kauai, Maui, Hawaii (known as the Big Island), Molokai, and Lanai.
The first Bahá’í Messages to the island of Maui were given in 1902, and the first believers there included Mary Clark, Alice Cameron, Sila Pratt Smith, Anni M. Hansen, and Mary Fantom, the first native-born Hawaiian to accept the Cause.
The island of Hawaii received the Message in 1925 from Agnes Alexander. From 1924 to 1926, the island of Kauai received several visits from Honolulu Bahá’ís, the first one a visit by Miss Alexander.
On April 21, 1935, a Local Spiritual Assembly was formed on Maui with Katherine Baldwin elected chairman and a new member, Mrs. E.F. (Daisy) Sabin, vice chairman.
The first letter to the Hawaiian Bahá’í community from the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, is dated January 16, 1924. The first Bahá’í children’s class was begun in September 1927.
On her last world tour, the beloved Martha Root, a Hand of the Cause of God, reached Honolulu on June 7, 1939, when returning to America from Australia. She left the steamer to go to the home of Mrs. Katherine Baldwin (in Honolulu) for the day. As Miss Root was very ill, she retired to her room to rest. From that hour, she never left the house.
On the afternoon of September 28, 1939, Martha Root passed away, and her resting place in Honolulu at the Nuuanu Cemetery has become a landmark and point of interest and loving memory for local and visiting believers. Elizabeth Muther died in 1940 and is buried beside Martha Root.
A photo taken in Dr. George Augur’s backyard in Honolulu on December 10, 1909. Dr. Augur is No. 1 in the photo. Others include Mrs. Augur (No. 3), the Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander (No. 6), Miss Elizabeth Muther (No. 11).
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In 1940, owing to the generosity of a handful of the friends, the Honolulu Bahá’í community obtained its first Center. The building was dedicated October 20, 1941, the 122nd anniversary of the birth of the Báb. It was located in the Waikiki area of Honolulu.
Mrs. Katherine Baldwin’s cottage was used from 1927 as a meeting place for the Bahá’ís in Honolulu. In 1940, owing to the generosity of a handful of the friends, a lovely site for the first Bahá’í Center in Honolulu was obtained in the Waikiki area on McCully Street. Ground was broken for the building on June 11, 1941, and the building was dedicated on October 20 of that year. The dedication keynote speaker was Anthony Seto.
The furnishings for the new building were donated by the friends. The McCully Street Center was the scene of many Bahá’í activities until it became apparent that it was too small for the growing numbers of Bahá’ís.
In July 1960, after a long search, the present Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds on Allan Place was bought and the McCully Street Center sold. A few years ago, the new Center was nearly destroyed by a fire, but through the efforts of many Bahá’ís was rebuilt and remodeled.
In October 1963, a cable from the Universal House of Justice was received calling for the formation during Riḍván 1964 of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands with its seat in Honolulu. Thus it was that the Hawaiian Local Spiritual Assemblies that had been a part of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States were to become part of a new pillar of the Faith.
As a prelude to the National Convention that was to elect the new National Spiritual Assembly, a gala public meeting was held at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel in Honolulu. Among those attending were John A. Burns, then governor of Hawaii, who delivered the opening address; Miss Agnes B. Alexander, the Hand of the Cause of
The Honolulu Bahá’í Sunday School circa 1942
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A special photo of the Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander was presented to the Lahaina Historical Society by the Bahá’í community of Lahaina on the island of Maui.
Velma Sherrill, then a member of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly who was representing that body.
On Sunday morning, April 26, 1964, 19 delegates cast their ballots at the National Convention to elect the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands. Its members were Hugh Chapman, chairman; Michael D. Woodward, vice chairman; Mrs. R. Lei Chapman, secretary; Miss Elena M. Marsella, assistant secretary; Miss Evelyn Musacchia, recording secretary; Dr. Claude V. Caver, treasurer; Miss Gertrude V. Garrida; Jacques Smith, and James S. Wada.
At the time of its formation there were seven Local Spiritual Assemblies in Hawaii. On the island of Oahu the Assemblies were at Ewa, Honolulu, Koolaupoko, Wahiawa and Waianae; on Hawaii at South Hilo, and on Maui at Kawaihau. In addition, there were Bahá’í Groups at Wailuku on Maui and on the island of Molokai.
The Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander is presented a lei by Gov. John A. Burns of Hawaii at the Bahá’í public celebration held April 24, 1964, in Honolulu in conjunction with the first National Convention of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands.
The first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands, formed April 28, 1964, is shown here with its honored guests. Seated (left to right) are Miss Evelyn Musacchia, recording secretary; Mrs. Velma Sherrill, representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States who is now an Auxiliary Board member; the Hand of the Cause of God Agnes B. Alexander; Mrs. Lei Chapman, corresponding secretary; Miss Elena Marsella; Miss Gertrude Garrida. Standing (left to right) are James Wada; Dr. Claude Caver, treasurer; Hugh Chapman, chairman; Jacques Smith; Michael Woodward, vice chairman.
Dorothy Baker[edit]
A personal reminiscence[edit]
By ABDEL-HOSSEIN BASHIR-ELAHI
It was 1953, the year of the International Conference at New Delhi, India; that was the last in a series of four such intercontinental teaching conferences called by the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, to highlight the worldwide observance of the Bahá’í Holy Year 109. The Conference brought to a close the year-long jubilee, begun in October 1952, which marked the termination of the construction of the Holy Sepulchre of the Báb on Mount Carmel.
The friends were flocking to New Delhi from all parts of the world to assemble at the most auspicious and august Bahá’í gathering in the history of the Indian metropolis.
On October 6, the day before the Conference was to open, around 100 of the friends in India gathered at the airport to welcome the Hand of the Cause of God Mrs. Dorothy Baker.
It was the first time that I was privileged to meet her, though I had heard much about her activities and her great knowledge of the Cause, and had even translated some of her articles into Persian.
Mrs. Baker was renowned as an outstanding Bahá’í teacher and lecturer, and had taught in many different countries, and as I recall, she had spent some time before coming to the Conference in the Holy Land where the Guardian had instructed her as to the aims and purposes of the Conference and the duties of the Indian National Spiritual Assembly.
When she arrived I saw a smiling, radiant, charming woman, intoxicated with the love of God, chatting and laughing with the friends in a relaxed and friendly manner. This was an example of Bahá’í conduct that attracted the friends as well as non-Bahá’ís.
At that time, the building housing the Bahá’í Center (Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds) had been expropriated by the Indian government and assigned to that of Russia as its embassy, so the Conference was held at a lot that was part of a development being contracted by the U.S. government for military purposes (Constitution House).
During the Conference, which ran from October 7 to 15, 1953, Mrs. Baker was the shining ornament as representative of the Guardian and as a lecturer of unparalleled magnetism and wisdom.
The Hand of the Cause of God Dorothy Baker addresses a crowd in Karachi, Pakistan, in January 1954. Later that month Mrs. Baker died in an airplane crash en route to Rome, Italy.
| ‘Day and night Mrs. Baker was engaged in different services, constantly reminding and encouraging the friends to teach the Cause of God.’ |
I remember that she spoke nearly every day, explaining in detail the goals of the Conference and the instructions of the Guardian. Her speeches were so compelling that no one wanted to miss them.
Moreover, Mrs. Baker had the responsibility of contacting the Indian government authorities to acquaint them with the principles of the Cause and aims of the Conference.
Jawaharlal Nehru was then prime minister of India, Rajandra Prasad was president of the Republic, and Abol Kalam Azad was minister of education. As I recall, Mrs. Baker met with Mr. Nehru and Mr. Azad, and each expressed pleasure at having met her.
Some public meetings were arranged at which Mrs. Baker lectured eloquently and convincingly. In fact, her public talks were so warmly received that they were reported in most of the newspapers in New Delhi.
Following the Conference, Mrs. Baker was directed by the Guardian to remain in India for a time to teach, and to acquaint the friends and especially the Local Assemblies with their duties and responsibilities.
Since I was at that time working at the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and was a member of the Local Spiritual Assembly there, I was aware of her many activities and her zeal in carrying out the Guardian’s instructions.
Day and night Mrs. Baker was engaged in different services, constantly reminding and encouraging the friends to teach the Cause of God. I still remember the tears in her eyes as she emphasized the importance of the Teachings and the wishes of the beloved Guardian.
Mrs. Baker traveled to many cities during a three-month period, bringing them the Guardian’s love and direction. On her return to New Delhi, I noticed that she had become physically frail and weak; but her zeal had only increased, and it seemed to me that she was somewhat disappointed at having been unable to generate more enthusiasm among the friends than she had observed.
In January 1954, Mrs. Baker traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. I later received a letter from a Mr. Bakhtieri in Karachi expressing his appreciation of her highly spiritual nature and her sacrificial endeavors for the Cause of God.
Later that month, Mrs. Baker left Pakistan for Rome, Italy. She never arrived there. The plane on which she was traveling crashed near the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea, and Dorothy Baker had sacrificed herself in the path of God.
Her untimely and tragic death came as a shock to every believer, and especially those in India with whom she had been so close in the final days of her life and who had been privileged to glimpse her marvelous Bahá’í qualities and unswerving loyalty and devotion to the Guardian.
While the loss of Mrs. Baker was irreparable, the seeds she had sown while in India thrived and flourished in later years as a result of her sacrificial endeavors. She knew and followed well the words of the Master, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, that the believers should not expect to reap the benefits of their teaching at once, but like a good sower, must prepare the hearts and plant the blessed seeds so that they will be ready for the divine rain to raise the harvest in due course.
This flyer was distributed to publicize one of the many meetings at which the Hand of the Cause of God Dorothy Baker spoke during her three-month stay in India late in 1953.
Upon the news of Mrs. Baker’s death, the Guardian sent an impressive and sympathetic cablegram to National Spiritual Assemblies expressing great appreciation for her outstanding service and instructing the friends to hold suitable memorial services.
The cablegram from the Guardian reads as follows:
“Hearts grieved lamentable, untimely passing Dorothy Baker, distinguished Hand Cause, eloquent exponent its teachings, indefatigable supporter its institutions, valiant defender its precepts. (Her) long record outstanding service enriched annals concluding years Heroic opening epoch Formative Age Bahá’í Dispensation. Fervently praying progress soul Abhá Kingdom.
“Assure relatives profound loving sympathy. (Her) noble spirit reaping bountiful reward.
“Advise hold memorial gathering Temple befitting her rank imperishable services...”
Haifa, Israel January 13, 1954
Around the World[edit]
Bolivia
Plan goals are studied at Teaching Conference[edit]
Four hundred believers spent August 13-14 near the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, at the fourth Bahá’í National Teaching Conference, where they studied the Five Year Plan goals for that country.
The conference had the bounty of the presence of four members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for South America: Athos Costas, Mas’úd Khamsí, Peter McLaren, and Donald Witzel.
All nine provinces of Bolivia and 96 local communities were represented. Pioneers and friends from six countries attended.
It was noted with joy that 105 women were present, demonstrating their increased participation in Bahá’í activities.
The children took part in organized children’s classes.
During the two days of the conference nearly all the goals of the Five Year Plan for Bolivia were studied under the guidance of the Counsellors. The state of the goals was the subject of reports by the various Regional Teaching Committees.
In this simple and direct way, the immense potential of the nine provinces was demonstrated, as were the advantages and difficulties awaiting those who are willing to arise with devotion to the challenges yet in store.
The friends were inspired by talks given by the Counsellors. Mr. Costas spoke about the importance of teaching. Mr. Khamsi addressed the urgent task of forming Local Spiritual Assemblies. Mr. McLaren spoke about the influence Bolivian Bahá’ís have in the world. Mr. Witzel underlined the necessity for each believer to constantly better himself and contribute to the progress of the Cause.
The enthusiasm and spirit of the conference were channeled into offers by many participants to win and surpass the goals set for the Five Year Plan. Youth and adults, men and women all arose not only to win the goals in Bolivia, but to assist the friends in Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru.
The conference was one of the largest in recent years, and nearly upset the balance of carefully planned meals and lodging for the meeting; this reaffirmed the need for Bahá’í-owned conference facilities. The friends at the conference prayed that Bolivia, with its thousands of believers, might soon have a Bahá’í Center that would be adequate for national events.
They were inspired to learn that the friends in Ecuador, with their own funds, had built a meeting place for the recent International Quechua Conference.
During the conference, the principal local newspaper printed an article about the objectives of the Faith, and the chief authority of the province of Cochabamba was personally informed about the National Teaching Conference.
The day before the conference, the Counsellors met with 25 pioneers and two visitors, and deepening classes were held for those believers who had arrived early for the conference.
Rhodesia
Salisbury plays host to first Summer School[edit]
For the first time the friends in Rhodesia have held a Bahá’í Summer School. The historic dates were August 28-September 1, 1977, and the historic site was the Salisbury Motel Bahá’í School in Salisbury.
The Rhodesian communities of Burnside, Greater Salisbury, Gwelo, Highfield, Mabvuko, Mont Marie, Mzilikazi, Nyamayaro, Salisbury West, and Tafara were represented. Three Bahá’ís from Swaziland also attended.
Among them was Benjamin Dlamini, a prominent educator in Swaziland. He was interviewed on national radio while the school was in session, and was able to mention the school, reinforcing earlier radio announcements about it.
Attendance fluctuated from 50 to 100 people during the five-day period. The friends learned primarily about living the Bahá’í life, with its high moral standards; knowing the Writings and using them in teaching; and accomplishing the goals of the Five Year Plan as assigned by the Universal House of Justice.
The school provided an opportunity for families to deepen together, and for believers from rural areas and towns to meet.
Auxiliary Board members Mr. Mumvuma, Mr. Sohaili, and Mrs. Wilks were among the teachers at the school. Children received special instruction.
An inspirational moment came when on the first evening Lawrence A. Hautz shared his memories of the Beloved Guardian with the friends.
The National Spiritual Assembly firmly hopes the school will develop into a regular occurrence that will light the way of Bahá’u’lláh throughout the years to come.
The first Bahá’í Summer School to be held in Rhodesia was attended by 50-100 friends, including three from Swaziland, on August 28-September 1.
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Leeward and Virgin Islands
Bahá’í prayer read before legislature[edit]
Joyce Owen, treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward and Virgin Islands, was invited to read a Bahá’í prayer at the opening of the legislature of the Virgin Islands.
It was later pointed out that this was the first time that any woman has appeared in that capacity before the legislature. These actions put the Faith before the government and prominent people, and there has been a “very heartwarming response,” reports The Island Bahá’í.
Alaska
Teaching teams roam over mammoth area[edit]
Alaskan Bahá’ís are responsible for spreading the Faith in a state that is close to a million square kilometers (571,065 square miles) in size.
This mammoth area was covered, length and breadth, last summer by teaching teams who traveled from a home base in Anchorage to the northernmost point in Alaska, Barrow, and many points in between, west and south.
The first trip was made to Homer, in the southern area. The team showed the films “A New Wind” and “It’s Just the Beginning” at a fireside at which two individuals declared.
On its return to Anchorage the team assisted the nearby Spenard community with its goal in Girdwood.
On June 24 the team went to Anchor Point. The town was originally settled by Russians, who dress in the traditional manner and attend services at an Orthodox church. The Bahá’ís were given a tour of the Russian area by a local school teacher.
On another trip to Homer, July 17-19, invitations to firesides and deepenings were distributed door-to-door.
On June 30, a teaching team visited Valdez. The Local Spiritual Assembly hosted a barbecue, attended by Bahá’ís and their friends. A children’s class was held the next day followed by a showing of The Green Light Expedition.
On July 5 the team drove to Chitina. There the members spoke about the Faith with several interested residents.
The team that visited Galena, Kaltag, Koyukuk, and Nulato gave the National Teaching Committee of Alaska valuable information about these towns: accommodations, persons to contact for arranging meetings, and names of individuals interested in the Faith.
One of the seekers in Koyukuk declared her belief in Bahá’u’lláh. In Kaltag, more than 50 people attended a public meeting, and the Bahá’ís were told they were welcome to return.
From here the team went to Ruby, Circle City, Venetie, Chalkyitsik, Dot Lake, Tanacross, Hughes, and Nikolai.
In Nikolai, a resident asked to become a Bahá’í. He became the ninth adult member of the community, and a Local Spiritual Assembly was formed.
Jamaica
Summer School points toward winning goals[edit]
The focal point of the fifth annual Bahá’í Summer School in Jamaica was the need for individual support of teaching plans and the sacrificial efforts necessary to win the remaining goals of the Five Year Plan before Riḍván 1979.
Ninety-one individuals from Kingston, Lluidas Vale, and 10 rural communities were present for the school, held August 26-28 at the Social Action Center.
The general sessions were supplemented with sessions for youth on drugs, marriage, and careers, and regular classes were held for the children.
Topics of discussion included the Covenant, obedience to Bahá’í laws, the role of women, the Bahá’í Fund, the relationship between the Faith and Christianity, the goals of the Five Year Plan, the education of children and the institutions of the Hands of the Cause, the Continental Board of Counsellors, and the Auxiliary Board.
The friends enjoyed a talent show Friday evening, and the showing of films that featured the Oceanic Conference held in Jamaica in 1971.
A report in the Jamaica Bahá’í News said, “The School elevated the spirits of the participants tremendously and taught the believers the pattern of living, working, and learning together.”
Italy
Blessed Beauty’s life focus of Summer School[edit]
The 14th Bahá’í Summer School was held at Giulianova Lido from September 3-12. The participants studied Bahá’u’lláh’s life, His Station, His Revelation, and His Proclamation to the kings and ecclesiastical leaders.
The school began with an encouraging and enthusiastic message from the National Spiritual Assembly.
The principal teachers were Dr. Aziz Yazdi from the International Teaching Center; European Counsellor Adib Taherzadeh, and Dr. Leo Niederreiter from Asmara, Italy.
A special non-Bahá’í guest at the school, Dr. Pagnanelli, director of the information center of the United Nations Organization in Rome, gave a public talk on “The First 30 Years of the United Nations Organization.” Both this and another public meeting held during the school were well-attended.
At a Unity Feast, slides of the Holy Shrines and early believers dating back to 1907 were shown, as well as a film on the House of the Báb in Shíráz.
The school was characterized by a profoundly spiritual atmosphere that culminated in the declarations of 12 friends who had attended the sessions.
Pioneering and teaching pledges were made. Two telegrams were sent to the Universal House of Justice, and an answering cable was received during the school.
Townspeople respond to traveling teachers[edit]
The Bahá’í pioneers in the goal town of Cosenza, Italy, had worked hard to make friends with the residents there.
While the pioneers were welcome in their neighbors’ homes, the residents were reluctant to enter the homes of the Bahá’ís.
This situation began to change during an intensive two-week teaching campaign.
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held in Cosenza in August.
When traveling teachers arrived by bus, they only had to ask, “Where does Carlo the Bahá’í live?” and someone would offer to accompany them to his house.
During the two weeks, it was decided to show some filmstrips at Carlo’s house, but the living room would not hold the more than 12 people who attended. The Bahá’ís found an extension cord and showed the film outside, against the wall of the house.
The neighbors were glad to cooperate. The woman downstairs handed chairs from her apartment out the window. Groups of neighbors arrived, some bringing chairs and some sitting on the wall.
More than 40 people saw the filmstrip The Bahá’ís and the Holy Land and the fourth part of the Green Light Expedition, about Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s travels in Bolivia and Peru. Many stayed to talk after the film was over.
The Bahá’ís were invited to a birthday party that was held the following evening. The host asked the Bahá’ís to close the evening with a prayer.
The two-week project ended the next morning. Many new-found friends were crying. “Come back soon,” one woman said. “We have just met you and grown to love you, and now you are going away.”
A month later the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Cosenza, Italy, was formed.
New Hebrides
Illness forces pioneer Bertha Dobbins to depart[edit]
Bertha Dobbins, spiritual mother of the Bahá’í community in the New Hebrides, has left her adopted home, owing to ill health, after 24 years there as a pioneer.
She was bade farewell on October 27 by more than 70 Bahá’ís and former students from Núr School, which she founded, who gathered at the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds.
Mrs. Dobbins was one of the first Bahá’ís to leave Australia at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade (1953) in response to the Guardian’s appeal for pioneers.
She earned the title “Knight of Bahá’u’lláh” when she opened the New Hebrides to the Faith.
Soon after her arrival in Vila, New Hebrides, she moved into a cottage at Nambatu, and it was here that the Faith was first taught.
Later, she founded Núr School at Anabrou and educated several hundred New Hebridean children at the primary level.
Some of the pupils and their parents accepted the Faith, and the foundation was laid for the progress of the Cause in the New Hebrides.
Mrs. Dobbins retired from teaching at Nur School in 1971, and devoted her time to traveling and telling people about Bahá’u’lláh.
All the tributes paid to Mrs. Dobbins at the farewell gathering spoke of her selfless service to the Cause, her great courage and perseverance, and her love for the people of the New Hebrides.
Auxiliary Board member Alick Soalo said of her: “We have learned many things from Mrs. Dobbins, but our main souvenir is the Bahá’í Faith, which will last for many generations.”
Mrs. Dobbins left Vila on October 29, promising that the New Hebrides would be foremost in her thoughts and in her prayers.
Women assuming more active role[edit]
Women believers in the New Hebrides, following the appeal by the Universal House of Justice in its Riḍván message that women arise, have led teaching activities, held a women’s conference, and become more active in administrative aspects of the Faith.
The first Bahá’í Women’s Conference in the New Hebrides was held in Vila on October 23. Eighteen women from Vila, Fila Island, and Erakor heard stirring talks on Ṭáhirih, the Greatest Holy Leaf, the role of Bahá’í mothers in the education of children, women’s activities around the world, and the meaning of “responsible action.” The workshops at the conference focused on what Bahá’í women can do to spread the Faith in the New Hebrides.
While the women held the conference, Bahá’í men organized children’s classes and games, served refreshments, and cooked dinner.
Bahá’í women led teaching activities recently in Big Bay, Aneityum, and Tongoa. They will be responsible for the next trip to the island of Pentecost.
Four of the 11 Local Spiritual Assemblies in the New Hebrides currently have more women members than men. These Assemblies are in Erakor, Lenakel, Port Resolution, and Port Vila.
25 believers attend institute on prayer[edit]
Believers from Vila, Fila Island, and Erakor attended an institute on prayer at the Bahá’í Center in Vila, New Hebrides, on August 6.
Twenty-five were in attendance.
Teaching plan spurs burst of activity[edit]
The first phase of the nine-month plan that is being conducted in the New Hebrides was officially completed on September 21.
As it came to a close, there was a burst of teaching activity. Bahá’í teams visited the Big Bay area of Santo, as well as Ambrym, North Efate, North Tanna, and Aneityum. Individual teachers traveled to Emae and Middle Bush.
During the first phase of the plan, teaching trips were made to 10 localities. One of the localities, the island of Aore, was reopened to the Faith.
South Epi also was opened. A Bahá’í Group was formed in Middle Bush. Meetings and dawn prayers are being held in Lenakel and Erakor as a result of the first phase of the plan. Women’s classes also are being conducted in Lenakel.
Malaysia
Blind Bahá’í youth a remarkable fellow[edit]
In the Malaysian state of Sarawak, in a long-house five hours journey by foot from the main road, lives a blind Bahá’í youth named Liaz.
He shares the long-house with a dozen families who have been Bahá’ís for three years.
Almost no Bahá’í literature exists in Bidayu, the language of the Land Dayaks, the minority group to which Liaz belongs. But they do have a small prayer book, and the literate members of the families read to the others. They rely on rare visits from traveling teachers to learn more about the Faith.
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Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Western Asia met with Auxiliary Board members in Irán on September 23. It was the first general meeting with the newly appointed Auxiliary Board members, and took place at the site of the future Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.
Even so, the community is firm and strong. It has a Bahá’í Center, and regular children’s classes.
Liaz loves to teach the children. He principally uses music. He translates songs about the Faith from Iban to Bidayu, and composes melodies and lyrics of his own.
Some time ago he decided that the songs would sound better with guitar accompaniment. Since the community could not afford a guitar, Liaz made one himself with the help of the children. This was all the more amazing because no one in the community had ever made a guitar.
When Liaz is not leading the children in songs, he tells them the stories of Bahá’u’lláh that he has heard from traveling teachers.
It is a special occasion when traveling teachers arrive in the community. People drop their work and rush forward calling, “‘Alláh-u-Abhá!” They give the teacher a comfortable place to sit, and serve a refreshing coconut drink.
Then Liaz walks in, carrying his guitar very carefully, the children following behind. As the visiting Bahá’í teacher listens, Liaz and the children break into a round of songs praising Bahá’u’lláh.
The Gambia
Teaching trip helps open nine villages[edit]
Nine villages were opened to the Faith in the Republic of the Gambia recently, due largely to a one-month teaching trip made by three women: Mahin Azami and Ghodzieh Badcoubei from Holland, and Marlena Imani from Germany.
United Kingdom
Doncaster interfaith meeting attracts 40[edit]
In her Christmas message last year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain expressed a desire for reconciliation among peoples of all races and religions. This would, she said, be the gift she would most value in her Silver Jubilee Year.
The Bahá’ís of Doncaster decided, therefore, to hold a “Sharing of Faiths” meeting to promote this theme. Local dignitaries and all the religious groups of the Doncaster district were invited to attend. A hundred posters advertising the meeting were put up in Doncaster and surrounding towns.
Forty people attended the meeting, which consisted of readings from the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Bahá’í scriptures.
Many of those present said that their understanding of other religions had been broadened by the readings.
Sierra Leone
Translation completes goal of Five Year Plan[edit]
The first translation into the Mende language of Prayers and Brief Selections from the Bahá’í Writings marks the accomplishment of one of the goals of the Five Year Plan for Sierra Leone.
The same book has been translated into Temne, another major language of the country.
Both translations are ready for publication.
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Hawaii
Bahá’í float captures ‘Aloha Week’ award[edit]
The Bahá’í float in the Aloha Week Parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, in October won first prize in the non-commercial division.
This was the fourth time first place was taken by the Bahá’ís in the 11 years they have entered floats in the parade. They have won second place on three occasions, and one year they won third prize.
Aloha Week is held each year in remembrance of the days when Hawaii was ruled by royalty. The theme of this year’s parade was “Hawaii My Home.”
The Bahá’í float design was that of a Hawaiian woman, a “lei” maker, dressed in a holoku gown and broad brim hat. (A lei is a necklace of flowers.) The lei maker was some five meters (16 feet) in height, and in front of her was a basket laden with completed leis.
The parade, held on October 15, was seen by some 80,000 people along the parade route in Honolulu and Waikiki. Thousands more viewed it over television throughout Hawaii. Videotapes of the parade were telecast again in the United States on Thanksgiving Day, November 24.
The videotape is scheduled to be shown in Japan and its Trust Territories soon.
The Bahá’í float in the Aloha Week parade in Honolulu, Hawaii, October 15 took first place in the non-commercial division. The parade is scheduled to be televised nationally in Japan and was seen on nationwide television in the United States on Thanksgiving Day.
The Bahá’í float was made up of some 40,000 mums, carnations, plumeria, orchids and tea leaves. It took two weeks to assemble.
Some 150 Bahá’ís assisted with the carpentry, plastering, pasting on flowers, and painting. Bahá’ís from all over Hawaii worked until the early morning hours on the day of the parade to complete the float.
The Bahá’í theme carried on both sides of the float was “Flowers of One Garden.” Bahá’ís of different races and ethnic backgrounds rode on the float, and some performed the traditional Hawaiian dance, the hula. On the front and back of the float in large letters were the words “Bahá’í Faith.”
United Nations
Faith is represented at conference on law[edit]
The Bahá’í International Community was represented at the World Peace Through Law Conference in Manila, the Philippines, on August 21-26.
Many legal minds were made aware of the Bahá’í teachings as global solutions to the problems of human rights, terrorism, armaments, hunger and the lack of justice were discussed.
Representing the Bahá’í International Community were attorneys Honofre Restor and Marí Luisa Dulay. They described the opportunities to meet with judges, jurists and lawyers as “excellent.”
They also wrote that “as soon as we introduced ourselves as representatives of the Bahá’í International Community, the participants were usually interested and became curious as to the meaning of the word ‘Bahá’í,’ thus opening the door to an instant ‘fireside’ on the principles of the Bahá’í Faith ... in relation to the attainment of world peace, the principal aim of the conference.”
Several Chief Justices, each from a different part of the world, showed interest in the Faith, as did a number of lawyers who have Bahá’í friends or had visited a Bahá’í House of Worship.
The Bahá’í delegation was surprised to meet five other Bahá’ís at the conference who were attending for professional reasons.
The Bahá’í pamphlets One World ... One People: A Bahá’í View, and Divine Law: Source of Human Rights were widely distributed at the conference and well-received.
Participation in the Manila Conference marked the third time that the Bahá’í International Community has taken part in conferences organized by the World Peace Through Law Center, a prestigious non-governmental organization in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
At the conference in 1973, the Bahá’í delegates were Dr. ‘Azíz Navídí and Albert Lincoln. Dr. Navídí addressed 4,000 participants in his opening speech.
In 1975, Dean Dorothy W. Nelson and Judge James Nelson represented the Bahá’í International Community at the Washington, D.C., World Peace Through Law Conference, where Dean Nelson was awarded the World Peace Through Law medal.
Bahá’í community active in UNICEF[edit]
The Bahá’í International Community has played an active role in UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) since gaining consultative status with the organization in March 1976.
Three Bahá’ís represent the community on the UNICEF Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Committee.
Dr. Victor de Araujo is a member of the UNICEF/NGO Steering Committee; William C. van den Hoonaard serves on the subcommittee on Public Information, and Mary Sawicki is both a member of the Subcommittee on Women and Development and associate editor of the UNICEF/NGO newsletter. In the latter capacity, Mrs. Sawicki was asked to write an article on Laura Dreyfus-Barney, a Bahá’í who contributed greatly to many committees of the League of Nations and United Nations and was in the forefront of their efforts to achieve a universal and lasting peace, for the May 1976 UNICEF/NGO newsletter.
The Bahá’í International Community also takes part in the annual sessions of the UNICEF executive board.
This year, the Bahá’í world was represented at the board session in Manila on May 17-June 1 by David Mockon, Hazel Mori and Fé Samaniego, all members of the Bahá’í community of the Philippines.
Australia
Thousands hear of Faith at Monash University[edit]
The Bahá’í Society at Monash University in Melbourne took full advantage of the University Open Day to proclaim the Faith to thousands of students and visitors on campus.
A conference room in the Student Union Building was the center of the proclamation. Two films were shown: “It’s Just the Beginning” and “Give Me That New Time Religion.” Bahá’í posters decorated the walls, and books and pamphlets were available to anyone interested.
On a table outside the conference room were free pamphlets and a display panel about the Faith. Another table with pamphlets was in the foyer of the building.
“We feel that our Open Day program was very successful this year,” said a member of the Bahá’í Society. “We estimate that at least 300 people must have seen at least a part of the films shown during the day, and thousands must have seen the name ‘Bahá’í’ in the official University Open Day program and in the 500 programs we passed out.”
He went on to say that some of the other societies were particularly impressed by the organization and effort of the Bahá’ís.
More than 600 attend institutes on Covenant[edit]
More than 600 adults and youth attended six institutes on the Covenant held in each state of Australia during August and September.
Convened through joint collaboration of the Continental Board of Counsellors and the National Spiritual Assembly, each institute was conducted by three speakers: a Counsellor, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, and an Auxiliary Board member.
The institutes were honored with a cable from the International Teaching Center:
Supreme Body joins us in loving greetings all participants Australia’s widespread Covenant institutes designed strengthen and deepen allegiance and service to Faith. Spirit and knowledge received these institutes will surely inspire swift complete attainment all goals. Assure prayers Holy Shrines Australian believers become stalwart champions defenders Covenant. Deepest love.
This beautiful message provided a fitting start to the institutes, each of which was pervaded by a wonderful spirit of unity and dedication. Ample time was allowed for consultation and discussion, as well as for informal fellowship.
A great contribution was made by Bahá’ís who traveled many hundreds of miles from remote country areas to be present.
Each institute included sessions on the fundamental principles of the Covenant, the authority and functions of the Universal House of Justice, the institutions for protection and propagation of the Faith, Spiritual Assemblies, and the spiritual principles underlying the teaching plans.
The sequence of topics formed an integrated theme that illustrated how the Administrative Order is the visible form and indispensable channel for a spiritual process leading to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.
At most of the institutes, the Local Spiritual Assembly or group handling the physical arrangements organized a creative and educational program for children, centered around themes from the Covenant.
Spain
This hotel was the site of the National Teaching Conference held by the Bahá’ís of Spain in Madrid in July.
Bahá’í teachers visit patients in hospitals[edit]
Patients in two hospitals at Lake Macquarie, near Sydney, were visited on a
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recent Sunday by Bahá’ís who sang for them and gave them paper flowers with quotes from the Writings on them.
The visits were part of a weekend teaching project hosted by Lake Macquarie Bahá’ís and accomplished with the assistance of believers from Newcastle and 24 of the friends from Sydney. Nineteen Sydney Bahá’í youth were among those who helped.
The evening before the hospital visits a public meeting was held and the Green Light Expedition film shown. A half dozen Lake Macquarie youth responded to the invitations to attend.
A spokesman for the youth group said, “I feel that this trip did much to bolster the confidence of the youth concerning their role in teaching projects.”
Marshall Islands
Traveling teacher brings Faith to islanders[edit]
Inhabitants of the Marshall Islands in the western Pacific Ocean heard the name of Bahá’u’lláh, many for the first time, when Nancy Emerson of the Hawaiian Islands traveled there to teach the Faith recently.
Although she has returned to Hawaii, she says, “My heart and soul are still with my Bahá’í families in Majur and Arno atolls.”
Rose Lebre (left) is the first person to become a Bahá’í in the town of Ajeltake, in the Majuro Atoll of the Marshall Islands. Standing with her is Nancy Emerson, a traveling teacher from the Hawaiian Islands.
“Those lovely people,” she continues, “were just waiting to hear Bahá’u’lláh’s name. Their shining eyes were so shocked and at the same time so happy to hear that Christ has returned and His new name is Bahá’u’lláh.”
She said the Marshall Islanders are generally well-versed in the Bible, “and it was exciting for them to look back in the Bible and find the truths that have been there all these years.”
During the trip, two Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed, bringing the total in the Marshall Islands to nine. The new Assemblies are in Ajeltake and Arno Arno Lukej.
Teaching Conference stresses action[edit]
Forty-two Bahá’ís who attended the first National Teaching Conference of the Marshall Islands on October 28-31 spent the first two days in conference and the last two days in action.
Six teaching teams went forth from the conference which was taking place at the Bahá’í National Center in Rita Majuro. Their efforts brought 11 new believers into the Faith.
Ten Bahá’í women volunteered to teach on the Wotja and Ebon atolls, one person volunteered to deputize anyone who would travel to the outer islands to teach the Faith, and one Bahá’í volunteered to be a translator for traveling teachers.
A public meeting held in conjunction with the conference was attended by many non-Bahá’ís. They saw the Green Light Expedition and were entertained by Bahá’ís who demonstrated native dancing.
Friends from Ebeye, Long Island, Ponape, Santo and Truk attended the teaching conference.
New Zealand
UN information officer confers with believers[edit]
Representatives of the Bahá’í National Publicity and Information Committee of New Zealand met with Gilberto Rizzo, director of the United Nations Information Center, Sydney, during his recent visit to Wellington.
The friends met him at his hotel where they had coffee and conferred for almost an hour.
Mr. Rizzo described Bahá’ís as “highly motivated” and “a powerful intellectual force.”
He was impressed that when he traveled in Bangladesh, Fiji and Australia, among other places, Bahá’ís were on hand to make themselves known to him and to offer their support.
“It was an extremely cordial and sympathetic interview and highly successful,” said one of the Bahá’ís.
Germany
Summer School activity leads to declaration[edit]
Daily proclamations of the Faith in Achberg, Germany, by participants in the Bahá’í Summer School held there in August brought a new believer into the Faith.
The 150 people in attendance at the summer school “enjoyed good spirit,” according to a cable sent to the Universal House of Justice on August 9.
Special guests at the summer school were the Hand of the Cause Adelbert Mühlschlegel and Anneliese Bopp, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.
United States
Indian Assemblies give U.S. homefront victory[edit]
The formation on November 10 of Local Spiritual Assemblies on Indian Reservations in Cherokee, North Carolina, and Fort Peck, Montana, enabled the U.S. Bahá’í community to win its first homefront victory of the Five Year Plan.
The Assembly at Cherokee was the 25th to be formed in the U.S., and the first east of the Mississippi River. The Five Year Plan goal called for the formation of 25 Local Assemblies on Indian Reservations by Riḍván 1979, the end of the Plan.
The American Indian Teaching Committee had promised at the Bahá’í National Convention last May to win the goal by November 12, the 160th anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Assemblies at Cherokee and at Fort Peck brought the total to 26, two days before the anniversary of the Blessed Beauty’s birth. They were the third and fourth Indian Assemblies formed in less than two weeks.
Bahá’í News and what they say about it...
“Bahá’í News is for all of us our comfort, our stimulus, our vision of the countless efforts being carried out (in every land) with Divine help from the Supreme Concourse...!” (Bolivia)
“...the delayed issues...arrived yesterday and will you believe it? I pored over the first issue then another...hours slipped by and I looked down at the table and found my lunch untouched and four hours cold!” (El Salvador)
“The Bahá’í News often is...the only tie to home and the so-called ‘outside world.’ Often, it is the only piece of literature we receive in our native tongue...The Bahá’í News...becomes...the letter from home. Besides, it encourages the pioneer to know what his Bahá’í brothers are doing in other parts of the world and it inspires him to double his efforts.” (Ecuador)
...what do you say?
