Bahá’í News/Issue 172/Text
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| BAHÁ’Í |  |
NEWS |
| No. 172 | DECEMBER, 1944 | YEAR 101 | BAHA’I ERA |
Messages from the Guardian[edit]
Moneeb Shaheed, grandson of both ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the King of Martyrs, married according to the Moslem rites the daughter of a political exile who is nephew of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. This treacherous act of alliance with enemies of the Faith merits condemnation of entire Bahá’í world.
Received November 7, 1944
Shared grief at passing of devoted, faithful pioneer (John Stearns). His services have been unforgettable and highly meritorious. Advise the construction of a Memorial. Assure friends in Lima (Peru) my deepest, loving sympathy.
Received November 19, 1944
Comforted, strengthened by assurance of sympathy and loyalty of American believers in the deplorable, delicate situation created by dishonorable alliances made by members of my family, first with Covenant-breakers and now with external enemies of the Faith.
The marvelous, rapid, sound, evolution of the institutions of the Faith in five continents, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, constitutes best monition, most effective counteraction to the detrimental influence of those whose acts proclaim their severance from the Holy Tree and their forfeiture of their sacred birthright.
The occasion demands that you direct, special attention to passages in "God Passes By" indicating the gravity of the past crises precipitated since the inception of the Faith by kinsmen both of the Manifestation and the Center of His Covenant, demonstrating the pitiful futility at their nefarious activities and the sad fate overtaking defectors and betrayers.
The present hour calls for unrelaxing vigilance, continued heroism, redoubled efforts, renewed dedication by the rank and file of the community enjoying preponderating share alike in the erection, the defense, and the consolidation of the worldwide Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh since the passing of the Center of His Covenant.
I urge the entire Bahá’í community of the Western Hemisphere to focus its attention during the remaining months of the opening year of the second century on the formation of local Assemblies in the remaining Republics of Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Bolivia and San Domingo, guard against dissolution of Assemblies already painstakingly established throughout the Americas, exert effort on further multiplication of groups, wider dissemination of literature, greater use of radio, closer contact with masses, more audacious proclamation of the Faith, more effective coordination of local and national activities aiming at fuller demonstration of the rights and claims of the Faith to be regarded as sole refuge of humanity in its hour of bitterest agony.
The American believers’ meritorious activities, individual, local, inter-state, intercontinental, will be the object of my special prayers during the approaching Anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's Ascension.
Received November 21, 1944
The Spirit Is Progressive[edit]
Beloved Friends:
The National Spiritual Assembly met during four and one-half days in November to meet the exigencies of an agenda summarized in fourteen typewritten pages. The Minutes recording the actions taken fill forty-nine pages, a copy of which is supplied to the Guardian and to each Assembly member. In addition, the Minutes of Trustee meetings are recorded in six or seven pages. One hundred and ninety-eight separate votes were adopted, one of these— appointing the sixty-three State and Province Convention Committees— based upon consultation and discussion throughout one entire day.
The messages from the Guardian which were given first consideration at the meeting are published elsewhere in the previous and present numbers of Bahá’í News. Their vital import is evident to every Bahá’í. The whole effort of the National Spiritual Assembly is to arise to the level of the great responsibility laid upon it for the adoption of sound and practicable plans, the coordination of efforts, and the unification of the entire Bahá’í community for the achievement of the next stage in its world mission.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá bequeathed to His friends the sublime truth that the Spirit is progressive; it is the power of action and continuous achievement on this plane. Unlike the religions of creed, ceremonial and formal worship, the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh undergoes irresistible advance. Even when outwardly quiet, even when assailed by the greatest of the worldly powers, the Bahá’í Faith is registering progress and manifesting capacity to attain its goal. As we are a Bahá’í community, nourished by the Spirit, let us show forth the characteristics of our faith in activity, union, enthusiasm, and reverence for the guidance we receive from the Guardian.
Treasurer’s Report
This will summarize the treasurer’s report for November, carrying forward some of the essential items from the beginning of the fiscal year, March 1, 1944.
The annual budget was fixed at
$135,000.00. By November 30,
$75,024.85 had been donated by the
believers. There remains $59,975.15
to be contributed by February 28.
One hundred local Assemblies sent
donations in November, while thirty-two
seemed unable to meet the collective
obligation to sustain the Fund.
Of the groups, forty-nine contributed.
The total received in November
was $5,774.61, the total spent was[Page 2]
$6,255.51. Among the items of
expense were: Administration,
$1,269.61; Temple maintenance,
$749.23; Temple repair (resurfacing
decks), $940.00; Green Acre
maintenance, $148.43; National and
Regional Teaching, $1,326.00;
Inter-America Teaching, $1,100.60. The
amount given to the other National
Committee was $141.50, and $570.00 was
sent to the International Bahá’í Fund
through the Guardian.
The Canadian Bahá’í Fund receives and dispenses the contributions of the Bahá’ís of Canada, which cannot be sent across the border under war regulations. We have statements for September and October. The contributions were: $520 and $519 respectively, while expenditures for the two months combined amounted to $668.50. Most of the expense is for budgets assigned to settlers and pioneers.
National Activities
Many important recommendations made by National Committees for carrying out plans in the field of radio, press publicity, etc., have had to be deferred for lack of funds. As the work develops, more of the Committees arrive at the point where they need office space and full-time clerical help, which calls for a yearly operating budget. Each step of progress in our collective power to act must be conditioned upon material resources. Every believer wants above all to see evidences of large and powerful public Bahá’í enterprises, just as he wants to see activity in his own community. But a nationwide campaign cannot be developed out of one hundred and thirty or more local campaigns, each planned separately and all calling for most of the available local donations. What the National Spiritual Assembly is striving to bring about is a forceful nationwide campaign, which will of its own momentum and influence creates the most favorable conditions, and effective instruments, for any number of local teaching and publicity plans. This intention can be realized as soon as the National Fund is given the first and paramount consideration by Assemblies and believers. Just as the construction of the Temple has vitalized the life of every local community, near to or far from the Edifice itself, so will a truly comprehensive radio and publicity campaign return to every local community a result infinitely greater than the amount of its own contribution to the National Fund. The time is at hand when these facts call for understanding, resolve, sacrifice and action.
A good beginning, nevertheless, was made at the November meeting. The National Assembly adopted a number of measures aimed at a coordination of national and local activity for the promotion of the Bahá’í Peace Program. In outline, this campaign provides for:—
- 1. The printing of 15,000 each of
four Peace Broadsides containing excerpts from the Bahá’í Writings, numbered consecutively l, 2, 3 and 4 but without date, so that their distribution can achieve an accumulative effect, of these, 5,000 sets will be mailed monthly for four months by the Public Relations Committee to a list being compiled from federal and state officials, peace societies, educators, news commentators, etc. The cooperation of local Assemblies and individual believers is earnestly solicited in the development of this list. Please send suggested names and addresses to the National Office as soon as possible. The remaining 10,000 sets of four Peace Broadsides are offered for sale by the Publishing Committee, as per separate notice in this issue of Bahá’í News.
- 2. The Radio Committee has been
requested to develop material for a broadcast on the Bahá’í Peace Program and make an effort to have one station used in each State and Province. The Bahá’í News Service Committee has been requested to develop a news release on the same subject.
- 3. Local Assemblies are requested
to conduct at least one public meeting or general conference on this subject of the Bahá’í Peace Program before April 21. The date is left to the discretion of each Assembly. Among the references easily available are: “Peace A Divine Creation.” “Bahá’í Peace Program.” “Goal of a New World Order,” “Unfoldment of World Civilization,” “Pattern for Future Society.” “Bahá’í Teachings on Universal Peace.” and “The Lesser and the Most Great Peace,” all listed in the Bahá’í catalog.
- 4. The Study Outline Committee
has been requested to prepare an outline for community and group study of the subject, which has such overwhelming importance at this time. Finally, the Publications Committee has been requested to reissue “The Foundations of World Unity.” out of print for some time.
All of us have a part in this great effort to make the Bahá’í Peace Program a living issue in the hearts and minds of the masses of people, whose future depends on the realization of Bahá’u’lláh’s world order, as well as upon the men and women of eminence and authority who for the most part will make the decisions on matters of public policy in relation to world affairs during the period of the “Lesser Peace.” Let each of us, moreover, make these Teachings on Peace a firm, clear aspect of our very souls, that we may be steadfast witnesses among the people at this crucial time.
Sacred Foundation of World Bahá’í Community
On receiving the Guardian’s message concerning Moneeb Shaheed, the National Spiritual Assembly informed Shoghi Effendi that it unreservedly shared his condemnation
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Bahá’í News is published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada as the official news-letter of the Bahá’í community. The final issue appeared in December, 1924. On April 10, 1925, the Guardian wrote: “The News Letter which you have lately initialed fulfills a very vital function . . . .I would urge you to enlarge its scope . . . that in time it may devote a special section to every phase of your activities, administrative, devotional, humanitarian, financial, educational and otherwise. “It should become a great factor in promoting understanding, providing information on Bahá’í activity, both local and foreign, in stimulating interest, in combating evil influences, and in upholding and safeguarding the institutions of the Cause.” The contents include: material supplied by the National Spiritual Assembly, such as the Guardian’s messages, the Assembly’s letters and its general statements and reports; Committee plans which have been approved and authorized; Committee news reports of activities; annual reports from local Assemblies; news items from local Assemblies; activities in regional areas as reported by or through the National Teaching Committee; activities in Central and South America as reported by the Inter–America Committee; news from other lands gathered from the bulletins of the various National Assemblies; a record of new enrollments and transfers; a record of deaths; photographs of general Bahá’í interest. Bahá’í News in edited for the National Spiritual Assembly by its Bahá’í News Committee: Horace Holley, Secretary, Garreta Busey, Mable H. Paine. Address: Bahá’í News Committee, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Ill. |
of the treacherous act, and that the onslaught of deniers and enemies against the Guardianship, sacred foundation of world Bahá’í community, strengthens the devotion and resolution of the American Bahá’ís.
This pledge and affirmation unites the community of Bahá’ís around their divinely appointed Center in Haifa. It presents an unassailable front to any and all who become Covenant-breakers either in the Holy Land or our own country. It means that we thoroughly understand the fundamental issues involved and enter into no argument or discussion with those who would confuse and betray our faith. We have the highest confirmation possible in this world, the assurance of Bahá’u’lláh Himself, and its perfect explanation and unfailing application of the Master and by the Guardian, that the Faith is impregnable to attack either from without or within; but the mysterious movement of Providence calls for sacrifice as well as knowledge and assurance on the part of the believers. The subject is presented in a separate statement. By activity and achievement we can demonstrate the futility of those seeking to undermine the Bahá’í community.
The Great Division[edit]
The Manifestation of God divides as well as unites. Both functions are inseparable since there can never be union between those who turn toward the divine Center and those who deny and turn away. It is in the Holy Family that history attests the operation of this dual principle in the supreme degree, where light and dark are most intense.
The new case of disloyalty to the Faith reported by the Guardian’s message from Haifa pertains to another member of the Holy Household who has allied himself by marriage, under an abrogated Islamic law, to violent and implacable foes of the Faith. This event can but steel the determination of the loyal friends throughout the Bahá’í world to condemn such an attitude, expressed in this or similar actions, whenever or wherever they arise. No one, however eloquent, his pretense and claim at faithfulness, can sustain such a claim by an act which directly contradicts it. The present case joins in the most intimate of human relations a descendant of Bahá’u’lláh with dark forces which seek
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National Assembly State Conventions Annual Convention During the remainder of the current Bahá’í year the following schedule of meetings will be observed by the National Spiritual Assembly: January 13, 14, 15, 16; March 9, 10, ll, 12, 13; April 26. The State and Province meeting for election of delegates will be held February 25. The annual Convention will be held April 27,28,29 and 30. |
to cut down the very Tree of Paradise. The Master, in His Will and Testament, declared that the decayed branches on the tree would be replaced, foretelling the disaffections that would occur in the Family of the Manifestation after His own ascension.
That wondrous Tree of Manifestation bears every manner of fruit, no other than the lofty ideals and noble attributes giving life to the world. Here are concentrated all the divine energies and productive strength. In striking contrast is the evil tree which bears, but bitter fruit, nourishing every evil that influences mankind.
From the Gospels we have the story of how the disciples, doubtless led by Judas, inquired of Jesus who should be the greatest. Among the answers recorded is that He said in part: “Woe unto the world because of offenses! It must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
“Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than with two feet or two hands to be cast into everlasting fire.”
Was He not thus warning His loyal servants against the machinations of Judas, the traitor?
Obviously the same conditions arise in every cycle. What has happened to this Supreme Cycle is well illustrated in the Guardian’s monumental book, “God Passes By.” To the faithful, to be warned is to act. Partaking in so bounteous a measure of divine favors carries with it the solemn obligation to guard the Faith from impious assaults, repudiate and also shun those who make themselves the enemies of God. The true believers can never include those who in any manner give aid and comfort to, and ally themselves with, the breakers of His Covenant; for the Covenant is our only assurance of the oneness of mankind.
Now that we may have the information necessary to protect our own communities from the efforts of the New History Society to assail the Guardianship and denounce the Administrative Order, let us make note of statements made by the Guardian concerning Ahmad Sohrab in recent years and Previously published in Bahá’í News. These statements suffice. Discussion and argument are closed.
“The material sent to him regarding the legal action taken against the New History Society, as well as copies of their monthly publication, have been received and the Guardian feels that Ahmad Sohrab is increasingly revealing his latent opposition to the spirit as well as to the letter of the Master’s Will and Testament. His references to excommunication flatly contradict the Master’s own actions and attitude, of which he is personally fully aware, and are irreconcilable with some of the most emphatic and unmistakable injunctions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will and Testament. His increasingly bold criticisms of the action taken by the Guardian amounts to a repudiation of the authority of the Guardianship, and is thus an open and flagrant violation of the Will establishing that authority. In fact the more he writes and the more he gives vent to his true feelings, and discloses his real attitude to what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has regarded as absolutely essential to the unity, the integrity and protection of the Faith, the more will he clearly demonstrate his disloyalty to the Master whom he professes to uphold and defend. He is no doubt the most subtle, resourceful and indefatigable enemy the Faith has had in America, and the retribution he will in the end suffer will be correspondingly grievous and devastating. Every effort should be made by your Assembly to protect the new believers from the poison which he is trying to instill into their minds and souls, and to reinforce their confidence in his ultimate downfall and complete obliteration.”—(Through his secretary, May 25, 1941.)
“Obscure in his origin, ambitious
of leadership, untaught by the lesson
of such as have erred before him,
odious in the hopes he nurses,
contemptible in the methods he pursues,
shameless in his deliberate distortions
of truths he has long since
ceased to believe in, ludicrous in his
present isolation and helplessness[Page 4]
wounded and exasperated by the
downfall which his own folly has
precipitated, he, the latest protagonist
of a spurious cause, cannot but
in the end be subjected, as remorselessly
as his infamous predecessors,
to the fate which they invariably
have suffered.”
“Generated by the propelling and purifying forces of a mysterious Faith, born of delusion or malice, winning a fleeting notoriety derived from the precarious advantages of wealth, fame or fortune, these movements sponsored by deluded, self–seeking adventurers find themselves, sooner or later, enmeshed in the machinations of their authors, are buried in shame, and sink eventually into complete oblivion.”
“The schism which their foolish leaders had contrived so sedulously to produce within the Faith, will soon, to their utter amazement, come to be regarded as a process of purification, a cleansing agency, which, far from decimating the ranks of its followers, reinforces its indestructible unity, and proclaims anew to a world, skeptical or indifferent, the cohesive strength of the institutions of that Faith, the incorruptibility of its purposes and principles, and the recuperative powers inherent in its community life.”—(August 12, 1941)
State Conventions[edit]
Preliminary Notice
The election of delegates to the 1945 Convention by the Bahá’ís of the States and Provinces of the United States and Canada will be held on the uniform date of February 25, 1945. The National Spiritual Assembly has appointed a State Convention Committee of three persons for each electoral unit, to determine the place of the meeting in each State or Province, to determine the most convenient hour of the day designated by the National Spiritual Assembly, to report these decisions to the N.S.A. to be included in the general call of the State Conventions, and to open the meeting on February 25 with a reading of the State Convention Call and arrange for the election of permanent Officers. If any member of the State Convention Committees cannot serve, the remaining members or member are authorized to fulfill the functions of the Committee.
As the State Convention Call is to go out in January 5, 1945, it is evident that the reports of all State Committees must be sent to the National
Bahá’í House of Worship used as theme for stage decoration at performance of Chicago Grand Ladies Piano Symphony Orchestra Wednesday evening, May 24, 1944 at Orchestra Hall, Chicago. The chorus “The Voices of All Nations,” sing the new musical composition, “The Making of the Temple.” Antoinette Rich conducting.
Office at the earliest possible
date, and they have been requested
to report before December 20.
Since, moreover, the number of delegates assigned to each State and Province depends on the number of resident Bahá’ís, the National Assembly has requested each local Assembly to report its membership list by December 15.
In the case of two States—California and New York—two electoral units have been determined for each State, in view of the widespread distribution of Bahá’ís and the difficulty of convening them in any one place during this period of uncertain accommodations for travellers. The Bahá’ís of California are requested to note that the boundary separating the Northern and Southern California electoral units follows the north boundary of the following counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, and San Bernardino; while the New York Bahá’ís will note that the Southern New York electoral unit comprises the Metropolitan area of the City of New York, Long Island, and the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, Duchess, and Ulster. The remainder of the State comprises the Northern New York electoral unit. In these States, the assignment of delegates will be made to each electoral area proportionately to the number of resident Bahá’ís therein. The voter will vote for delegates, resident in his particular electoral unit and will not be free to name as delegate a Bahá’í living in the other electoral unit of the State.
Finally, the National Spiritual Assembly emphasizes the fact that these State and Province elections are annual meetings and not, through the Officers they elect at the meeting, permanent secondary administrative bodies. In other words, they are like the annual Convention in that their function is fulfilled at the meeting and does not continue throughout the year. This matter was clarified for us by the Guardian, in response to a question sent to him by the N.S.A. after studying the reports and recommendations received from the Officers of the State Conventions held last April. No administrative authority exists within the various States and Provinces at this time to represent all the resident Bahá’ís in holding other Statewide gatherings or carrying out teaching plans coordinating all the Bahá’í facilities within the State or Province.
Sixty-three electoral areas will participate in the election of delegates this year.
The Source and Nature of Rebellion Within the Cause[edit]
As Shoghi Effendi advises us in his message of November 21, he has presented the salient facts and the significant truths concerning rebellion in his book “God Passes By,” and it is incumbent on us to study these passages with special care.
The references which seem most relevant for consideration whether in group discussion or individual reflection are the following: pages 112–114; page 133 (“Tell him—”); pages 163-164, from “More odious than” to “bring it to a head”; pages 164-165, the par. Beginning “A constant witness”; page 170, from “The ‘Most Great Idol’” to “its divine power”; page 233, final par.; pages 246-249, from “This crisis” to “all come to pass”; pages 263-264, from “Embittered by” to “the second letter”; pages 319-320; pages 355-356, from “In the Holy Land” to “sealed their doom.”
The volume as a whole gives us the complete answer to the enemies and external resistors of the Faith, for it presents the illumined vision of the Dispensation which the opponent and betrayer wishes to destroy. The passages indicated, however, will enable us to focus attention on the theme at this time.
Knowing that resistance and disobedience to the Revelation is nothing else than rebellion against the Manifestation, we need not allow ourselves to be engulfed by the false arguments and distorted, unfounded claims, pretenses or challenges of those who wage the same battle but at a greater distance from the Center of the Faith. It is merely necessary to realize that while Mírzá Yahyá or Mírzá Muhammad–‘Ali expressed their rebellion in attempts to suppress and even assassinate Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the words and deeds of Covenant–breakers who would misinterpret the Master’s Testament, who would foment suspicion of the Guardian, who would undermine the Administrative Order—such words and deeds, while apparently and superficially non–violent and rational in method, actually exemplify the same attitude though in a feebler expression. The motives are the same; the result, if they were successful, would be the same. That is why the lesser rebel, like the greater, destroys his own position in the Bahá’í community.
World Unity banquet held by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Milwaukee, February 19, 1944.
The Divine Plan[edit]
Realm of the Spiritual Hero
What for convenience and concentration of energy was termed a Seven Year Plan must be regarded as only one stage in the evolution of the Bahá’í Community. There were pioneers, settlers and teaching efforts prior to 1937, and the work of teaching will go forward until Europe, Africa, Asia and the Islands of the sea are brought inside the Unity fulfilling the oneness of mankind.
At whatever stage we enter this vitalizing process, however, we contribute toward its consummation, the Divine Plan may be viewed as a spiritually created realm graciously opened to the Heroes and Heroines of the spiritual life in this Day. It is a realm which the Master Himself exemplified and over which He holds sway. To enter this realm and remain there in any capacity is the sign of utmost achievement in this world. The gates swing wide for all humanity, but so far only a handful has heard and heeded the glorious Call.
Few that have entered from our ranks would conceive of themselves as heroic. Of these few the majority no doubt has been conscious of unworthiness and even of fear. Outwardly, they wore no uniform carrying the insignia of rank, title and authority. Yet they could not remain in the realm of the Divine Plan without attaining true heroism, for the craven spirit and the selfish materialist are not permitted to abide.
Now again, as in 1937, the needs of the Cause, speaking through the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and calling to us through the messages of the Guardian, require the services of a host of believers to go forth as settlers and pioneers into new cities and unto far lands. The realm of heroism awaits. It can bestow a divine gift, of youth, of strength, of knowledge, of love. The people, as Bahá’u’lláh cried out, are as dead bodies seeking souls.
Above the clamor of the world’s struggle may the spiritual Call be heard from a host of blessed believers, by whose heroism the whole Bahá’í community shall fulfill its sacred mission. Those who are ready to respond may signalize their intention by addressing either the National Teaching Committee or the Inter-America Committee, both of which have posts that must be filled.
Wilmington Assembly Conducts Legal Marriage Service[edit]
The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís
of Wilmington, Delaware, has
received civil authority to conduct
a legal marriage, even though the
Assembly is not incorporated. This[Page 6]
authority has been granted under
statutes which apparently are not
duplicated in other states.
Review Notices[edit]
The Publishing Committee requests the friends to send clippings of any press review of Bahá’í books which they might note in their local paper. The Committee wishes to maintain as complete a record of press reviews as possible.
Teaching Literature for Small Communities[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly has authorized the Publishing Committee to provide up to $5.00 of teaching pamphlets without cost to Assemblies in cities having less than twenty–five Bahá’ís. Such Assemblies may apply directly to the Publishing Committee, and should list the pamphlets wanted. Books are not available under this arrangement.
Inter–America News[edit]
“First year second Bahá’í century should witness (1) establishment Spiritual Assembly in every remaining Republic, and be signalized (by) (2) steady increase pioneers both Latin (and) North America; (3) further multiplication groups, and (4) wider dissemination Bahá’í literature both Spanish (and) Portuguese . .” The above quotation from the Guardian’s message to the National Spiritual Assembly dated July 18, 1944, clearly defines the goals of the Latin American teaching work. With these in mind the Inter–America Committee is bending every effort to send additional pioneers to assist those already serving so valiantly in the field, and to assist the two new committees (Reviewing and Publishing Committee in Buenos Aires and the Bulletin Committee in Panama), which resulted from the consultations with the Latin American representatives during the Centenary and in early July.
The “remaining Republics” in which the Guardian wishes Spiritual Assemblies established by April 21, 1945, are Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
New Pioneer Projects
On November 11 Dr. Malcolm M. King left New Orleans in Nicaragua, and has already written a most heartening report from the beginning of his work there. He is being greatly assisted by Srta. Blanca V. Mejia, who represented Nicaragua at the Centenary. Through her, Dr. King has met many people of influence and intellectual capacity.
Virginia Orbison is now in Quito, Ecuador, on a temporary mission, and will soon be joined by Haig Kavorkian who is coming from Buenos Aires to be the resident teacher.
The latest pioneer to depart was Elizabeth Cheney, who left Miami on November 29 for visits to Venezuela, Colombia, Buenos Aires, and Uruguay on her way to Asuncion, Paraguay.
Recent Events
Guatemala: After a most successful teaching visit to Guatemala City, Mrs. Florence Keemer has returned to the United States, but before leaving she had the great joy and satisfaction of sending in three membership cards.
San Salvador: Clarence Iverson was called home to Phoenix because of the illness of his mother, who passed away on October 20. This was his first return home since he started pioneering in Central America five years ago. On November 16 he returned again to his post in El Salvador, and writes from there of the great addition to their group through the coming of Dr. Edelberto Torres, formerly of Guatemala City.
Peru: A beautiful letter from Eve Nicklin reported the death of John Stearns in Lima on November 7. Pioneering first in Ecuador, and later in Peru, John made a truly important and valuable contribution to the establishment of the Cause in South America. A message from the Guardian says: “Share your grief in the passing of this devoted, faithful pioneer, whose service is unforgettable and highly meritorious. Assure friends in Lima of deepest, loving sympathy. Advise construction of a memorial.”
The reports of the progress of the teaching work in Lima are most heartening. Two new membership cards bring the number of the community there in fifteen. Already, extension, teaching has been undertaken, and through the efforts of Sr. Alfredo de Barreda, there is a wonderful group studying in Callao. Eve Nicklin is achieving unusual results with a delightful group of young people who are studying with great interest, although none are as yet signed believers.
Bolivia: After a return visit to La Paz, Virginia Orbison Writes, “Bolivia is really going ahead, and this makes me very happy for the sake of the very valiant Flora.” Four new membership cards have been forwarded, which increases the number of Bahá’ís in La Paz to nine. Through the excellent teaching efforts of Virginia Orbison and Flora Hottes at Sucre, Bolivia, there are hopes of a group or even an Assembly being formed in this city before April 21.
Chile: From Marcia Steward, recently returned to Santiago, comes a glowing report of Bahá’í activities there. Marcia plans to return to Magallanes sometime in late January to continue the effective teaching work which she has initiated there, and which gives every promise of resulting in the early formation of a Bahá’í group in the southern most tip of this Hemisphere. Marcia also writes of the valuable assistance which Artemus Lamb, who is in Chile on business, has given to her teaching efforts.
Puerto Rico: Margaret Lentz became a settler and pioneer teacher in San Juan early this fall.
Jamaica: William Mitchell, who was a Centenary representative, reports a Bahá’í community of fourteen members at Kingston. Dr. King pioneered there for two years.
Centenary Souvenir[edit]
The friends are informed that copies of the Centenary Souvenir are still available. For those who did not attend the celebrations it is explained that a special Souvenir was produced consisting of a photograph of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and a photograph of the House of Worship mounted in a folder measuring 8½ by 11 inches. A copy was presented to all Bahá’ís present at the Centenary who had been believers prior to the Master’s visit in 1912. The picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’ is a view hitherto not available.
Local Assemblies might well consider presenting a Souvenir to the older members of the community who would have qualified for the public presentation had they been able to come to Wilmette last May. The Souvenir, moreover, is a beautiful Bahá’í possession for any believer to have for himself.
The cost, postpaid, is $1.00 each.
Send orders to Temple Librarian
and Sales Committee, through H.E[Page 7]
Walrath, Chairman, 4639 Beacon
Street, Chicago, Ill,
Centenary Edition[edit]
A special edition of Bahá’í World Faith, bound in red leather, was produced by the Publishing Committee and first displayed at the book table during the Convention and Centenary week. For this edition the last available supply of real leather was used, and only 500 books could be made, In this binding the believers have a permanent as well as beautiful volume of the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Price per copy, postpaid, $5.00. It is suggested that local Librarians have one copy on display.
Order through Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Centenary Memorial Book[edit]
The Publishing Committee has already published in Bahá’í News a notice of the volume compiled by the National Spiritual Assembly as a memorial of the Centenary and record of fifty years of Bahá’í activity in North America. This work offers both new and old believers a uniform view of our own Bahá’í history, a compilation of words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá concerning America, excerpts from the Guardian’s letters on the same subject, representative photographs, statistical data, and above all, excerpts from Nabíl’s history concerning the Declaration and the Martyrdom of the Báb. This work is an official Bahá’í record which Assemblies and individual believers can use for teaching, by placing copies with important persons and organizations. The price per copy, postpaid, $2.00.
God Passes By[edit]
The Publishing Committee has been immersed in the great but inspiring task of filling orders on this book which amounted to more than a thousand copies by November 9, the publication date. As new orders are received now, they can be filled without delay. The Guardian’s outline and interpretation of Bahá’í history has been received throughout North America with gratitude and enthusiasm. There could be no more effective testimony of the divine nature of the new World Order for the public than this book. Per copy, postpaid, $2.50.
Window display arranged by the Bahá’ís of Ridgewood, N. J., on the occasion of a Temple lecture, 1943.
New Publications[edit]
The Centenary of a World Faith, compiled by the N. S. A. of the British Isles. A scholarly and most interesting presentation of the Cause issued in London for the Centenary celebrations. Per copy, postpaid, $1.50.
Architectural Concrete Magazine–reprint of an illustrated four–page article on the House of Worship prepared by the staff of Portland Cement Association of Chicago for publication in the trade paper most directly concerned with the type of construction which the Temple most strikingly exemplifies today. The article itself is extremely well done, and the special feature is a reproduction of a photograph of the Temple filling page one, in size about 9 by 11 inches. Sold only in lots of ten copies for $1.00.
Peace Broadsides, four sheets, letterhead size, numbered consecutively 1 to 4, each containing brief excerpts from the Bahá’í Writings on Peace and prepared for mailing or giving out in consecutive order so as to produce an accumulative effect. The broadsides are part of the current nationwide campaign for the Bahá’í Peace Program in which all believers can take part. Sold only in lots of 100 sets of the four (four hundred sheets) for $2.00.
Deepening the Spiritual Life, study outline by Horace Holley, second edition. References needed: “Gleanings,” for all but three passages, which can be found in “Promulgation,” “Bahá’í World Faith,” or either “Wisdom of ‘Abdul-Bahá” or “Bahá’í Scriptures.” The purpose of this outline is to afford a group approach to Teachings which intensify the believer’s awareness of the spiritual life. Sold in lots of five copies for $0.25.
Temple Guiding[edit]
The number of visitors to the Temple for the first ten months of this year totaled 16,477, an increase of 1,992 over 1943 for the same period.
During September visitors numbered 2,456. They came from 43 states, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and the countries of Chile, Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, Persia, China, Denmark, Brazil, Peru, Scotland, England, Germany, Bulgaria and France.
During October visitors numbered 2711. They came from 37 states, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the countries of England, Australia, Colombia, Chile and Peru.
Since this is the first time weekday
guiding has continued through
the month of October it is interesting
to note that 902 visitors were
taken through the Temple on weekdays
alone. The number of visitors
in October this year as compared to
October 1943 shows an increase of
1,464. These figures would seem to
prove that it was well worth while to[Page 8]
keep the Temple open during the
week through October. Several
guides served three and four times
in a week in order to make this
experiment.
Three specially conducted tours were arranged during September and October—
Chicago Evangelical Institute of
- Chicago, 30.
Prairie Club of Chicago, 28.
Women’s Auxiliary of the Chicago
- Medical Society, 12.
A new Temple Guides Study Class was formed in October composed of fifteen youth living in Chicago and suburbs. This class is conducted by Dr. Edris Rice-Wray at the Bahá’í House of Worship every Sunday between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. The youth are intensely interested and Dr. Rice-Wray assures us that we may expect some fine results from this class by Spring.
A similar Temple Guides Study Class will begin within the next few weeks for adults in the Temple area.
The rearrangement of the Reception Room, separating the visitor’s register from the book sales by providing separate tables for each activity, we feel relieved the congestion considerably in that room and at the same time has resulted in an increased sale of literature.
Library Committee[edit]
The National Library Committee would like to share our plans for the coming year with the friends. The following books may now be secured from our committee for presentation to public, college and university libraries: Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, Some Answered Questions, Bahá’í World Faith, The Promised Day Is Come (bound), The Advent of Divine Justice (fabrikoid), The Bahá’í Peace Program (fabrikoid) and Bahá’í World, Volume 8. The current volume or Bahá’í World can only be supplied to important libraries and the local Assemblies are requested to try to donate this book to their main public libraries. Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, and Bahá’í World Faith are the recommended books to offer as a first donation to new libraries. One or two other titles may be offered when teaching activities warrant additional literature be placed in a local library. The important thing to remember is that each request to the national library
Spiritual Assembly or the Bahá’ís of
- Birmingham, Alabama, duly incorporated
- on June 21, 1944.
Correction of Error[edit]
An illustration which appeared in the November issue is run again in December in order to connect it with the correct description — Birmingham, Alabama. For some reason the caption supplied with the Birmingham Assembly picture was replaced by a caption referring to an illustration intended for another picture.
committee must be accompanied by a note of acceptance of Bahá’í literature from the librarian.
Summary of library plans for the coming year:
- 1. Public Libraries: In addition to
our routine presentations made through requests from the friends, we plan to continue our attempts to place at least an Esslemont book in each public library system in cities of 10,000 population and upward. All of these libraries were contacted during the past year. The response was not up to expectations, but many new librarians became acquainted with the term “Bahá’í Faith” through our attractive form letter and a number asked for books.
- 2. College and University
Libraries: We plan to carry on with the systematic coverage of the remaining colleges and universities in our survey. We did have a far better response from these colleges and many received books.
- 3. Peace Libraries: Libraries
housing, peace collections and postwar planning data have been well covered by the library committee. There are 144 War Information Centers in colleges and we do have books in 100 of these colleges and have already contacted the remaining Centers. We wrote to the above 100 college librarians to bring to their attention the Bahá’í books on their shelves with reference to their peace collections.
- 4. Service Libraries: Many of
these libraries now are in camps which are in the process of reconversion. Books have been placed in many important camps and the library committee will gladly fill any request for literature for new service libraries. We recommend that Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era be offered to these libraries. Other books should be offered only when there is sufficient interest in the teachings through teaching activities or the presence of Bahá’í servicemen.
We shall be happy to send the list of libraries in our files to the various Regional Teaching Committees for their regions to assist them in their library surveys. Several Regional Bulletins have published these lists for their states for the information of the friends.
International Auxiliary Language[edit]
In this second century of the Bahá’í Era, as the work of the Cause grows and expands, the services of the International Auxiliary Language Committee are becoming increasingly important. The members of this Committee are appealing to the believers in the United States and Canada to help us in this vital work.
The general public is becoming conscious of the necessity for the fulfillment of Bahá’u’lláh’s principle for the establishment of a universal auxiliary language to facilitate international communication. Every day brings to this Committee request for information and news of increased activities. We therefore offer the suggestion that Bahá’í public programs this year include one talk on an international auxiliary language. Such a talk will fill an important need. We will be glad to help you all in this work.
Encouraging and interesting news
has just been received that Esperanto
magazines in South America
are publishing translations of Bahá’í
writings. The “Pernambuco Esperantisto”
in Brazil carried an article
recently entitled “La Filozofio de
‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” translated by Lidia
Zamenhof, and copied from the
Bahá’í World. Another issue printed
an article written by Horace Holley,
and translated by Leonora Holsapple
Armstrong. This same magazine
had a news item in Portuguese about[Page 9]
the translation into Esperanto of
“The Dawn–Breakers,” and they
mentioned the review of the manuscript
by the American Esperanto
Academy.
We hope that the friends will report to this Committee any of their activities along the line of universal language.
Study Outline Committee[edit]
The Study Outline Committee would like to be of the greatest help to the believers in aiding them to carry out the Guardian’s statement that “they must study for themselves, conscientiously and painstakingly, the literature of their Faith.” To do this most effectively, we urge the friends to write to the Committee if they have a need for study help which they cannot fill. We would also like to hear from those who have had success in a group study, through the use of outlines, or through other means of stimulating the acquisition of that familiarity with the teachings which is our duty and privilege. We would like to hear from Assemblies, groups, or individuals, telling what you have used, and what you need. By sharing our experiences we can work most effectively.
Bahá’í Radio Broadcasts During Centennial Week May 19-25, 1944[edit]
State Assembly Station Date
Alabama ..................Birmingham .................WSGN ....................May 21
Arizona ..................Phoenix ....................KPHO ....................May 22
- Phoenix ....................KOY .....................May 19
Arkansas .................Little Rock ................KARK ....................May 20
California ...............Los Angeles ................KFOX (Long Beach) .......May 21
- Pasadena and
- Alhambra ..................KPAS ....................
- San Francisco ..............KYA .....................May 21
- Geyserville ................KSRO (Santa Rosa) .......May 22
Colorado .................Denver and
- Colorado Springs ..........KFEL .....................May 21
Connecticut ..............New Haven ..................WELI ....................May 21
D. C. ....................Washington .................WWDC ....................May 21
Delaware .................Wilmington .................WILM ....................May 23
Florida ..................Miami ......................WGAM ....................May 21
Georgia ..................Atlanta ....................WAGA ....................May 14
Idaho ....................Boise ......................KIDO ....................May 22
Illinois .................Danville ...................WDAN ....................May 22
- Champaign .................. * *
- Peoria .....................WMBD ....................May 23
- Urbana ..................... * May 23
- Chicago ....................WMAQ ....................May 19
- Chicago ....................WCFL ....................May 19
- Chicago ....................WCFL ....................May 23
- Chicago ....................WCFL ....................May 25
- Chicago ....................WJJD (daily spot announcements)
Indiana ..................Indianapolis ...............WISH ....................May 25
Iowa .....................Cedar Rapids ..............(Centenary announcemnents in news
- broadcast over two stations; radio
- script over third station with Doctor
- Bach, State University broadcasting.)
Kansas ....................Topeka ....................WIBW ....................May 23
Kentucky ..................Louisville ................WGRC..............May 12 and 22
- Louisville .................WAVE ....................May 23
- Louisville .................WINN
Louisiana .................New Orleans ...............WSMB ....................May 23
Maine .....................Covered by Mass.
- Broadcast ................. May 22
Maryland ..................Baltimore ................. * May 22
Massachusetts .............Worchester ................WAAB ....................May 22
Minnesota .................Minneapolos and
- St. Paul ..................WDGY ....................May 23
Centenary News[edit]
The Centenary celebration at Wilmette was made more impressive by the realization of the believers assembled there that the joy of the occasion was shared by individuals and groups of people over a large portion of the globe. Greetings to the convention from distant believers, delivered orally or sent by mail, and the accounts of other celebrations, which have begun to come in, add to the sense of unity in the Cause which was so deeply felt last May.
Latin-America
Srta. Blanca Victoria Mejia, delegate from Nicaragua, said: “I come from a land that is small in size but great in aspirations and I bring you a message of brotherhood that she sends you by means of the most humble of her daughters. Don’t look at her representative for more than the light that radiates from her soul that is full of love and enthusiasm toward a Cause so high and noble as are the Sacred Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. For a long time I have dreamed of knowing you personally, as we profess the same ideas, and therefore I have enjoyed contemplating your souls reflected in your faces, and thus what I don’t understand because of language, I will read in your glances that are the most eloquent expression of the spirit. There is with you a small part of Nicaragua who in this House of Worship asks with you for Peace, Love, and Brotherhood among men.”
Virginia Orbison, traveling teacher
in South America, wrote beautifully
of that web at love spreading
over the two continents of the western
hemisphere, “charming them
into forming the complete integration
of all. . .races, nations, classes
and creeds.” “Evidence of such diffusion,”
she continues, “is this passage
by a most distinguished South
American writer and educator, who
writes from the strange heights at
Bolivia: ‘The Bahá’í books which
you lett after your four-day stay in
this city of Sucre I have read with
great attention, and I hope with benefit.
They are a good tonic for the
spirit. They, and your words, will
be seeds fallen on good ground, and
the time is not far away when they
will bear fruit. . .The Bahá’í Temple
in Chicago must be a marvel,
peerless in all the world. . .If the
opportunity does not present itself
to attend the Centenary of the Bahá’í
Faith, this group of four which you
left, will unite here on May 23 to[Page 10]
celebrate this event. Felicitations for
the success of your task of promulgating
this noble, generous and humane
religion.’
(Signed) “Raul Jaimes Freyre.”
“Eve Nicklin wrote: “May the love and unity that is felt here in our little group in Lima, Peru, reach across time and space and unite with that love and unity that must truly be manifest where you are—there in our beloved House of Worship.”
And Isabel Tirado de Barreda, first believer in Peru and delegate to the Convention says: “With all my heart do I enter into belief in the Bahá’í Faith, convinced that it is the most ample and perfect of all the religions, because it leads to the path which must be followed in order to attain the Grace of God; this through the beautiful Bahá’í prayers. Thus, as a drop of water gradually wears away the stone, so must the Bahá’í Faith engrave the heart of Humanity so that it may be enabled to attain God’s Grace of which it is so much in need.”
The delegate from Brazil, Dr. Fernando Nova, who is a native of Bahia, brought greetings from the friends of that community, “and their messages of love and hope, longing for the day when they will be able to come and worship at this sacred spot.” “We are still only a small group,” he said, “twelve declared believers all told, but we feel that from now on a strong impulse will lead us ahead. . .So far all our achievements have been brought about through prayer; prayer has provoked a deep feeling amongst us, and has urged us on when the going was difficult. . .My coming to the States alone proved to me the power of Bahá’u’lláh’s will; insurmountable difficultles faced us and there seemed no possibility of over–coming them and then suddenly the way was cleared and gradually the pattern was formed and everything fitted as perfectly as a chain, each link joining its counterpart for my coming to receive this wonderful message from you all, which in turn I will take back to the dear friends in Bahia.”
From Trujillo, Santo Domingo, Gwenne Sholtis wrote at the Centenary celebration in that city. It was a joyous fiesta of which were present guests from many countries. Puerto Ricans, one Hungarian, six Dominicans, a young lady from Spain, four Norte Americanos. The eldest guest was a Domincan gentleman of seventy–three, the youngest a child of three and a half. “We
DECEMBER, 1944
Mississippi ..............Greenwood ...............WGRM .................
Jackson ..................WSLI ..................May 23
Michigan .................Ann Arbor ................WQR .............May 28 or 29
Flint ................... * May 23
Missouri .................Kansas City ..............KMBC *
Montana ..................Helena ...................KPFA ..................May 23
Butte ....................KGIR ..................May 23
Bozeman ..................KRBM ..................May 23
Nebraska ................. Nevada ...................Reno .....................KOH ...................May 18
Reno .....................KOH ...................May 23
New Hampshire ............Portsmouth ...............WHEB ..................May 22 New Jersey ...............Red Bank .................WCAP (Asbury Pk.) ..... New Mexico ...............Albuquerque ..............KOB ...................May 19 New York .................Syracuse ................. * *
Auburn ................... * *
Ithaca ...................WHCU *
Binghamton ...............WMBF ..................May 23
New York City ............WMCA & WQXR ...........May 21
Yonkers ..................WFAS (White Plains) ...May 23
North Carolina ...........Greensboro ...............WBIG * North Dakata .............Fargo ....................KVOX (Moorehead, Minn).May 14 Ohio .....................Cleveland.................WJW *
Cincinnati ............... * *
Columbus .................WBNS ..................May 16
Lima .....................WLOK ..................May 17
Oklahoma ................. Oregon ...................Portland .................KWJJ ...........May 22 and 25 Pennsylvania .............Philadelphia .............WFIL ..................May 17
Philadelphia and
West Chester ...........WIBG ..................May 28
Rhode Island ............ South Carolina .......... South Dakota .............Sioux Falls ..............KELO ...................May 22 Tennessee ................ Texas ....................Houston ................. * * Utah .....................Salt Lake City and
Laramie, Wyo. ............KLO (Ogden) .............May 21
Vermont ..................Brattleboro ..............WKNE (Keene, NH) ........May 21 Virginia .................(Combined with
Washington. D. C.) .....
Washington ...............Tacoma ...................KVI .....................May 22
Seattle ..................KIRO ....................May 22
W. Virginia ..............Charleston ...............WQKV ....................May 22 Wisconsin ................Racine ...................WRJN ....................May 16
PROVINCES—Canada
Nova Scotia ..............Halifax .................. * * Quebec ...................Montreal (& vicinity) ....CFCF ....................May 21 Prince Edw. Isl. .........Charlottetown ............CFCY * British Columbia .........Vancouver ................ * May 26 Alberta ..................Edmonton .................CFRN ....................May 28
Calgary .................. * *
Ontario ..................Toronto .................. New Brunswick .............Moncton .................CKCW ....................May 23 Saskatchewan ..............Regina ..................CKRM ....................May 22 Manitoba ..................Winnepeg ................CKRC ....................May 25 Alaska ....................Anchorage ...............KFQD ....................May 23 Hawaii ....................Honolulu ................KGU .....................May 22 Mexico ....................Mexico City ............. * *
•–Note:—Details as to Call letters, date and time, not yet received from any of the Assemblies. Where the date of broadcast does not come within the time of Centennial, it means they could not secure time within those dates.
opened the fiesta with a prayer for
all nations, in Spanish; then the
Báb’s address to the eighteen Letters
of the Living was read. An inspiring
and stimulating discussion took place
about that event. One of the Hindus[Page 11]
chanted a beautiful prayer in the
Indian language, revealed by Lord
Krishna. We had a large cake with
the name of the Báb, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
and 100th anniversary in glistening
pink icing. Sandwiches, cookies, beverages
were served. Kuldi, a ten–year-old
Hindu boy danced several
oriental dances, a Dominican girl of
twelve, sang folk songs, and Jessie
Lee, the three-and-a-half year old
made her contribution to the festive
merrymaking. Then the National
Assembly’s cablegram was read. We
gave them food for their souls, food
for thought, as well as material food.
We were in reality united with every
Bahá’í in the world. Kuldi, the little
Hindu boy, asked, ‘Can I come to
more Bahá’í fiestas? I never see
anything more pretty.’ ”
The United States and Canada
There were local celebrations throughout North America, of which some accounts have been received. One of the most interesting of these was held in conjunction with a Negro church in Montreal. Rúḥíyyih Khánum was the hostess in absentia, having made the celebration possible through her generosity. On June 15 about 30 Bahá’ís and 170 members of the congregation met at the Union United Church for a program which opened with an introductory speech by the pastor, Rev. Charles Este. There followed Bahá’í prayers, music, an account of the history of the Bahá’í Faith by Miss Joy Tellier, an explanation of its principles by Mrs. Rosemary Sala, and the readings of a very beautiful letter from Rúḥíyyih Khánum. Afterwards refreshments were served by a caterer. “The celebration was permeated by a true Bahá’í spirit. There was a complete feeling of unity as the members of the congregation and the Bahá’ís mingled.”
The New York Community presented, on April 28, an Inter-America Centennial program. The music was Latin-American and two addresses were given: Dr. Luis Mena–Solorzano, former Consul General from Nicaragua, spoke on “The Destiny of the Americas,” and Mr. Philip Sprague told of “The New World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.”
In Geneva, New York, the celebration took the form of a recital, April 21. In the first half of the program, poetic readings by Reginald King alternated with music; in the last half, the readings were from “The Dawn–Breakers.”
The Bahá’ís of Southern California
Bahá’ís of Bogota, Colombia, on occasion of formation of first Spiritual Assembly, January 6, 1944.
held a meeting at the Ambassador
Hotel in Los Angeles, Sunday afternoon,
May 21, at which Dr. Edward
Wilber spoke on “The Greatest Day
in History.”
The Spiritual Assemblies of Seattle and Richmond Highlands united to give a program in Seattle on the evening of May 22. Bahá’í addresses were given by Mr. C. G. Nordquist, Mrs. Juliet Cole, and Mrs. Hazel Stauter. A radio broadcast had been given on the afternoon of that day.
A centennial broadcast was also given in Vancouver, where, on May 23, the Bahá’ís gave a banquet attended by nearly forty people. This was followed by a public meeting at which Mrs. B. Liddell and Miss Mae McKenna were the speakers.
Haifa
While we were rejoicing in the beginning of a new century of Bahá’í endeavor, at Wilmette and throughout the western hemisphere, our hearts turned also to the center of the Bahá’í world and to the Guardian. We have been eager to know how the Báb's mission was commemorated at His sacred tomb by Shoghi Effendi, the unifying point of the Faith He inaugurated. Our first news comes by way of clippings from “The Palestine Post” of May 23. The article, which was written the 22, is entitled “Candle-light on Mount Carmel.” It runs as follows: “Some 200 Bahá’ísts from Palestine, Trans-Jordan, Syria, the Lebanon and Egypt gathered here today for the beginning of the three–day Bahá’í centenary celebrations which will start shortly before 10 o’clock tonight.
“This evening electric lights and hundreds of candles illuminated the shrine off Mountain Road on the slopes of Mount Carmel until blackout time. Inside the shrines, huge floral decorations of roses and lilies covered the Persian carpets over the tombs of the Báb and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, where the gathering will take place tonight.”
“Led by Shoghi Effendi (the grand–son of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá) who is the ‘Guardian of the Cause,’ the Bahá’ísts will assemble at the tomb of the Báb at the exact hour tonight when the Báb declared his mission 100 years ago. There will be readings and chantings of Bahá’í prayers and teachings followed by the reading of a centenary review at the Oriental Pilgrims House where Shoghi Effendi will also address the gathering.
“Tonight celebrations are expected to continue until 2 or 3 o’clock tomorrow morning and will be continued in the afternoon with a solemn unveiling of the model showing the entire shrine, which will be completed as soon as conditions will permit the carrying out of the elaborate construction.
“Tomorrow night, a film of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. . . , taken in America, will be shown at the Pilgrims House and there will also be slides showing the completed Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.”
Centenary Committee[edit]
1943-1944
Edna True, Chairman; Mrs. Margery McCormick, Horace Holley, Mrs. Sarah Walrath, Carl Scheffler, Albert Windust, Mrs. Nancy Bowditch, Philip G. Sprague, Allen B. McDaniel, Charles Mason Remey, Mrs. Loulie Mathews, Leroy Ioas, Max Greeven, Mrs. Sarah Kenny, Mrs. Lorol Schopflocher, Rowland Estall, Louis G. Gregory.
The first meeting of the Committee on Bahá’í Centenary was called by the Chairman for September 15th, 1943, at 418 Forest Avenue, Wilmette. The seven members present were: Loulie Mathews, Albert Windust, Louis Gregory, Carl Scheffler, Horace Holley, Allen McDaniel and Edna True.
It was a very humble, almost
frightened group who thus met, for
the first time, to initiate plans and
arrangements for the historic Centenary
of the Báb, the importance of
which occasion, they were deeply
aware of. Earnestly and prayerfully,
they studied minutely the suggestions
and standards for these
celebrations which the Guardian had
sent to the N.S.A. and which had
been published in the July News
Letter. It was heartening, during
even this first consultation, to see
the Centenary plans begin to take on the
form so that the Committee were[Page 12]
able to submit to the N.S.A., at their
session which followed immediately,
concrete recommendations which
included the following:
- 1. That the length of the Centenary
Period should be one week from May 19th, so that the Commemoration of the Declaration of the Báb on May 22nd, would fall midway.
- 2. That the time of this Commemoration
Service should be so planned that its climax would come at exactly two hours and eleven minutes after sunset.
- 3. That the Public Meeting, to be
held on this same evening, should include, in its program, two Bahá’í and two non–Bahá’í speakers. (Because of our limited time, this was afterwards changed to include only one non-Bahá’í speaker.)
- 4. That the subjects of the other
public meetings should be carefully planned so as to include all of the special features, mentioned by the Guardian.
- 5. That a public Banquet should
be held, at a befitting place in Chicago, on May 24th. This was later changed to May 25th.
- 6. That in order to achieve the
greatest possible harmony in the pattern of the Celebrations as a whole, and to avoid duplication of effort and possible confusion, all of the arrangements for the Centenary be centralized in one over–all Committee which would function, in turn through its special sub-committees.
On September 28th, the N.S.A. reported back its actions on the various recommendations presented and appointed as an Executive (working) Committee the following members of the Committee on Bahá’í Centenary: Allen McDaniel, Horace Holley, Louis Gregory, Albert Windust, Margery McCormick, Sarah Walrath, Carl Scheffler and Edna True. In this Committee were centralized the plans and arrangements for the full Centenary Period, with the exception of the Dedication of the Temple and the Commemoration of The Declaration of the Báb, in the Temple Auditorium, May 22nd. The other members of the Committee on Bahá’í Centenary were informed of this action, by the Chairman, under date of September 28th, at which time they were urged to continue in an advisory capacity.
The Executive Committee of the Committee on Bahá’í Centenary met throughout the winter and spring on the following dates: December 2, January 9, January 23, February 20, February 29, March 12, April 3, April 17, April 29, and May 10. A full report of progress and all recommendations needing final approval, were presented to the N.S.A. at each of their sessions. As these were always submitted in writing, they are not included, in detail, in this report.
The various Sub-Committees appointed by the Executive Committee and approved by the N.S.A. functioned continuously throughout the winter and spring. These were as follows:
1. HOUSING
- Local Homes: Minneola Hannen,
- Chairman, Harriet Hilpert, Mary
- Haggard, Edna Coleman, May Scheffler
- Hotels: William Henning, Chairman,
- John Haggard, Harry Walrath.
2. FOOD
- Harriet Hilpert, Chairman, Gertrude
- Henning, Florence Gibson, Wyatt
- Cooper.
3. CENTENARY NOTICES
- Horace Holley.
4. TEMPLE PREPARATIONS
- Carl scheffler, Chairman, Robert
- Hammond, Carl Hannen, Edna True.
5. MUSIC
- Albert Windust, Chairman, Nellie
- French, Katherine True, Margery
- McCormick, Janet Lindstrom, Arna
- Perron, May scheffler.
6. PROGRAMS
- (Speakers and subjects, for other
- meetings than those on the 22nd.)
- The committee as a whole.
7. DECORATIONS
- Carl Scheffler, Chairman, Loulie
- Mathews, Doris Holley, Janet Lindstrom,
- Arna Perron, Gertrude
- Struven.
8. FIRST AID
- Dr. Katherine True, Chairman, Dr.
- Edris Rice-Wray, Helena O’Grady,
- Carl Hannen.
9. SPECIAL INVITATION COMMITTEE
- Sarah Walrath, Margery McCormick,
- May Scheffler.
10. USHERS COMMITTEE
- Ernest Van Meer, Chairman.
On February 29, the suggested plans and arrangements worked out by the above–mentioned Sub-Committees were gone over and approved by the Executive Committee, and presented to the National Spiritual Assembly. These arrangements were as follows:
1. HOUSING: That the Stevens
- Hotel in Chicago should be made
- the official hotel for the housing of
- the visiting Bahá’ís, and that the
- public Banquet, Thursday evening,
- May 25th, should be held in its
- Ball Room. The Housing Committee
- were to continue placing as
- many as possible in Evanston
- hotels and in private homes along
- the North Shore.
2. MUSIC: That all of the music in
- Foundation Hall and the Temple
- Auditorium should be from the records,
- because of the difficult
- acoustical problems. In order to
- clarify the Guardian’s wishes in
- this connection a cable was sent
- to him and a reply received, approving
- the recorded music. Each
- public meeting was to be preceded
- by a half–hour of selections from
- symphonies, choruses and solos.
3. DECORATIONS AND SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION: That Foundation
- Hall, the hallways, reception
- room, washrooms, and stairways,
- should be painted. That an adequate
- check–room should be constructed
- and that a book-stall
- should be arranged, in an over-flow
- reception room to be developed in
- the open space behind the Temple
- model. Extra telephones were to
- be installed, and the Centenary
- Office temporarily established in
- the small check-room near the
- front entrance. A First Aid and
- Emergency Room should be set up
- in the room adjacent to the kitchen.
- New hangings were to be
- placed behind the rostrum in
- Foundation Hall, and on the walls
- of the permanent reception room.
- New rugs were to be purchased,
- and furniture re-upholstered, for
- the permanent reception room. A
- special niche, designed by Gertrude
- Struven, was to be built and
- erected in the Temple Auditorium,
- for the displaying of the portrait of
- the Báb.
4. FOOD: That a tent be erected on
- the Parking Area, in which Lunches
- and Dinners would be served
- throughout the Centennial Period
- by a catering company.
5. PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM:
- That a Public Address System
- should be installed by Mr. John
- Sesterhenn, and arrangements
- made for the recording of the
- Commemoration Program.
6. IDENTIFICATION BADGES:
- That Identification Badges and
- Registration Facilities should be
- prepared for the proper identification
- of the Bahá’í Membership.
7. PROGRAMS: That the Programs
- in their entirety should cover the
- subjects emphasized by the Guardian,
- which were as follows:
- Significance of the Faith.
- Its Universality.
- Its World-Wide Influence.
- Its Indestructible Unity.
- Its Moving History.
- Its World Order.[Page 13]
- Its First House of Worship in
the Western World.
- Its Attitude Towards other
Faiths.
In planning the different Public Meetings for the Centenary Period, the Centenary Committee, although building the programs around such phases of the Faith as its growth in North America, its development in Latin America, the Building of the Temple, etc., has endeavored to lift the addresses above personalities and to select themes that would cover the subjects emphasized by the Guardian, and present the Cause in its broad and universal aspects.
In outline, the Public Meetings were as follows:
Friday, May 19th, (Evening)
- “THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
WORSHIP.”
- Chairman: Allen McDaniel
- Greeting: Harry C. Kinne
- Speakers: Mrs. True, Earl H. Reed.
Carl Scheffler.
Saturday. May 20th, (Evening)
- “COMMUNITY OF THIE GREATEST
NAME”
- Chairman: Roy C. Wilhelm
- The first part of the meeting to
- consist of references to important
- historical developments in the
- Cause associated with believers
- still living.
- Presentation of Centennial souvenirs.
- The second part to consist of
- the showing of motion picture film
- of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and of the Gardens;
- the playing or the voice record
- of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the showing
- of important documentary Archive
- material.
Sunday Afternoon, May 21st,
- “THE BAHÁ’Í WORLD FAITH”
- Chairman: Philip Sprague
- Speakers: Helen Bishop, Wm. Kenneth
Christian
Monday, May 22nd, Public Meeting at 8 o’clock,
- “CENTENARY OF BAHÁ’Í FAITH.”
- Chairman: George Latimer
- Speakers: Dorothy Baker, Harry A.
Overstreet, Horace Holley.
- Monday, May 22nd, at 9:40 P.M.,
- “COMMEMORATION OF THE
DECLARATION OF THE BÁB.”*
Tuesday Evening, May 23rd,
- “NORTH AMERICA, THE CITADEL
OF UNIVERSAL PEACE.”
- Chairman: Leroy Ioas
- Speakers: Albert Windust, Marzieh
Gail, Marion Holley, Rowland Estall.
Wednesday Evening, May 24th,
- “THE MEETING OF THE AMERICAS.”
- Chairman: Mrs. Stuart W. French
- Speakers: Octavio Illescas, Philip
Leonard Green, Mrs. E. R. Mathews.
Thursday Evening, May 25th, At 6:30
- p.m. Banquet in the Ball Room of
the Stevens Hotel.
- Chairman: Albert Windult
- Speakers: Dr. R. F. Piper. Elsie
Austin.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Fargo, N. D., newly constituted 1943–1944.
Under date of March 9, the N.S.A.
reported its actions taken on the
foregoing suggestions, approving all
of the plans and budgets and
requesting the Committee, in addition,
to issue the invitations to the
special list of guests; and to take up
with the Village authorities the question
of parking facilities, special traffic
regulations, etc. The Committee
was further authorized to prepare a
Centenary Souvenir, consisting of
the photograph of the Master and of
the Temple, set in a double paneled
folder, copies of which were to be
presented to all those who were
believers in, and prior to, 1910.
The last meetings of the Centenary Committee, April 29 and May 10, were devoted to such final details as official photographs, the making of a pictorial (moving picture) record of the Centenary; floral decorations, planning of an additional, informal meeting in the Temple, Sunday Evening for the special purpose of showing more of the Archive material and Relics; lighting of the tent and of the Auditorium of the Temple; placing of a temporary path to the Auditorium doorways; Banquet menu and music; registering of the visiting Bahá’ís in the official Registration Book prepared and donated by Mason Remey.
The Committee on Bahá’í Centenary wishes to record in this report the invaluable assistance which it received from the following individuals.
Mountfort Mills, Paul Haney and
- Philip Sprague, in connection with
- securing the non-Bahá’í Speakers.
Edwin Mattoon, in regard to the
- acoustical problems in the Temple
- Auditorium and in the securing
- of a satisfactory Public Address
- Company. Mr. Mattoon rendered a
- much appreciated service, also,
- in connection with the taking of
- the official moving pictures and
- with the displaying of the Archive
- material and Relics.
Gertrude Struven, in connection with
- the displaying of the Portrait of
- the Báb. The painstaking care
- which she gave to every detail of
- this was evident to all who had
- the sacred privilege of viewing the
- Portrait on May 22nd.
Mildred and Raffi Mottahedeh, for
- their generous loan of the priceless
- fabrics, used in the displaying
- of the Báb’s Portrait.
Mason Remey for the exquisite and
- befitting Centennial Register which
- he personally prepared and donated.
The Walraths and their friends who
- so laboriously put the silken cords
- in the hundreds of Centenary Souvenirs,
- when the printer found he
- could not do this, at the last minute.
Bahiyyih Ford and Arna Perron, for
- their efficient and untiring services
- in the Centenary Office,
- throughout the Centenary period.
All of the many Bahá’ís in the Temple
- area who served so faithfully
- in the registering, as ushers and
- many other capacities.
Without the magnificent team–work
- of everyone, the gigantic task of
- carrying out this week–long Centennial
- Program could not have
- been achieved.
In connection with the entertainment
- of the Latin American Friends, we
- wish to mention especially the
- deeply appreciated assistance of
- John Eichenauer, Jr., Winnie Lou
- Baker and Gayle Woolson.
Membership Records Of the American Bahá’í Community[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly feels it desirable and necessary to explain to the believers how the complete membership roll of the American Bahá’í community is maintained at the National Office.
- 1. We have the membership lists
submitted annually by the local Spiritual
Assemblies, and these names
and addresses are kept up to date
by noting new enrollments, deaths,
transfers to and from the city,
retirements from the Cause, etc. Each
local Assembly is expected to report
the name and address of each new
believer who enters the community
either by confirmation or by transfer;
the name and new address of
each believer who establishes residence
elsewhere, passes on or otherwise[Page 14]
is taken from the local roll.
It is impossible for the National
Spiritual Assembly to have knowledge
of all these changes except
through immediate and official reports.
In checking the Convention
and Centenary registrations we noted
hundreds of changes of address
in the city, and many changes of
residence to other cities, not
previously reported by the Assembly or
Assemblies concerned.
- 2. Groups and isolated Bahá’ís.
These are also maintained in the complete national roll in the form of the enrollment card signed by new believers under the supervision of the Regional Teaching Committee or in the form of transfer cards signed by those who come from cities which have an Assembly. This part of the national Bahá’í roll is entirely dependent upon the Regional Teaching Committees, who are expected to report all the necessary data from time to time. The amount of clerical work involved in the maintenance of the national records is exceedingly great. In many cases, information concerning changes of address, changes of status, etc., only comes to the National Office in the form of undelivered mail returned by the Post Office.
- 3. In addition to data covering all
changes affecting individual believers, the National Office must have immediate reports of changes in the address of local Assembly Secretaries, group correspondents and the Secretaries of National Committees. In this connection, the friends are urged to set up some form of permanent address for each local Assembly, in the form of a P. O. box where the Assembly has no headquarters, so that change of address of the Secretary will not affect our mailings. Moreover, the believers are requested as a courtesy to place the address of the writer as well as the date of the letter on each communication sent to the National Office, whether by individual Bahá’í, Committee or Assembly. This will greatly facilitate accuracy in our own communications and save much time on the part of the staff.
4. Among the younger Assemblies there exists some misunderstanding of the simple procedures involved in enrollments, transfers, credentials, etc., and the following explanations will clarify the matter.
Enrollment By Assembly. The applicant makes oral declaration of faith of the Spiritual Assembly, covering the qualifications of faith (Procedure, p. 3). Enrollment follows by a vote taken after the applicant leaves the meeting. The enrollment is entered in the Minutes of the meeting, and notice is sent to the National Office.
Enrollment By Written Application. Outside the Assembly areas, new believers sign the application card provided to the Regional Committees. These are countersigned by the Committee representative, and filed in the National Office.
Youth Registration. The local Assembly receives the oral declaration of the youth between fifteen and twenty-one years of age that he records his intention to become a member of the Bahá’í community on reaching the age of twenty-one years, and meanwhile desires to be registered as a Bahá’í youth. Outside the Assembly areas, Youth Registration cards are provided to the Regional Teaching Committees, and are countersigned before filing in the National Office.
Credentials. All travelers claiming to be Bahá’ís must have proper credentials, in writing, from their local Assembly. Traveling Bahá’ís not members of a local community, but recorded as isolated believers, can obtain a letter from the N.S.A. (Procedure, p. 21). The National Spiritual Assembly feels that Oriental believers visiting America should transmit their credentials to the Secretary of the National Assembly, so that proper credentials may be issued by the National Assembly for their use while in America. If, therefore, a Bahá’í from the Orient should hereafter present his credentials to any local Assembly, that Assembly is requested to see that the credentials are transmitted. (Procedure, p. 21) All American Bahá’ís. . . who travel outside the United States and Canada, should have credentials from the National Assembly. (p. 52).
Transfers. When a believer moves from a city which has a Spiritual Assembly to another city which also has an Assembly, his local Assembly of the city he is leaving should give him a letter addressed to the Spiritual Assembly of the city where he is establishing his residence, certifying that he has been a voting member of that community. This letter enables the Spiritual Assembly in the city of his new residence to enroll him as a voting member without questioning his Bahá’í status. (Procedure, p. 51) When a believer moves from a city which has a Spiritual Assembly to a city which has no Assembly, his Assembly should report this fact to the National Assembly, and give the believer’s new permanent address. The National Assembly then requests the Regional Teaching Committee of the area to provide the believer with a transfer card to fill out and return to the National Office. (Procedure, p. 51) Any believer moving into a city which has a Spiritual Assembly (i.e., any isolated believer), should apply to the National Assembly for a letter certifying that he has been enrolled as an isolated believer, and this letter when presented to the local Assembly will enable the Assembly to enroll the believer as voting member of the community without questioning his Bahá’í status. (Procedure, p. 52) The date of transfers is the date of change of residence, for a believer must reside within the civil area to be a member of the local community, and therefore to move away requires transfer as of that date, even though the matter is not recorded until later. A believer who moves out of a community cannot postpone change of status for an indefinite period.
- 5. Report of Change of Address.
A suggested form is given here for believers to use in reporting a change of address. This is in addition to
REPORT OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS
- Mr. )
- Mrs.)
Name: Miss)_____________________________________ Former Address__________________________________________
- (Street) (City) (Sta. or Prov.)
New Address____________________________________________
- (Street) (City) (Sta. or Prov.)
Were you formerly a member of: Community [] Group [] Is your residence now in area of: Community [] Group [] Were you an isolated individual? _________ Are you now an isolated individual? ________ If you have changed your address, please fill in the above form and mail at
- once to: National Bahá’í Office, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Illinois.
and not a substitute for, whatever report of the change is made by a local Assembly or Regional Teaching Committee.
Procedure for Conduct of a Local Spiritual Assembly[edit]
Action has been taken by the National Spiritual Assembly to clarify the order of business for the consultation period of the Nineteen-Day Feast. The representative of the local Assembly who is to preside is the Chairman, or in his absence the Vice-Chairman, as this session with the community is a joint session of the Assembly and the local Bahá’ís. Thus the same regulation applies as at meetings of the Assembly itself.
Bahá’í Youth[edit]
Bahá’í youth are defined as those young people between fifteen and twenty–one years who have, whether by oral testimony or signing the special youth enrollment card, asserted their intention of applying for membership in the Bahá’í community on attaining the required age.
Attendance of Bahá’í youth at the Nineteen-Day Feast, while a permission rather than an obligation, nevertheless implies participation in consultation, but without a vote.
The appointment of local Youth Committees provides for the collective activities of those who are under twenty-one years of age. Local Assemblies, in appointing Youth Committees, may include members of less than twenty-one years. In appointing its other Committees, the local Assembly is to choose the membership from the voting list.
The School Committees have been advised that they are authorized to appoint Youth Committees to plan and supervise Youth sessions and Youth programs under the School Committee’s direction.
“Regarding the age of fifteen fixed by Bahá’u’lláh: this relates only to purely spiritual functions and obligations and is not related to the degree or administrative capacity and fitness which is a totally different thing, and is, for the present, fixed at twenty-one.” —SHOGHI EFFENDI (Bahá’í Procedure page 11)
The Guardian’s Photograph[edit]
The believers are reminded that many years ago Shoghi Effendi directed us not to circulate or reproduce any photograph of himself. It has been out of respect for this injunction that the National Spiritual Assembly has never included a picture of Shoghi Effendi among those which can be purchased from the Temple Librarian and Sales Committee, the national Committee to which has been assigned the function of selling Bahá’í photographs, ringstones, slides and display material.
Review of Radio Scripts[edit]
Those believers who submit radio scripts to the Radio Script Reviewing Committee are requested to send duplicate copies of each script. If and when approved, one copy is to be returned to the author and the other filed in the National Office.
National Radio Committee, Local Assemblies and Regional Teaching Committees[edit]
To clarify the question of procedure in connection with plans for radio broadcasts, the National Assembly has recorded three simple directions, as follows:—
- 1. The National Radio Committee
is authorized to submit plans involving the use of any radio station in North America, and when approved by the National Assembly the Committee can make contracts directly with the station.
- 2. Local Assemblies are free to
make use of radio facilities existing in their community, preferably taking advantage of advice and assistance from the National Radio Committee and making use of approved radio scripts.
3. Regional Teaching Committees are free to recommend, through the National Teaching Committee, plans for use of radio facilities in the area, but not located in any city having a Spiritual Assembly. In carrying out plans which have been approved, the Regional Teaching Committee is to use approved scripts.
Membership of State Convention Committees
Alabama: Nina Howard, Chairman, 1315
- S. 29th St., Birmingham; John Inglis,
- Secretary; Robert Durr.
Arizona: Oscar Engelder, Chairman, Rt.
- 2, Box 394, Phoenix; Clinton Bugbee,
- Secretary; Zarah Schoeny.
Arkansas: Verney B. Thompson, Chairman,
- 2205 E. 2nd St., No. Little Rock;
- Pauline Henson, Secretary; Homer
- Holmes.
California
Northern California: Ali Yazdi, Chairman,
- 2910 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley;
- Valera Allen, Secretary; Arthur Dahl.
Southern California: Clyde Longyear,
- Chairman, 965 Schumacher Dr., Los
- Angeles 36; Jay Allen, Secretary;
- Wilhelm Madsen.
Colorado: Mildred Clark, Chairman, 821
- Marion St., Denver 3, Colo.; Gladys
- Roberts, Secretary; Wanden LaFarge.
Connecticut: James Isaacs, Chairman,
- 559 Whalley Ave., New Haven; Annie
- W. Baumer, Secretary; Ruth Ziebell.
Delaware: Ed. Olson, Chairman, 813
- Orange St., Wilmington Doris Lohse,
- Secretary, Dorothy Champ.
Florida: Romette Davison, Chairman,
- 311 N. W. 30th St., Miami; Lucile
- Buffin, Secretary; Katherine Vernon.
Georgia: Terah Smith, Chairman, 572
- Page Ave., N. E. Atlanta; Birdie Cunningham,
- Secretary; Essie Robertson.
Idaho: Sally Sanor, Chairman, P. O.
- Box 2876, Boise; Ona Ault, Secretary:
- Ethel Thompson.
Illinois: Monroe Ioas, Chairman, 8502
- Parkview Ave., Hollywood; Sarah Walrath,
- Secretary; Anna Kunz.
Indiana: Arthur Patterson, Chairman,
- 2725 Station St., Indianapolis; Pauline
- Roth, Secretary; Lydia Schott.
Iowa: C. C. Ted Little, Chairman, 145
- 38th St., N. E., Cedar Rapids; Edna
- Atkins, Secretary; Mrs. Raymond Ashlock.
Kansas: Janet Ward, Chairman, 158
- Beechwood Dr., Wichita 15; Paul
- Brown, Secretary; Edna Savilles.
Kentucky: V. E. Oldson, Chairman, 645
- So. 40th St., Louisville; Mrs. Cecil
- Dennis, Secretary; G. A. Bossung.
Louisiana: Anna Smith, Chairman, 517
- Hancock St., Covington; Esther K. Little,
- Secretary; T. Lane Skelton.
Maine: Hebe Struven, Chairman, R. F.
- D., No. Lovell; Martha Heber, Secretary;
- Louise Thompson.
Our 1944 Budget of $135,000 is $15,000 less than the budget for recent years. Apportioned to 4,500 believers, the share of each would be $2.50 per month or $30.00 for the year.
Dear and valued co–workers:
- As the activities of the American Bahá’í community expand, and its worldwide
prestige correspondingly increases, the institution of the National Fund, the bedrock on which all other institutions must necessarily rest and be established, acquires added importance, and should be increasingly supported by the entire body of the believers, both in their individual capacities, and through their collective efforts, whether organized as groups or as local Assemblies. The supply of funds, in support of the National Treasury, constitutes, at the present time, the life-blood of these nascent institutions which you are laboring to erect. Its importance cannot, surely, be over–estimated. Untold blessings shall no doubt crown every effort directed toward that end.
Maryland: Albert E. Dorrida, Chairman,
- 3115 Woodland Ave., Baltimore 15;
- Annemarie Honnold, Secretary;
- Mrs. F. W. Hipsley.
Massachusetts: Harlan Ober, Chairman,
- 53 Conant St., Beverly; Alice Bacon,
- Secretary; Matthew Bullock.
Michigan: Edwin Eardley, Chairman,
- 2810 Woodstock Dr., Detroit 3; Etta
- Catlin, Secretary; L. W. Eggleston.
Minnesota: Helen Frink, Chairman, 1216
- Nicollet St., Minneapolis; Katherine
- Whitmore, Secretary; Marie Tetu.
Mississippi: Helen Ring, Chairman, 124
- N. Prentiss St., Jackson: Dorothy
- Campbell, Secretary; Helen Yerger.
Missouri: Claude Winans, Chairman, 421
- N. Spring St., Independence; Velma
- Sherrill, Secretary; Madelon Becktel.
Montana: J. K. Saunders, Chairman,
- 1203 9th St., Helena; Chas. M. Bryan,
- Secretary; Joan Palmer.
Nebraska: Eunice Baker, Chairman,
- 5661 Marcy St., Omaha; Alma Sothman,
- Secretary; Doreene Holliday.
Nevada: Gladys Bodmer, Chairman, 521 W. 4th St., Reno; Florence Mayberry, Secretary; Ethel Edell.
New Hampshire: Frank Ashton, Chairman,
- 85 Austin St., Portsmouth; Mary
- Alice Marlowe, Secretary; Malcolm
- Clay.
New Jersey: Amy Raubitschek, Chairman,
- 1113 Bromley Ave., W. Englewood;
- Ethel Crane, Secretary; Paul
- Wright.
New Mexico: Thos. w. Ewing, Chairman,
- 416 S. Amherst St., Albuquerque;
- E. Lenore Morris, Secretary; Richard
- Walters.
New York
- Southern New York (Metropolitan New
- York, Long Island and north to
- Poughkeepsie); Rinaldo Quigley,
- Chairman, 131 E. 29th St.; Florence
- Steinhauer, Secretary; Allah K.
- Kalantar.
- Northern New York: P. R. Meinhard,
- Chairman, 335 Wilmot Rd., Rochester
- 10; Bahiyyih Ford, Secretary;
- Betsy Richard.
North Carolina: John Goodwin, Chairman,
- 402 Ridgeway Dr., Greensboro;
- Adrienne Ellis, Secretary; Louise Sawyer.
North Dakota: George E. Angell, Chairman,
- 1105 5th Ave., So., Fargo; Mrs.
- H. H. Casselman, Secretary; Etty
- Graeffe.
Ohio: Lothar Schurgast, Chairman, 2967
- Mapleleaf, Cincinnati 13; Florence
- Reeb, Secretary; Clarence Ullrich.
Oklahoma: Lena Ittner, Chairman, 117
- S. W. 44th St., Oklahoma City; Albert
- Entzminger, Secretary; Alfred Starr.
Oregon: John M. Clifford, Chairman,
- 336 N. 16th St., Corvallis: Rachel Porter,
- Secretary; Fred S. Young.
Pennsylvania: Ida Huff, Chairman, 100
- W. Phil-Ellena St., Philadelphia; Helen
- Reynolds, Secretary; Bishop Brown.
Rhode Island: Wm. Towart, Chairman,
- 160 Broad St., Providence 3; Elizabeth
- Murray, Secretary; Wm. Doull.
South Carolina: Rachel Mothersill,
- Chairman, 507 E. North St., Greenville;
- Gertrude Gewertz, Secretary;
- W. T. Bidwell.
South Dakota: Lorol Jackson, Chairman,
- 223 S. Walts St., Sioux Falls; Elsa
- Steinmetz, Secretary; Frances Jones.
Tennessee: Lola M. Crutcher, Chairman,
- 2510 Meharry Blvd., Nashville 8;
- Nellie Roche, Secretary; Edna Williams.
Texas: Inez Butterfield, Chairman, 3409
- Mt. Vernon St., Houston 6; Doris Corbin,
- Secretary; J. R. Reynolds.
Utah: Mollie Young, Chairman; Margaret
- Naismith, Secretary; Florence
- Lilliendahl.
Vermont: Gladys Anderson, Chairman,
- 114 Main St., Apt. 35, Brattleboro;
- Benjamin Weedin, Secretary; Oscar
- Stone.
Virginia: Mrs. J. E. Rice, Chairman,
- 5925 14th St., No., Arlington; Paul
- Haney, Secretary; Margaret McDaniel.
Washington: Mark Tobey, Chairman,
- 4144½ University Way, Seattle 5;
- Clara Rainboth, Secretary: E. G.
- Washington.
West Virginia: Harlyn L. Schott, Chairman,
- 911 Walnut Rd., Apt. A, South
- Hills, Charleston; Mildred Elmer, Secretary;
- Hilbert Dahl.
Wisconsin: A. F. Matthisen, Chairman,
- R. F. D. 1, Box 240, Bristol; Claire
- Fricke, Secretary; James Lewis.
Wyoming: Eunice Shurcliffe, Chairman,
- 720 Custer St., Laramie; Clair Gillespie,
- Secretary; Solvig Corbit.
District of Columbia: Rex Parmelee,
- Chairman, 4700 47th St., N. W.: Lydia
- Martin, Secretary; Maud S. Taylor.
Alaska: Janet Whitenack, Chairman, Box
- 2334 Anchorage; Betty Becker, Secretary;
- Verne Stout.
Hawaii: J. D. Marques, Chairman, 2312
- Liloa Rise, Honolulu, T. H.; Henriette
- From, Secretary; Katherine Baldwin.
Puerto Rico: Marcelino Castro, Chairman,
- c/o McComb, Box 2130, San
- Juan; Ayned McComb, Secretary;
- Margaret Lentz.
CANADA
Alberta: Milwin Adams Davis, Chairman,
- 11005 89th St., Edmonton; Anita
- Ioas, Secretary; Doris Skinner.
British Columbia: Robert Fairley, Chairman,
- 1454 Pendrell St., Vancouver;
- Katherine Moscrop, Secretary; Austin
- F. L. Collin.
Manitoba: Elizabeth Brookes, Chairman,
- 40 Arlington St., Winnipeg; Jenn Johnston,
- Secretary; Rowland Estall.
New Brunswick: Merle McEwen, Chairman,
- 92 North St., Moncton; Agnes
- King, Secretary; Edna Colpitts.
Nova Scotia: Beulah Proctor, Chairman,
- P. O. Box 833, Halifax; Annie Romer,
- Secretary; Fred Wade.
Ontario: John Robarts, Chairman, 4 Millbank
- Ave., Forest Hills Village, Toronto;
- Laura Davis, Secretary; F. St.
- George Spendlove.
Prince Edward Island: Willard McKay,
- Chairman, 279 Richmond St., Charlottetown;
- Helen Gidden, Secretary; Grace
- Geary.
Quebec: Siegfried Schopflocher, Chairman,
- 1102 University St., Montreal;
- Rosemary Sala, Secretary; Ernest
- Harrison.
Saskatchewan: Florence Himes Cox,
- Chairman, Hotel Drake, Regina; Lulu
- Barr, Secretary; Lauretta Voelz.
Groups and the Observance Of the Nineteen-Day Feast[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly recognizes in the growth of the Cause the need of keeping open at all times the door of fellowship and inter–association. Attendance at area teaching conferences, public meetings, and social and spiritual gatherings of all kinds can add to the solidarity and fusion of the spirit upon which must depend the natural evolution of the community of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Nineteen-Day Feast, however, has a more specific function, offering as it does not only the spiritual refreshment of sharing in the reading of the divine Utterances but also the opportunity for consultation in the groups as well as in the established communities.
The National Assembly hopes, therefore, that as rapidly as possible the groups will constitute themselves centers of the Nineteen-Day Feast consultation, and will joyously avail themselves of the attendant bounties and privileges. While the single, isolated believer is not in this category, a group or two or more believers in one civil community may elect a Secretary, hold Feasts and Anniversaries, contribute as a unit to the National Fund, and work toward the glorious fruition of forming one more Assembly in the World Community of Bahá’u’lláh. Such concentration of spirit and action may well mark a turning point in the spread at the Teachings and the deepening of Bahá’í life.
Summary of Group Memberships[edit]
As of November first, the local groups in the United States and Canada were listed as follows:—
A total number of groups representing two or more Bahá’ís, 204.
These groups are distributed in the various States and Provinces as follows:—
- Alabama, one group of seven believers.
- Arizona, five groups, none over three.
- Arkansas, one of four.
- California, twenty-eight groups, one of
eight, two or seven, one of six and four of five.
- Canada, nine groups, one of eleven,
three of eight.
- Canal Zone, one of four.
- Connecticut, six groups, one of ten
- Florida, three groups, one of five.
- Georgia, one of twelve.
- Illinois, fifteen groups, one or ten, two
of seven.
- Indiana, one of two believers.
- Iowa, two groups, one at six.
- Kansas, four groups, one of three.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Elmhurst, Illinois, newly established 1944.
- Louisiana, one group of two.
- Maine, three groups, one of four.
- Maryland, one group of five believers.
- Massachusetts, twenty-two groups, two
of five and two of four believers.
- Michigan, twenty-five groups, one of
seven, three of six and two of five.
- Missouri, two groups, one or six
believers.
- Nevada, one of two believers.
- New Hampshire, four groups, one of
four believers.
- New Jersey, thirteen groups, one of
nine, one of eight, one of seven believers.
- New York, eleven groups, one of six
and two of five.
- Ohio, fourteen groups, one of nine, one
of eight, two of seven.
- Pennsylvania, three groups, one of
three believers.
- Rhode Island, two groups, one of three.
- South Carolina, three groups, two of
six and one of five believers.
- South Dakota, one group of six
believers.
- Tennessee, one group of eleven
believers.
- Texas, two groups of three each.
- Virginia, three groups, one of four
believers.
- Washington, five groups, one of six,
one of five and one of four believers.
- Wisconsin, ten groups, one of nine,
one of five and two of four believers.
Groups are the seed-bed of the Administrative Order. As we learn how most effectively to find a group, and then to develop the group until a community exists, we shall have won a great secret of Bahá’í growth. The location of groups at present reveals where the next generation of the Assemblies is most likely to flourish.
Amendment of By-Laws of the National Spiritual Assembly[edit]
The direction received from the Guardian last year, that thenceforth the Convention delegates were to be elected by the Bahá’ís of each State and Province, and not merely by the members of the organized local communities, created a basic change in the constitutional order which has required amendments in the By–Laws. In conformity with the provision that the By-Laws may be amended by majority vote after due notice in writing, the National Spiritual Assembly at its meeting of November, 1944, with the approval of the Guardian as to the textual alterations proposed, proceeded to adopt unanimously the amendments here published for the information and instruction of the entire Bahá’í community.
In presenting the new By-Laws which are now substituted for Articles II and VIII, the Assembly points out a few considerations which may be helpful to some of the newer Bahá’ís.
In the first place, the constitution and by-laws of a National Spiritual Assembly are as far as possible uniform and identical with those of every other National Assembly, thus laying the administrative basis of the Bahá’í electoral bodies which later are to elect the members of the Universal House of Justice, and giving every Bahá’í community in the entire world the same organic law. Thus, the American National Assembly does not of its own volition initiate amendments, since to do so by independent action would create differences between the various national constitutions, but takes such action only when the Guardian himself has sent directions which require amendments, as in the present case.
Considering now the meaning of the new Articles II and VIII, it will be noted that the American Bahá’í community has been redefined so as to include all declared and recognized believers, whereas previously the constitution named only the voting members of the local communities, leaving out the groups and isolated believers. Second, the new Articles set up the simplest possible legal basis for the election of delegates by Bahá’ís of the various States and Provinces, avoiding details subject to change, which are preferably covered in our secondary procedure. Finally, it will be noted that the definition of the Annual Convention has also been changed. It is now defined as a joint meeting of the Bahá’ís and of the National Spiritual Assembly, and not as the annual meeting of the National Assembly alone. Finally, the Guardian’s direction that members of the National Assembly who are not delegates may participate in the consultation has been incorporated in the new By–Laws, the text of which was submitted
Children’s Bahá’í study class, Huntington Park, Calif., 1943.
to Shoghi Effendi and approved
by him before me amendments
were duly voted.
Article II. The Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, for whose benefit this Trust is maintained, shall consist of all persons resident in the several States, Provinces, Territories or Federal Districts of the United States and Canada who are accepted by the National Spiritual Assembly as fulfilling the requirements of membership in the Bahá’í Community under the following qualifications set forth by the Guardian of the Faith:
- (a) Full recognition of the stations
- of the Báb as Forerunner,
- of Bahá’u’lláh as Author
- and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as True
- Exemplar of the Bahá’í religion,
- unreserved acceptance
- of, and submission to whatsoever
- has been revealed by their
- Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence
- to every clause of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s
- sacred Will; and
- close association with the spirit
- as well as the form of Bahá’í
- Administration throughout the
- world.
- (b) Attainment of the age of 21
- years.
- (c) Declaration of faith to, and
- enrollment by, the local Spiritual
- Assembly if resident in
- the area of jurisdiction of any
- local Assembly recognized by
- the National Spiritual Assembly.
- (d) Declaration of faith of the National
- Spiritual Assembly on
- the membership form provided
- for those residing outside
- any such area of local Bahá’í
- jurisdiction.
Article VIII. The members of the
National Spiritual Assembly shall be
elected at an annual meeting to be
known as the National Convention of
the Bahá’ís of the United States and[Page 18]
Canada. This Convention shall be
held at a time and place to be fixed
by the National Assembly. The National
Convention shall be composed
jointly of representatives chosen by
the Bahá’ís of each State, Province,
Territory or Federal District under
the principle of proportionate representation,
and the members of the
National Spiritual Assembly.
Notice of the annual meeting shall be given by the National Assembly sixty days in advance in the Convention Call which sets forth the number at delegates assigned to the various electoral units in proportion to the number of Bahá’ís resident in each such unit, to a total number of one hundred seventy-one delegates for the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada.
- Section 1. All delegates to the Convention
shall be elected by plurality vote. Bahá’ís who for illness or other unavoidable reasons are unable to be present at the election in person shall have the right to transmit their ballots to the meeting by mail. The meeting held in each State, Province, Territory or Federal District for the election of delegates shall be called by the National Spiritual Assembly and conducted by the Bahá’ís present under whatever procedure may be uniformly laid down by the body. Immediately after the meeting a certified report of the election containing the name and address of each delegate shall be transmitted to the National Spiritual Assembly.
- Section 2. All delegates to be seated
at the Convention must be recognized Bahá’ís and residents of the State or Province represented by them.
- Section 3. The rights and privileges
of a delegate may not be assigned nor may they be exercised by proxy.
- Section 4. The recognition and
seating of delegates to the National Convention shall be vested in the National Spiritual Assembly.
- Section 5. Delegates unable to be
present in person at the Convention shall have the right to transmit their ballots for the election of the members of the National Assembly under whatever procedure is adopted by the National body.
- Section 6. If in any year the National
Spiritual Assembly shall consider that it is impracticable or unwise to assemble together the delegates to the National Convention, the said Assembly shall provide ways and means by which the annual election and other essential business of the Convention may be conducted by mail.
- Section 7. The presiding officer of
the National Spiritual Assembly present at the Convention shall call together the delegates, who, after roll call shall proceed to the permanent organization of the meeting, electing by ballot a chairman, a secretary and such other officers as are necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Convention.
- Section 8. The principal business
or the annual meeting shall be consultation on Bahá’í activities, plans and policies, and the election of the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Members of the National Assembly, whether or not elected delegates, may take a full part in the consultation and discussion, but only delegates may participate in the election of Convention officers or in the annual election of the members of the national body. All action by the delegates, other than the organization of the Convention, the transmission of messages to the Guardian and the election of the National Assembly, shall constitute advice and recommendation for consideration by the said Assembly, final decision on all matters concerning the affairs of the Bahá’í Faith in the United States and Canada being vested solely in that body.
- Section 9. The general order of
business to be taken up at the Annual Convention shall be prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly in the form of an agenda, but any matter pertaining to the Bahá’í Faith introduced by any of the delegates may upon motion and vote be taken up as part of the Convention deliberations.
- Section 10. The election of the
members of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote of the delegates recognized by the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly, i.e., the members elected shall be the nine persons receiving the greatest number of votes on the first ballot cast by delegates present at the Convention and delegates whose ballot has been transmitted to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly by mail. In case by reason of a tie vote or votes the full membership is not determined on the first ballot, then one or more additional ballots shall be taken on the persons tied until all nine members are elected.
- Section 11. All official business
transacted at the National Convention shall be recorded and preserved in the records of the National Assembly.
- Section 12. Vacancies in the membership
of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by a plurality vote of the delegates composing the Convention, which elected the Assembly, the ballot to be taken by correspondence or in any other manner decided upon by the National Spiritual Assembly.
Amendment of By-Laws Of the Local Spiritual Assembly[edit]
The amendments required to make the local By-Laws conform to the new method of electing delegates are relatively simple, as the local Assembly is no longer concerned with the holding of the State and Province meetings, or with the conduct of the Annual Convention. All that is necessary is to delete in the present Article III, in the list of functions and duties of the local Assembly, the statement that the Assembly calls the annual meeting for the election of delegates.
The National Spiritual Assembly has duly acted to amend the standard form of local By-Laws.
ARTICLE III. Amended to read as follows. . .It shall call the meetings of the community, including the Bahá’í Anniversaries and Feasts, the Meetings of consultation, and the annual meeting at which the members of the Assembly are elected.
- ARTICLE XIII. Deleted.
- ARTICLE XIV. Renumbered as Article XIII.
- ARTICLE XV. Renumbered as Article XIV.
Unincorporated Assemblies are not required to take any action except to see that their reference copy of the local By-Laws is corrected as above. The incorporated Assemblies are directed to act as soon as possible on the amendment of their By–Laws in conformity with the changes made by the National Assembly. A notice will be sent these Assemblies explaining the steps to be taken in amending their By-Laws.
Centenary Publicity[edit]
Horace Holley, Chairman; Edna True,
- William Henning
In March, 1944, the National Spiritual
Assembly appointed a special
Committee for the preparation and release
of publicity material concerning
the Centenary and Convention.
Its membership included a representative[Page 19]
of the Centenary Committee,
Bahá’í News Service, and the
National Spiritual Assembly.
At the time of this appointment, the Committee expected to launch a nationwide campaign of Bahá’í publicity based upon the following material:—
- The Guardian’s book, “God Passes
By.”
- The book compiled by the National
Spiritual Assembly entitled “Bahá’í Centenary.”
- Copies of the printed Centenary
program.
It became evident that neither of the books would be available in time for use in connection with Centenary or Convention publicity. Moreover, due to unavoidable conditions, the printed program was not received until about ten days before the opening of the Convention and Centenary sessions.
However, a most favorable condition, not anticipated by the Committee was the action of the Temple Trustees, under a special appropriation made by the National Spiritual Assembly, in having the House of Worship floodlighted during the month of May. This effect, as all visitors vividly recall, was extraordinarily impressive, and steps were immediately taken to have the Temple photographed at night when thus illumined.
The Committee likewise requested the Centenary speakers and chairmen to provide personal photographs and advance excerpts from their public talks.
Before the end of April, the Committee had sent out to the National Press Bureaus, the local Assemblies, National Bahá’í Committees and Regional Secretaries a four-page article on Bahá’í Centenary Celebrations, authorized Mrs. Nina Matthisen of the Radio Committee to contract for radio spot announcements before and during the Centenary meetings, arranged with the publisher of “Wilmette Life” and other North Shore papers to use the floodlight picture, when ready, on their front covers, and planned for special distribution of Centenary programs through local Assemblies of the Temple area.
On May 9 the Committee sent out the floodlight photograph with a brief story to National Press Bureaus, National Weeklies, and to local Assemblies in the larger cities of North America.
Shortly afterward, a five–page article entitled “Bahá’ís of North and South America To Celebrate Birth of World Era” and giving an outline of the complete Centenary program, was distributed to Assemblies, press bureaus and newspapers. Meanwhile, the editor in Wilmette Life was given several stories and also photographs of the speakers to feature in connection with the front cover illustration. One thousand reprints of the cover and these various stories were obtained in time to distribute to the Convention and Centenary guests, but this quantity proved insufficient to meet the demand.
After the Convention opened, a press desk was maintained with a supply of photographs, releases and other material for use by all believers with press contacts as well as by press representatives who called. A special feature consisted of reprints of the Guardian’s message in which he summarized the range and scope of the Bahá’í world community at the termination of the first century of the Faith.
In response to a wire received from a Bahá’í of New York, several hundred words concerning the banquet held in Hotel Stevens were wired to four papers in that city. Daily releases during the Convention were given to the Chicago press. The Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, and Acme Photo Service sent camera men for feature pictures before or during the Convention and Centenary week. The Committee had no clipping bureau and hence cannot report on the extent to which the local Assemblies could use the material sent, or the amount or coverage made by the National Press Bureaus. We hope that a complete set of clippings can eventually be compiled, for the permanent records of the National Spiritual Assembly.
In Memoriam[edit]
Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It bestoweth joy and is the bearer of gladness. It conferreth the gift of everlasting life.—BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
Frank Le Boeuff, Harvey, Illinois Joseph Johns, Chicago Mrs. Jennie Bonds, Chicago Miss Julia Frances MacBrien, Toronto Mrs. Margaret H. Atwater, Miami Mrs. Emma Ewing, Evanston Mrs. Theresa S. Hill, Chicago Mr. Edward Schwarz. Chicago Mrs. Flora Bohmann Ernst, Chicago Mrs. Lloyd Tew, Burlingame, Kansas Mr. John Stearns, Lima, Peru Mrs. Marion Phelps, Catonsville,
- Maryland
Mr. Vasa Preston, Rockford, Ill. Mrs. Philip King Brown, San Francisco.
Directory[edit]
The following changes are reported:
- 1. Local Assemblies. Albuquerque
—new Secretary, Mrs. Evelyn Walters, Corresponding Secretary, P. O. Box 1206, Albuquerque, N. M
Baltimore—Mrs. Martha C. Dorrida, Secretary, P. O. Box 855, Baltimore, Md.
Vancouver—Robert H. Fairley, Secretary, 204–413 Granville St., Vancouver, B. C.
- Rochester. Assembly dissolved.
- Shorewood, Assembly dissolved.
- 2. National and Regional Teaching
Committees: College Speakers Bureau—Mrs. Roberta Christian appointed Secretary, Rowland Estall added.
Louhelen School Committee—Dr. Alice Kidder added. Phyllis Hall unable to serve as Corresponding Secretary. Mrs. Helen Eggleston, Secretary, will maintain the correspondence. Richard Suhm unable to serve.
Youth Committee—reconstituted. Ralph Halverson, Jr., Chairman, Cynthia Hastings, Secretary, Robert Imagire, Charles Ioas, De Witt Hayward, Jr., Pari Zia–Walrath.
Reviewing Committee—Mrs. Marguerite Firoozi appointed Chairman, Elizabeth Brooks and Elizabeth Rhodes added. Mrs. Marion Mills and Mrs. Mary Collison unable to serve.
Committee on Elementary Education—a new Committee has the function of bringing the Bahá’í teachings, truths and attitude to those concerned with elementary education. Carl Scheffler, Chairman, Alfred E. Osborne, Harry E. Ford, Genevieve L. Coy, Stanwood Cobb.
Regional Teaching Committees—New England: Mrs. Alice Bacon, Secretary, Mrs. Freda Gould added. Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska: Mrs. May Brown appointed Chairman. New York: Mrs. Florence Steinhauer appointed Secretary, Vera Moorehead added. Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeb and Mrs. Harriet Pettibone unable to serve. Utah, Montana and Idaho: Mrs, Ethel Thompson added. New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania: Stuart Sims appointed Chairman.
Enrollments and Transfers[edit]
1. Reported by Local Assemblies
- Long Beach, three and three transfers.
- Tacoma, one and one transfer.
- Beverly Hills, one transfer.
- Chicago, three and one transfer.
- Reno, one.
- Bethesda–Chevy Chase, one transfer.
- St. Louis, two.
- Burlingame, one youth.
- Kansas City, two.
- Boston, two.
- Regina, one.
- Louisville, one and three transfers.
- New York, one and five transfers.
- Los Angeles, one and eight transfers.
- Evanston, two transfers.
- Berkeley, one transfer.
- Washington, D. C., four.
- Wilmette, two transfers.
- Baltimore, one transfer.
- Maywood, one transfer.
- Edmonton, two.
- Topeka, one.
- Nashville, one.
- Detroit, two.
- Ann Arbor, two transfers.
- Atlanta, five transfers.
- Anchorage, one.
- Winnipeg, one.
- Charlottetown, one transfer.
- Beverly, one.
- Reno, one transfer,
- Springfield, Mass., two transfers.
- Milwaukee, three transfers.
- Kenosha, one transfer.
- East Orange, one.
- Springfield, Ill., one.
2. Reported by Regional Teaching
- Committees
In October, thirteen, In November, seven and three youth.
(Continued from page 11)
Persia
In the land where occurred the event which we were all celebrating, the festivities lasted nine days. By way of Great Britain we get the following account: “All the members of the Persian National Spiritual Assembly and of the local Assemblies in that country went to Shíráz and attended the Centenary commemoration meeting in the House of the Báb. The Guardian sent a silk carpet to the House as a Centenary gift.
“We hear from Tihrán that they held very many Centenary meetings there. Since conditions do not allow them to gather together in very large numbers, they held meetings in a lot of places at a time. There were about 60 meetings a night for nine nights, each being attended by anything between 120 and 300 people. At first the Press took no notice of the Centenary, until the “Tihran Daily News” published a telegram about the celebrations in London. This created a big sensation and then the other papers began to take notice, They tended mainly to criticize, but it proved to be a very good advertisement for the Faith in Persia.”
India
We have no news as yet of the actual celebrations in India, but the Centenary number of the “Bahá’í News Letter” of that country is largely devoted to an account of the Six Year Plan inaugurated there in 1938. During the first three years little progress was made, but in 1941 a stirring cable from the Guardina, accompanied by a gift of £200 accelerated the teaching activities to such an extent that the National Spiritual Assembly could report, at the end of the first century: “Such loving and inspiring messages came at every step on our way forward until we succeeded in forming 23 new Spiritual Assemblies in the short space of three years. We started with five Spiritual Assemblies in the whole of India and ended the Six-year Plan with a total of 28 Assemblies, out of which 19 are registered with the Government while the remaining will soon complete their registration. The impetus given by the Six-year Plan to our teaching effort has, however, gathered strength and the believers have tasted the delights of victory. They will not rest now on their oars and continue to steer on and on until they have established a Spiritual Assembly in every inhabited locality of the vast Indian sub-continent.”
England
The celebration in London was noticed by “The Palestine Post” as well as “The Tihran Daily News.” We have the full story, however, in the “Bahá’í Journal” of the British Isles: “The celebrations began in the afternoon of Saturday, May 20th, with the opening of the Centenary Exhibition by Sir Ronald Storrs, K.C.M.G., a good friend of the Cause. This opening ceremony was indeed very well attended, and it was reported in three of the national newspapers. . . The Exhibition, which was held at Alliance Hall, Westminster, lasted for a week, until the noon of the following Saturday, and was open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There were many visitors, who took away our literature with them and purchased books.
“The most thrilling occasion of the whole week was the meeting at the Centre on the evening of May 22nd. There was a large gathering of the friends, and the meeting, which was timed to coincide with the very hour of the Báb’s Declaration, at two hours and eleven minutes after sunset, left a deep impression on all present. It was a memorable event, and a time for rededication of our lives to the service of the Cause. Afterwards we all joined in a feast, which was made possible by the combined efforts of the community.”
“On the evening of Tuesday, May 23rd, a public meeting was held at Denison House, Victoria. The attendance was large. Mrs, Basil Hall was in the chair. The Bahá’í speakers were Mr. W. Tudor-Pole, Mr. H. M. Balyuzi, Mr. David Hofman and Mr. Norman Smith of the New York community (who is here with the United States Forces). In addition, several well–known people paid their tribute to the Cause. They were Mr. Shaw Desmond (author), Sir William Hornell (late Vice-Chancellor of HongKong University), Dr. Harold Moody (President of the League of Colored People), Mr. Hannen Swaffer (publicist), and the Rev. Walter Wynn (Free Church minister). . .”
“On the remaining evenings of the week different functions were held at the Alliance Hall. On Wednesday evening (May 24th), Mr. St. Barbe Baker gave a talk on “The Rebirth of Palestine,” illustrated with lantern slides. On the following evening Mr. Bernard Leach spoke on “Beauty and Truth.” Both of these meetings, as well as the two following, were well attended.
“On Friday, May 26th, we had a programme of readings from the Scriptures, interspersed with musical items. This program, entitled “The Song of Heaven,” was presented by Mr. David Hofman. On Saturday evening, the last of the Centenary week, we had a review of Bahá’í history in dramatized form, presented by Mr. H. M. Balyuzi. . .”
“This is just a bare account of the Centenary Week, which also included the Annual Convention. But there was much more than just these functions. There was a spirit of joy and gratitude and devotion, which words cannot describe.”
The National Spiritual Assembly issued a handsome little book, “The Centenary of a World Faith,” which has chapters on the history of the Faith, its general progress in the east and west, and its growth in the British Isles, copiously and beautifully illustrated.
(To be continued)
