Bahá’í News/Issue 174/Text
| ←Previous | Bahá’í News Issue 174 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
| BAHÁ’Í |  |
NEWS |
| No. 174 | APRIL-MAY, 1945 | YEAR 101 | BAHA’I ERA |
The Time Fore-Ordained[edit]
The time fore-ordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and land thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation. Happy is the man that pondereth in his heart that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Meditate upon this, O ye beloved of God, and let your ears be attentive unto His Word, so that ye may, by His grace and mercy, drink your fill from the crystal waters of constancy, and become as steadfast and immovable as the mountain in His Cause.
In the Book of Isaiah it is written: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord and for the glory of His majesty.” No man that meditateth upon this verse can fail to recognize the greatness of this Cause, or doubt the exalted character of this Day, the Day of God Himself. This same verse is followed by these words: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that Day.” This is the Day which the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the Holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no book that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most exalted theme. . . . It is incumbent, in this Day, upon every man to put His whole trust in the manifold bounties of God, and arise to disseminate, with the utmost wisdom, the verities of His Cause. Then, and only then, will the whole earth be enveloped with the morning light of His Revelation. —Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, number X.
Messages From the Guardian[edit]
I desire to reiterate the warning that no Persian, student or otherwise, must be admitted into the community under any circumstances unless provided with full credentials. Exception and compromise would be detrimental to the vital interests of the Faith at the present juncture. The utmost caution and vigilance are imperative.
Message received January 20, 1945
In view of the fact that a few Persians have, in defiance of the instructions and expressed wishes of their National Spiritual Assembly, gone to America, and in view of other considerations as well, the Guardian feels impelled to call the matter to your attention. You must recall to the believers’ minds the oft-repeated warnings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá concerning Orientals, especially Persians. The Americans, kind and open–hearted as they are, may easily fall a victim to the hypocritical and the insincere, and it is to protect them from being misled and imposed upon that he is sending you this message.—Through his secretary, January 14, 1945.
(These two messages are published for the information of the believers who have recently entered the Bahá’í community and are not yet informed of the strict commands which have controlled our reception of Orientals claiming to be believers ever since the Master departed from America in 1912. The passage on this subject, reprinted on page 21 of Bahá’í Procedure, second edition, should be consulted whenever the matter arises for discussion among the American friends).
Deeply appreciate Assembly’s loving message, rejoice in the formulation of new plans, delighted with recent accomplishments, anticipate fresh triumphs in the publicity campaigns. Grateful for the provision of funds for The Bahá’í World (Vol. IX) publication. Praying for removal of obstacles to the travel of nine Latin American pioneers. Urge utmost vigilance for preservation at whatever cost of the newly constituted Assemblies throughout the Americas. Appeal exerts strenuous efforts to convert the large groups into Assemblies. Praying for the increasing flow of blessings on sustained, concerted exertions of the indefatigable, incorruptible, consistently victorious, dearly beloved American Bahá’í community.
Message received January 29, 1945
Bahá’í youth under twenty-one may serve on Committees.
Message received February 27, 1945
The question of young Bahá’í’s being permitted to serve on committees other than the Youth Committee has been raised in a number of letters recently, and in considering the matter he felt that Bahá’í young people under twenty-one should not be denied the privilege of committee work. Though they cannot be voting members of Bahá’í communities (or exercise the electoral vote at all until they reach that age), and though they cannot, likewise, be elected to Assemblies, there is no reason why they should not serve the Cause on various committees as all committees, national or local, are subordinate to Assemblies and their members not elected but appointed, and appointed by Assemblies. We have many devoted and talented young believers who can be of great assistance to the Cause even though not yet legally of age.—Through his secretary, February 28, 1945.
(On receipt of these directions and explanations, the National Spiritual Assembly annulled its statement concerning youth in which it was said that they were not to be appointed to committees other than Youth Committees).
Regret failure efforts hold Convention. Praying success Peace plan.
Message received March 19, 1945
Deeply grieve passing of indefatigable, staunch pioneer of the Faith in the Day of the Covenant. The record of her services imperishable, her reward great in the Abhá Kingdom.
Message received March 27, 1945 ______ Miss Mary Lesch
My faithless brother Husayn, after a long period of dishonorable conduct, has abandoned the Master’s home to consort with his sister and other Covenant-breakers.
Message received April 16, 1945
(To this message the following was sent to the Guardian on April 17: “Grieve lamentable defection of Ḥusayn. Rejoice in the unshatterable power of the Covenant and the victorious justice of Guardianship”).
The following excerpt is from a letter written by the Guardian, through his secretary, to Miss Hannah Lohse on December 19, 1945, and reprinted with the Guardian’s consent.
Regarding your suggestion to the N.S.A. about a People’s Peace Conference. The idea and the aims are excellent, but the Guardian does not feel that the believers are as yet in a position to undertake such a major step; if the friends seek to carry out a thing of such importance and find that they cannot—through lack of members, prestige, funds, or any other reason,—see, the thing through to a successful conclusion, they will have done the Cause a serious injury by making it seem just one more ripple on the surface of a disturbed and turbulent society. They must first build the fabric of their community life so solidly that it can bear the strain which such an undertaking would place upon it, and which, by its very nature, would focus the eyes of the press upon the Bahá’ís everywhere in the world.
National Spiritual Assembly[edit]
Beloved Friends:
The inability, under restrictions imposed by the war, to hold Convention sessions this year challenged the National Spiritual Assembly to maintain the important functions of the annual meeting through other means. Steps were therefore taken to provide for Voting by mail, with a committee of tellers to serve in the customary way, to conduct a public meeting or Bahá’í Congress in Foundation Hall during the Riḍván Period, and to provide the delegates with subjects for written suggestions and views.
A detailed report of the carrying out of these plans will be published in the next issue of BAHÁ’Í NEWS.
Financial Report
For the fiscal year ending February 28, 1945, we have the following items for consideration in our review of the Bahá’í year opening the second century of the Era.
- Cash receipts .....$99,389.85
- Disbursements .....$93,097.76
Of the disbursements, the
- Temple Fund received ........$13,300.00
- Green Acre Fund received ......$3,700.00
Paid for National and
- Regional Teaching ............$10,767.95
- Deputization ..................$6,993.55
- For Inter-America teaching ....$8,895.70
- Radio teaching ................$8,728.36
Centenary travel expense.
- Latin American delegates .....$13,144.00
Centenary travel expense, Canadian believers (repaid by equivalent contributions to the
- Canadian Bahá’í Fund) ........$528.23
Translation of literature into
- Spanish ......................$1,570.00
National Committees (other than
- Teaching and Inter-America)...$10,654.79
- International Fund ...........$2,545.80
Trustee properties other than
- Temple and Green Acre .........$570.35
- Centenary Committee ...........$6,503.17
- National and State Conventions $2,404.16
- Administrative expense ........$16,298.35
It will be noted that the annual budget adopted after the 1944 Convention amounted to $125,000. The smaller income, plus the special Centenary expenses, has been felt particularly in the important work of maintaining the newer and smaller Assemblies. Many more settlers have been needed than could be sent or than offered their services.
At the Guardian’s request, the monthly contribution sent to the International Fund has been devoted to the Inter-America teaching work in the form of appropriations for the cost of printing Spanish books and pamphlets, but this action will be reflected in the next annual financial statement more than in the current figures.
Amendment
The National By-Laws have been further amended, in order to eliminate one reference to the assignment of delegates to local communities not taken care of in the amendments adopted earlier this year. In Art, I of the By–Laws the sentence formerly reading: “It shall be charged with the recognition of such local Assemblies, the scrutiny of local membership rolls, the calling of the annual meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the annual meeting and their apportionment among the various local Bahá’í communities”, has been amended to read: “It shall be charged with the recognition of such local Assemblies, the scrutiny of all membership rolls, the calling of the annual meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the annual meeting and their apportionment among the various electoral districts.”
The revised text, thus deals with the apportionment of the delegates among the states and provinces in accordance with the Guardian’s later directions, and with the membership lists of the groups and isolated believers who now vote in the state
|
Bahá’í News in published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada as the official newsletter of the Bahá’í community. The first issue appeared in December, 1924. On April 10, 1925, the Guardian wrote: “The News Letter which you have lately initiated 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 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 is edited for the National Spiritual Assembly by its Bahá’í News Committee: Horace Holley, Secretary, Garreta Busey, Mabel H. Paine. Address: Bahá’í News Committee, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Ill. |
elections as well as the membership lists of the local communities. Since there are no longer any “non-voting” adult Bahá’ís, the term “all membership rolls” has become necessary.
The amended Declaration of Trust, and the National and local By-Laws, have been prepared in pamphlet form and copies are available through the Publishing Committee in the usual way.
Peace Committee for Allied Nations Conference
The first year of the second Bahá’í century has been devoted to the promotion of the Bahá’í peace program in accordance with a plan prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly, coordinating the various National Committees, including Radio, Publicity and Public Relations, with special meetings to be conducted by the local Assemblies.
The calling of the Allied Nations Conference at San Francisco unexpectedly and most gloriously provided the unique occasion of occasions to promulgate the Bahá’í principles of universal peace. This international action filled the hearts of the believers to overflowing, as they saw in it a providential fulfillment of the Master’s mission in America, His fertilizing of the continent with the seeds of the future order, and His prophetic utterances and promises concerning America’s role, and His words concerning California.
The San Francisco Assembly was requested to submit recommendations, but the Bahá’ís of the bay area had already hastened to the arena of action and were prepared with a comprehensive plan which the NSA adopted at its March meeting.
A committee was appointed, named Committee on Bahá’í Peace Plan, with the function “to promote the Bahá’í Teachings in connection with the Allied Nations Conferences convened in San Francisco, April 25, 1945.” This committee was provided with a budget of $3,000, $1,000 of which was pledged locally, and authorized to proceed with the following schedule: preparation of pamphlet, holding one large public meeting, conducting three fifteen–minute broadcasts, and holding series of local meetings in the area with displays.
The believers will await with keenest interest the outcome of this culminating peace effort of the year.
Bahá’ís of India and Burma at Centenary Celebration, Bombay, May 23, 1944
Communication With the President
The friends will be interested in going over the text or the two communications addressed to the President, dated January 4, 1944 and March 26, 1945, the letter sent to Mrs. Roosevelt on April 13, 1945, and the letter received from the State Department dated April 17, acknowledging the receipt, by reference from the White House, of our telegram of March 26.
It was to the same President, Mr. Roosevelt, that a beautifully engrossed copy of Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet to the Presidents of the American Republics, and of two Prayers revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for America, was presented by Miss Juliet Thompson through the President’s mother a few years before the war. Photographs of the engrossed text were reproduced in The Bahá’í World.
Step by step we witness the unfoldment of the new World Order. It behooves every believer to realize more deeply the degree of our collective responsibility as agency for the direct reflection of His spirit and the embodiment of His united community.
Translations[edit]
Believers qualified to work on French translations of the Bahá’í literature are requested to communicate with the National Spiritual Assembly. A very capable committee is now functioning on a series of translations into German, and the NSA wishes to adopt plans for translation into the other European languages, as the basic Bahá’í texts will be the first requirement when the operation of the Divine Plan is extended to Europe by the Guardian. Those who can translate into the other languages such as Russian, Italian, etc., should also report, so that the work may be properly coordinated.
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
Mrs. Deborah Alexander, New York. Mr. Edward Harris, Carmichael, Sask.
- (1941, not previously reported).
Mr. Henry Pope, Jr., Nashville. Mrs. Eva Martin, —, North Carolina. Mr. Andrew J. Nelson, Racine. Mr. Carman Holmes, Big Bear Lake,
- Calif.
Mr. Augustus T. Sawyer, Fitchburg,
- Mass.
Mrs. Emma B. Stott, Los Angeles. Mr. Francis W. Barlet, Indianapolis. Mr. Haber S. Cowman, Arlington. Mr. Gerardus Theodorus Williamsen,
- Kansas City.
Miss Anna E. Van Blarcum, Montclair. Dr. L. T. Gilmer, Milwaukee. Mrs. Carolyn Thornhill, Cleveland. Mrs. Edgar H. Libby, Los Angeles. Mr. Julio Veve Benetez, Juncos,
- Puerto Rico.
Mrs. M. Grandison, Washington, D. C. Mr. Edward Burmeister, Muskegon. Mr. Henry Keeling, San Francisco. Dr. E. D. Shaw, Aberdeen, Wash.
Centenary Dinner, Auckland, N. Z.
Directory[edit]
The following changes are reported in the list of Committees appointed for the year begun July 1, 1944:
Committee on Bahá’í Peace Plan, to promote the Bahá’í Teachings in connection with the Allied Nations Conferences convened in San Francisco, April 25, 1945. Leroy Ioas, Chairman, Arthur Dahl, Jr., Vice Chairman, Marion Holley, Secretary, John W. Allen, Arthur C. Ioas, Charlotte M. Linfoot, Dr. Mildred Nichols, Mrs. Shirley Warde, Mr. and Mrs. Ali M. Yazdi.
Radio Script Review, Mrs. Shirley Warde, Marion Holley. Appointed to pass upon material intended for radio presentation.
News Service, Melvin S. Rawitsch added.
Child Education, Mrs. Barbara McCurdy added.
Radio, Emeric Sala unable to act as secretary, Correspondence conducted by the chairman, William Sears.
Green Acre School, Wm. Kenneth Christian, Mrs. Marguerite Sears added.
Development of Bahá’í Educational Sound Films, a new committee, Mrs. Shirley Warde, Chairman, Victor Alexander, Clarence Welsh, Mrs. Lorraine Welch.
Service to the Blind, Adah Schott added.
Regional Teaching Committee, Texas and Oklahoma, Mrs. Mary Edson appointed secretary. Mississippi and Louisiana, Mrs. Kathryn Frankland added. North and South Carolina, Georgia, Mrs. Phoebe Babo unable to serve, Mrs. Birdie Cunningham appointed secretary.
National Committees[edit]
Assembly Development
“It is of the utmost importance that in accordance with the explicit text of the Kitáb–í–Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, in every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult, declared believers exceeds nine, a local Spiritual Assembly be forthwith established. To it all local matters pertaining to the Cause must be directly and immediately referred for full consultation and decision.”
Our first election in the second Bahá’í century assumes great importance as we consider the number of Assemblies still representing an area otherwise virgin. None can judge the full privileges that is ours in playing a part, however small, in their first development and progress, for these newborns, nascent institutions of our Guardian are the mother Assemblies of wide–spread North American regions. With this in mind, as well as in answer to a general need, the Assembly Development Committee offers a few simple suggestions for the conduct of elections.
- 1. Written notification by the secretary
to every adult Bahá’í of the time and place of the election. Votes may be mailed back to the secretary if attendance at the election meeting is not possible. Such votes should not be opened before the election.
- 2. Opening of the election meeting
by the chairman. Prayer and appropriate readings are the first order of business.
- 3. Appointment of tellers by the
chairman. Tellers will see that all are equipped and ready for the election.
- 4. A final period of quiet, with
short prayer.
- 5. The casting of ballots. Write only
nine names. Observe silence.
- 6. Collection by the tellers of all
ballots, including those sent by mail, and retirement of tellers to count votes.
- 7. Annual reports of committees,
and review of the teaching work of the year.
- 8. Report of the election. Plurality
vote is sufficient.
- 9. Arrangement for the first
meeting of the new Assembly. The person receiving the highest number of votes will call the meeting and act as chairman until the new chairman is elected.
- 10. Election of officers. Each officer
will be elected on a separate ballot; chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer. The officers must likewise be elected by secret ballot, but a majority vote is required.
The friends are again urged to remember our Guardian’s often repeated entreaty to refrain from discussion of personalities before the election, in order that each voter may be free from influence that might hinder independent and prayerful selection. “Every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is, in truth, appointed by God. . .” It is for each one to determine for himself “the names of those who can best combine the necessary qualities of unquestioned loyalty, of selfless devotion, of a well trained mind, of recognized ability, and mature experience.”
All Bahá’í administration may be
said to come out of the election,
as we gather each year for a fresh
beginning in the conduct of our affairs.
We conceive this holy task
with reverence in the light of our
Guardian’s statements: “The importance,
nay, the absolute necessity
of these local assemblies is manifest
when we realize that in the
days to come they will evolve into
the local Houses of Justice, and at
present provide the firm foundation
on which the structure of the Master’s[Page 5]
Will is to be reared in future.”
“These Spiritual Assemblies will
have to be elected directly by the
friends, and every declared believer
of 21 years and above, far from
standing aloof and assuming an
indifferent or independent attitude,
should regard it his sacred duty
to take part conscientiously and diligently
in the election, the consolidation,
and efficient working of his
own local Assembly”*
—ASSEMBLY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Moving Picture Films of Shrines at Haifa and of Centenary Scenes[edit]
The Temple Librarian and Sales Committee is now able to fill a certain number of orders for the long–awaited moving picture films of the Shrines and Gardens which were taken under the Guardian’s direction in Haifa last year. The cost per set is $50.00. Only a limited number are available. Orders received for more than the five films on hand will be filled later when and as the Committee finds it possible to make additional copies of the original film.
Motion picture films can also be ordered by the Centenary subjects, showing the Temple, the assembled friends, Convention scenes, Centenary speakers, etc. The cost of these per set is $100.00. These films have been edited and titled from the pictures taken by Mr. Alexander, Mr. Tichenor and by a commercial photographer engaged for the purpose.
Orders and inquiries should be addressed to the Committee through Mr. H. E. Walrath, 4639 Beacon Street, Chicago, Ill.
Centenary Recordings
The two programs conducted in the Temple auditorium during the evening of May 22, 1944—the Commemoration of the Declaration of the Báb, and the Dedication of the House of Worship—were transcribed in order to perpetuate these events for Bahá’í history and also to make them available to the friends.
Under ordinary circumstances, pressings could be obtained from the originals in standard phonograph _____
- The Guardian’s original direction concerning
Assemblies (1922) limited them to towns having more than nine believers. A later direction permits nine believers to constitute themselves an Assembly by joint declaration. Vacancies during the year are filled by special election called as soon as possible.
Speakers, Centenary Dinner, Auckland, N. Z.: Mr. Henry Ah Kew, Mrs. Mary
- Owen, Mr. Oldfield, Rabbi Astor, Canon C. W. Chandler, Mr. W.
- Deem, and Corporal Alvin Blum, American Bahá’í
- Owen, Mr. Oldfield, Rabbi Astor, Canon C. W. Chandler, Mr. W.
record size and sets of records could
be sold at a very moderate price.
The unsettled conditions of these
times make it impossible to place
an order for pressings, as the large
firms are only handling quantities
beyond our capacity to use.
Temporarily, however, a number of sets of transcribed records have been produced and these can be obtained from Mr. Walrath at a cost of $21.00 per set.
Publishing Announcements[edit]
Declaration of Trust, National and Local By–Laws—text amended to March 13, 1945. Frontispiece: reproduction of Certification issued by the Department of State, May 17, 1929. 20 pages and cover. Per copy, 10c.
Study Outline of Training for Bahá’í Teaching—per copy, 15c.
Study material for education of Bahá’í children (see the announcement by Child Education Committee in this issue):—
Creation—Suggested Lessons for Tiny Children. Mimeographed, 11 pages and cover. Per copy, 20c.
To Live the Life: A Course on Bahá’í Ethics for the Younger Child. Mimeographed, 48 pages and cover. Per copy, 35c.
Comprehensive Study Outline for Children—adapted to varying ages. Mimeographed, 53 pages and cover. Per copy, 50c.
Send orders to Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 110 Linden avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Teaching in North America[edit]
The vitality of teaching in North America is reflected in a constant flow of reports from Regional Committees, Assemblies, and teachers. In the thrilling words of the Guardian, the “splendor of the exploits” of the American Community, despite the “sorrows, burdens, and restrictions” of this difficult period, has not been dimmed throughout 1944. We are happy to share with the friends the following news of progress, altogether inadequate as these paragraphs are to represent the scope or intensity of the national effort.
Regional Committees
Regional Teaching Committees have shown outstanding initiative in carrying out teaching circuits, stimulating group activities, and sponsoring regional conferences.
A conference in SYRACUSE, N.Y., on December 17th, was attended by about forty friends representing twelve communities of New York State. Under the chairmanship of Mr. Ugo R. Giachery, discussions were led by Miss Ida Noyes on youth, Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh on Bahá’í children’s work, Mrs. Mary Collison on firesides, Mr. William Sears on publicity, Mrs. Lili Olitzki on the development of Spiritual Assemblies, and Mrs. Helen Inderlied on study of the Creative Word as a preparation for teaching. A public meeting on “The Bahá’í Plan for Permanent Peace” was held the preceding evening with Mrs. Mottahedeh and Dr. Glenn Shook as speakers.
Friends, from Southern California and Arizona met on January 21st in LOS ANGELES for a stimulating conference with the following discussions: Miss Charlotte Linfoot emphasized the goals as we enter the Second Century and outlined teaching resources available through national committees; Mrs. Virginia Camelon Foster showed the effect of teaching upon the development of World Order; Mrs. Nancy Phillips summarized the Guardian’s teaching{{page|6|file=Baha'i_News_174.pdf|page=6} instructions in “The Advent of Divine Justice;” Mrs. Charles Witt analyzed the process of growth in Bahá’í groups, “the seedbed of the Administrative Order;” while Mrs. Valera Thornton brought to isolated Bahá’ís a recognition of their pioneer opportunities. Dr. Witt presided at this conference.
The Regional Committee of the Carolinas and Georgia sponsored a conference for teacher training in ATLANTA which opened November 23rd for a week, with Mrs. Terah Smith as chairman. Nineteen were in attendance, including several from Greenville, the Augustas and Charleston. “All were enthusiastic and deeply serious in their desire to learn how to present the Faith more effectively,” and at least one visitor was confirmed. The Committee hopes that Local Assemblies in the region will be stimulated to undertake similar projects.
A three–day regional conference was held in BIRMINGHAM, December 30—January 1, which combined teaching, consultation, discussion of the distinctive features of Bahá’í life and institutions, public meeting and Symposium, and a review of “God Passes By.”
Enthusiastic reports have also come from the conference in JACKSON, Miss., January 13-14, focused upon “the task ahead.” Public meetings were addressed by Mrs. Peggy True and Mr. Philip Marangella. This Regional Committee also sponsored a teaching conference in LITTLE ROCK, February 9–11 (too late for report).
A Regional Committee meeting was combined with important teaching work in West Virginia, November 11-12, when all members of the Committee met in CHARLESTON, and public meetings were scheduled both here and in Huntington with Mr. Paul Haney and Mrs. Annamarie Honnold as speakers. One result of this project is the formation of a study class in Huntington by the Charleston Extension Committee.
Regional Teaching Conferences have also been held during the last few months in Washington, D.C., Milwaukee, Chicago, Laramie, Albuquerque, Fargo, Urbana, and Boston; while in Indianapolis the Regional Committee arranged consultation with various groups. These meetings evidence a growing effectiveness to stimulate enthusiasm and momentum in our collective teaching.
Canadian Regional Committees are doing outstanding work in the planning of circuits and the development of new groups. In the Maritime Provinces monthly circuits have been arranged for Charlottetown, Moncton, and Halifax, using such teachers as Annie Romer, William Sears, Doris McKay, Rosemary Sala, Harlan Ober, John Robarts, and Lloyd Gardner. The Ontario Committee has projects for regular teaching in Ottawa and Hamilton, where a flourishing group promises early reinstatement of the Assembly. Speakers include Rosemary Sala, John Robarts, and Laura Davis. The Committee for the Praerie Provinces in addition to the important circuits carried out by Mrs. Margery McCormick and Mr. Emeric Sala which are reported later, is sponsoring a project in Saskatoon where at least fifteen people are interested in the Faith, with outside teaching help from Lulu Barr and Ernest Court.
These items represent but a small part of the manifold activities of Regional Committees, so encouraging, vital, and indeed indispensable to the evolution of the Faith in North America.
Teaching Circuits
Itinerant teachers have contributed immeasurably to the consolidation and expansion of the Faith this past year, with a detachment from the vicissitudes of travel which is truly an example of devotion and effort.
In October Mrs. Margery McCormick carried out a brilliant teaching circuit in Canada which attracted wide notice and was, in her own words. “A really thrilling episode.” A closely-packed itinerary had been worked out by the Regional Committee and the Assemblies, which opened in Winnipeg with a public meeting, fireside, and children’s afternoon. Regina was next visited, where a fine public meeting for more than thirty people, fireside, supper, and club talk were planned. In Calgary a public meeting and fireside were arranged. Perhaps the high spot was Mrs. McCormick’s return to her home city of Edmonton, where after thirteen years’ absence she found many friends ready to hear of the Faith. A reception for some thirty–five club women, two public meetings with overflowing audiences, several firesides, and “every luncheon, dinner, breakfast, tea, and hours between . . .taken.” In addition, there were two radio talks and a meeting with some forty Muslims, many of whom later returned to hear Rowland Estall. “The Faith was really proclaimed in Edmonton!” Mrs. McCormick then stopped in Saskatoon, where pioneer teaching is being done for two public meetings and a fireside. Mrs. McCormick writes: “I never worked so hard in my life on any previous teaching trip, nor did I ever have such glorious confirmation of spiritual help.”
William Sears,—in addition to an intense circuit of the Middle West in August and September including visits to Salt Lake City, Laramie, Denver, Omaha, Topeka, Kansas City, Independence, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh, with a total of forty–eight talks,—has given intensive service in Eastern Canada. In Halifax two well–attended public meetings were held November 19th, followed by a fireside and a Bahá’í session on “God Passes By.” “A deep sense of dedication and devotion was enkindled.” Charlottetown arranged two public meetings and a radio broadcast. Mr. Sears’ circuit was interrupted by illness, but later in January he was able to return to Montreal. At present, he is cooperating with the New England Regional Committee for teaching service.
Dr. Edris Rice-Wray has devoted her weekends and holidays during the past year to teaching in the areas suggested by the National Teaching Committee. Last Fall she visited St. Louis, Sioux Falls, Cedar Rapids, Toronto, and Hamilton. Christmas week was spent in Greenville, Atlanta, and Birmingham. Dr. Rice-Wray’s work is a proof of what can be accomplished when available time, no matter how limited, is coordinated with the needs in the teaching field.
Marzieh Gail spent two weeks in
January in the Pacific Northwest,
with meetings arranged in Corvallis,
Portland, Tacoma Seattle, Richmond
Highlands, and Monroe. In
Mrs. Gail’s words, “the Faith can’t
keep up with the audience demand
in these places.” Although all
reports are not yet in, from Corvallis
we hear of fine opportunities to meet
students and faculty at Oregon State
College, including talks before two
classes and a Forum Lunch, in all
the audiences totaling over two hundred. Very interesting club lectures
were arranged in Tacoma, including
the American Association of University
Women, the League of Western[Page 7]
Writers, U.S.O., Tacoma Interracial
Council, and a women’s Breakfast
Club. A Bahá’í public meeting, two
firesides, and a radio interview completed
the program which reached at
least four hundred contacts besides
the radio audience. Splendid publicity
attended this circuit. Mention
should also be made of Mrs. Gail’s
4–day visit to Reno last Fall, which
was packed with two public talks,
fireside, and individual contacts.
Emeric Sala completed in February a two-weeks’ circuit of Winnipeg, Regina, and Edmonton which attracted keen interest and enthusiasm. Full reports are as yet unavailable, but word from Regina tells of three meetings with attendance varying from 35 to 80, and an opportunity to address over 500 students of a Technical School.
Louis Gregory recently completed a circuit of Southern cities from late November into January, which included Charleston, Huntington, Greensboro, Greenville, Columbia, the Augustas, and Memphis; and on the return trip Urbana, Springfield, Quincey, and Peoria. In Charleston, besides other fine engagements, Mr. Gregory addressed the assembly of West Virginia State College as well as a Spanish class. Writes Charleston: We “were benefited tremendously” and “the teaching work and each Bahá’í took a step ahead.” Many meetings and excellent response are reported from the Carolinas and Georgia; a week was spent in Memphis with talks before churches and colleges; and in Quincy an outstanding meeting was attended by over 75 persons of three races.
Mrs. Peggy True spent two weeks, January 8–22, in New Orleans, Jackson, and Little Rock; and a second Southern circuit is planned for March to include Memphis and Nashville. In addition to Bahá’í public meetings and firesides, lectures were given at a high school in Jackson; and for the American Association of University Women, Y.W.C.A., and radio in Little Rock. Many outstanding contacts were made in each city, but the highlight of Mrs. True’s report is her comment on the “wonderful spirit of cooperation and unity” among the believers whom she met.
Charles Mason Remey has recently reported on teaching work completed in 1943 and 1944. His circuit in 1944 included Atlanta, Birmingham, Jackson, New Orleans, Houston, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Los Angeles,
Centenary Banquet, Urbana, Illinois, May 6, 1944
San Francisco, Geyserville, Reno,
Portland, Boise, Butte, Helena, Laramie,
Sioux Falls, Fargo, Topeka,
and Louisville. It was Mr. Remey’s
endeavor to visit particularly the
newly–formed Assemblies in virgin
areas, and his comments are an inspiring
proof of the confirmations
which, as promised by Bahá’u’lláh,
are showered upon the pioneers in
His Cause.
We quote: “Particularly in these newly organized assemblies did I find much spiritual fervor. . . . The newer assemblies still have a goodly proportion of members who are pioneers and settlers in those places. Some of these friends have gone through troubles, changing residence, giving up former business connections and home environment to go out into new and unknown territories where they have encountered problems in establishing themselves and in teaching the Faith. In other words, their sacrifices have been very considerable. But I found from these very facts a spiritual enthusiasm and an energy and force in their Bahá’í relations that was the very soul refreshing. There was a lyric quality in their mention of the Cause that reminded me of that same experience that I passed through myself as a young believer many years ago . . . I write you just as I feel my impressions of the happiness I found among these people . . . ”
Many other teaching visits and circuits have been carried out in the past few months, which will be mentioned in these columns or in the annual report.
In closing this article, however, we mention with pride the pioneers of the Second Century who by responding to new calls during this year have contributed a notable share to the safeguarding of the spiritual prizes. They are Elizabeth Cowles, who settled in Charlottetown, Gertrude Gewertz and Katherine McPhee in Greenville, Kathryn Frankland and Reszi Sunshine in Little Rock, Neysa Bissell to Brattleboro, and Margaret Lentz to Puerto Rico. In addition, residence projects have been carried out by Mrs. Louise Gregory in Brattleboro, Hannah Lohse in Greenville, and Antonio Roca in San Antonio.
The call of the Guardian remains the foremost responsibility as we approach the new Bahá’í year: “Urge utmost vigilance for preservation at whatever cost of the newly constituted Assemblies throughout the Americas.” (January 29, 1945)
Inter-America News[edit]
The friends of Buenos Aires joyfully report the arrival of Elizabeth Cheney. In collaboration with the Committee on Translation and Publication two titles are already on the press, “Dispensation” and “El Alba de la Nueva Era”. A third title will be on the press soon. Together with this work of increasing the Bahá’í publications in Spanish, Elizabeth is making frequent visits to Montevideo to assist the believers there with teaching and in the reestablishment of a Spiritual Assembly.
A letter has been received recently from Estaban Canales, the first native Chilian pioneer, who is following up the extension teaching project of the Santiago Assembly initiated by Marcia Steward in Punta Arenas. We quote from his letter:
“I thank God for this great privilege, because. . . I believe that to be a pioneer in Punta Arenas is the great privilege. Magallanes are one of the most important places of my Country and one of the most important of America.”
“Mr. Artemus Lamb has arrived recently from Santiago. I am very happy, because together we are going to work very much for the formation of a Spiritual Assembly by April, with the help of our beloved Bahá’u’lláh.”
We rejoice at this news, and particularly so in view of the Guardian’s recent statement calling our attention to “. . . the great importance of Magallanes as a center, and the necessity of extending it every assistance, so that this Bahá’í year an Assembly may be firmly established there. It, together with that of Alaska, may be likened to the extremity of the Bahá’í arms stretched out and waiting to embrace the whole world in the order of peace and love which Bahá’u’lláh has established for the children of men in this day.” (Feb. Bahá’í News.)
Miss Juliet Thompson and Mrs. Daisy Smythe, after an excellent sojourn assisting the friends in Mexico City, are returning to New York to do inter-racial work. Jeanne Bolles was with them for several weeks in Mexico City, where she gave a number of talks on Bahá’í Administration. They also report that Sr. Pedro Espinosa is carrying on extension teaching in Vera Cruz. A group of five young Bahá’ís has been organized there.
We are most happy to report the very recent departure from the United States at two more pioneers. On February 19 Louise Baker left Miami for Trujillo, Dominican Republic, where she will remain until about the middle of April, when she will continue her journey to Caracas, Venezuela, her permanent post. On March 3 Ofelia Montalvo, a native of El Salvador who has made Evanston, Ill., her home for the past three years, also departed for Trujillo where she will remain, at least until an Assembly is formed. May Bahá’u’lláh’s richest blessing go with these two young pioneers!
A group of Bahá’ís who have been particularly active in the important teaching work of guiding the thousands of inquirers who visit the House of Worship
- TEMPLE GUIDES
- Mrs. Janet Lindstrom, Evanston
- Mr. Clarence Suhm, Milwaukee
- Mr. Marvin Newport, Chicago
- Mrs. Helen Roach, Evanston
- Mrs. Ruth Schultz, Milwaukee
- Dr. Wm. F. Slater, Chicago
- Mr. Lloyd Robinson, Chicago
- Mr. Frank Peter, Chicago
- Mr. Tony Nabby, Milwaukee
- Mrs. Ruth Westgate, Chicago
- Mrs. M. Ioas, Riverside, Ill.
- Mrs. Lillian Morgan, Chicago
- Mrs. Viola Tuttle, Riverside, Ill.
- Mr. Marshall Tyler, Evanston
- Mrs. Frida Beck, Milwaukee
- Mrs. Ann Neumann, Milwaukee
- Miss Bertha Herklotz, Wilmette
- Mr. Wm. Schend, Kenosha, Wisc.
- Mr. Monroe Ioas, Hollywood, Ill.
- Mrs. Florence Hansen, Racine, Wisc.
- Mrs. Jessie Halberstadt, Kenosha, Wisc.
- Mrs. Nina Matthisen, Bristol, Wisc.
- Mrs. Julia Shows, Chicago
- Dr. Hedgwig Kuehnel, Milwaukee, Wisc.
- Mrs. Mae Scheffler, Evanston, Ill.
- Mrs. Marian Steffes, Milwaukee
- Miss Cecile Hargis, Chicago
- Mr. Arthur Larson, Chicago
- Mr. Edwin Mattoon, Wilmette
- Mrs. Betty McHenry, Wilmette
- Mrs. Joan Engman, Glenview, Ill.
- Mrs. Carrie Tyler, Evanston, Ill.
- Mr. Louis Voelz, Kenosha, Wisc.
- Mrs. Olive Gardner, Chicago.
- Mrs. Louis Voelz, Kenosha
- Mrs. Harriet Terry, Waukegan, Ill.
- Mrs. Beatrice Ashton, Evanston. Ill.
- Mrs. Hashim Hassan, Wilmette
- Mrs. Mary Haggard, Wilmette
- Dr. Elizabeth Dickerman, Chicago, Ill.
- Mr. M. D. Roach, Evanston
- Miss Evelyn Larson, Chicago
- Miss Anna Marie Mattoon, Wilmette
- Dr. Edris Rice-Wray, Glenview, Ill.
- Mrs. Beulah Brown, Shorewood, Wisc.
A letter from Dr. Malcolm King in Managua informs us that a well attended study group has been functioning there since December 30th. His interpreter, Mr. Robert M. Hooker, has recently declared himself as a believer. Dr. King is very hopeful and optimistic regarding the ultimate success of his project in Nicaragua.
Leonora Holsapple Armstrong has recently moved from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro. The Committee has requested her to take over the responsibility for the Portuguese section of the Spanish Bahá’í Bulletin during the temporary absence of Mrs. Carol Wood from Rio.
En route to the Orient Mr. and Mrs. Mottahedeh of New York City have made a short stopover and visit with the friends in Port-au–Prince, Haiti. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bishop, are left to teach in Mazatlan, Mexico.
Circular letters are being mailed each month by the Inter-America Committee to Assemblies and groups throughout Latin America. They are written in both Spanish and English. The February letter was on the Observation of the Fast. A letter is prepared for mailing in March on the Conduct of Bahá’í Elections. Further issues will cover such subjects as the functions of the Nineteen Day Feast, the Guardianship, Consultation, and Teaching Methods.
Green Acre Bahá’í Summer School, 1945[edit]
The regular courses of the Green Acre Summer School will open on Monday, July 9, and continue for eight weeks, through September 1. Four types of courses will be given each week: (1) Fundamental Courses in the Bahá’í teachings, especially for new Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís who wish to make a serious study of the Faith. (2) Advanced courses {or Bahá’ís who are, in general, well–informed about the basic teachings. (3) A Seminar, for students who wish to do active research in the Bahá’í writings and related materials. (4) A Workshop, in which opportunity will be given to learn and practice techniques in speaking and writing, in relation to Bahá’í teaching activities.
The Seminar and Workshop will be open only to those who can attend for at least one week, and it is hoped that most students who choose these courses will be able to attend for two weeks. The Seminar and the Fundamental Course will be given simultaneously, during the second period in the morning. The Workshop will meet for two hours each afternoon.
1. Fundamental Courses.
- 1. Survey of the Basic Bahá’í
- Princlples.
- 2. The Central Figures of the Bahá’í
- Revelation.
- 3. The Guardianship and the Administrative
- Order.
- 4. Bahá’í Character Development.
- 5. Bahá’í Community Life.
- 6. Bahá’ís in Public Activities.
- 7. The Bahá’í Teacher.
- 8. Some Answered Questions — its use
- as a Bahá’í textbook, in teaching activities.
2. Advanced Courses (The order in
- which this series of courses is given
- may be changed, in order to
- obtain the services of teachers
- who are particularly competent
- for each course.)
- 1. Historical Introduction to God Passes
- By.
- 2. God Passes By—first half.
- 3. God Passes By—second half.
- 4. The Bahá’í Peace Program and the
- Current World Scene.
- 5. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf.
- 6. The History and Principles of
- Christianity, for Bahá’í Teachers.
- 7. How to know and Use Bahá’í Literature.
- 8. The Hidden Words—a guide to Bahá’í
- living.
3. Seminar.
Students will carry on a variety of research studies, such as the following: analyzing the teaching techniques used by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His public talks; preparing a study outline;
Some of the guest who attended the Naw–Ruz Feast held by the Bahá’ís of Havana, March 21, 1945
making a compilation on a topic
of special interest to the student;
working on an index for a Bahá’í
book which needs one; making an
historical study, such as “Islamic
Civilization in relation to the teachings
of Mohammed.” It is hoped that
most of the students in the Seminar
will come to Green Acre with plans
as to the particular research they
wish to undertake.
4. Workshop.
The work in writing will concern itself with the composition of Bahá’í material for radio, newspaper publicity, World Order, Non-Bahá’í magazines, etc. The work in speaking will deal with the presentation and delivery of Bahá’í talks for a variety of situations and audiences.
Students may elect to work in either writing or speaking; or in both, if they are going to attend the course for three or four weeks. If a student is working in both the Seminar and the Workshop, the results of his research in the Seminar may be used as a basis for writing or speaking in the Workshop.
Three Conferences are planned for the summer, with approximate dates as follows:
- 1. Conference on World Order, for
- Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í Youth.
- July 5, 6, 7.
- 2. Inter-America Conference. Friday
- evening, July 27 through
- Sunday, July 29.
- 3. Race Unity Conference. Friday
- evening, August 24 through Sunday,
- August 26.
Other activities include a daily devotional meeting immediately after dinner in the evening, a public meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings, and a series of discussions and musicales in the evenings.
Daily classes for children will be held in the Recreation room in the dormitory, or out—of-doors when the work the children are doing makes this desirable. The children will be divided into two or three age-groups, depending on the ages of the children in attendance. It is expected that all children at the School will attend these classes, and young children may not go with their parents to the adult classes.
Since the National Spiritual Assembly has adopted the policy that Green Acre is primarily a school, and should not be regarded as a summer hotel for persons not primarily interested in the Faith, you are urged to recommend attendance at Green Acre to your non-Bahá’í friends only when they have shown a serious intention of studying the Bahá’í teachings and wish to attend the classes.
Appeal for Books for the Library of the Green Acre Bahá’í Summer School
The Green Acre Program Committee is eager to build a better Library for the Green Acre Summer School. In the summer of 1945 the Library is to be housed in a separate building, where students can work in quiet. We are making an urgent appeal for gifts of books for the Library. Please look over your own books to see whether you have any books which you can contribute,—or send us a gift of a new book. We particularly need the following kinds of books:
- 1. Extra copies of Bahá’í books.
- 2. Books on comparative religion.
- 3. Recent books on world problems,
- both those dealing with the
- international scene, and those
- about separate countries.
- 4. Books of history, written by
- competent historians.
- 5. Modern books on economics.
- 6. Back numbers of any of the Bahá’í
- magazines, especially when
- those for a complete year are
- available.
- 7. A good dictionary; a book of
- synonyms; books on the techniques
- of writing and speaking.
- 8. Books dealing with problems of
- social welfare.
Books of standard fiction and good recent fiction will also be gratefully received.
If you have books which you are willing to contribute, please send the names to the Chairman of the Green Acre Committee. We will then let you know which ones we can use, and where and when to mail them.
International School 1945 Program[edit]
The Committee wishes to report the program scheduled for the Latin American Session opening June 30th to July 10th, 1945.
Morning Sessions: The study of “God
- Passes By.”
1. The four distinct periods in the
- evolution of the Faith.
2. A study of the existing conditions
- of governments and clergy, in
- Persia and Turkey.
3. Becoming familiar with the sacrifices
- and suffering and martyrdom
- of those who gave all to establish
- the Faith.
4. The development of a World Community
- workimg together through
- the administrative structure
- brought into being by the Center
- of the Covenant ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and
- set into action by the Guardian of
- the Faith.
5. The realization of the Power
- which was released by the Báb
- and ignited by the greater Revelation
- of Bahá’u’lláh destined to
- bring into being a new creation.
Afternoon Sessions: 1st Period.
Devoted to teaching methods in Latin-America.
2nd Period.
The study of the history of the Cities connected with the Faith.
The Session will close on the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb, July 9.
The Bahá’í World, Vol. IX[edit]
The Bahá’í World, Vol. IX, which will soon be off the press, will cover the activities of the Faith for the years 1940-1944. Because of the unusual length of time represented by this volume and the difficulties of publication in these times, the Guardian was forced to omit many of the excellent things submitted to him for this book. Among these were the articles on early believers, in which he expressed great interest and which he asked to have sent on to him as soon as they were prepared. The authors of these articles, however great their disappointment, will be glad to know the Guardian feels them to be valuable even though they cannot be published in The Bahá’í World at the present time. His secretary writes:
“. . . The last volume of Bahá’í World had been already too overcrowded (covering a four year period) to use the articles on early believers which you forwarded to him and which were received. The next, Centennial, volume is also more than likely going to be a crowded one—he sees no objection to these articles being made use of in World Order, if any of them are found suitable for that purpose; and in any case he feels copies of them should be given to the Archives Committee as data in them is of historic interest and should be preserved. Some of these articles may in the future be included in the Bahá’í World.
The committee is preparing to carry out these instructions of the Guardian.
Child Education[edit]
The Child Education Committee wishes to inform the friends that they have ready now for distribution the following outlines for use in the education of Bahá’í children.
“Creation” is especially adaptable for tiny children (5–6 years old). It is a picture course for the tiny tot.
“To Live the Life” deals with a course on Bahá’í ethics for the younger child. Character training is the primary aim of the course.
“Study Course for Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era” is a flexible course for 12-15 year old boys and girls. It deals with the study of the book “Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era.” The history of the Faith is omitted in this outline, however.
“Comprehensive Study Outline for Children” can be adapted to varying ages, but for the most part is especially designed for the older child. Its purpose is to create an incentive for teaching, by supplying a few fundamental references, questions, poems, stories, and projects.
Beside these outlines, we have “A Bahá’í Child’s A.B.C.” book which can be used for youngsters of any age. The art work accompanying each letter of the alphabet is more attractive and appealing to the child. It is an excellent book to be used in the home.
We also want to mention the “Child’s Prayer Book” for all Bahá’í children.
These outlines and books may be secured by writing to the Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois.
News Service[edit]
In answer to a plea for help in the expanding of Bahá’í publicity during 1945 many excellent news articles have been submitted to the News Service Committee during the past few months by writers in the local assemblies. Three releases will be made to the national press on the subjects of the Inter-America teaching, race unity teaching and the Bahá’í Peace Program. Individual believers who feel that they can write effectively are urged to contact Laurence W. LaRocque, 857 Second Street, N.W., Mason City, Iowa.
The Committee appreciates the number of clippings of Bahá’í publicity which have been sent to its secretary Miss Virginia A. Russell, 2622 Prairie Avenue, Evanston, Illinois. These clippings are not only placed in the permanent file or annual press book, but are studied in the hope of helping local publicity chairmen of Assemblies and are often reprinted as examples of good press mentions in the Bahá’í Publicity Bulletin which is issued periodically to local publicity chairmen.
Not all of the material sent in are
newspaper clippings on the Bahá’í
Faith. Some of the most interesting
have appeared in magazines and
particularly in the house–organs of
business organizations. Just to mention
a few: The Highway Traveler
(Greyhound Lines) recently included
a good illustration and description
of the House of Worship in its department
“How well do you Know
your United States;” The Finder
(Bell & Howell) shows a most excellent
view of the House of Worship
which won the B & H employee
first prize in a photography contest;
Waco Steel Service (Warden–Allen
Co.) an interesting structural view
of the House of Worship with detail
on the steel reinforcing used; and
Flying Magazine (this came from
a Bahá’í in the American Army stationed
in Saipan) carries a feature
story with accompanying charts and
map explaining that all Naval flying
cadets who are trained in carrier
landing along Lake Michigan’s shore
north of Chicago but who are based
at the Glenview (Ill.) Naval flying
field use the House of Worship (Point
Oboe in Naval code) as a marker
or guide in flying to the carriers
Wolverine and Sable; and the British
Edition of The Yank (The Army
Weekly) under its department head
“News from Home” shows an
arresting scene entitled: “Western[Page 11]
Shrine.” This is also a view of the
south entrance of the House of Worship
with many visitors in evidence
gazing at its inspiring beauty.
Publicity Clippings
We were pleased at the recent letter from John Eichenauer, written somewhere in France, reporting that he and many members of his company had seen the Bahá’í article with illustrations of the House of Worship in the February issue of Pure Oil Magazine. The article of some three pages in length deals with the principles of the Faith and construction details of the Temple. It is replete with illustrations.
From, the number of clippings sent the News Service Committee by Assemblies and groups in the past weeks one of the most interesting came from Woburn, Mass. It is a clipping from a Boston newspaper for Italian people, Gazzetta del Massachusetts, which used the Bahá’í Peace Program broadsides for the text which is printed in both English and Italian.
Clippings of Bahá’í publicity have also been received from the following cities: Geneva and Floral Park, N. Y., New Haven, Conn., Cabin John, Md., Augusta, Ga., Wilmette, Ill., St. Louis, Mo., Reno, Nev., Tucson, Ariz., Los Angeles, Geyserville and San Francisco, Cal., and Honolulu, Hawaii. The Committee asks that two copies of all publication publicity on the Faith be sent its secretary.
Addition to Centenary Radio Broadcasts
One more broadcast is to be added to the impressive list of Centenary Radio activity published in the December issue of BAHÁ’Í NEWS.
May 22, 9:30 P.M., Station WIBA, ten minute broadcast, paid for by local Assembly. Madison, Wisc.
Local Communities[edit]
Current Activities
HOUSTON
Mr. Gregory’s teaching visit to Houston in January and February, 1944 was highly successful. Besides a series of advertising public meetings attended by 75 to 150 people of both races there were several fireside meetings and dinner parties. Mrs. Butterfield opened her house to all inquirers and the minority was well represented at all meetings. The secretary of the Houston Assembly wrote that she had never witnessed such a clamoring for Bahá’í literature and for the opportunity to hear a Bahá’í speaker. The people were “attending every meeting, bringing friends and,” in reality, “sitting at the feet of Louis Gregory.” Many public meeting places were found where there was no segregation of races, and meetings were held in the Negro districts, with no objections whatsoever on the part of white inquirers.
Very fine broad–minded business and professional men, both Negro and white, came to the meetings, also lieutenants and sergeants from Ellington Field.
NEW ORLEANS
The Spiritual Assembly of New Orleans has recently acquired a meeting place situated near the center of the city in the Queen and Crescent Building, 344 Camp street. (This information is printed especially for the benefit of believers and friends who may visit New Orleans.)
WILMINGTON
Gertrude Gewertz spent almost two weeks in August in Wilmington to assist with the teaching work there. Luncheons and informal evening meetings were arranged with friends interested in the Faith. One fireside meeting at the home of a fine colored woman attracted about fifteen, mostly teachers. A young colored man from Asheville, North Carolina, who attended all the meetings is going back to promote the Cause, after making a more thorough study of it. Dorothy Champ is doing excellent work among the Negroes in Wilmington, and her life is such a shining example, that people know she has something to give. Cynthia Powell, who came to Wilmington some time ago as a pioneer, and Mr. Olson, a long resident of Wilmington, have recently been married. The wedding, a Bahá’í one, a good teacher in its beauty and simplicity, attracted much attention and received fine publicity in the papers. Rodney Warren, a new believer, a teacher of commercial chemistry, who has good connections all over the city, is fired with the idea of starting a youth group.
LOS ANGELES
The Bahá’ís of Los Angeles sponsored a “Bahá’í World Order” program every Sunday evening from April 23 to July 16, 1944.
The Centenary of the founding of the Bahá’í Faith was observed in Los Angeles on two days, May 19, when an inter–racial banquet was held, and May 21, at a public meeting at the Ambassador Hotel.
A very joyous meeting of the Bahá’í of Los Angeles and surrounding communities was held on June 16, 1944, about 100 attending. A highlight of the meeting was the showing of moving pictures of the National Centenary celebration. Roy Herrick and Victor Alexander were instrumental in the taking and showing of these pictures. A sound film of the founders of the Geyserville Bahá’í Summer School, John and Louise Bosch, was also shown. Among the speakers at this meeting were Mrs. Oni Finks, Mrs. French, who showed on the map where Bahá’í Inter-America ice work was being accomplished, Mrs. Helen Bishop, Mt. Illescas, Mr. Falk and Mrs. Longyear.
Mr. Charles Mason Remey of Washington, D. C. has been making a trip through the United States, paying particular attention to the small Bahá’í communities. He was in Los Angeles and vicinity September 11 and 12 addressing an audience assembled from all the neighboring communities on the 11th, and on the 12th, speaking to friends gathered in the apartment of Patricia Scott in Beverly Hills.
In September, through the efforts of Charles Ellis, on furlough from the Merchant Marine, Willard Hatch was able to address an interracial meeting at the Lutheran church in Riverside. In October Mrs. Charles Reed Bishop was to address another meeting of the same type in a Negro church of Riverside. There were five clergymen in the group that heard Mr. Hatch, three white and two Negroes. About 67 people attended and were made very happy as the various reasons for interracial unity were brought out.
Mrs. Charles Reed Bishop conducted the Los Angeles public meetings during September and built up a record attendance.
Mr. William deForge of New York City spent a few days in Los Angeles and spoke at the public meeting in West Hall on November 26.
Bahá’í friends from Los Angeles and neighboring communities gathered at the grave of Thornton Chase on September 30, the anniversary of his passing. Flowers were placed on his grave and a service was held consisting of remarks by those who had known him and readings from his books.
SAN FRANCISCO
A course for inquirers was completed December 11 and another repeating the same material started on January 9.
The President, The White House, Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. President:
Your firm and powerful support of the principle of justice in race relations in connection with labor policy at this time, and your attitude of understanding and sympathy toward the economic and social hardships sustained by our Negro citizens, have been noted with grateful appreciation by all American Bahá’ís. It is our confident hope that through your authority and influence this gravest problem of civilization in America may at last be lifted up out of the darkness and distortion of prejudice and realized, by people and government alike, to be the fundamental ethical challenge laid by destiny upon our nation. How can we exercise the concentration of material and spiritual power in America for world peace if we continue to abuse that power in dealing with our own most helpless minority?
Therefore, because the Bahá’ís have for many years been conscious and aware of the vital importance of race unity as a foundation for world order, and have established race unity spiritually and socially in their own community, they now deem it a high privilege to express to their President these few words of sincere gratitude, and their heartfelt best wishes for full success in the noble effort to apply the divine law of human fellowship to political and social fields which have claimed exemption from the power of truth until the whole of humanity has become submerged in the sea of violence and strife.
Recently the Bahá’ís have issued a book entitled “Race and Man” in which are gathered together the most enlightened views of the time on aspects of this matter of race unity.
A copy of the book is being sent, and we trust that it will be accepted as a presentation for the Library of the White House.
Among the statements on race unity found in the Bahá’ís Sacred Writings, the text of an address delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at Howard University on April 13, 1912, seems particularly appropriate:
“In the estimation of God, there is no distinction of color; all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to Him . . . Therefore strive earnestly and put forth your greatest endeavor toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and effort on the prt of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and appreciation; from the other kindliness and recognition of equality. Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other (race) toward mutual advancement. This is possible only by conjoining of effort and inclination. Love and unity will be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of mankind. For the accomplishment of unity between the colored and whites will be an assurance of the world’s peace.”
“Then racial prejudice,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continued, “national prejudice, limited patriotism and religious bias will pass away and remain no longer.”
In these fateful days when ethical foundations alone will support the structures of an enduring society, the question of race unity in America, we dare to hope, will receive the priority of effort and spiritual intention needed to create full assurance “of the world’s peace” and security of mankind.
Miss Lucy Marshall entertains Bahá’í service men who wish to spend their free time in town. Her house has become so popular that she can not take care of all her would–be guests and she is asking other Bahá’ís to volunteer for this service.
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Shaw, Dr. Nichols and Miss Holley, and Mrs. Louise Grogor have recently entertained in their homes friends who were not familiar with the Cause and thus been able to attract and inform them. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had several guests to hear a recent Bahá’í radio broadcast. After the broadcast the conversation and discussion were about the Cause.
The Bahá’ís of the Bay Area, (San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley Assemblies) have presented a weekly radio program Sundays at 6:30 pm., over Station KYA from September through December and will continue it through January and February. Some of the topics were: “The Challenge to Youth,” “What is the Bahá’í Faith,” “God’s Plan for World Peace,” Bahá’u’lláh—Light of the Age.” “This Evolving Universe,” “The Growth of World Society.” “The Promise of This Century.” “This Great Ordeal,” “The Interdependence of Peoples.”
NEW YORK
At a special youth meeting held in June Mme. Dreyfus–Barney and Mrs. Marzieh Gall were the speakers. One of the purposes of the meeting was to attract French people in New York. The hall was most attractive with paintings and French altar–pieces, which were loaned by the Mottahedehs. Lee Hagar, whose paintings were exhibited, and Nuita Schapiro, pianist, also participated. Many people who might not otherwise have come to the Center were present.
The New York Bahá’í News for July speaks of the fact that New York is the spot where the Nineteen Day Feast was first celebrated. “A party of American believers were the guests on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká in 1905 . . . In spite of the trouble surrounding Him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá prepared a Feast for the Eastern and Western believers who were visiting Him. As was His custom, He served His guests with His own hands and, passing among them, spoke the words that gather the friends together every nineteen days in a Feast of Unity and hospitality. The words He spoke were addressed
The President, The White House, Washington, D. C.
It is the prayerful hope of the American Bahá’ís that your Excellency, chief magistrate of the American nation and symbol of its destiny at this great turning–point in human history, will be spiritually guided and reinforced to lead the nations and peoples of the world in the inauguration of universal peace. We recall with reverence and devotion the exalted mission upheld for America by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1912 when He traveled from city to city promulgating the principles of universal peace and in the city of Washington declared: “May this American democracy be the first nation to establish the foundation of international agreement. May it be the first to upraise the standard of the Most Great Peace and through this nation of democracy may these philanthropic intentions and institutions be spread broadcast throughout the world. Truly, this is a great and revered nation. Here liberty has reached its highest degree. The intentions of its people are most praiseworthy. They are indeed worthy of being the first people to build the tabernacle of the great peace and proclaim the oneness of mankind. I will supplicate God for assistance and confirmation in your behalf.” May the dire needs of humanity be met by the creation of a new world order through the efforts of the forthcoming conference in San Francisco under your leadership.
Mr. George O. Latimer, Chairman National Bahá’í Assembly Wilmette, Illinois
My dear Mr. Latimer:
I acknowledge the receipt, by reference from the White House, of your telegram of March 26, 1945, on behalf or the American Bahá’ís, in which you express the “prayerful hope” that the President “will be spiritually guided and reinforced to lead the nations and peoples of the world in the inauguration of universal peace.”
The Department of State shares with the American Bahá’ís the hope that universal peace may be inaugurated at the conclusion of this war. As you are doubtless aware, it is the policy of this Government to establish an international organization for peace and security. The attainment of this objective will require the sustained support of an active and informed public opinion, and for this reason, it is heartening to know of the active interest of the American Bahá’ís in the problems of peace and security.
As of interest to you and your associates, I am enclosing some recently released material on the Dumbarton Oaks Proposals. I believe you will be especially interested in the speech by Mr. Henry S. Villard, entitled “The Positive Approach to an Enduring Peace.”
- Sincerely yours,
Enclosures:
- 1. Press release No. 51.
- 2. Material on Dumbarton Oaks.
to Howard MacNutt, who brought them back to New York. It was in this way that New York became the first city to celebrate the Nineteen-Day Feast.”
A study class attended by about 60 is held every Wednesday evening at the Center at 8:30 p.m. The general subject during September and October was: “The Gifts of God to this New Cycle of Human Power.” These classes have proved themselves very informative and stimulating. Tea is served at 8:00 p.m. There is a Sunday meeting at the Center at 4:30 p.m.
There are also informal meetings held Tuesday evenings at Mr. and Mrs. Kinney’s.
Dr. Kahn’s study group meets Sundays from 7:30 to 8:30 at the Center.
The following is quotes from New York Bahá’í News for June, 1944: “The New York community celebrated the Centennial over the air (together with 83 other Assemblies throughout the United States, Canada, Alaska, Cuba and Hawaii) with a talk by Ivan Benson over WMAC. The booklet “Faith for Freedom” was offered to the listening audience on this program and there have been a great many requests for it. Some, also, inquired about the Teachings and the meetings, and letters have been written to them. One of the officials of the Lions’ Club in Hempstead, N. Y. heard this talk and asked for a speaker to explain the Bahá’í Faith at one of their meetings. Dr. Benson will be the speaker.
“On April 28, the first Bahá’í short wave broadcast ever given was beamed from New York to all Latin–America through the assistance of the Office of Coordinator of Inter–America affairs. The broadcast was made by Dr. Luis Mena-Solorzano, former consul General of Nicaragua, who was our guest speaker at the Latin-American evening of April 28.”
New York’s Centennial Program, planned by Vaffa Kinney, consisted of readings on the station of the Báb and the Master, the story of the Declaration of the Báb as given in “The Dawn-Breakers,” a talk by Mr. Kinney on the significance of the historic 23rd of May, showing of the motion picture “ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America,” and music; A group of three spirituals, the singing of “Nearer My God to Thee” by the entire audience, a solo, “The Holy City,”
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, The White House, Washington, D. C.
Dear Mrs. Roosevelt:
On behalf of the American Bahá’ís we express sincere and heartfelt sympathy for your sorrow in the death of Mr. Roosevelt, and our realization of the sudden blow which the President’s passing means to workers for peace and justice throughout the world.
It has seemed to the Bahá’ís that destiny had found in Mr. Roosevelt the instrument needed to complete the world undertaking begun by President Wilson after the first world war, and thereby fulfill the mission providentially laid upon our country to lead the nations in the establishment of universal peace. We pray that the sacrifice of his precious life at this crucial moment may deepen the determination of the American representatives at San Francisco to succeed in their great purpose, and produce in the body of the people a sense of renewed consecration and fuller understanding of the nature of our supreme task.
Only a few days ago we were moved to send the President a message conveying our hopes that under his leadership the gathering of the Allied Nations would lay a basis for peace. Similarly, in January, 1944 We sent the President a letter expressing our appreciation of his activities in behalf of race unity, while nearly ten years ago we had the privilege of giving him, through the courtesy of the President’s mother, an engrossed copy of Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet addressed to the rulers of the American Republics, and or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s prayers revealed for America. As the ideals of peace and racial unity are so large a part of your own public work and influence, we send you with this a set of photographs of the engrossed document, and copies of the telegram and letter mentioned.
May we also share with you these beautiful words of Bahá’u’lláh:—
“O Son of Man! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not, wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished, why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory.”
- Respectfully,
The exposition of these vitalizing truths of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, which He characterized as the “spirit of the age,” He supplemented with grave and reiterated warnings of an impending conflagration which, if the statesmen of the world should fail to avert, would set ablaze the entire continent of Europe. He, moreover, predicted, in the course of these travels, the radical changes which would take place in that continent, foreshadowed the movement of the decentralization of political power which, would inevitably be set in motion, alluded to the troubles that would overtake Turkey, anticipated the persecution of the Jews on the European continent, and categorically asserted that the “banner of the unity of mankind would be hoisted, that the tabernacle of universal peace would be raised and the world become another world.—Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 282
and the premiere of Mr. Kinney’s music for the 23rd and 24th Psalms of David.
Philip Sprague and Saffa Kinney gave the Bahá’í Message at a meeting at the McKee High School, May 16. There were other speakers, one of whom spoke on “The Basis of Brotherhood.” Irma Mariasche sang and Mr. Kinney played. Sylvia King presided. The meeting was planned with Lila Hope and Ethel Peck.
Marzieh Gail in an interview with Martha Deane over WOR on May 31 brought out the Bahá’í Principles and described the Convention.
New York art critics praised Mark Tobey’s exhibit held in April at the Willard Gallery. His picture, “Threading Light,” a direct Bahá’í expression, has caused much comment. Mr. Tobey is also a noted Bahá’í teacher. He has visited the Guardian, pioneered in England, taught at the Geyserville School and at the International School at Temerity Ranch, Colorado. He lives in Seattle, Washington and made only a brief visit in New York.
YONKERS
Mrs. Sylvia King spoke over WFAS, White Plains, for the Yonkers Assembly, May 23.
Three Yonkers papers had excellent publicity on the Centennial.
Programs of regular public weekly meetings have been received at the National Office from four local Assemblies. Time and place of these meetings in each city are given below. Los Angeles, every Sunday at 3 p.m., West Hall, Halliburton Building, 1709 West Eighth Street. San Francisco, Friday, 8 p.m., Bahá’í Center, 126 Post Street. Philadelphia, Sunday, 8:15 p.m., 308 Fuller Building, 10 South 18th Street, Washington, D. C., Sunday, 4 p.m., Bahá’í Center, 1308 Eye Street.
TOPEKA
Topeka, Kansas issued an attractive Bahá’í Program for 1943-44 containing pictures of the Temple, membership roll, names of isolated believers in the vicinity, and Bahá’í youth, members of the Assembly, committee chairmen, and a calendar of Bahá’í events from April to April. The program calls for one Guest meeting a month.
It is the hope of the Bahá’í News Editorial Committee to study local methods and report the most effective suggestions from time to time.
Local News Letters[edit]
Copies of their local newsletters have been received from the Los Angeles, California, the Maywood, Illinois, and the New York Communities, and they are full of interesting activities. LOS ANGELES issues monthly a seven–page Bahá’í Journal which includes the Bahá’í calendar for the period; an announcement of the time of the feast or feasts which will be held; much devotional material, not only from the Bahá’í Writings but also from the Bible and the Qur’án; and odd items of interest, such as the poem written by John Greenleaf Whittier in honor of Sarah J. Farmer’s birthday. One interesting bit of news was the announcement of the arrival of Mrs. Luisa Garrido de Padilla from Chile with her husband, who is connected with the Los Angeles Chilean Consulate. Mrs. Padillo has been a member of the Spiritual Assembly of Santiago since its inception. . . In an effort to build up a Youth Group “of distinction and noteworthy capacity” the Los Angeles Assembly invited all the Bahá’í Youth of that community to a consultation and social meeting on January 7th. . .Mrs. Virginia Camelon Foster is conducting a study class in Los Angeles, using “God Passes By” as a textbook. About twenty–six students are attending this class, in which lessons are assigned and opportunity for discussion is given.
The very young assembly of MAYWOOD, Illinois, with a membership of thirteen voting members, published in January its first local Bahá’í News, a vigorous little four–page letter giving excerpts from the Bahá’í Writings; the dates of the feasts to be held January through April, with the names of the hosts; News about the various members of the community; and the following challenging questions:
“Do you know?
- The periods of development of the
- Bahá’í Faith?
- The chief agency empowered to
- usher in this Age?
- What is the sole framework of the
- Bahá’í future?
- What is the pattern of the new
- world order?
- The source of authority of the
- Administrative order?
- The institutions of the
- Administrative order?
- Its functions?
- Its successorship?”
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Santiago da Chile, 1944-45
“What do you know about
- The Universal House of Justice?
- The secondary House of Justice?
- The institution of the
- Guardianship?
“Will you be able to answer the above questions, and more, when the outside world begins asking them?”
The last page of the paper is given over to pictures taken in 1937 with the caption: “Do you remember when. . .Maywood was a group?”
Two news items show how strongly Maywood is supporting the institutions of the Cause: “Our membership is 100% subscribed to World Order and has arranged for free copies to he sent to the Hines and the Vaughan hospitals in Maywood.” “At the close of 1944 our treasurer has sent a contribution each and every month to the National Fund.”
The New York Bahá’í News, issued monthly, begins with a boxed statement of some current matter important to the community. For instance, in December it carried this item: “At the next Feast, December 30th, there will be important consultation in regard to acquiring our own Center this year. Please be present.”. . . The calendar, showing the next three Feasts, is given, announcements of meetings of the various classes, items of interest contributed by committees, personal news, and a financial statement.
The New York City teaching program includes a wide variety of public meetings and study classes. Besides a public meeting every Sunday, that held on the first Sunday of the month being conducted by the local Inter–America Committee, there are four study classes weekly and three fireside meetings. Of the study classes, one, for believers, was engaged in studying the Bahá’í Peace Program in January, and, during February, “God Passes By.” Fireside groups meet at the homes of Mr. and Mrs. Saffa Kinney and of Mrs. Sara Ellen Peake and Miss Gale March.
The young assembly of SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, is issuing a bulletin. In the January number the assembly expresses a hope that by means of this monthly bulletin it can continue its contact with other Bahá’ís in Puerto Rico and create a feeling of fellowship between the friends living in different parts of the island. The Bahá’í calendar for the month is given and two news items: that Miss Margaret Lentz, formerly of Santo Domingo, is now a member of the San Juan community, and that Mr. Thomas S. Morales of New York visited in Puerto Rico with his family. Besides this there are several quotations from the Sacred Writings.
Announcements of Meetings
At least three assemblies get out[Page 16]
attractive little folders announcing
to the public the meetings to be
held in their vicinity. That issued
by CHICAGO contains announcements
of the public meetings to be
held at the House of Worship in
Wilmette, as well as at the Center,
116 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago.
The January calendar contained a
special notice of Race Unity Meeting,
Thursday, January 25th, having
as its theme “Pattern for Future
Society.” The chairman was Hushang
Javid, one of the young Bahá’ís
from Persia, and the speakers
were Eli Powlas, Robert Imagire,
Arabelle Haywood, and Marion Oas,
representing various races and
nationalities. . .Announcement is also
made on this program of a Wednesday
noon class conducted regularly
at the Center by Mrs. Ruth Moffet, a
youth meeting every Friday evening,
the Fellowship Group, which meets
Saturday evenings, and a Children’s
hour every Sunday from 12:00 to
1:00.
The little folder published by the LOS ANGELES Assembly contains the announcement of the public meetings to be held at the Bahá’í Library and Reading Room, 207 Halliburton Building during the current two months. In January the speakers were Mrs. Virginia Camelon Foster, Dr. Stephen S. Tornay, and Mr. Robert Thiess, in February, Mr. Willard P. Hatch, Mr. Winston Evans, and Mrs. Orcella Rexford (Gregory). On the back of the folder there is a list of ten Bahá’í classes in the vicinity of Los Angeles with the name and the telephone number of the person to whom one may call for information (Mrs. Jessie B. Kemper, Mrs. J. C. Davenport, Mrs. Elden Smith, Mrs. B. E. Grover, Mrs. Graydon Robertson, Mrs. Olive Dible, Mrs. R. W. Beck, Miss Dorothy Wever, Mrs. Stuart W. French, and Mrs. Charles R. Witt.)
PHILADELPHIA also puts out a very attractive little folder with a fine photograph of the House of Worship on the face and the Words of Bahá’u’lláh inscribed over its nine entrances on the reverse side. It carries the announcement of six public addresses in January and February and two special meetings. The speakers were Marybelle Hammond, Doris Talmon, and Edith Segen, Jean Bruce, Curtis Kelsey, Margaret Lear, and Edward Pharo. One of the special meetings was a round table discussion on the subject of “Race Unity” presided over by Jessie E. Revell; the other was the Youth Symposium, with Laila Storch as chairman. These meetings were held at the Bahá’í Center and Reading Room, 308 Fuller Building, 10 South 18th Street, Philadelphia. . . One interesting feature of this folder is the list of reading suggestions which it contains and the announcement that the books may be obtained at the Philadelphia and Branch libraries.
A Bahá’í Program in January, in mimeograph form has been received from the SEATTLE Spiritual Assembly. It announces two public meetings: January 14th, “The Secret of Divine Civilization,” at which the speakers were Mrs. Lillian Smith and Miss Elsa Nordquist and the chairman was Mr. Dean Hart; and January 28th, “Peace — A Divine Creation” with Miss Hazel Stauter and Mr. Ray Wardall as speakers and Mrs. Heloise Wardall as chairman. A Friday evening book review and study class was also announced, four meetings at which “God Passes By” was reviewed by Mr. C. G. Nordquist, Miss Lotus Peterson, Mr. E. G. Washington, and Mrs. Edna Johns.
Two printed cards announcing special meetings have been received. In BEVERLY, Mass., a Race Unity Forum was held with Mr. Harlan Ober as chairman. The guest speakers were Mr. Abraham Glovsky, Bna’i Brith, and Mr. John Caswell Smith, secretary of the Urban League of Greater Boston. Mr. Charles S. Krug, Chairman of the Boston Assembly presented the Bahá’í teachings on the subject. The Beverly Assembly reports that thirty people attended the meeting, in spite of the fact that it was a slippery rainy night.
Last November such a Race Unity meeting was held in BOSTON, presided over by Matthew W. Bullock, of the Massachusetts Parole Board. The speakers were Clarence Q. Berger, Educational Director of the Anti—Defamation League, and Harlan F. Ober of the National Bahá’í Race Unity Committee.
Annual Reports
Some very successful teaching work was done in KANSAS CITY, Missouri, by means of fireside groups. Such meetings were held weekly in two homes, and occasionally outside speakers were present, among them the late Mrs. Howard Ives, Mrs. Virginia Camelon Foster, Mr. Winston Evans, and Mr. Louis Gregory. There were, besides this, seven public lectures and two informal gatherings at which Mrs. Joy Hill Earle was the speaker, one at the home of her cousins, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Reynolds, and the other at the home of Prof. and Mrs. G. B. Buster. On these occasions there was a mingling of both races. Publicity in Kansas City was carried on by three display ads, an article in the “Call” when Mrs. Earle spoke, and notices on the church page of the “Kansas City Star.”
The LIMA, Ohio, Assembly presented four public meetings on the four great teaching themes of the year. The speakers were Mr. Lothar Schurgast, Mr. St. George Spendlove, Mr. Carl Scheffler, and Mrs. Frank Baker. Three radio talks were given over the local station by Mrs. Frank Baker, Mr. Floyd Spahr, and Mrs. Hazel McCurdy, A race Unity banquet was held November 11, attended by two hundred Bahá’ís and their friends. The Lima Assembly reports this as the most outstanding event of the year. In response to the Guardian’s call for pioneers, Mrs. Edna Holloway moved to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and there assisted in forming a spiritual assembly. Three of the Lima community are in the armed forces: Dr. Conrad Baker, William (Bill) Baker, and Joe Stahl.
The youth work in Lima is very
active. There is a class for small
children, which meets Sunday afternoons.
The program covers studies
of the Bible, with pictures and
stories, the Bahá’í principles and
prayers, and some handicraft work.
Nine pupils attended, five coming
from non-Bahá’í families. The intermediate
group, or Junior Youth
Group, consists of eight children, six
of the non-Bahá’í families. They are
studying “Bahá’u’lláh and the New
Era” and plan to take up the lives
of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
and something about the
Guardian. The Senior Youth Group
is taking lessons from “The Wisdom
of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” “The Chosen Highway,”
and “Procedure.” The ten
members enrolled represent seven
Bahá’í and three non-Bahá’í families.
At the annual Youth Symposium
there were guests from Mansfield,
Medina, and Columbus Grove. “A
Lima summer session is again
planned for a week in June 1944. The
theme for the week will be a Progressive
Revelation, with emphasis on[Page 17]
the Manifestations of the present
day, and their fulfillment. An
interesting feature will be Bahá’í plays
with the miniature theater loaned
by Mrs. Esther Toy Wolf. Choral
speaking is also tentatively planned.
It is hoped that, like last year, there
will be a number of out-of–town
guests.”
MADISON, Wisconsin, also, is to be congratulated on having sent more than 96% of its funds to the National Treasurer while at the same time doing very active teaching at home. In May the Assembly sponsored a lecture at the Lorraine Hotel, at which Prof. Gerth of the University, spoke on the subject of race prejudice and was followed by Mr. Horace Holley. Ruth Moffett spent ten days in Madison and spoke several times publicly. She gave a radio address at the university radio station so successfully that the manager invited her to speak whenever she came to Madison. Ruth Cornell spoke in October and again in January. Mrs. Stebbins, the publicity chairman, has succeeded in getting a number of articles published in the “Voice of the People” section of the local papers. And the young people have organized a flourishing youth group. The first was the Symposium, February 27th, with about fifteen in attendance. “They have met every other Sunday since then, and have attracted several non-Bahá’í youth and had lively discussions.”
In MAUI, Hawaii, public meetings were held weekly at the homes of Mrs. Daisy Sabin and Mrs. Mary Fantom; a children’s class was held every Monday at Mrs, Sabin’s; and books, along with “World Order” were placed, not only in the local library but also in those on the islands of Molukai and Lanai, where there are no Bahá’í residents.
Perhaps the most effective teaching done by this community came at a time of grief and loss. Mrs. Alice Broadhurst (Mother Broadhurst) passed away January 18, 1944, at the age of 89, and Mrs. Ella Federcell left this life on March 30th. Mrs. Daisy Sabin, who presented the Bahá’í part of the funeral services for both of these friends writes of them as follows: “At the memorial service for our beloved Bahá’í, Mother Broadhurst, which was held at Peter’s Undertaking Parlors in Wailuku, Maui, Rev. R. M. Kennan—pastor of the Wailuku Union Church —gave a very beautiful service. Following Rev. Kennan, I had the honor
Bahá’í Exhibit Arranged by Teaneck Assembly, March, 1944
of conducting the first Bahá’í service
of its nature to be held on Maui.
There were about thirty–five people
present who had never heard of the
Bahá’í Cause before.” The reading
on immortality was taken from the
article “The Path to God” in the October
1943 “World Order” magazine,
and the service was closed with one
of the prayers of Bahá’u’lláh. Many
people afterwards spoke of being impressed
by the Bahá’í reading. The
other service, that for Mrs. Federcell,
took place in the Episcopal
Church of Lahaina and Mrs. Sabin
was invited by Rev. John M. Horton
to conduct her part of the service
from the lectern. She writes: “This
service was a surprise and has significance,
since it was the first time
a Bahá’í reader has taken part in a
service conducted in any church here
on Maui. Several people expressed
surprise at a woman conducting a
service in the Episcopal church. Also,
it has significance in the fact that
there were five denominations represented:
Christian Science, Congregational,
Catholic, Mormon, and Episcopalian.
Ten different nationalities
were represented: Chinese, Russian,
Norwegian, English, Scotch, German,
Portuguese, Japanese, American
colored, Hawaiian and part–Hawaiian.
Also, many were of mixed
races.” People from ten different
localities were present, making a total
of over one hundred, the largest
number on Maui ever to hear of the
Bahá’í Faith at one time. Many favorable
comments were made and
the family of Mrs. Federcell, who
were non-Bahá’ís expressed themselves
as being much comforted by
the words of Bahá’u’lláh.
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, is to be credited with having sent out two pioneers, Mrs. Marion Clark and Miss Betty Clark, who went to Little Rock, Arkansas. This community has held public meetings every Sunday afternoon at their new Bahá’í Center. Fifty–six meetings have drawn out 809 souls, of which 159 were not Bahá’ís. Lillian Steed conducted a class for the training of speakers. Twenty outside speakers were brought in, five of them non-Bahá’ís, and in this undertaking the HAMDEN and ORANGE groups cooperated.
OKLAHOMA CITY reports that the
visits of two teachers, Mr. Louis
Gregory and Mrs. Beulah Lewis have
greatly extended the interest in the
Faith in that city. Mr. Gregory
stayed ten days, spoke in several of
the Negro churches, to groups of
ministers, and to a woman’s club,
and made many contacts. A study
class conducted by one of the interested
people was the result of his
visit. Alice Entzminger writes: “This
is the first opportunity many of us
had to meet Mr. Gregory personally
and we are deeply grateful for the[Page 18]
privilege of association with this
saintly soul.”
Mrs. Beulah Lewis spent a week in Oklahoma City, during which time she spoke publicly on “The Manifestation” and talked to a Fellowship Class at the Unitarian Church. Many questions were asked by a large and alert audience. “Many splendid firesides were held with the study class and with newly interested people.” At the Feast of the Riḍván three new members were added to the community.
The OMAHA Assembly has been carrying on four study classes: an advanced class, studying the World Order Letters and three beginning classes. For their two public speakers during the year, Dorothy Baker in October and Dr. Edris Rice–Wray in March, the Omaha Bahá’ís were more able to get good publicity, better in March than in October, as the Cause was better known and better received in Omaha at that time. Dr. Rice-Wray spoke on the “Noon-Day Forum” program of the Broadcasting Station W.O.W. while she was there, in an interview with Mr. Ray Clark, who asked his questions in such a way as to give her an opportunity to speak fully of the Cause. The community, which had been using as a center the apartment generously offered them by Mrs. India Haggarty, finding the quarters now too small, has obtained a center in the heart of the downtown district. This is only one indication that the Cause is growing in Omaha. There has been increased interest on the part of the public and spiritual growth within the community. The secretary, Josephine Jones, writes: “Attendance has been good at the feasts with a fine feeling of spiritual unity, which at times has been especially strong. There has been a steady spiritual growth and strengthening during the past six months, and we realize that for continued growth, and to maintain and increase the prestige of the Bahá’í Faith in this community, we must be even more loyal and self-sacrificing.”
The high points of the year in PHOENIX, Arizona, were connected with the teaching themes given out by the National Spiritual Assembly. The first was a public lecture given by Dorothy Baker, September 30th, at the Phoenix Woman’s Club on the theme of race unity, which was followed by a ten minute talk on the radio the following morning. Publicity for this event was carried on by means of advertising over the radio, display ads and items in the newspapers, letters sent to civic clubs, and cards of invitation sent to individuals.
The second period, in which religious unity was the theme, had as its high point an evening of music, sponsored by the assembly and held at the home of Mrs. Paul Schoeny. Fifty written invitations were sent to friends.
For the period during which world unity was stressed, an announcement of the subjects of the weekly meetings was printed and distributed. The program also contained a picture of the Temple, mention of the Bahá’í library and reading room at the Center, an announcement of the classes held in PHOENIX and EAST PHOENIX, and quotations from the sacred Writings. The period was climaxed by the Bahá’í Youth Symposium, February 27th.
Programs were also printed and distributed for the meetings in March and April, which had as their theme the Manifestation of God.
On April 2 the Phoenix and East Phoenix communities entered into a contract with the Arizona Republic and Gazette for the insertion weekly, during April and May, of a short quotation from the Bahá’í writings.
An interesting feature of the report of the VANCOUVER Assembly is the very complete and detailed financial statement which was submitted by the treasurer, Ernest Liddell. It was accompanied by separate statements for the lending library, as well as a statement of the account of books for sale.
The teaching work in Vancouver was carried on by means of semimonthly public meetings, which alternated with a study class for Bahá’ís only. At two of the public meetings, non-Bahá’í guest speakers talked, one on the contribution of the Semitic race and the other on the League of Nations. Several Bahá’ís Visited the community: Mrs. Amelia Collins; Mrs. Cox, a pioneer en route to Regina; Mrs. Sylvia Ioas; Mr. Rowland Estall; and Mrs. Roland McGee. The two gave public addresses.
Vancouver has helped with the extension work in Regina, where Miss Muriel Warnicker made two extended visits, and in Victoria.
The Vancouver Assembly has maintained a Center throughout the year and finds it very valuable to have a permanent room.
Besides the weekly study class, the WAUWATOSA Spiritual Assembly has held thirteen public meetings during this past year, bringing as outside speakers, Mrs. A. Schwandes, Mr. Carl Scheffler, Mrs. Nina Matthisen, Mrs. Ruth Moffett, Fanny Jupnick, and Mr. Solon Fieldman.
The YONKEES, New York, Spiritual Assembly reports that in carrying out the plan for uniform teaching subjects in 1943-4, it held a public meeting on inter-racial unity on September 16th, at which Dr. A. M. Rivera, a local non-Bahá’í, and Mr. Ellahi Kalantar were the speakers. On October 20th, at a fellowship meeting, Mr. Bruce Wendell, a concert pianist, played and then spoke on “Man’s Individual Responsibility.” Mr. Archie Tichenor spoke on November 17th and Mr. Kalantar on December 8th with Miss Alferetta Bell. Other speakers in the series were Mr. Hubeb Sabet and Miss Sylvia King.
Enrollments and Transfers[edit]
Reported by Local Assemblies
Denver, three.
New York, six.
Columbus, one transfer.
Springfield, Ill., one transfer.
Yonkers, one transfer.
Alhambra, one youth.
Evanston, one transfer, one youth.
Berkeley, one and one transfer.
Tacoma, two.
Topeka, one
Columbus, one.
Madison, one transfer, one youth.
Lima, five.
Washington, D. C., six transfers.
Los Angeles, three, two transfers.
Oakland, one and one transfer.
Birmingham, one.
Muskegon, one.
Jackson, two.
Teaneck, two.
Burbank, one.
Binghamton, one.
Helena, five transfers.
Alexandria, two.
Louisville, one transfer.
Montreal, one transfer.
Arlington, one transfer.
Halifax, two, two youth, one transfer.
Cedar Rapids, one.
Wauwatosa, three, one youth.
Montclair, two.
Pasadena, three transfers.
Worcester, one transfer.
San Diego, one transfer.
Cleveland, one and one youth.
Peoria, one youth.
Toronto, one youth.
St. Paul, one.
Glendale, two transfers.
Racine, two.
Kansas City, three.
Flint, one youth.
Chicago, four, four transfers, one youth.
Seattle, two and two transfers.
St. Louis, two transfers.
Minneapolis, one.
Maywood, four.
Edmonton, one.
Milwaukee, two, one transfer.
Vancouver, two, one transfer.
Philadelphia, one transfer.
Burlingame, one.
Winnipeg, one.
New Orleans, two.
Spokane, four.
Albuquerque, two transfers.
Detroit, one transfer.
Charlottetown, one transfer.
Atlanta, two enrollments (five transfers
- erroneously reported for Atlanta in
- BAHÁ’Í NEWS No. 172).
Reported by Regional Teaching Committees
In January, six enrollments, three youth.
In February, seven enrollments.
In March, eight enrollments, four youth.
News of Other Lands[edit]
Persia
From Haifa comes news of the steady progress of the Cause in the land of its birth and the National Spiritual Assembly in Írán writes that it is “striving to bend all the activities of the friends in the channel directed by our Beloved Guardian. And nobly are the friends responding to this call. Forsaking home, comfort, and established ties, they are scattering far and wide, within and without the domains of this land, in an effort to prove worthy of their Guardian’s trust. They bid fair to become embodiments of that essence of detachment described by the Master in His Will as the hallmark of a true Bahá’í. May Bahá’u’lláh grant them fresh strength and cheer their hearts, may He bless their efforts and vouchsafe unto them sincere endeavors true victory.”
Near the tomb of Keith Ransom-Kehler are interred the bodies of two of the most famous Bahá’í martyrs, called by Bahá’u’lláh the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs. They were brutally killed in Isfahan in the early days of the Cause, and now the National Spiritual Assembly, at the request of the Guardian, is building suitable tombs for them. The Guardian sent £1000 for this purpose, and the Persian believers are contributing wholeheartedly.
The interest of the Persian believers in Bahá’í activities is shown by the news that, when the “Picture Post” containing the article and pictures of the London Naw-rúz arrived in Ṭihrán the price of the paper rose from 3 riyals to 300 riyals, owing to the enormous demand for it.
India
The Haifa newsletter for July is full of rejoicing over the splendid success of the Six-year Plan in India. The number of Spiritual Assemblies mentioned in this newsletter exceeds that reported in the May newsletter from India and we must conclude that it is based on the latest information. Thirty–seven Spiritual Assemblies and thirty–five groups are now in existence and the Guardian has written to the Indian believers: “The repeated and striking evidences of their highest accomplishments invigorate, encourage, and excite the admiration of their sister communities in East and West. They are holding aloft the standard of Divine Guidance in a manner that cannot but evoke the unstinted praise and the unqualified gratitude of their brethren throughout the Bahá’í world.”
Seven youth groups participated in the International Symposium, March 26 and three other meetings were projected for the youth throughout India. The first, in April, was to be a picnic at which conversation was to center on stories from “The Dawn Breakers,” on “The Secret of Success in Life,” and on “Character–forming.” The meeting in September was to take the form of public lectures on “The Oneness of Humanity — Its True Significance,” “The Making of Personality under the Influence of Divine Teachings,” and “The History of Mankind.” The third meeting, to be held in December in some public hall was to be a meeting of discussion of the following proposition: “In the opinion of this house the present society is ready for the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh which fulfills the present needs of the body politic.”
Memorial Book From Bahá’ís of India[edit]
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HUNDRED YEARS’ HISTORY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF INDIA AND BURMAH. By Siyyid S. H. Koreshi
This interesting Centenary booklet deals, for the most part, with the first two periods of the first Bahá’í Century, the period of the Báb and the period of Bahá’u’lláh. It is to be followed at a later date, by a complete hundred years’ history of the Cause in those countries.
Before taking up the period of the Báb the author describes the intense expectation which pervaded Shí’ih Islám, during the hundred years (1744-1844) which preceded the first Bahá’í Century, of the coming of the enlightened One, the Qá’ím, the representative descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad. The expectant Shí’ihs, however, were in two parties or schools. One school looked for the phenomenal reappearance of the Twelfth Imám, who had disappeared from view in the year 260 A.H. “They believed that He would ask the Shí’ih Muslims of Persia to take up their Qur’áns in one hand and their swords in the other, to issue forth and convert the whole world to the Shí’ih form of Islám, or kill those who refused to accept their ‘invitation’.” The other school interpreted the texts of the Qur’án dealing with the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment allegorically and looked for the appearance of “a tremendous personality, a newly born ‘Man of God.’ ” From the first school came many of the bitterest opponents of the Báb, such as Hájí Karim Khán, so vigorously denounced by Bahá’u’lláh in the Iqán. From the second school came Mullá Ḥusayn, Qurratu’l-‘Ayn and other outstanding supporters of the Báb.
There are records of five Indian believers in the Báb, three of whom met Him face to face. One was a Letter of the Living, one sought Him out of the huge congregation gathered in Mecca on the day of the Great Pilgrimage, and there . . . testified to His Truth . . . and one, after seeing Him in vision, found Him in His prison at Chihríq. All five sacrificed and suffered in testifying to the truth of the Báb’s declaration.
During the lifetime of Bahá’u’lláh the Cause spread in India to a considerable extent. Prominent among the Bahá’ís who visited that region was Jamál Effendi, a great scholar of a noble family, who left his home and, at the command of Bahá’u’lláh, traveled and spread the Cause in India, Burmah and the East Indies. He was a man of “commanding personality and singularly courteous manners, so that even those who found themselves forced to submit to him in argument, became his friends and admirers . . .” Among those who became friends of the Bahá’ís through his influence were many representatives of the Arya Somaj, a liberal religious movement. His travels brought him in contact with many of the celebrities of India, to whom he conveyed the Message. There were thirty-three persons in India to whom Bahá’u’lláh addressed personal Tablets.
A section of this history is devoted[Page 20]
to Bombay, which from the first
year of the Bahá’í era has played a
notable part in the development of
the Cause in India. During the lifetime
of Bahá’u’lláh several volumes
of His Tablets were published in
Bombay. Bombay acted as the
organizing center for India and
Burmah for almost fifty years. It
practically financed the tours of all
the traveling teachers who came to
India and Burmah from the East or
the West. But with the beginning of
the fourth or formative period of
the first century, it “most cheerfully
handed over charge of the administration
to the National Spiritual
Assembly elected by the Bahá’ís of
India and Burmah in accordance
with the instructions of the Guardian
and continued to bear the larger
part of the financial burden of
administration.” Bombay was, however,
selected as the fitting place
for the observation of the All–India
and Burmah First Bahá’í Centenary
Celebrations.
Iráq
We learn from Haifa that the believers of Iráq are very active in teaching the Cause and that their Bahá’í activities and organizations continue uninterrupted. On March 1st the youth of that country took part in the international youth symposium by holding a meeting in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. A great many non-Bahá’í youth attended.
The British Isles
The British believers report more activity than has hitherto been possible during the war. Two Assemblies have been re-established, and this year, for the first time since the beginning of the war, a summer school was held. A school was hired at Barford, Warwickshire, in beautiful surroundings. Owing to limitations of space, the committee planned at first to restrict it to Bahá’ís, but it turned out that more non-Bahá’ís attended than ever before and some of them declared themselves believers afterwards.
The following incident, reported by the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, shows how an apparently unfortunate occurrence may work for the good of the Cause:
“Some months ago, it was brought to the attention of the N.S.A. that a man appearing before a Conscientious Objector’s Appeal Tribunal in the North of England was called himself a member of the Bahá’í Faith. The matter was serious, in that he had served in the Army and had been twice imprisoned for refusing to obey orders to fulfill his military duties, and the proceedings had been reported in full in the Yorkshire papers. The man, of course, was not a Bahá’í, but he had been in touch with the London community for a short period before the war. The Assembly got in touch with the Tribunal, who were very sympathetic and helpful, and an opportunity was given for a member of the Assembly to make a statement at the next sitting, showing what our attitude really is. This was duly reported in the “Yorkshire Post,” by arrangement with the editor.
Australia and New Zealand
The July number of the Bahá’í Quarterly published by the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand tells of the establishment of the National Headquarters in Sydney. We quote parts of the Quarterly’s account of this enterprise: “The news of the Guardian’s decision that National Headquarters were to be established, together with his gift of £1000 sterling towards the project was a tremendous surprise. How profoundly stirred we were, how honored, and what a stimulus and tonic to the Australian and New Zealand Bahá’í community. But while we were still rejoicing in this gift and what it will mean in prestige for the Faith to have a building, the material symbol of the institution of the N.S.A., another cable came announcing a further contribution of £2,000 sterling from the Guardian. Then cables and a generous contribution from the much loved N.S.A. of U.S.A. and Canada. Later we were completely dazzled by a loving cable from Furutan Rawháni with a contribution of £2,500 sterling from our Persian brothers and sisters . . . The spirit which prompted this gift is so pure, so selfless, we are dazzled by its sweetness and beauty. But this was not all, our dearly loved Bahá’ís of India, ‘Iráq, America and a Persian believer sent wonderful contributions.
“Now we have realized more than ever before, the meaning of Bahá’í unity. We rejoice in the reality of our spiritual union with the believers throughout the world.”
The search for a suitable property was commenced immediately and resulted in the purchase of the property No 2 Lang Road, Centennial Park, Sydney. This purchase was made in December, 1943. The National Convention was held during the week of the 23rd of May, 1944 at this recently purchased Hazíratu’l-Quds. On Saturday, May 20, the building was officially dedicated by Mrs. Clara Dunn. In opening the Convention the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr. H. Fitzner, traced the growth of the Faith from the Báb to present day administration, and paid tributes to the work of the late Mr. John Hyde Dunn, Mrs. Dunn, the late Martha Root and many of the pioneer believers in Australia and New Zealand. He called upon the Bahá’ís of those lands to intensify and redouble their efforts that the Message of Bahá’u’lláh might be spread; that the Most Great Peace might become a reality.
The Convention received cables from the Guardian, from which we quote the following sentence: “Praying an unprecedented blessing for high minded, stout hearted, dearly beloved Australian and New Zealand believers.”
Following the Convention the National Spiritual Assembly drew up plans for spreading the knowledge of the Bahá’í Teachings not only in the capital cities of Australia and New Zealand, but to every town and country district. The plan was eagerly accepted by the believers everywhere and is working successfully.
A monument has been erected on the late Mr. Dunn’s grave at a cost of £172. Mrs. Dunn chose the materials and the design.
The Adelaide Spiritual Assembly has purchased a residence at Belair which will be used as a Bahá’í school, the school later to become a great Bahá’í college.
The N.S.A. continues to publish the magazine “Herald of the South”. Many expressions of appreciation of the magazine have been received from America as well as Australia.
According to the October Bahá’í Quarterly, Corporal Alvin Blum of Memphis, Tennessee was still associated with the Auckland, New Zealand community and was responsible for increased activity in that community and also for initiating a youth group, which is now firmly established under Auckland leadership.
The Sydney Spiritual Assembly reported visits from several young American Bahá’ís who had passed through Sydney with the American Forces.
