Bahá’í News/Issue 179/Text
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NEWS |
| No. 179 | JANUARY, 1946 | YEAR 102 | BAHA’I ERA |
Messages from the Guardian[edit]
Bold Concerted Measures
Greatly welcome evidences progress in the consolidation of the manifold activities of the American Bahá’í community. Urge intensification of efforts in national broadcasting and publicity calculated to reach the masses. Appeal to Assemblies to reinforce the measures undertaken by their national representatives. The proclamation of the verities of the Faith through bold, concerted measures is the crying need of the present hour. Fervently praying for fresh victories; fully share your hopes for the Holy Land.
Cablegram received December 3, 1945.
(This message was the Guardian’s response to the cablegram sent him from the November meeting, reporting actions taken and expressing hope that the race difficulties in Palestine would be solved and me prophecies concerning the Holy Land be fulfilled).
Letters to Individuals
November 30, 1944.
Regarding Mr. Smeskal’s question about the Covenant-breakers: Bahá’u’lláh and the Master in many places and very emphatically have told us to shun entirely all Covenant-breakers as they are afflicted with what we might try and defined as a contagious spiritual disease; they have also told us, however, to pray for them. These souls are not lost forever. In the Aqdas, Bahá’u’lláh says that God will forgive Mírzá Yaḥyá if he repents. It follows, therefore, that God will forgive any soul if he repents. Most of them don’t want to repent, unfortunately. If the leaders can be forgiven it goes without saying that their followers can also be forgiven. . . .
Also, it has nothing to do with unity in the Cause; if a man cuts a cancer out of his body to preserve his health and very life, no one would suggest that for the sake of “unity” it should be reintroduced into the otherwise healthy organism! On the contrary, what was once a part of him has so radically changed as to have become a poison. To Mr. and Mrs. Otto Smeskal.
National Spiritual Assembly[edit]
Beloved Friends:
The holding of the State and Province elections for the choice of delegates to the 1946 Convention is a matter of great importance to the American Bahá’í community as a whole.
This year the National Assembly is providing every believer with a list of the adult voting Bahá’ís resident in his State or Province. These lists are now being mailed, and the kind cooperation of local Assemblies is requested in seeing that each local believer is given a copy of the supply of lists the Assembly receives.
As soon as possible, there will be another mailing of ballots, Convention Call, number of delegates to be elected in each district, a list of State and Election meeting places, with the hour designated for each and address for sending vote when delegates cannot attend in person. The date of February 10 is uniform for all electoral districts.
In reporting on the annual membership prepared for the last election, the National Assembly pointed out that as of December 15, 1944 there were 4,920 adult Bahá’ís in the United States and Canada. This year, as of November 1 there were 4,988 believers qualified to vote. This number does not include those who are absent from the country, either as Bahá’í teachers in foreign fields or as members of the armed forces. Having passed the 5,000 mark, we cannot rest satisfied until there are 10,000 adult Bahá’ís in our community, one new believer to be confirmed by each of us serving at this hour. The Master declared that the Cause could double its numbers annually. Will it require one year, two years or three years to attain the goal?
Calendar
Nineteen Day Feasts: Honor, December 31; Sovereignty, January 19; Dominion, February 7; Loftiness, March 2.
Period of Fast: Nineteen days beginning March 2.
Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly: February 15 to 19.
State and Province Election of Convention Delegates: February 10.
International Youth Day: February 24.
In Memoriam
Death proffereth unto every confident believer the cup that is life indeed. It conffereth the gift of everlasting life.— BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
Mrs. Elsie Weil, Yonkers. Mrs. C. Whicher, Seattle. Mrs. H. Emogene Hoagg, Charleston,
- South Carolina.
Mr. William Fred Wineka, East
- York, Pa.
Enrollments and Transfers
Reported by Local Assemblies
- New Haven, one.
- Boston, two and one transfer.
- Winnipeg, one.
- Long Beach, one.
- Anchorage, three.
- New York, four and four transfers.
- New Orleans, two, one youth and one
- transfer.
- Chicago, three, one transfer and one
- youth transfer.
- Halifax, one and one transfer.
- Beverly, one.
- Regina, two.
- San Juan, one.
- Teaneck, one.
- Milwaukee, three and four youth.
- West Chester, two.
- Pittsburgh, one and one youth.
- Minneapolis, one.
- Arlington, one.
- Nashville, one.
- Peoria, two.
- Los Angeles, two.
- Cincinnati, one.
- Seattle, three, and five transfers.
- Miami, two transfers.
- Glendale, one transfer.
- Honolulu, one transfer.
- Binghamton, two transfers.
- Portsmouth, two transfers.
- Eliot, one transfer.
- Evanston, one
Reported by Regional Teaching Committees
In November, twelve and two youth.
Directory
The following changes are reported: Local Assemblies
Rochester—Miss Elizabeth Brooks, 49 Rowley Street, Rochester 7, N. Y.
Madison—Mrs. Maurine Mickelson, 2337 Hoard Street, Madison, Wisc.
National Committees[edit]
Public Meetings
Boston
Boston had its Public Meeting of the National Campaign on November 16th. The speakers were Miss Elsie Austin and Mr. Kenneth Christian, with Mr. Harlan Ober as chairman. A fine book display was set up in a good show window in Boston prior to the meeting, and was transferred to a display table for the meeting. The audience filled the auditorium almost to capacity, making a round table of about 275 people. One interesting thing about the audience was the large percentage of young people, about 35 years or younger, and also the large percentage of men. The presence of so many young people is an indication that the youth are eager and ready for the Divine Teachings for this age.
There were spot announcements on the radio and publicity in the paper. Many of the audience came because of the newspaper advertisement.
The talks were well received and a number of people remained afterwards to discuss the Teachings further.
As a result of the public meeting, the Center was filled to overflowing Sunday. We know that the Boston community has received great inspiration from the success of this meeting, and their enthusiasm will help to give courage to the key cities whose meetings are yet to come.
Washington, D.C.
A National Campaign Meeting was held in the Hall of Nations of the Washington Hotel, Washington, D.C. on December fifth. In spite of bad weather about 300 people attended. The audience was very responsive to the stirring addresses of Mrs. Dorothy Baker and Mr. Horace Holley. Mrs. Baker’s subject was “Institutions for Peace” and Mr. Holley’s “The Price of World Peace is World Religion.” Mr. Walter Olitzky, Metropolitan Opera Baritone, sang before and after the talks. The stage, decorated with yellow chrysanthemums and gladioli, was a beautiful setting for the presentation of the Great Message. A book display on the side of the auditorium attracted many.
Four Washington daily papers carried advertisements of the meeting, which had been well worked out by Mr. Henning, chairman of the National Bahá’í News Service. The local assembly felt that a new high had been attained in their publicity work. The contacts made to the press, too, were valuable and may have far-reaching effects in the future.
The follow-up meeting conducted by Mrs. Baker the next evening at the Bahá’í Center was well attended. It took the form of questions, answers, and discussion. The questions were thoughtful and Mrs. Baker’s answers most illuminating.
The Washington community cooperated with surrounding communities in arranging this meeting. All felt profoundly grateful for the opportunity to spread a knowledge of the Faith in that area and for the stimulus to further service which this cooperative effort brought.
News Service
The first of the Public Meetings Campaign programs was held in Toronto, Canada, on October 28th with this committee furnishing two paid advertisements and eight publicity releases to appear in each of that city’s three newspapers. For the Boston Public Meeting on November 16th two paid advertisements and nine releases were prepared for the seven editions of that city’s newspaper. The Washington Public Meetings Committee for their meeting of December 5th was sent three paid advertisements and five releases to be used in the five editions of Washington’s newspapers.
In all cases the prepared advertising copy which was paid for by the News Service Committee and the publicity releases announcing the meeting and reporting it, as well, were personally delivered to each newspaper on the prescribed day by members of the local Public Meetings Committee.
Reports indicate that the plan of advertising and publicity procedure was most satisfactory and effective and that the material furnished added to the public attendance at these meetings. Much experience was gained by the local committees in making newspaper contacts with editors and local newspaper advertising departments. The contacts made and the general plan of operation followed will be of considerable value in future publicity work in these cities.
Currently plans are in process for the advertising and publicity for the Atlanta Public Meeting to be held on January 13th and the New Orleans Public Meeting on January 28th. While improvements in procedure are made with each succeeding meeting the same general plan which has proven itself effective will be continued for the remaining eight cities of the United States where public meetings will be held under the Public Campaign for 1945–46.
Special mention is made of the splendid publicity and advertising which appeared in the St. John’s (Newfoundland) Telegram and News several months ago at the time of Newfoundland’s first public Bahá’í meeting. Well planned advertising was used in both newspapers the day before the meeting and an average of seven inches of publicity appeared in the two newspapers both before and after the meeting. Moncton (N.J.) believers have been securing good editorial mention in The Times which insures inquiries for Bahá’í information by suggesting that the interested address their letters care of a box number of that newspaper.
We are encouraged, as well, by
the many well written, interesting
and lengthy articles which have
come to this committee as they
appeared in the Portsmouth (N.H.)
Herald, Buffalo (N. Y.) Courier-Express,
Ann Arbor, (Mich.) Washtenaw
Post-Tribune, Grand Haven
(Mich.) Tribune, Indianapolis (Ind)[Page 3]
Times, Minneapolis (Minn.) Tribune,
Elmhurst (Ill.) Press, Champaign
(Ill) Times, Peoria (Ill) Journal-Star,
Butte (Mont.) Standard, Reno
(Nev.) Gazette, Phoenix (Ariz.) Sun,
Glendale (Cal) News, Pasadena
(Cal.) Independent, Let’s Live of
Hollywood (Cal.) and the Havana
(Cuba) Avance.
It is regretted that more space cannot be devoted to a full description of each of the above newspaper clippings on the Bahá’í Faith. The editorial handling of the subject of the atomic bomb, labor unrest and the principles of the Faith is splendid in all cases. Courage is written through each of the releases for that is what it took in full measure to interest newspaper publishers in such a generous use of their editorial columns.
It is indeed evident that month by month Bahá’í mentions in newspapers throughout the United States and Canada are increasing in size and, as already indicated, they are better written and therefore attract more interest not only from the editor but from the general public. We compliment the believers on their patient and painstaking work on Bahá’í publicity.
Radio
As the friends know, the National Radio Committee has been working for some months on a series of radio transcriptions. Owing to organizational difficulties within the committee and to the fact that we are evolving a new dramatic medium for radio teaching, the committee has been unable to supply transcriptions for the national teaching campaign.
The Toronto Assembly was unable to get any time on the air for broadcasts to tie in with their public meeting. The largest networks in Canada are government controlled and it seems to be almost an impossibility to “break in.” However, the friends in Toronto report that they are not discouraged and will keep trying.
The Boston Assembly was able to get nine one-minute “spot announcements” of their meetings and a fifteen minute interview of Elsie Austin on the “People You Should Know” program.
The material was sent to the Washington, D. C. assembly for their December 5th program, but no report has as yet been received.
Anchorage, Alaska, reports they
Book display for Public Meeting Campaign in Boston, November 1945.
are having a weekly radio program.
They report that they now have sixteen
Bahá’ís in Anchorage and are
hoping through increased radio and
publicity to add to their numbers.
Sioux Falls, So. Dakota, also reports a regular weekly radio program composed of music and quotation of Bahá’í writings and material published in World Order.
The Los Angeles Assembly has purchased a fifteen-minute weekly radio program and have been developing their own material. Of special interest is an unusual program given on November 4th. We quote from their letter: “On November 4th, at 7:06 p.m., the Local Assembly is sponsoring a special radio program over KMTR. The program will show the Bahá’í Spirit Around the Globe.” Mrs. Helen Bishop will be the moderator; Mr. Walter Olitzki, Bahá’í, who sings a baritone part in the Metropolitan Opera, will sing “Where’er You Walk”; Mr. Charles Wolcott will represent North America; Mrs. Luisa Garrido de Padilla will represent South America and Miss Dakin and Hasele Cornbleth will be the anonymous voices that give appreciations of the Bahá’í Faith, quoted from distinguished men and women of different countries, such as Archduke Anton of Austria. When it comes the turn of Russia, Walter Olitzki will sing ‘O Caro Mio Ben.’ Professor Edward G. Browne of Cambridge University, England, will be quoted. India, Australia, and the Islands of the Pacific will be heard from in the quotations. The Prayer for All Nations, or parts of it, will close the program.”
Their plan, as outlined above, was successfully carried out and reports have been received that it resulted in a splendid program.
In closing this brief report, the National Radio Committee wishes to say that it is now functioning smoothly. We can supply a series of new scripts for fifteen minute programs.
We deeply regret that the transcriptions planned for the national teaching campaign have not as yet been cut. We are making slow but steady progress in the development or these transcriptions which we believe will be of inestimable benefit to assemblies wishing to do broadcasting. Our difficulty has been the lack of professional Bahá’í script writers who can prepare material that is appealing to the general public, is timeless, and yet timely. We hope to break away entirely from the fifteen minute lecture type of program because we know that its appeal is limited. Assemblies wishing to institute weekly radio programs before the transcriptions are ready might consider the success of the New York City “Music and Quotations” program which ran successfully for almost a year. The committee firmly believes that this type of program achieves a fine cumulative effect. However, we are prepared to supply the lecture type of script for those assemblies who still prefer it.
We wish to ask your patience while we are developing our new series. We would also like to ask all Bahá’ís who have done professional radio scripts to get in touch with us.
Mildred R. Mottahedeh, Sec’y.
Inter-America News[edit]
Itinerant Teachers
Most of the Latin American Bahá’í Assemblies are being favored this fall and winter by two or more visits of itinerant teachers. On November 13 Mr. Charles Mason Remey left Miami on a three month trip with stopovers at anon Centers in the following countries: the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Brazil (Bahia, Rio. and Sao Paulo) Uruguay. Argentina, Chili (Santiago and Punta Arenas), Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama, Jamaica, and Cuba.
The itinerary of Mr. and Mrs. Emeric Sala, who are now in Central America and will soon be traveling in South America, was announced in the November issue of Bahá’í News.
Mrs. Gayle Woolson left Chicago on September 18 for an itinerant teaching tour of three months in Central American countries to the north of Panama. She has visited Bahá’í communities in Mexico City, Guatamala City, Tegucigalpa, Managua, and San Jose. She is now in Panama City, where she will remain for some time.
Early in October Elizabeth Cheney left Asuncion, Paraguay, where there are now 26 believers, for her new post in Managua, Nicaragua. En route she visited Bahá’í centers in La Paz, Lima, Guayaquil, and Panama City. She has been in Managua since October 25, and she reports that there are now 11 believers in that city.
Virginia Orbison left New Orleans on October 16 and arrived in Rio de Janeiro, her new post, on November 9. She visited the friends in Panama, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia on her way to Rio.
Because the visits of Mr. and Mrs. Sala and of Mr. Remey will follow each other so closely, the Inter-America Committee plans to use them as the means of carrying out a special teaching campaign in Latin America, similar to the one current in North America. All of the centers have been asked to make every effort to exploit these visits to their fullest, planning special public meetings as well as informal conferences. All of the pioneers have been asked to work with the Spiritual Assemblies in developing plans. The Committee hopes to give financial aid for such expenses as halls, invitations, radio and newspaper publicity. Also, the Committee is supplying these centers with special, free literature. This includes the Bahá’í Peace Program in both Spanish and Portuguese, which was compiled and printed in English at the time of the San Francisco Conference; also, The Pattern of a New World Order, which was recently published in Mexico City.
A very enthusiastic report has been received from our pioneers. Elena Marsella and Ofelia Montalvo, in Ciudad Trujillo regarding Mr. Remey’s visit to the Dominican Republic. A letter from them dated November 19, says, “We had three write-ups in La Nacion, one write-up and one open invitation on the front page of La Opinion, and two announcements over Station HIN. All were lengthy and detailed. We gave out literature and have new people come to classes. The fact that we had the public meeting in the Ateneo is the biggest ad of all, because the Ateneo, as its name suggests, is like the public meeting places in the days of Athens. Everything that happens there becomes the news of the country.
A recent letter from Louise Baker in Caracas tells of Mr. Remey’s arrival there, and states that, due to changes taking place within Venezuela, the rights guaranteed in the constitution are temporarily suspended, and no public meetings are allowed. “However,” she says, “we had a small meeting last night, only for Bahá’ís, and this afternoon a few people dropped in for informal discussion. Tonight we are having another meeting, which, while not public, will at least include some of the friends of the Bahá’ís. Tomorrow a tea will be given in Mr. Remey’s honor, and from those who come, we hope to start a new study class. . . The entire group, in this short time, adores Mr. Remey.”
A report has been received of a very constructive peace meeting held by Mr. and Mrs. Sala in cooperation with the Spiritual Assembly in Mexico City. This public meeting was held at the new Bahá’í Center.
As additional news of this public meetings, campaign throughout Latin America is received, it will be shared with the North American friends.
Panama Conference
An Inter-American Bahá’í Conference will be held in Panama City January 22–25, inclusive. This conference is being sponsored by the International School, at Temerity Ranch, Colorado Springs, and by the Inter—America Committee. Public meetings will be held in the evening in a hall donated through the courtesy of the University of Panama. Morning and afternoon sessions will be devoted to the study of the book, God Passes By.
The Spiritual Assembly of Panama City is in charge of arrangements for this conference. Announcements have been prepared and sent to all communities in Central and South America.
North America Teaching
When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was in America, He advised the friends to travel and teach in groups, and a project embodying this counsel has been most happily consummated. In early September Dr. Edris Rice-Wray and Sheila Rice-Wray, together with three Bahá’í youth,—Miss Margaret Swengel, Miss Pari Zia-Walrath, and Charles Ioas, the latter two members of the National Youth Committee,— drove to Denver to attend the first “Regional Conference for Teacher Training,” stopping enroute and on their return journey at Cedar Rapids, Omaha, Laramie, Cheyenne, and Colorado Springs. “In all of these places.” Dr. Rice-Wray writes, “we could . . work individually with people, making the teaching project far more rounded . . If every teacher would take at least one would-be teacher on every trip, we would soon double or triple our teacher pool. The youth lit a fire wherever they went. . . The spirit of the five of us together was perfect. We had a real working unity and it was a grand experience.”
Besides contributing to the discussions
of the Teacher Training classes
on “How to conduct Study Classes,”
“How to present the Bahá’í Faith”
and “How to be a Chairman,” this
group gave talks at the public meetings,
and made contacts with youth
organizations, religious groups as
well as racial. Dr. Rice-Wray spoke
before several luncheon clubs, the
largest that of the Lion’s Club in
Cheyenne, where for the first time
in the history of the organization in
that city, the wives of the members
were invited to attend the luncheon
and listen to the guest speaker. Mrs.
Therese Olson, Secretary of the RTC,
reports: “The Secretary of State, the
Mayor, heads of various civic organizations[Page 5]
institutions and leaders were
not only at our table, but made up
the 100 who were there. This was followed
by a talk that evening before
the Business and Professional Women’s
Club of 50 of the town’s leading
women of all fields.”
In the Northwest, Miss Charlotte Linfoot combined a business trip with Bahá’í teaching work, and was able to visit Portland, Tacoma and Seattle. In Tacoma Miss Linfoot addressed an audience of approximately 45 on the subject. “The Scope of Universal Peace.”
Mr. Mason Remey made a teaching trip through the Northeastern States in the Fall, visiting local Bahá’í communities and isolated believers and reports, meetings in Newcastle, Kennebunk, and York, Me., and two in Portsmouth, N.H. In Syracuse Prof. R. F. Piper of Syracuse University invited Mr. Remey to address his students in the class on Religion and Philosophy. This is the fourth time Mr. Remey has spoken before Dr. Piper’s classes and he reports they seemed more receptive than on earlier occasions. There were “between thirty-five and forty students present and for fifty minutes they gave full attention, taking notes on which they would be examined later.”
An inter-regional circuit was also arranged for Mrs. Marion Little, who spent a week each in Little Rock, Ark., and Jackson, Miss., with a brief stop-over in Memphis, Tenn., making many fine contacts with key people in the educational field, as well as addressing public meetings and conducting study classes. Mrs. Little writes that “in Jackson we had a Bahá’í dinner . . . and each believer invited one guest who had heard of the Teachings. There was nineteen present. I had place cards with quotations giving an outline of the Teachings. These were numbered and read in sequence, giving the basic principles . . It proved a great success . . Arrangements have been made to hold a weekly study class in the Teachers’ Home located near the College campus and in one of the best colored sections . . and to have Mr. Phil Marangella speak November 25th.”
In October Mrs. Terah Smith of Atlanta, Ga., visited Greensboro, N. C. and Greenville. S. C.: and at Columbia, S. C., where there is now a group of 8 believers, the RTC is arranging for Mrs. Esther Sego to
Youth Teaching Group on Trip to Denver. From left to right: Dr. Edris Rice-Wray, Pari Zia-Walrath, Charles Ioas, Margaret Swengel, Sheila Rice-Wray.
give monthly teaching help. Circuit
teaching was also undertaken by Mr.
John Haggard of Wilmette, who,
accompanied by Mrs. Haggard,
monitored through Ohio and Indiana
stopping in Fort Wayne, Dayton, Cincinnati,
Columbus, Toledo and Springfield.
In Colorado Mrs. Mildred
Clark, while traveling on business,
has been able to arrange for Bahá’í
books being placed in the public
libraries of Pueblo, LaJunta, Trinidad
and Durango, Colorado. She reports
that in Pueblo a study class is
organized and in Trinidad, Ann Holt,
an isolated believer, has done some
teaching work and hopes to have a
group there soon.
In Canada teaching activity was greatly stimulated by Mr. John Robarts of Toronto, Ontario, throughout the Western Provinces, where he spoke before enthusiastic groups in Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton and Vancouver early in November. Traveling by air, he was able to spend two days in each city with the exception of Edmonton, where he could remain only one day. In Regina the LSA reports two informal meetings besides a public meeting at which Mr. Robarts spoke to about 38 on the subject “World Order is the Goal”. “The group included a number of youth, of which there were Japanese and two Muhammmadan. A highlight . . was the presence of a Japanese Anglican clergyman . . .who serves 3600 Japanese parishioners . . .” At one of the informal group meetings “and in behalf of the Regina Assembly, Mr. Robarts impressively presented Prayer Books to the four individuals who were recently accepted into the Faith in Regina. Mrs. Elsie Ganss, William Ganss, Leslie B. Silversides and Harry Takashiba, who is believed to be the first Canadian Japanese Bahá’í.”
Intensive teaching activity is also going forward in Eastern Canada, where Mrs. Ruth Moffett has been conducting a series of three “Educational Seminars” of two weeks each on “Patterns of the New World Order.” Mrs. Moffett reports that “one young man has already made his declaration” and that she “had the privilege of speaking to students at the Prince of Wales College . . . and had a fine response from them.”
In an effort to open new sites to the Faith Regional Teaching projects have been arranged in Saskatoon, Sask., where Miss Lulu Barr of Regina is continuing her efforts, and for Eureka Springs, Ark., where Miss Reszie Sunshine of Little Rock has interested a class of eight.
Mr. Harlan Ober spent four days in Toronto and Hamilton, where meetings were arranged at the Center and a tea at Mr. and Mrs. John Robarts’ home to follow up the National Campaign meeting and hold the interest of those attracted. About 35 were present at one meeting and 40 at the other. Regional Committees have also arranged for teaching conferences to follow the National Campaign meetings in Boston and Washington, D. C. Mr. Ralph Bates of Springfield spoke at the public meeting following the conference in Boston and Dr. Edris Rice-Wray spoke in Washington, D. C. Other RTC Conferences have been held in Binghamton, N.Y., where over 200 are reported to have attended the public meeting following the conferences in Peoria, Ill.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Ridgewood, N. J.; West Chester, Pa.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Dayton, O,; Cleveland, O.; and Sioux Falls, S. D.
Much interest was aroused through exhibits in September at the Cheshire County Fair at Keene, N.H., arranged by an isolated believer, Mrs. Doris Bolton of Ashuelot, N.H., in cooperation with the LSA of Brattleboro, Vt., and at the County Fair in Medina, O., arranged by the Granger Township group in cooperation with the RTC and other Bahá’ís.
Four members of the RTC visited Charleston, West Virginia, “to lend teaching help” . . . Annamaria Honnold spoke to about 700 to 800 people at W. Va. State College and Institute and Paul Haney and Mrs. Adeline Lohse spoke to a group at the Frederick Hotel in Huntington, Va.
Pioneer settlers have moved to the
following areas to prevent these
Assemblies from reverting to group
status: Miss Margaret Lentz of San
Juan, Puerto Rico, has moved to[Page 6]
Providence, R. I.; Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Loomis of Denver to Reno, Nev.;
Miss Gladys Fox, a former pioneer in
Laramie, Wyo., has moved to Glendale,
Calif.; and Miss Emily Foster
of Santa Cruz, Calif., has moved to
Colorado Springs. Immediately following
the holidays, Mrs. Jane Pace
of San Francisco plans to move to
Boise, Idaho, and Mrs. Elizabeth
Hay Smith of Carmel, Calif., plans
to move to Reno, Nevada, to further
reinforce those Assemblies.
There are, however, still more Assemblies in very dire need of reinforcement in order to hold their Assembly status and, to those who desire to take part in this vital and crucial task of holding “the prizes won so painstakingly,” we make an earnest plea to lose no time in arising to aid in the accomplishment of this goal. May we hear from you? Pioneers Are Urgently Needed!
Publishing Announcements[edit]
Bahá’í Administration, by Shoghi Effendi. Fifth edition of this work which presents the Guardian’s letters written to the American Bahá’í community from January 21, 1922 to July 17, 1932. These letters explained the fundamental principles underlying the formation and functioning of local Assemblies, Committees. National Assembly and Annual Convention. Index. 197 pages, cloth cover. Per copy, $1.50.
Bahá’í Peace Program—compilation of peace made and issued in pamphlet form by the National Committee on Bahá’í Peace Plan, which represented the Faith at the San Francisco conference of the Allied Nations. Pamphlet, 16 pages and cover. Per copy, $0.15.
This Earth One Country, by Emeric Sala. An introduction to the Faith written for the general public, presenting the Bahá’í world community and the teachings as an answer to the problem of world order. Chapter titles are: The Basis of a Planetary Economy; Postwar Alternatives: The Christian Individual in an Immoral Society: Islam—A Case in Point; The Supranational Community; A World Faith and a World Plan. Published by Bruce Humphries, Inc. Part of the edition donated by the author to the Publishing Committee as a contribution to the International Fund. Index. 185 pages, cloth cover. Per copy, $2.50.
One of the Youth Gatherings Held
- on World Youth Day
“Bahá’í News”[edit]
Bahá’í News, in an effort to get back to a monthly publication schedule, has temporarily reduced its number of pages to eight. The committee, however, is eager for interesting news items. For, even though a selection may have to be made, the paper cannot be interesting and representative of the scope of the Bahá’í Cause unless it has a great deal of material to select from. News stories, compactly written, and photographs, specifically labeled with dates, names, etc., should be sent to Miss Garreta Busey, 503 West Elm Street, Urbana, Illinois.
The Committee also welcomes suggestions for making Bahá’í News more interesting and valuable. The Table of Contents which appeared for the first time in the November issue, is the result of a suggestion made by the Dumont, N. J. Group. Watch for further innovations in the future.
Youth[edit]
National Youth Day, a symposium of three talks presented at public meetings by youth speakers, was held on November 18th in many Bahá’í communities in this country and Canada. The International Youth Day, to be held on February 24, 1946, is to be a symposium of three talks on the theme. “The New Creation.” The youth will ask the assistance and cooperation of the local Assemblies and Bahá’ís in the communities where symposiums are being undertaken, and we hope that many countries which have been unable to do so for some time, will join in this annual youth activity this year.
“World Order”[edit]
Table of Contents for January
Two Roads We Face .................
- ..........William Kenneth Christian
Fruit in Abundance.......Mary Marlow The Mirror and the Dust,
- Poem, ................William M. Sears
A New Dispensation,
- Editorial ..............Horace Holley
Religion and Science .....Otto Smeskal Song of Tomorrow,
- Poem ................Nell Griffith Wilson
Black Boy, Book Review .....Arthur Dahl ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America ............
- .......................Mariam Haney
The Day of God ............Bahá’u’lláh With Our Readers.
Local Communities[edit]
All Bahá’ís will be glad to hear of a recent special meeting in New York City attended by more than a thousand people who came to the Henry Hudson Hotel Ballroom for a program. “America in the Atomic Age.” The Bahá’í principle of unity was demonstrated by the presence of Negro and white speakers and musicians. The guest speaker, Dr. Harry Gideonse, President of Brooklyn College, spoke on “America in the Atomic Age.” He explained that it was his first appearance before a Bahá’í group, but that he had accepted the invitation to speak in order to show his esteem for “one of the healthiest movements I have known” in the social and spiritual life of America. Elsie Austin, prominent Negro attorney, represented the Bahá’í Faith in her talk, “Faith for Freedom.” The Hall Johnson Hollywood and Radio Choir, Philippa Schurler, 14-year-old piano prodigy and composer, and Tom Scott, radio troubadour, furnished the music. To insure future benefits from the meeting, copies of the Center program and of “Faith and Freedom” were distributed to the audience with cards to be signed by those wishing notices of future events.
The Bahá’í message is given on
the radio every week in Honolulu,
Hawaii. Each week there is a Bahá’í
broadcast over station KFQD in
Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage Bahá’ís
have the novel experience of
commemorating Bahá’u’lláh’s ascension
at three o’clock in the morning on
May 29 with the sun coming up over
the mountains, for it is during the
season when there are nineteen and[Page 7]
a half hours of sunlight and no real
darkness.
Maywood, Illinois, suggests that youth can help spread the teachings by using such books as Race and Man, Security for a Failing World, and The Divine Art of Living for book reports.
More and more communities are sending out monthly local news bulletins varying in elaborateness from one to seven pages. Recent mails have included those from Maywood, Illinois, Flint, Michigan; Los Angeles, California; St. Louis, Missouri; Urbana, Illinois; New York City; and Dayton, Ohio.
Several new publicity methods were used by the Dayton, Ohio, Bahá’ís and described in their account of three outstanding public meetings. Dayton has been successful in follow-up work as these reports indicate:
For the annual International Bahá’í Youth Symposium, “Letters to the Editor” were printed in two local newspapers, and a letter of invitation was sent to students through each of the principals and presidents of the city’s nine high schools and colleges. Besides Dayton’s own Al Segen and Mary Evelyn Hoobler, there were Cynthia Hastings and DeWitt Haywood of Chicago, and Julia McCoy Earnhart of Waynesville, Ohio as speakers. Since the symposium, the young people have been invited to speak before the Bethel Baptist Young People’s Union and the All-City Baptist Young People’s Union.
Peace Broadsides and letters were sent out for Dayton’s special peace program. In addition, a picture of Mr. Josef McCoy, chairman of the Dayton Spiritual Assembly and Bahá’í speaker for the afternoon. The guest speaker was Mr. John S. Moore, Sr., Director of the League of Nations Association for Ohio and executive secretary of Dayton’s Postwar Council.
Art students of the Parker Cooperative High School made a dozen posters which were placed in prominent store windows in the Race Unity meeting. Also there were daily 100 word broadcasts over station WHIO for six days preceding the meeting. Eric Kolthoff, a Puerto Rican, and Philip Lee, a Hawaiian, spoke emphasizing the absence of racial prejudice in their countries. Mrs. Dorothy Baker gave the Bahá’í message. Three follow-up talks were held on successive Sundays on “The Bahá’í Principles,” “The History of the Cause,” and “Bahá’í Administration.” Through these meetings several seekers were interested in a study class which meets each Sunday evening.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan, Spiritual Assembly sponsors a discussion group where such subjects as “Dumbarton Oaks Proposals and Their Relation to the Bahá’í Peace Plan,” “Inter-Racial Relations,” and “The Need for a World Faith” are studied. Charlotte Timm is chairman of the discussions.
Pittsburgh’s weekly news magazine. The Bulletin Index for August 18, 1945, printed an 800 word article about the Bahá’í faith and published a picture of one of the fireside meetings. It gave some of the principles, a brief history of the Faith, and something about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Pittsburgh talk. The same issue carried notice of a public Bahá’í meeting under the Town Guide.
Bahá’ís were asked to be guest speakers for the annual Inter-Racial Goodwill Day held at Philadelphia’s large Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church. The minister, Rev. Emmet H. Booker, first heard of the Faith through Ruhíyyíh Khánum when he was studying at Columbia. His church bulletin for Sunday, July 29, describes the program: “This year we shall be privileged to hear three exceptional ladies, the Misses Jessie and Ethel Revell, and Miss Edith Segin . . . They are faithful members of the great Bahá’í Religion, which untiringly labors for the realization of the oneness of all nations, races, and religions. What Wendell Willkie wrote and talked about, they have dared to live daily . . .” As a sequel, the members of the church’s Cultural and Racial Unity Committee met with the Bahá’ís for the Bahá’í Race Unity banquet on November 24th. The pictures of the Centenary activities were shown, and Rev. Booker asked that they be shown in his church.
Boston’s special public meeting on World Peace featured as non-Bahá’í speaker, Dr. Ruth Isabel Seabury, educational director of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Mr. Charles Krug was the Bahá’í speaker, and Mr. Matthew Bullock served as chairman. There were 55 at this meeting, of whom 15 were not Bahá’ís.
A recital celebrating the Birthday of Bahá’u’lláh was presented by the Bahá’ís of San Francisco. Walter Olitzki, baritone of the Metropolitan Opera Company of New York and of the San Francisco Opera Company, presented a full concert at the California Club, 1750 Clay Street, Monday evening, November 12.
In a series of weekly meetings announced by an attractive printed program, the Brookline, Massachusetts Bahá’ís presented ‘Abdul-Bahá’s “Seven Lights of Unity.”
The McCombs has opened their home to meetings each Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
A Bahá’í prayer and a Bahá’í talk, “God’s Assurance of World Peace,” given by Mr. Cary Nordquist, were features of an Inter-Faith and Inter-Racial service of worship held at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Seattle, Washington. The Congregational minister, a rabbi, and a member of the Urban League took part in the service which was one of a series sponsored by the city-wide Seattle Religious Fellowship.
A newspaper announcement describes the Seattle celebration of Bahá’u’lláh’s birthday as follows: “Mark Tobey, internationally known painter, will be chairman. Addresses will be given by C. G. Nordquist, Seattle attorney, who will speak on ‘Bahá’u’lláh, the Prince of Peace’, and Mrs. Hazel Mori, worker in civic affairs, whose subject will be ‘The Promised Day is Come.’ Music will be provided by Donald Bushell, cellist and director of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, and John Sundsten, composer and pianist.”
Beverly, Massachusetts, held a “World Order Forum” on November 17, with Elsie Austin speaks on “Security for a Fearful World.” There were 38 present, of whom 15 were not Bahá’ís.
News From Other Lands[edit]
Germany
For a copy of a letter written to the Guardian by Dr. Hermann Grossman in April, 1945 and containing a detailed account of the trials undergone by German Bahá’ís under the Nazi regime, we glean the following:
The Faith and its administrative institutions were interdicted by the Nazi government in June, 1937. The publishing stock, the archives, both national and local, were confiscated. Even the greater part of private books were taken away.
From 1937 to 1944 several believers underwent rude and scoffing examinations by the police in their homes and some had terms of imprisonment. Dr. Grossman lost most of his extremely valuable Bahá’í library and archives, which he had, during twenty years, spent infinite pains in gathering. A part of this library was allowed to be given to the University of Heidelberg Library, which accepted it gratefully and treated it with care, and attention.
In May and June, 1944, judicial proceedings were taken against believers and friends of the Cause in Darmstadt and Heidelberg. The latter trial was public. Here, through a remarkable Providence, the public prosecutor gave a clear statement of the history and principles of the Faith and of the claim of Bahá’u’lláh. At both these trials the believers testified to the non-political character of the Faith and in giving their testimony revealed the majesty and power of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, their unshakable loyalty to it and the certainty of its ultimate triumph.
“The judges had declared before the tribunals that they intended to extinguish the Cause in Germany, but the Almighty arm of Bahá’u’lláh was stronger than the forces of His enemies. As the false charges against the believers could not be sustained, no sentence could be pronounced against their lives and properties.” They were, however, fined.
Burma
Most of the Bahá’ís of Mandalay and Rangoon took refuge in the Bahá’í village of Daidanaw when the Japanese invaded Burma, Not many months afterwards, Burmese hooligans, from adjoining villages, taking advantage of the retreat of the British, attacked Daidanaw, killed many of the friends, looted their property and burned all the huts. Siyyid Musṭafá Roumie, the great pioneer teacher in Burma, whose death, we recorded in the November News, was murdered in the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds and that building was burned. The surviving Bahá’ís are destitute.
Írán
The National Board of Education of Irán has passed regulations dismissing Bahá’í students from the National Teachers Colleges. The Principals of these Colleges express entire satisfaction with the Bahá’í students, both as to their behavior and their ability, but are obliged to carry out the Government regulation. A strong letter of protest has been addressed by the N.S.A. of the Bahá’ís of Iran to the Minister of Education.
Through the British Bahá’í Journal comes the report that some Persian Bahá’ís, sent to Mecca by the Guardian, have formed a Spiritual Assembly in that city, the very center of Islám.
Miss Garreta Busey of Urbana has recently received a reply to a letter she sent to Mr. Faizi, a young Iránian pioneer on the island of Bahrein in the Persian Gulf. He writes of the joy and inspiration the small group of Bahá’ís there receives from the news and messages from the friends in other lands. He goes on to say: “The news from Irán is always sorrowful. In all villages and cities the ‘Ulamá (Muhammadan clergy) try to show their dying power by encouraging the mob against the Bahá’ís and especially against the pioneers in untouched territory. So accustomed are the Iránian believers to these persecutions that when there is no riot or confusion in their locality, they say, ‘There is no news in these parts’.”
India
“The Promised Day has Come” has recently been republished in India and has received truly appreciative tributes from eminent Indians.
The Indian Bahá’ís have opened a Bahá’í school for children at Panchgani 63 miles from Poona, where Bahá’í children will be given character training along Bahá’í lines, while attending non-Bahá’í schools for other training.
Australia
The Reverend H. C. Gurney, a returned missionary from Persia, has published an attack on the Bahá’í Faith in the Adelaide Church Guardian. The Herald of the South, Bahá’í Magazine in Australia, will print several hundred copies of its answer to this attack. This attack may aid in the spread of the Cause, as The Adelaide Church Guardian is read in many South Australian homes and, though many may be misled by the Reverend Gurney’s attack, some will be fair and desire to hear the Bahá’í point of view.
Brief Notes
A report that Lydia Zamenhof is alive in Russia has been received through the Red Cross.
Vuk Echtner, the Prague Esperantist, is alive and well. He is busy arranging study groups and translating Tablets.
Mr. A. Samimi made an extensive tour of the Indian Bahá’í Centers in the spring of 1945. He had asked for permission to go to the Holy Shrines, but the Guardian advised him to make this tour instead. His tour was very beneficial, his zeal and enthusiasm infusing into the friends, a new ardor for service.
The youth group in Alexandria, Egypt, is very active.
TABLE OF CONTENTS[edit]
Messages from the Guardian
- Bold Concerted Measures................ 1 1
- Letters to Individuals................. 1 1
National Spiritual Assembly
- Letter—State and Province
- Elections ............................ 1 1
- Calendar .............................. 1 3
- In Memoriam ........................... 1 3
- Enrollments and transfers ............. 1 3
- Directory ............................. 2 2
National Committees
- Public Meetings ...................... 2 1
- News Service .......................... 2 2
- Radio ................................. 3 1
- Inter-America News .................... 4 1
- North America Teaching ................ 4 3
Publishing Announcements................ 6 1
- “Bahá’í News” ......................... 6 2
- Youth ................................. 6 3
- “World Order” ......................... 6 3
Local Communities
- Local Teaching ....................... 6 2
News from Other Lands
- Germany .............................. 7 2
- Burma ................................ 8 1
- Iran ................................. 8 2
- India ................................ 8 2
- Australia ............................ 8 2
- Brief Notes .......................... 8 3
Photographs
- Book Display for Public
- Meeting in Boston ................... 3
- Youth Teaching Group on
- Trip to Denver ...................... 5
- Youth Gathering on World
- Youth Day ........................... 6
