Bahá’í News/Issue 337/Text
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| No. 337 | BAHA’I YEAR 115 | MARCH, 1959 |
The Beloved Guardian’s Monument
Behold! He is the blest and sacred bough that hath branched out from the Twin Holy Trees. Well is it
with him that seeketh the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind.
—‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
“We have commanded you to pray and fast . . .”
Thou seest, O God of Mercy, Thou Whose power pervadeth all created things, these servants of Thine, Thy thralls, who, according to the good-pleasure of Thy Will, observe in the daytime the fast prescribed by Thee, who arise, at the earliest dawn of day, to make mention of Thy Name, and to celebrate Thy praise, in the hope of obtaining their share of the goodly things that are treasured up within the treasuries of Thy grace and bounty. I beseech Thee, O Thou that holdest in Thy hands the reins of the entire creation, in Whose grasp is the whole kingdom of Thy names and of Thine attributes, not to deprive, in Thy Day, Thy servants from the showers pouring from the clouds of Thy mercy, nor to hinder them from taking their portion of the ocean of Thy good-pleasure.
All the atoms of the earth bear witness, O my Lord, to the greatness of Thy power and of Thy sovereignty; and all the signs of the universe attest the glory of Thy majesty and of Thy might. Have mercy, then, O Thou Who art the sovereign Lord of all, Who art the King of everlasting days, and Ruler of all nations, upon these Thy servants, who have clung to the cord of Thy commandments, who have bowed their necks to the revelations of Thy laws which have been sent down from the heaven of Thy will.
Behold, O my Lord, how their eyes are lifted up towards the dawning-place of Thy loving-kindness, how their hearts are set upon the oceans of Thy favors, how their voices are lowered before the accents of Thy most sweet Voice, calling, from the most sublime Station, in Thy name the All-Glorious. Help Thou Thy loved ones, O my Lord, them that have forsaken their all, that they may obtain the things Thou dost possess, whom trials and tribulations have encompassed for having renounced the world and set their affections on Thy realm of glory. Shield them, I entreat Thee, O my Lord, from the assaults of their evil passions and desires, and aid them to obtain the things that shall profit them in this present world and in the next.
I pray Thee, O my Lord, by Thy hidden, Thy treasured Name, that calleth aloud in the kingdom of creation, and summoneth all peoples to the Tree beyond which there is no passing, the seat of transcendent glory, to rain down upon us, and upon Thy servants, the overflowing rain of Thy mercy, that it may cleanse us from the remembrance of all else but Thee, and draw us nigh unto the shores of the ocean of Thy grace. Ordain. O Lord, through Thy most exalted Pen, that which will immortalize our souls in the Realm of glory, will perpetuate our names in Thy kingdom, and safeguard our lives in the treasuries of Thy protection and our bodies in the stronghold of Thy inviolable fastness. Powerful art Thou over all things, be they of the past or of the future. No God is there but Thee, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
Thou seest, O Lord, our suppliant hands lifted up towards the heaven of Thy favor and bounty. Grant that they may be filled with the treasuries of Thy munificence and bountiful favor. Forgive us, and our fathers, and our mothers, and fulfill whatsoever we have desired from the ocean of Thy grace and Divine generosity. Accept, O Beloved of our hearts. all our works in Thy path. Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Incomparable, the One, the Forgiving, the Gracious.
—Gleanings page 299-302
Rúḥíyyih Khánum Addresses Over 200 British Bahá’ís During London Visit[edit]
THE British friends had the wonderful privilege of a visit from Hand of the Cause ‘Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum last October when she was in Lon don to supervise the completion of the beloved Guardian’s monument, On Sunday afternoon, October 26, more than 200 Bahá’ís from all parts of Britain gathered at the Eccleston Hotel in London to meet her.
The following excerpts of Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s talk at that meeting, reprinted from the January issue of the British Bahá’í Journal, were compiled from notes taken by several people, and while they are not a verbatim report, there was no disagreement among the compilers:
“The strength of the Bahá’ís is in each other. We feel lonesomeness except in meeting together, when our hearts are consoled. We love Shoghi Effendi now more than ever, and we find our happiness in doing something to please him.”
‘Amatu’l-Bahá then told us that after the passing of the beloved Guardian she had visited the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, and there, in spite of her tremendous sorrow and her love for the Guardian, she knew that it was because of Bahá’u’lláh—not because of Shoghi Effendi—that she was a Bahá’í. It is Bahá’u’lláh’sCause we are trying to establish, and she realized that if she turned with all her heart to Bahá’u’lláh she would be able to come through.
Our purpose in life is to know and to love God.
Shoghi Effendi once_gave advice to a Bahá’í who said
he could not get on with the Bahá’í community ‘where
he was, and so was no longer active in that community. The Guardian said that this was the wrong
attitude, that we cannot possibly be compatible with
everyone. but because we love God we love our fellow men. We should love people because we love God
and they belong to God, just as we love everything[Page 3]
connected with those we love, even small mementos.
The Bahá’ís must be clear to each other; unity springs
from love: warmth and a strong knitting together
come from love. The Administrative Order is now
working well all over the world. It was built by the
older Bahá’ís over a long and laborious period, and
now the new Bahá’ís find this Order already here.
Today the need in the Bahá’í world is Love, for each
other and for humanity.
The Guardian has left us everything we need: we should hold to the Guardian's plan, the Ten-Year Crusade. This is the last plan we shall ever have from Shoghi Effendi; it gives us opportunities for service which will never recur. We should keep our minds on our objectives, decide which are the most important things to concentrate our energies on and remember that every single moment that escapes us is not coming back, In this way the work will go forward.
There is not enough brevity in the Cause. We must train our minds to say things in a concise and brief manner, avoiding anecdotes and reminiscenses in consultation.
We must put first things first; each Bahá’í must consider this and see that he is not tied down by side issues which prevent him from grasping his choice.
The Guardian is not our ‘Exemplar,’ but we could with advantage imitate his way of working. Shoghi Effendi was unidirectional—like an express train on a track; knowing where he was going, nothing diverted him from his purpose. He spent all his time doing the task which lay ahead. The Hands in Haifa find it is all they can do to keep abreast of work the Guardian did all alone. Shoghi Effendi had method; he had tenacity and a unidirectional drive towards his goal. He worked until the job was completed. We must learn to be like that.
The Guardian relied on God and on himself. That is to say, he would find out for himself as to whether a job could be done and then, having decided that it could, he would do it himself. We must also show initiative in this way: we must be audacious and drive through with perseverance in carrying out the affairs of the Cause. We must analyse the facts. The believers are the power-houses of the Faith.
It is very important now that the Bahá’í think of the Faith as a World Faith. Bahá’u’lláh came to establish World Unity. Shoghi Effendi literally forged the Bahá’í world. This is our most precious heritage, and it must not be allowed to slip back. We must cultivate consciousness of the greatness and preciousness of being part of the Bahá’í world:
The national spiritual assemblies must think internationally;
The local spiritual assemblies must think nationally;
The groups must think in terms of being local spiritual assemblies and the isolated believers of becoming a group. The largeness of vision will bring tremendous strength, and a world consciousness will strengthen the unity of the Bahá’ís all over the world.
The world organization of the Cause is the responsibility of the Hands and the national spiritual assemblies. The function of the Bands in Haifa is to hold the Bahá’í world together. We must pray for these Hands; their work is infinitely important and all are working as hard as they can. It has been a great blessing during the past year at the World Center to have had a number of the other Hands substituting at different periods for some of the Hands appointed to serve there. This has brought the Custodians firsthand reports of the status of the Faith in various areas, as well as enabling the temporary Custodians to better sense the overall needs of the Faith as seen from the World Center.
How to Reach the Grave of Shoghi Effendi[edit]
These directions on reaching the grave of Shoghi Effendi in Great Northern London Cemetery are supplied by the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles with the request that visiting Bahá’ís make use of them instead of calling upon that Assembly for information and assistance.
By car from Marble Arch: Up Edgeware Road—at about half-mile turn right into Marylebone Road (lights)—about half-mile turn left into Gloucester Place (B.523), thence into Park Road (A.4l). Keep left and continue to Wellington Road and Finchley Road (still A.41) to Swiss Cottage. Continue on Finchley Road towards Golders Green. At Tower Garage (about two miles) take right fork. Straight on through Golders Green (still Finchley Road till North Circular Road crosses (about two miles). Turn right (A.406). At crossroads after overhead bridge (gasworks on corner) turn left into High Road (A.109). At end bear right, then forward at crossroads and keep left into Brunswick Park Road. Cemetery gates down hill on right.
By underground: Travel to Amos Grove Station (Piccadilly line), thence by bus or on foot (about ten minute’s walk), following map.
The Bahá’í Home, First Dependency of Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, Opens in Wilmette[edit]
Top: Entrance to The Bahá’í Home.
Center: The Bahá’í' Home, Fourth and Greenleaf Avenues, Wilmette.
Bottom: Southwest portion of living room, looking into garden area.
ON FEBRUARY 1 the American Bahá’í com munity achieved another and unique objective of the beloved Guardian’s Ten-Year Plan. for on that day “the first dependency of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette,” The Bahá’í Home, began actual operation.
To acquaint the residents of Wilmette and the neighboring communities with the particular purposes and
services of The Bahá’í Home (as described for the believers in BAHÁ’Í NEWS, October 1958), Sunday, January 25, was publicly announced as open house, both
by means of a large advertisement in Wilmette Life
and special articles in Chicago and suburban newspapers. In addition, approximately 200 special invitations
were sent to officials of the Village of Wilmette, the[Page 5]
Wilmette Chamber of Commerce, and a number of social service organizations, as well as to directors of
other homes for elderly people, doctors, and business
concerns, inviting them to inspect the premises and become acquainted with the facilities and services that
are provided. A corps of local Bahá’ís received the
visitors and conducted them on tours of the building.
Although a heavy snow storm and hazardous driving conditions prevailed all day, nearly 200 persons signed the guest book. All were very complimentary and enthusiastic, not only about the structure itself and the artistic and practical interior decorating scheme and choice of furnishings, but also for the concern that has been given for the safety, interest, and comfort of the residents. Many remarked particularly about the unusual safety precautions, which include the absence of steps and scatter rugs, hand rails in the corridors and bathrooms, the communication system between all bedrooms, bathrooms, and the administrative offices, and the isolation room with facilities for the treatment of minor illnesses. The well-lighted, cheery hobby room, the spacious and well-equipped kitchen, com-
Top left: Cook’s table in kitchen.
Top right: A portion of the parlor.
Center: A typical single room, one of sixteen similar rooms for guests.
Bottom: Northeast portion of living room.
fortable living quarters for the administrator, cook, and maid were other areas of special interest, as were the small parlor for private visits and the inviting book-nook.
The newspaper publicity devoted considerable space to the description of the landscaping scheme, which includes several gardens with walks and benches, and a stockade cedar fence on three sides to provide quiet and privacy. Every room of the “U” shaped structure looks out on these private gardens. so planned as to give warmth, color, and beauty all the year-round. one garden of hybrid tea and floribunda roses will provide cuttings for the dining room, and one small plot has been set apart for the residents who wish to make gardening a hobby.
While accommodating only twenty guests, a high standard of selection and operation will be maintained in order to make this a model home for elderly men and women. As the first accessory to the Bahá’í House of Worship, it exemplifies the principle that prayer to God must be fulfilled in service to one‘s fellow men without discrimination of race, class, or creed.
The construction and furnishing of The Bahá’í Home, costing approximately $200,000.00, has been financed completely by the American Bahá’ís. !t has its own Board of Directors and is incorporated under the State of Illinois as a non-profit corporation.
William Campbell Wright of Wilmette is the architect, and the interior decoration was planned and carried out by Mrs. lda E. Wright, interior decorator of Winnetka, assisted by a committee of Bahá’ís consisting of Miss Edna M. True, Mrs, Dorothy Redson, and Dr. Katherine K. True. Landscaping was designed by Hilbert E. Dahl and L. Wyatt Cooper, who have already won a wide reputation for the beauty of the gardens surrounding the Bahá’í House of Worship. The Administrator is Mrs. Florence V. Gibson. An Admissions Committee appointed by the Board of Directors. composed of six Bahá’ís and three non-Bahá’ís, processes all applications; the final decisions about admission are made by the Directors.
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga with some of the
Bahá’ís of Apia, Malie, Afega, Leauva’a, Fasito’outa,
Nofoali’i, and Fosito’otai in Samoa, at Leauva’a village
on November 2, 1958. Mr. Olinga’s visit to Samoa was
reported in alum News for February.
Some of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles and Bahá’ís of Port on
Prince at the recently purchased Temple site in Haiti.
The general requirements for admission are: that
the applicant must be sixty-five years of age or over:
must be in reasonably good health and able to attend
to all personal needs; must be of good character and
able to integrate happily into group living in the
Home. The financial arrangement arrived at by the
Board of Directors in consultation with the applicant
and the applicant’s family does not include hospital
or long-time nursing care, or funeral expenses.
Since The Bahá’í Home is a home in the complete sense for all residents, whether Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís. the premises cannot be open at all times for inspection by the casual visitors. However, the Board of Directors will try to work out some arrangement to have the Home open during certain hours for delegates and visitors to the forthcoming National Convention.
—U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
Canada Launches Bold Campaign to Proclaim Faith to Public[edit]
A bold and courageous campaign to proclaim the Message of Bahá’u’lláh in Canada has been undertaken by the Promulgation Committee of the Canadian National Assembly in Western Ontario.
Many communities in this area are reported to have become Bahá’í-conscious as never before, as a result of sympathetic and enthusiastic press support, radio coverage, and public talks.
This campaign has also served to excite and quicken the Bahá’ís, and has produced a unifying and revitalizing force so greatly desired by the Guardian.
Repercussions to the proclamation activities have included denunciations of the Faith from the pulpit of Christian churches and sermons directly related to the claims of Bahá’u’lláh, as well as the securing of many vital contacts for the Faith from interested inquirers.
Left: The Alhambra, Calif, public library exhibited this World Religion Day display for one week in January. Right: Window display for World Religion Day in Webster Groves, Mo.
Newspaper and Radio Publicity, Visual Aids Assist in Proclaiming World Religion Day Observances on Theme of The Oneness of Religion[edit]
THE tenth observance of World Religion Day, which was inaugurated in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, was held on Sunday, January 18, 1959. When the third Sunday in January was first designated as World Religion Day, it was only a national event; today it is being observed by Bahá’í communities in many parts of the world.
The theme for the occasion was “the fundamental oneness of religion.” The Bahá’í Press Service prepared a release and advertisement on this theme and distributed these to over 300 Bahá’í press representatives, the Associated Press, United Press International, and the Associated Negro Press. It is with great interest that we note that in many instances the papers carried the full text from the release, “If we investigate without prejudice these great religions, we will find that in name and form they differ, but fundamentally they agree.”
When we realize that this message reached 47 states, more than 120 Bahá’í communities, over 125 papers with a potential reading circulation of ten million, it is a thrill. We recall the promise of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that “Every seed sown in this day shall bear fruit"; perhaps not tomorrow, this week, next month, nor next year, but some day, and this is what is so important for the future of our beloved Faith. It is a significant example of what the friends can do when they make a concerted effort on behalf of the Faith. “Blessed are those who work in groups.”
How was the public reached? Why did the papers tell our story? We are not an organization of a million adherents in this country, nor did we have the services of a public relations firm, nor a large bank account at our disposal, This outstanding record was achieved by the isolated believer, the sick, the aged, the new believer, the friend with four or five small children, the groups of two, three, or five and the communities of nine, fifteen, and more. This is the miracle of our Faith, friends; that so much can be done by so few when we have the courage of our convictions, and faith is courage.
Colorful Poster Widely Used[edit]
Visual materials continue to become a pressing need
in reaching the multitudes and with this in mind the
Bahá’í Press Service had a colorful poster depicting
the oneness of religion drawn by an artist, Jack
Tarleton, for display. Over 400 of these posters were
distributed to the friends, some communities ordering
as many as 15, 25, and 30. We have been told that
these were most effective, and in some communities[Page 8]
the friends were asked to keep the posters on display for a week after the event. These posters were shown or displayed in public libraries, banks, YWCA’s, YMCA’s, hotel lobbies, bus terminals, vacant stores, and many other places where people are apt to congregate.
We didn’t have to pay for this space; it was given to us‘ Our theme, ‘the fundamental oneness of religion,” could have been provocative and controversial, and we could have been denied the space for our exhibits, but we weren't. It is quite evident that your community knows for what the Bahá’í Faith stands, at least the leaders in your community do, and they have no fear. Could the effort, which seems so ineffectual to you at the time it was made, have penetrated the hearts and minds of some of your citizens to make them so cooperative?
The fact sheet of religious symbols, as another aid for attracting the public, and circulated to the press representatives, was put to use, not only as a distribution piece, but as a publicity item in the local papers and in exhibits. There were many exhibits of the sacred writings of the revealed religions, and several centered their display around the golden rule of each of the major faiths. We are becoming increasingly more eye-minded.
Public meetings were primarily the function held in observance of World Religion Day, with a discussion period following the talk. Some of these were panels of representatives of other religions, and a significant number presented friends from other lands, who spoke on their religion. making these meetings a colorful and world-embracing picture, particularly when the speakers were in native costume. Then, there were those who had a Bahá’í speaker only, who drew upon the wealth of material in the Bahá’í Writings on the revealed religions themselves. Children and young adults also participated in the occasion. Many communities had a social time after the meeting and served refreshments; others had special musical programs. It just seemed that the friends made every effort to attract the public.
Many radio announcements and interviews were reported, another mass media for proclaiming the Faith. It is becoming increasingly more available to the Faith.
First Public Meeting Held on Hopi Reservation[edit]
The first Bahá’í public meeting ever held on the Hopi reservation took place on January 11 at New Oraibi, Ariz., at the home of a Hopi friend of Melvin and Irene Vanderhoof, pioneers now living on this reservation. Although the date of January 11 was chosen to meet the convenience of other Bahá’ís who came to help, the World Religion Day theme was followed. A welcome was extended by the Hopi hostess and Mrs. Vanderhoof, followed by short talks given by the minister of the local Independent church (a Hopi) and by James Ginnett, Bahá’í pioneer living on the adjacent Navajo reservation. The Vanderhoofs have reported with great enthusiasm that deep harmony and love was felt at this gathering and a sense of spiritual nearness to the Hopi people has been apparent increasingly ever since. “Hopi Hi-Lites,” a monthly newsletter circulated on the reservation carried an account of the event, as well as a Flagstaff newspaper.
World Religion Day display in the public library at
Charleston, W. Va.
Bahá’ís from the Navajo reservation attended the
World Religion Day public meeting held in Flagstaff on
January 18, bringing friends from the reservation with
them. The small hall was filled to capacity, with many
Bahá’ís and their guests who came to hear Mrs. Nancy
Phillips speak. On January 25 a public meeting was
held in Window Rock by the Navajo reservation
Bahá’ís, with World Religion as the theme. Amoz Gibson narrated the slide showing on the Holy Land and
the Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette.
Brussels, Belgium, again celebrated world Religion Day with a public meeting, and even though the city was blanketed by a heavy snow storm, twenty eight people attended the public meeting. E. Claude Levy delineated the march forward mankind is making in the material and political sphere through scientific discoveries and regional unification, and pointed out the need for spiritual unification of the religions of the world, emphasizing what the coming of Bahá’u’lláh signifies for this day.
Panel discussions were held by the Little Rock, Ark., community on the subject: “How Religion Can Solve Today’s Problems.” Two clergymen and a Bahá’í speaker participated. Bakersfield, Calif., presented a panel of young adult members of the Los Angeles Bahá’í community, who discussed “World Faith for World Peace”; Charleston, W. VSA, had a panel discussion on “The Fundamental Oneness of Religion" with representatives from the Judaic, Christian, Islamic and Bahá’í Faiths, followed by coffee and a discussion hour.
Nassau, Bahamas, reports that four American Bahá’ís
participated in a panel discussion which resulted in
a twelve-column-inch publicity on the World Religion
Day observance last year in Little Rock, Ark., in
which the meeting was held in a synagogue, with a
Presbyterian minister as moderator, representatives
from the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Society of Friends participating in the program, and
the president of the Interracial Ministerial Alliance[Page 9]
closing the meeting with a prayer, with music furnished by the choir of the Negro college. This was
evidently quite newsworthy to the citizens in the Bahamas in light of the publicity on the integration of
schools received in the press in Little Rock and
elsewhere. We never know how far reaching our efforts will be, Little Rock, Ark., to Nassaus, Bahamas!
The communities using visual aids as a means of observing World Religion Day were Iowa City, Iowa, who showed colored slides on Palestine: Rochester, Minn., had colored slides on Haifa and the Bahá’í House of Worship; Dumont, N.J., presented an illustrated talk with slides of Europe and South America; Charlotte. NC, showed colored slides of the four religions in Palestine, with a Bahá’í narrator; Youngstown, Ohio, had a Bahá’í from Africa who spoke on “Religion In World Affairs” and showed films of Ghana and Africa. An exhibit of African art objects was on display. Waukesha, Wisc., showed the film “Haifa, A Name To Remember,” with three speakers; and Lancaster, Pa., presented “Palestine—Holy Land of Four Faiths,” and a Bahá’í spoke on the basic agreement underlying the major faiths.
Communities presenting representatives from other major faiths on their program were: Costa Mesa, Newport and Orange County, Calif., who had a speaker on Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Society of Friends, Islam and the Bahá’í Faith; Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley presented seven of the world religious faiths on the theme “the fundamental spiritual precepts of the world’s religious beliefs are essentially the same.” Speaking to this subject were: a Hindu, a Zoroastrian, a Jew, a Buddhist, a Christian, an American Indian, and a Bahá’í; Montclair, N.J., welcomed an Indian educator from New Delhi to the discussion at their open fireside meeting which had been preceeded by a two-week book exhibit at the public library and excellent newspaper publicity. St.
The audience at the special World Religion Day program in Vientiane, Laos. Among government officials
present were the Prime Minister and the Director of
Religion, who gave a Buddhist greeting. A group of
Buddhist monks chanted prayers as part of the
program.
Petersburg, Fla., sent out 300 attractive invitations
and had a representative from Judaism, Christianity
and the Bahá’í Faith; Rochester, N.Y. had a Hindu,
a Moslem, a Jew, a Christian, and a Bahá’í on their
program, and each spoke of the teachings of his faith.
The guest speakers were all foreign students from
Bombay, India, Iran. Nigeria. and Israel.
Variety of Related Subjects Arc Discussed[edit]
The communities that held public meetings on topics other than “The Fundamental Onenes of Religion”. were: Birmingham, Ala., who had a Bahaispeak on “Religion In The Space Age"; San Diego, Calif., panelists spoke on “Religious Unity—A Compromise or Revelation?”; the speaker for the communities of Santa Barbara and Ventura, Calif., spoke on “Keepers of the Flame”; West Miami, Fla., “World Religion,” with a book display in the Florida Light and Power Company; Cedar Falls and Castle Hill, Iowa, communities had a speaker on “Religion--The Hope of The World”; Waterloo, Iowa, had a tea and the Bahá’í speaker spoke on “One Infallible Authority”; Greater Boston, Mass., presented a program at the Adult Education Center with a member of the faculty of Temple Israel the guest speaker; Peoria, Ill., chose as their topic “The Purpose of World Religion"; the Quincy, Ill., Bahá’í speaker spoke on “A Universal Faith Established By The Return of Christ”; Roswell, N. Mex., had a public meeting on “True World Religion And What It Means To You and All Mankind”; the Niagara Falls, N.Y, speaker spoke on “This Is The Day For World Religion”; a Jew, Christian, and Bahá’í spoke on “The Challenge of Religion In Our Time” in Greensboro, N.C.; Barberton and Akron, Ohio, chose the topic “World Religion, What Is It?”; Salem, Ore., had two speakers, the non-Bahá’í spoke on “Panorama of World Religions” and the Bahá’í on the “Bahá’í Faith.”
Astoria, Ore., held a meeting on “Religious Unity”; Syracuse, N.Y., held a public meeting and the speakers were a Bahá’í and a native of Poona, India, who spoke on “Search for God”; Durham, N.C., presented a physicist, a child psychiatrist, and a Bahá’í who spoke on the topic: “The Atomic Mandate: Science and Religion are Equally Important”; Seattle and Spokane, Wash., “God’s Timetable for Religious Unity”; Tacoma, Wash., “Universal Religion To Unite The Hearts of Men"; Wauwatosa, Wisc., presented a Bahá’í speaker on “Journey In Space.”
Key West, Fla., reported a broadcast over a local radio station with a Bahá’í speaker on the “Birth of World Religion”; Burlington, Vt., reports announcements and an interview on the local radio station, as well as two window displays. Topeka, Kans., had a luncheon meeting: Boise, Idaho, had letters to the editor calling attention to World Religion Day and for what it stands; Decatur, Ill., called attention in their ad “Religion Unlimited,” and to Bahá’í books in the public library on the theme. Atlantic City, N.J., reports that they believe theirs was the first publicity on the Faith.
The children’s Bahá’í School in Maywood, Ill., had
a program for their friends and families; the East
Rochester, N.Y., Bahá’í Children’s School had a special World Religion Day program. An eleven year-old[Page 10]
child conducted the meeting, and children from five
to twelve participated in the program with prayers,
songs, and the presentation of the art work on
religious symbols done by the children in the second
grade and explained by one of the older children.
There was a colored movie on “The Religions In The
Holy Land.” The children served the refreshments
and even the three years-olds assisted by passing the
napkins.
Other communities which held public meetings on the “Fundamental Oneness of Religion” were: Jefferson County and Denver, Colo.; in California, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Oxnard, Redding, San Francisco, and Stockton; Indianapolis, Ind.; Colorado Springs, Colo., New Haven, Conn.; Des Moines, Iowa; South Bend, Ind., Baton Rouge, La., Port Huron, Mich., New Haven, Mich.; Butte, Mont., Yonkers, N.Y.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Lima, ’ Ohio; Logan, Utah.
The topics were numerous, the types of observances many; we are only sorry that the reports were not complete enough to do justice to your efforts; nor have they all been received. However, we do know this, that because each one of you who had a part in this significant undertaking, this impact on the hearts and minds of the public which has been caused by our working together in unity on this occasion, will have its effect. World Religion Day continues to be the leading event to proclaim the Bahá’í Faith to the multitudes.
—BAHÁ’Í PRESS SERVICE
Central America and Mexico Communities Hold Outstanding UN Day Observances[edit]
Bahá’í communities in several cities of Mexico and Central America have reported very good results from well-planned United Nations Day activities.
The Bahá’í Public Relations Committee of Tegucigalpa collaborated with the Student Council of the Inter-American Cultural Institute of that city in the UN Day Celebration. Nearly one hundred people, including representatives of the various diplomatic missions of the city, attended. According to its own request, the Bahá’í committee received no mention of its services, but the student group knew and unofficially gave publicity to the Bahá’ís.
The next Sunday, as a follow~up, the Bahá’í committee gave a party for the student committee and guests who had participated in the program. The chief of the U.S, Information Service, the PressAttaché, and other guests seemed deeply impressed by the relaxed atmosphere, as well as by the beauty and simplicity of the function.
The Guadalajara Bahá’í community reports an ambitious and highly successful celebration of UN Day. Before an audience including a representative of the Governor of the State of Jalisco, and professors of the University of Guadalajara, four speakers, including two Bahá’ís, one representing UNESCO and the United Press, and the other representing the “Confraternidad Intellectual Mexico Americana” presented their topics. “Bahá’í Proposals for Revision of the United Nations Charter,” and “Principles of the International
First Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Kebun
Want, Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia, formed on
April 21, 1958.
Bahá’í Community” were the titles of the talks given
by Ana Howard and Herlinda Risueno respectively.
Later Mr. and Mrs. Howard were invited to attend a
meeting of the United Press Association, where they
were nominated as honorary members of the UPA
and where mention was made of their services as
local representatives of the International Bahá’í Community, together with mention of some of the Bahá’í
principles.
Among those present at the UPA meeting were the representative of the Governor, several newsmen and writers, one artist of national note, a poetess, and a very prominent attorney, all of liberal thought. They not only make available the usual news media, but publish as well La Prensa Liberal as an outlet for offerings of the members, and for gleanings from other sources.
Some of the smaller cities of Central America, Santa Ana and Ahuachapan, El Salvador, describe meetings that added to the group of contacts, the latter meeting counting about sixty present. These, like all the others, have had the effect not only of gaining friends and contacts, but of greatly heightening the public esteem of the Faith. Two Bahá’ís of the territory have been named as correspondents for the UN Office of Public Information in their respective countries.
Low-Caste, Impoverished Rodiyas of Burma Given Bahá’í Message and Gifts[edit]
An article ap'pearing in the Colombo, Ceylon, newspaper acted as a stimulus for Colombo Bahá’ís and visting Bahá’í friends from Rangoon, Burma, to travel sixty miles to a remote village to bring the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. The article referred to a branch of the Sinhalese people, known as Rodiyas, considered to be at the bottom of the cast system.
The Rodiyas live in poverty in the village of Diganwela. The nine families making up this village have very little to eat or wear, and range in age from infants to elderly people of seventy-five years. Gifts of food and clothing were distributed to them. There,
Bahá’ís of Kodiak, Alaska, a goal of the
Ten-Year World Crusade: front row ,Ben
Guhrke and Dean Booker; back row, Gilbert Munro, Karin Leonard, and Robert
Leonard.
gathered in an open space in front of a hut, Anver
Cadir of Rangoon spoke to them about Bahá’u’lláh in
the Sinhalese language. A Bahá’í with a Buddhist background explained about the second coming of the
Buddha, referring to the condition of the world at
present, and the need for a World Teacher to unite a
divided world. Copies of Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era
in Sinhalese were presented, and a donation was made
toward the collective fund for the welfare of their village.
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Colombo writes in the Bahá’í News Letter of India and Burma: “Finally assuring them that we would visit them often, we recited a prayer in Sinhalese and prepared to depart. But no, those kind souls would not let us go unless we partook of their young coconuts. At last we departed with a fervent hope that Bahá’u’lláh would shower His blessings on these souls.”
Pioneers Open Goal City of Chitre in Panama[edit]
In June 1958 the National Teaching Committee of Panama chose the city of Chitre, Panama, as the goal for an assembly by Riḍván 1959. In July six Bahá’ís from the Canal Zone community decided to make the 162 mile trip into the interior of Panama to visit this goal city.
After registering at the hotel, the six gathered in a room and said prayers for the city. Then they split into two groups and began to explore the possibilities. One group had not walked more than two blocks when they looked up and saw a litle hardware store which bore the sign “La Nueva Era” (The New Era). They decided to take a picture of it. While they were focusing the camera, the owner came out and posed in front of the store for them. After the believers had introduced themselves they asked him why he happened to name his store “La Nueva Era.” He explained that it is a new era, an age of freedom from human bondage. Of course he was the first contact made for the Faith there. It went easily from there on. Many people heard of Bahá’u’lláh on that first visit. On October 18th and 19th the city celebrated the 110th anniversary of its founding, and three Bahá’ís who have settled there were serenaded as an official welcome to the city and had the honor of being officially invited to attend the fiesta by the president of the city council in person.
Regular firesides are being held every Saturday night, and the response to the cause is more than could possibly have been hoped for by any of those six who first went to Chitre to “plow the ground with their prayers.”
First Recognition of Bahá’í Marriage in Canada Achieved in British Columbia[edit]
The first Certificate of Registration under the Marriage Act was issued to a Bahá’í assembly by the government of the Province of British Columbia on December 16, 1958, certifying that the chairman of the L0cal Spiritual Assembly of Vancouver is legally authorized to conduct marriages in that province.
This achievement of the first victory in the legalization of Bahá’í marriage in Canada is a cause of rejoicing by all Canadian Bahá’ís, as it was a goal dear to the heart of Shoghi Effendi.
Spread of Faith in Bolivia Proves Need For Pioneers in Western Hemisphere[edit]
On the high altiplano of the Andes live thousands of Indians, some in small cities, many on the plains or in the mountains. Less than three years ago, the mayor of one of the cantons in Bolivia, while in the capital, La Paz, walked past the Bahá’í Center, with its friendly sign, “Inquiries Invited.” With his knock, the door opened to a surging spread of the Faith among this race, which both the Master and the beloved Guardian so often urged us to teach. In a few months he and his brother had entered the Cause.
Within a week, Andrés was saying: “This is what the Indian wants. He wants to find the Will of God. He doesn’t like contention and fighting; he doesn’t like drunken fiestas. He wants justice and education. He wants to obey the Will of God. This is What all the Indians need. This is what the whole world needs.”
Already Andrés and Carmelo were telling other Indians of the Faith. By Riḍván of 1957, seven months after their enrollment, the first assembly was established in Huanuni, their canton. And the teaching continued The Indian Bahá’ís are teaching their brothers in many localities, Walking the distances of two to five days journey. Already there are several groups, two more large enough to have assemblies this Riḍván.
Greeting with joy the fulfillment of the beloved[Page 12]
Guardian’s desire, the National Assembly of Argentina. Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay appeals
for pioneers, “consecrated and detached Bahá’ís,” to
live with the Indians “in order to consolidate the formation and functioning of these new groups and communities. This task is so important and the possibilities
of reaping fruits are so enormous that we cannot let
it go. Bolivia is like Africa and needs the same
class of pioneers that are awakening that Negro continent. It is true that these pioneers should know
at least a little Spanish in order to communicate with
the more educated Indians.” (The Indian in Bolivia
speaks Aymara or Quechua.)
Life on the altiplano is bleak and rugged. The Indians are colorful, and long for the opportunities to rise, culturally and spiritually. Anyone interested in this post, or in other of the twenty Latin American Republics, to assist in building these Pillars of the Universal House of Justice, can write to: Western Hemisphere Teaching Committee; Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin, secretary: 73 College Road West; Princeton, N.J.
Teaching Activities at U. S. Colleges Reviewed by Bahá’í College Bureau[edit]
Bahá’í teaching efforts at colleges and universities have taken on many different forms, from formal meetings, to intimate personal conversations. The Bahá’í College Bureau has been attempting to help organize the former, stimulate the latter, and act as a clearinghouse for other activities. Here are a few examples of recent events:
Institutes on College Teaching were held at ten campuses across the nation — at Ohio U. at Athens, West Virginia State U. at Institute, Texas Christian U. at Fort Worth, the U. of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Stanford U. in Palo Alto, the U. of Washington at Seattle, the U. of Buffalo, the U. of Arizona at Tucson, Tulane U. in New Orleans, Harvard U. at Cambridge, and the U. of Wisconsin at Madison.
The first meeting with the Indians of Nicaragua, on
November 16, 1958, at Monimbe. All are not pure-blooded Indians, but they maintain themselves separately in
this area near the city of Masaya, where Mignon and
Donald Witzel are pioneering. Meetings are continuing
at regular intervals.
The agenda included a general review of Bahá’í activities at colleges and a discussion of specific local
problems. John Ferraby’s book All Things Made New
was reviewed as an aid in teaching the Faith in colleges. Public meetings were held at some of the colleges in conjunction with the institute with a representative of the College Bureau as a speaker. An
evaluation of the institute by the participants concluded the meeting.
The teaching experience of the students in all parts of the country was very similar: it indicates that public activities are important to arouse interest, but personal contact, based on individual excellence, is by far the most effective teaching method. Participation in various interfaith activities is an excellent means for making contacts. Experience has shown that publicity based on worthwhile activities is not only free — activities are news — but also much more effective than paid advertisements featuring, for example, pictures and quotations.
A key factor in the success of teaching efforts is continuity, such as regularly scheduled firesides and deepening classes. A student’s life is an active one and there is only a limited amount of time for extra curricular activities. The neighboring communities can do much to help the students with the physical arrangements of such activities. The availability of a Bahá’í home where meetings or classes can he regularly scheduled helps to make these activities successful. The reports received by the College Bureau indicate that the institutes filled a real need and should be held at intervals. At this time the bureau is formulating plans for another institute to be held early.in May, perhaps the weekend of May 9. This will provide an opportunity for an evaluation of current activities and the formulation of future plans.
As the concluding event in the Centennial Celebration of student religious activities, the University of Michigan sponsored a National Consultative Conference in November 1958, to which Bahá’í representatives were invited. This was the first national conference in our times to which representatives from all sections of the country were invited to plan the teaching of religion on campuses and to discuss the religious life of their students.
Six hundred faculty teachers of religion, religious
workers, personnel workers, administrators, and representatives of national educational and religious organizations were present. The Bahá’í representatives
were Dr. Manucher Javid, Dr. Hamilton Niss, and
Dr. Otto Zmeskal, together with Mrs. Marie Esterer
and Mrs. Helen McClusky. As a result of their participation in the discussions and informal talks during
the threeday meeting, many people of significant
standing in the academic community had a favorable
contact with Bahá’ís, which is likely to influence their
future attitudes toward Bahá’í student activities. The
delegates felt that participation in this meeting was of
considerable value and expressed their appreciation[Page 13]
of the support given them by the Ann Arbor community.
Religious Emphasis Week is held on many campuses and offers splendid opportunities for Bahá’í participation. During the past year. the verse “Say: All were gisatsd ,by God,” submitted by the Bahá’í students at: Ohio University, was used as the theme of their celebration. Students at Arizona State College at Flagstaff participated in “Religion in Life” week with Dr. Nasrat’o’llah Rassekh as speaker. Iowa State College is planning 5 Religious Emphasis Week during February 1959. Mrs. Velma Sherill, member of the Auxiliary Board of the Hands of the Cause, will be the Bahá’í representative. Students at Montana State University have joined in the Religious Emphasis Week activities, with Mrs. Hazel Mori as featured speaker. The newly formed Bahá’í Club at San Jose State College cosponsored the “Religion in Life” week there.
A very successful teaching effort was made by Winston Evans at Anderson College in Indiana. Although there were no Bahá’í students enrolled at Anderson, Mr. Evans was invited by the Social Science Department to hold a two-day seminar on the Faith, which was received with much interest. An equally successful series of talks was given by Paul Pettit at Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. By invitation of the local chapter of the Methodist Student Movement, Mr. Pettit spent an entire day with this group discussing the Faith, which the president of the group termed “the most interesting religion” they had yet studied. (See BAHÁ’Í NEWS for February.)
Several new Bahá’í Clubs were founded this year: Cornell University, San Jose State College, Palmer School of Chiropractic, University of Wisconsin, and Utah State College all have new Clubs. There are, however, several existing Clubs which are in danger of losing their constitution owing to a lack of new students, particularly the Clubs at the University of Michigan and at Northwestern University. The enrollment of Bahá’í students at these schools would help to maintain these important achievements.
Administratively, the Bureau has compiled a file of all Bahá’í students and a listing of the colleges where there are any Bahá’í activities. A Speaker’s Bureau with a membership of over 100 has been formed to help with college teaching all over the country, and an up-to-date record of these activities is maintained. To keep these records meaningful so that they may serve as a basis for coordinated teaching efforts, the College Bureau is wholly dependent on the cooperation of those directly engaged in this work at the colleges. We therefore urge all of the believers to keep us informed, to let us know of their teaching problems and to share with us their successes. Only in this way can the Bureau perform a useful function.
—BAHÁ’Í COLLEGE BUREAU
Teaching the Faith in Norway
A pioneer in Tromsö wrote the following letter which expresses important points of view for the teaching work:
“One of the many requirements which a Bahá’í faces when he enters a country just beginning to build its administrative order, is the fact that he represents the administrative order as long as he is the only Bahá’í in the entire area. Today, in a country like England. one is never far from a spiritual assembly or a group. and every new Bahá’í is slowly led into the existing organization; no one expects him to know everything at once.
“In Norway every new Bahá’í has not only the responsibility of helping to build up the administrative order, but must also teach his new Faith to others as soon as possible in order to pass on to others the divine grace vouchsafed to him. Certainly it is wise to absorb the teachings slowly and carefully, but when you are confronted by someone who says: ‘Please tell me about your wonderful new Faith,’ there is no holding back! A pioneer has had the opportunity to learn his Faith in company with others (later he wishes he had learned more) and can recall his own experiences, but a new Norwegian Bahá’í here in the North must teach in order to learn.
“The thought that the most diverse people, all with their own ideas and personalities, alone have the responsibility for carrying the personal teaching work, would be frightening if it were not God’s work. Actually only one Bahá’í knows about the wonder that lies in maintaining the unity of the Bahá’í Faith. Of course mistakes are made, but the comprehensive. astounding picture of unity and the immovable goal before one’s eyes is, from hour to hour, gaining in stature and is daily being fulfilled by new Bahá’ís to whom recognition (of the Faith) has been granted. The pioneers have a task before them which is not simple, but the Bahá’ís who take their first wavering steps under the guidance of the pioneer are sure of my great admiration and unending praise. Through their efforts the task of those who follow is made much simpler.”
—BAHÁ’Í NACHRICHTEN
Teaching Congress held at San Miguel Allende, Mexico,
on October 31 to November 3, 1958.
NEWS BRIEFS[edit]
An international school under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Greater Antilles. held in Port au Prince from December 26 to 29, 1958. was attended by Bahá’ís from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Haiti. Many expressed deep appreciation for the understanding that they gathered from courses on the Guardian’s Six-Year Teaching Plan, the Covenant, and Bahá’í Administration, taught by W. A. W. Mitchell, Sheila Rice-Wray, and Randolph Fitz-Henley.
A half-hour of free television time for a presentation of the Bahá’í Faith was secured by a member of the Avondale, Ariz., Bahá’í group through the cooperation of the Phoenix Council of Churches. The telecast included the reading of prayers, slides oi the Shrines and gardens at Haifa and of the House of Worship in Wilmete, and a talk on the Teachings.
The National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska has announced that the hard-to-fill goal of Metlakatla in southeastern Alaska has been settled by William Adams, who had established a business there. This is an allIndian village, and the home of his wife.
The first Eskimo believer, Peter Singyke, a youth, has been enrolled in the Faith. He resides on Baranoff Island.
All Which Ye Potentially Possess
Know than that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure. as decreed in God’s mighty and guarded Tablets. All that which ye potentially possess can, however be manifested only as a result of your own volition.
The above words of Bahá’u’lláh are reassuring; but we must read carefully and concentrate on the last line of the quotation, for there we see that the responsibility is put squarely upon us.
Bahá’ís and their guest: at a youth party sponsored by
the Youth Committee of Des Moines, Iowa, on November 22, 1958.
Recently declared Bahá’ís of Guadalajara, Mexico.
We are moving rapidly toward the end of the Ten-Year Crusade. How much is each one of us giving of
ourselves to its triumphant completion?
In one of the bulletins of the South Central States they state it this way:
We have been given the bounty of recognizing Bahá’u’lláh in His Day. What have we done to promote His Cause?
We have been given perfect translations of the Creative Word. How have we used them?
We have been given the loving example of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, How well have we followed His example?
Shoghi Effendi spelled out the Plan and gave us direction. What path have we followed?
Administrative bodies from Haifa to the local level have guided us. What have we contributed?”
A recent meeting called by the National Spiritual Assembly to think about these things along with representatives from the various national and area committees stressed three ‘musts’ for the success of the Crusade and thereby, the aid to the spiritual development of ourselves and mankind generally:
Spiritual reinvigoration
Administrative expansion
Material replenishment
Therefore we must: PRAY! WORK! GIVE!
BAHA’I IN THE NEWS
A publication of the University of California lists gifts made to the University from January 1, 1957, to December 31, 1957. On page 43 the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís or Los Angeles appears on the roster of donors.
Presbyterian Life, August 10, 1957, has an article entitled “Iranian Students form Unique Training School” in which the methods used to convert Islamic youth to Christianity are reported. The illustration shows a minister talking with six youths, the caption being “Protestant Minister interprets Islám and Bahá’ísm in more advanced class.”
La Maison, September 1958, an illustrated monthly magazine published in Brussels, published a photograph of the House of Worship in Wilmette and a
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of Los Angeles, Calif.
photograph of the design selected for the House of Worship to be constructed in Europe.
On page 86 of the book Jesus Compared by Charles S. Braden, the following brief reference to the Faith has been noted: “On the basis of numbers, the Bahá’í Faith, for example, might with equal right be considered one of the great religions, and on the basis of its worldwide spread, much more so, for the Sikh faith has made no effort to propagate itself outside of India and is to be found, apart from India, only where Sikhs have gone as immigrants.”
Newspaper clippings recently received reveal much local interest in and acceptance of the teachings and activities of the Faith.
Fort Wayne News Sentinel, May 31, ran a feature article entitled “Bahá’í Faith Gains Internationally; Successive Crusade Major Factor.”
All-Burma Teaching Conference held at Rangoon on October 5-8, 1958, in preparation for the coming formation of the National Spiritual Assembly there this coming Riḍván.
On September 20 Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette also
published a feature article illustrated by a photograph
of a meeting at the local Bahá’í Center. The article
was entitled “Bahá’í, ‘Faith of. Unity,’ Growing in
Mid-West.”
An article in the Boston Herald July 15 on the National Jamboree of Scouts held at Valley Forge, contains a brief reference to the religious services held for Boy Scouts of the Bahá’í Faith. The same article (AP) also appeared in the Boston Daily Record of the same date.
In the section entitled “Letters to the Editor” in the Chicago Daily News on October 7, the featured letter was written by Mary Konishi, a believer, to correct certain religious views expressed by a Daily News columnist.
The Daily Report of Ontario and Upland. Calif., on September 13 ran an extensive article entitled “Student to Devote Life to Expounding of Bahá’í.” The student in question is Hushidar Motlagh, a Persian believer enrolled as a student in Chaffey College.
Described as the “best magazine publicity ever published on the Faith in Argentina” was the threepage article appearing in the July 31 issue of Mundo Argentina, with accurate references to the Faith and photographs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Bahá’í Temple, and a group of believers gathered in the Bahá’í Center of Buenos Aires. The caption reads: “Bahá’í, an administrative religion for the peace of the world.” This article is the first in a series of reports on the religious communities of Argentina under the general heading: “How God is adored in Buenos Aires.”
The St. Louis Post Dispatch dated Friday, December 12, devoted nearly half a page to a feature
story entitled “It’s a Small World Romance in St.
Louis” The author presents a vivid human interest
report of a Bahá’í marriage conducted in Glendale for
Dr‘ Maarten Nieuwenhuezen of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Miss Farah Eghrari, Bahá’í from Ṭihrán.
Their meeting was brought about through an unusual[Page 16]
combination of circumstances, as the author recounts.
Of greatest interest to believers is the explanation of
Bahá’í marriage given the reporter by Mrs. Velma
Sherill.
Bahá’í Author Publishes Book of Poems[edit]
Gertrude W. Robinson has published a collection of her poems under the title For Fruitage of Tomorrow in a limited edition. All are imbued with the religious spirit, and some refer directly to the Manifestation, or to a Bahá’í institution—the Temple and Davison School.
The author is contributing copies to the libraries of our Summer Schools, but is not offering any for sales distribution.
Baha’i Publishing Trust[edit]
I Am a Bahá’í. By Guy Murchie. This interesting exposition on the history and teachings of the Bahá’í Faith first appeared as an article in the Chicago Sunday Tribune Magazine Section a few months ago. A report on it was published in the September issue of BAHÁ’Í NEWS, page 6.
Many people visited the Bahá’í House of Worship following its publication in the Tribune, and telephoned or wrote the Bahá’í National Center for information, perhaps more so than any other similar piece of publicity that has appeared in the Chicago area.
In addition to being informative, this article, written
National Baha’i Addresses
Please Address Mail Correctly!
National Bahá’í Administrative Headquarters:[edit]
536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Ill.
National Treasurer:[edit]
112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette. Ill.
Make Checks Payable to: National Bahá’í Fund[edit]
Bahá’í Publishing Trust:[edit]
llo Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Bahá’í News:[edit]
Editorial Office: ll0 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
Subscription and change of address: 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Ill.
by a well-known American Writer, who is author of the Book of the Month Club selection Song of the Sky, has a unique approach that makes it unusually interesting and appealing to most readers.
The reprint has been prepared in large quantity for wide distribution, particularly to Bahá’í mailing lists. The format, designed by Conrad Heleniak, a Bahá’í 01 Green Bay, Wisc., facilitates the simplest, most inexpensive handling and mailing. It opens out to four pages, size 8½ by 11 inches, but is folded to 8½ by 3¾, with one side blank for addressing. It can be sealed with sticker, stapled, or mailed in other ways. A return postcard may be inserted on the inside.
Committees should inquire of their post office for information on third-class bulk mailing rates, which are very inexpensive.
20 copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 1.00 100 copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.00 250 copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.00 500 copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.50
(All prices postpaid, and subject to usual community discount.)
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST
110 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, Illinois
Calendar of Events[edit]
FEASTS[edit]
March 21—Bahá (Splendor)
April 9—Jalál(Glory)
DAYS OF FASTING[edit]
March 2-21
HOLY DAY March 2l—Naw-Rúz (Bahá’í New Year)
U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS[edit]
March 20-22
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
Visiting Hours[edit]
Weekdays 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Auditorium only)
Sundays and Holidays
10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Entire building)
Service of Worship[edit]
Sundays
3:30 to 4:10 p.m.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í World Community.
Reports, plans, news items, and photographs of general interest are requested from national committees and local assemblies of the United States as well as from national assemblies of other lands. Material is due in Wilmette on the first day of the month preceding the date of issue for which it is intended.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is edited by an annually appointed Editorial Committee. The Committee tor 1958-59: Mrs. Eunice Braun, Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Richard C. Thomas.
Editorial Office: ll0 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
Change of address should he reported directly to National Bahá’í Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
