Bahá’í News/Issue 410/Text
| ←Previous | Bahá’í News Issue 410 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
| No. 410 | BAHA’I YEAR 122 | MAY, 1965 |
Unassailable Foundation of the Cause of God[edit]
The Universal House of Justice has requested that the following letter, addressed to a National Spiritual Assembly, be published in BAHA’I NEWS for the edification of the friends throughout the world:
The National Spiritual Assembly of
the Bahá’ís of the Netherlands.
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
We are glad that you have brought to our attention the questions perplexing some of the believers. It is much better for these questions to be put freely and openly than to have them, unexpressed, burdening the hearts of devoted believers. Once one grasps certain basic principles of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh such uncertainties are easily dispelled. This is not to say that the Cause of God contains no mysteries. Mysteries there are indeed, but they are not of a kind to shake one’s faith once the essential tenets of the Cause and the indisputable facts of any situation are clearly understood.
The questions put by the various believers fall into three groups. The first group centers upon the following queries: Why were steps taken to elect a Universal House of Justice with the foreknowledge that there would be no Guardian? Was the time ripe for such an action? Could not the International Bahá’í Council have carried on the work?
The Basis for Election[edit]
At the time of our beloved Shoghi Effendi’s death it was evident, from the circumstances and from the explicit requirements of the Holy Texts, that it had been impossible for him to appoint a successor in accordance with the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This situation, in which the Guardian died without being able to appoint a successor, presented an obscure question not covered by the explicit Holy Text, and had to be referred to the Universal House of Justice. The friends should clearly understand that before the election of the Universal House of Justice there was no knowledge that there would be no Guardian. There could not have been any such foreknowledge, whatever opinions individual believers may have held. Neither the Hands of the Cause of God, nor the International Bahá’í Council, nor any other existing body could make a decision upon this all-important matter. Only the House of Justice had authority to pronounce upon it. This was one urgent reason for calling the election of the Universal House of Justice as soon as possible.
Following the passing of Shoghi Effendi the international administration of the Faith was carried on by the Hands of the Cause of God with the complete agreement and loyalty of the National Spiritual Assemblies and the body of the believers. This was in accordance with the Guardian’s designation of the Hands as the “Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth.”
From the very outset of their custodianship of the Cause of God the Hands realized that since they had no certainty of divine guidance such as is incontrovertibly assured to the Guardian and to the Universal House of Justice, their one safe course was to follow with undeviating firmness the instructions and policies of Shoghi Effendi. The entire history of religion shows no comparable record of such strict self-discipline, such absolute loyalty and such complete self-abnegation by the leaders of a religion finding themselves suddenly deprived of their divinely inspired guide. The debt of gratitude which mankind for generations, nay, ages to come, owes to this handful of grief-stricken, steadfast, heroic souls is beyond estimation.
The Guardian had given the Bahá’í world explicit and detailed plans covering the period until Ridván 1963, the end of the Ten Year Crusade. From that point onward, unless the Faith were to be endangered, further divine guidance was essential. This was the second pressing reason for the calling of the election of the Universal House of Justice. The rightness of the time was further confirmed by references in Shoghi Effendi’s letters to the Ten Year Crusade’s being followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice. One such reference is the following passage from a letter addressed to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles on 25th February 1951, concerning its Two Year Plan which immediately preceded the Ten Year Crusade:
“On the success of this enterprise, unprecedented in its scope, unique in its character and immense
[Page 2]
in its spiritual potentialities, must depend the initiation, at a later period in the Formative Age of the
Faith, of undertakings embracing within their
range all National Assemblies functioning throughout the Bahá’í world, undertakings constituting in
themselves a prelude to the launching of Worldwide enterprises destined to be embarked upon, in
future epochs of that same Age, by the Universal
House of Justice, that will symbolize the unity and
co-ordinate and unify the activities of these National Assemblies.”
Having been in charge of the Cause of God for six years, the Hands, with absolute faith in the Holy Writings, called upon the believers to elect the Universal House of Justice, and even went so far as to ask that they themselves be not voted for. The sole, sad instance of anyone succumbing to the allurements of power was the pitiful attempt of Charles Mason Remey to usurp the Guardianship.
The following excerpts from a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá state clearly and emphatically the principles with which the friends are already familiar from the Will and Testament of the Master and the various letters of Shoghi Effendi, and explain the basis for the election of the Universal House of Justice. This Tablet was sent to Persia by the beloved Guardian himself, in the early years of his ministry, for circulation among the believers.
“... for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is in a tempest of dangers and infinitely abhors differences of opinion ... Praise be to God, there are no grounds for differences.
“The Báb, the Exalted One, is the Morn of Truth, the splendor of Whose light shineth through all regions. He is also the Harbinger of the Most Great Light, the Abhá Luminary. The Blessed Beauty is the One promised by the sacred books of the past, the revelation of the Source of light that shone upon Mount Sinai, Whose fire glowed in the midst of the Burning Bush. We are, one and all, servants of Their threshold, and stand each as a lowly keeper at Their door.
“My purpose is this, that ere the expiration of a thousand years, no one has the right to utter a single word, even to claim the station of Guardianship. The Most Holy Book is the Book to which all peoples shall refer, and in it the Laws of God have been revealed. Laws not mentioned in the Book should be referred to the decision of the Universal House of Justice. There will be no grounds for difference ... Beware, beware lest anyone create a rift or stir up sedition. Should there be differences of opinion, the Supreme House of Justice would immediately resolve the problems. Whatever will be its decision, by majority vote, shall be the real truth, inasmuch as that House is under the protection, unerring guidance and care of the One True Lord. He shall guard it from error and will protect it under the wing of His sanctity and infallibility. He who opposes it is cast out and will eventually be of the defeated.
“The Supreme House of Justice should be elected according to the system followed in the election of the parliaments of Europe. And when the countries would be guided the Houses of Justice of the various countries would elect the Supreme House of Justice.
“At whatever time all the beloved of God in each country appoint their delegates, and these in turn elect their representatives, and these representatives elect a body, that body shall be regarded as the Supreme House of Justice.
“The establishment of that House is not dependent upon the conversion of all the nations of the world. For example, if conditions were favorable and no disturbances would be caused, the friends in Persia would elect their representatives, and likewise the friends in America, in India and other areas would also elect their representatives, and these would elect a House of Justice. That House of Justice would be the Supreme House of Justice. That is all.” (Persian and Arabic Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. III, pp. 499-501)
The friends should realize that there is nothing in the Texts to indicate that the election of the Universal House of Justice could be called only by the Guardian. On the contrary, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá envisaged the calling of its election in His own lifetime. At a time described by the Guardian as “the darkest moments of His (the Master’s) life, under ‘Abdu’l-Hamid’s regime, when He stood to be deported to the most inhospitable regions of Northern Africa,” and when even His life was threatened, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to Hájí Mírzá Táqí Afnán, the cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the Ishqábád Temple, commanding him to arrange for the election of the Universal House of Justice should the threats against the Master materialize. The second part of the Master’s Will is also relevant so such a situation and should be studied by the friends.
The Infallibility[edit]
The second series of problems vexing some of the friends centers on the question of the infallibility of the Universal House of Justice and its ability to function without the presence of the Guardian. Particular difficulty has been experienced in understanding the implications of the following statement by the beloved Guardian:
“Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh would be mutilated and permanently deprived of that hereditary principle which, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has written, has been invariably upheld by the Law of God. ‘In all the Divine Dispensations,’ He states, in a Tablet addressed to a follower of the Faith in Persia, ‘the eldest son hath been given extraordinary distinctions. Even the station of prophethood hath been his birthright.’ Without such an institution the integrity of the Faith would be imperiled, and the stability of the entire fabric would be gravely endangered. Its prestige would suffer, the means required to enable it to take a long, an uninterrupted view over a series of generations would be completely lacking, and the necessary guidance to define
[Page 3]
the sphere of the legislative action of its elected
The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 148)
Let the friends who wish for a clearer understanding
of this passage at the present time consider it in the
light of the many other texts which deal with the same
subject, for example the following passages gleaned
from the letters of Shoghi Effendi:
“They have also, in unequivocal and emphatic language, appointed those twin institutions of the House of Justice and of the Guardianship as their chosen Successors, destined to apply the principles, promulgate the laws, protect the institutions, adapt loyally and intelligently the Faith to the requirements of progressive society, and consummate the incorruptible inheritance which the Founders of the Faith have bequeathed to the
world.”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 20)
“It must be also clearly understood by every believer that the institution of Guardianship does not under any circumstances abrogate, or even in the slightest degree detract from the powers granted to the Universal House of Justice by Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and repeatedly and solemnly confirmed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His Will. It does not constitute in any manner a contradiction to the Will and Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, nor does it nullify any of His revealed instructions. It enhances the prestige of that exalted assembly, stabilizes its supreme position, safeguards its unity, assures the continuity of its labors, without presuming in the slightest to infringe upon the inviolability of its clearly-defined sphere of jurisdiction. We stand indeed too close to so monumental a document to claim for
ourselves a complete understanding of all its implications, or to presume to have grasped the manifold mysteries it undoubtedly contains.”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 8)
“From these statements it is made indubitably clear and evident that the Guardian of the Faith has been made the Interpreter of the Word and that the Universal House of Justice has been invested with the function of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the teachings. The interpretation of the Guardian, functioning within his own sphere, is as authoritative and binding as the enactments of the International House of Justice, whose exclusive right and prerogative is to pronounce upon and deliver the final judgement on such laws and ordinances as Bahá’u’lláh has not expressly revealed. Neither can, nor will ever, infringe upon the sacred and prescribed domain of the other. Neither will seek to curtail the specific and undoubted authority with which both have
been divinely invested.”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 150)
“Each exercises, within the limitations imposed upon it, its powers, its authority, its rights and prerogatives. These are neither contradictory, nor detract in the slightest degree from the position
which each of these institutions occupies.”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 148)
“Though the Guardian of the Faith has been made the permanent head of so august a body he can never, even temporarily, assume the right of
exclusive legislation. He cannot override the decision of the majority of his fellow-members....”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 150)
Above all, let the hearts of the friends be assured
by these words of Bahá’u’lláh:
“The Hand of Omnipotence hath established His Revelation upon an unassailable, an enduring foundation. Storms of human strife are powerless to undermine its basis, nor will men’s fanciful
theories succeed in damaging its structure.”The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh)
and these of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“Verily, God effecteth that which he pleaseth; naught can annul His Covenant; naught can obstruct His favor nor oppose His Cause! He doeth with His Will that which pleaseth Him and He is
Powerful over all things!”Vol. III p. 598)
It should be understood by the friends that before
legislating upon any matter the Universal House of
Justice studies carefully and exhaustively both the Sacred Texts and the writings of Shoghi Effendi on the
subject. The interpretations written by the beloved
Guardian cover a vast range of subjects and are
equally as binding as the Text itself.
There is a profound difference between the interpretations of the Guardian and the elucidations of the House of Justice in exercise of its function to “deliberate upon all problems which have caused difference, questions that are obscure, and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book.” The Guardian reveals what the Scripture means; his interpretation is a statement of truth which cannot be varied. Upon the Universal House of Justice, in the words of the Guardian, “has been conferred the exclusive right of legislating on matters not expressly revealed in the Bahá’í writings.” Its pronouncements, which are susceptible of amendment or abrogation by the House of Justice itself, serve to supplement and apply the Law of God. Although not invested with the function of interpretation, the House of Justice is in a position to do everything necessary to establish the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh on this earth. Unity of doctrine is maintained by the existence of the authentic texts of Scripture and the voluminous interpretations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, together with the absolute prohibition against anyone propounding “authoritative” or “inspired” interpretations or usurping the function of Guardian. Unity of administration is assured by the authority of the Universal House of Justice.
Statements such as these indicate that the full meaning of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as
[Page 4]
well as an understanding of the implications of the
World Order ushered in by that remarkable Document
can be revealed only gradually to men’s eyes, and
after the Universal House of Justice has come into being. The friends are called upon to trust to time and
to await the guidance of the Universal House of Justice, which, as circumstances require, will make pronouncements that will resolve and clarify obscure matters.
The Authority to Expel[edit]
The third group of queries raised by the friends concerns details of functioning of the Universal House of Justice in the absence of the Guardian, particularly the matter of expulsion of members of the House of Justice. Such questions will be clarified in the Constitution of the House of Justice, the formulation of which is a goal of the Nine Year Plan. Meanwhile the friends are informed that any member committing a “sin injurious to the common weal,” may be expelled from membership of the House of Justice by a majority vote of the House itself. Should any member, God forbid, be guilty of breaking the Covenant, the matter would be investigated by the Hands of the Cause of God, and the Covenant-breaker would be expelled by decision of the Hands of the Cause of God residing in the Holy Land, subject to the approval of the House of Justice, as in the case of any other believer. The decision of the Hands in such a case would be announced to the Bahá’í world by the Universal House of Justice.
We are certain that when you share this letter with the friends and they have these quotations from the Scriptures and the Writings of the Guardian drawn to their attention, their doubts and misgivings will be dispelled and they will be able to devote their every effort to spreading the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, serenely confident in the power of His Covenant to overcome whatever tests an inscrutable Providence may shower upon it, thus demonstrating its ability to redeem a travailing world and to upraise the Standard of the Kingdom of God on earth.
| With loving greetings, | |
| Haifa, Israel | |
| March 9, 1965 | —THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE |
Regional Teaching Conference held in Cartagena, in the south of Spain, November 22, 1964. Bahá’í subjects were presented by Antonio Jimenez and José López Monge from Murcia, Emilio Egea from Cartagena and Charles Ioas, auxiliary board member from Madrid. Bahá’ís from Alicante Murcia, Cartagena and Madrid were in attendance.
Hands of the Cause Make New Assignments to Western Hemisphere[edit]
The following cablegram has been received from the Hands of the Cause in the Holy Land:
HAPPY (TO) ANNOUNCE (THE) APPROVAL (OF THE UNIVERSAL) HOUSE (OF) JUSTICE (TO THE) ASSIGNMENT (OF) HAND (OF THE) CAUSE WILLIAM SEARS AS HAND (TO THE) WESTERN HEMISPHERE SERVING NORTH AMERICA. (WE ARE) CONFIDENT (THAT) HIS PRESENCE WILL GREATLY ASSIST (THE) EXECUTION (OF THE) MOMENTOUS NINE YEAR PLAN (AND) STIMULATE (THE) TEACHING WORK VITAL (TO THE) HOMEFRONT.
| (signed) HANDSFAITH | |
| Haifa, Israel | |
| March 25, 1965 |
Hands of the Cause Zikru’lláh Khádem and William
Sears with members of Auxiliary Boards and representatives of national administrative bodies at conference in Wilmette, March 27 and 28.
New Avenues of Proclamation Open in Italy[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Italy have brought the Faith into public focus in new and noteworthy ways in recent months. The International Club of the University of Padua invited the Bahá’ís of that city to give a conference on the Faith at the club, with thirty guests participating in discussions that continued for many hours. Human Rights Day observances were also scheduled in many Italian cities — Bologna, Mantua, Padua, Milan, Genova, Turin and Florence. This was a challenging idea for those who attended the meetings since the work of the UN is little understood as yet in Italy and the idea of human rights one that has not penetrated deeply into the consciousness of the people.
Youth Plan Education Program[edit]
The National Youth Committee has been sending a monthly program of suggestions for reading and study. In Milan, Florence and other cities that have large groups of students, weekly study sessions based upon these programs are being carried out. A youth weekend school was held in Florence in February with the participation of friends from Perugia and Bologna. Various groups presented material on the great religions of the past with prizes offered for the best presentation. The success of this school has spurred on the youth of Milan and Genova to plan a similar session.
Alaskans Sponsor Lively Conference in Petersburg[edit]
Bahá’ís and interested contacts from many points in Alaska and from the Yukon gathered for a three-day conference in Petersburg, Alaska, late in February, maintaining an atmosphere of concentrated study and enthusiasm throughout. Courses and discussions were held on a wide range of subjects. Child Education, Bible Prophecy, Foundations of World Unity, and Consultation were among the many topics. Two recently appointed auxiliary board members, Ted Anderson and Howard Brown, presented material on Native Teaching and the Nine Year Plan respectively. Others who assisted in preparing and presenting courses were: Marian Johnson, Georgine Moul, Charles King, Bob Schwartz, Leo Baldwin, Norman Heimdahl, Walter Gnagy, Jerry Meckelson and Georgia Haisler. Mary Brown and Charlotte Schwartz gave an impromptu resume of their recent teaching trip to Hoonah which resulted in two new Bahá’ís. A panel program was presented to the public on Saturday evening and a social evening was also scheduled for public participation.
There were many others, including the planning committee, who lent their talents and wholehearted cooperation to make this Petersburg conference a continuing source of inspiration to all who attended.
The Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Samandari speaking to over a hundred friends during his visit in Milan.
PEACE ON EARTH[edit]
Last Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII
Ugo R. Giachery
IF WE consider the past history of mankind, we readily see that all religious institutions, from time immemorial, have been concerned with the problem of individual salvation. The needs of the people, their freedom and welfare, were matters of concern only when the safety and existence of the religious institutions were either challenged or were endangered. The clergy occupied itself with the beatitudes and the mystic aspects of life after death, and remained insensible to the longings of the masses, particularly in the fields of learning and knowledge.
Human society was regulated by a different order based on the now outworn system of master and serf, aristocrat and plebeian, a system of caste, of unilateral economic practice and the like. Scientific investigation was discouraged; indeed, at times it was persecuted or forbidden. Leaders of scientific institutions, particularly those under Christian sponsorship, were caught slumbering by the first rays of light appearing on the horizon of scientific discoveries which were to revolutionize the whole world and bring about a complete new order. Although the Renaissance of the fifteenth century, herald of the explosion to come after one thousand years of total darkness, gave warning of the vast upheaval in the making, nevertheless the leaders of Buddhism, of Islám and of Christianity, deeply involved in the expansion and administration of their widespread domains and in the exercise of their temporal powers, missed the opportunity to avert the catastrophic reactions which have successively beset the world for well over four hundred years.
Nor did man’s struggle for a reasonable amount of individual freedom find sympathetic response or encouragement, and history teaches us that any attempts to achieve rights based on justice, freedom, truth and common interests were either opposed or denied, or drowned in human blood.
We may say that the fundamental reason for this long and arduous struggle lay in the erroneous conception that religion is necessary only for the salvation of the soul and that anything pertaining to human problems, such as race, politics, freedom, social and economic needs, education, and the like, did not come within the realm of spiritual consideration. The solution of these human problems, therefore, was believed to lie outside the interests of the organized religious institutions. On the other hand, governments which were revolving around the principle of absolute monarchy, in which the life, possessions and happiness of the subject peoples were in the hands of despotic rulers, never understood the spiritual aspect of a well-regulated, law-abiding, peaceful and harmonious society.
At the same time the basic tenets of Christianity lived only within the shell of theological theories and ritual observances, while man wandered aimlessly from despair to hope, from joy to misery. Bloody wars took place between armies of the same faith; scientific facts were denied or ignored; the Inquisition, and persecution of the Jews and of the followers of Luther and of Calvin dealt bodily blows to faith and hope. In the Christian world during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the human family clamored for some form of “political rights,” as in the French Revolution and the struggle between the American Colonies and the British Crown. Islám, too, had abandoned the spiritual path of regeneration for a militant attitude of conquest and subjugation which nowadays has become the essence of nationalism. The result of these false conceptions has been a struggle for domination and influence which could have been avoided had all the churches of the world prepared man for an inner belief and conviction based solely on the spiritual approach.
One hundred years ago Bahá’u’lláh presented to the whole world a set of basic principles and laws which today constitute the still unfulfilled though longed-for basis on which man can today found his happiness. Exiled from His native land of Persia and kept a prisoner of the Turkish Sultán, Bahá’u’lláh was awakened by the breezes of the Holy Spirit in ample time both to foresee the revolutionary technological changes coming in the nineteenth century and to reveal a complete plan for the world-wide regeneration of mankind and the harmonious evolution of human society.
In His letter addressed (ca. 1868) from His prison to Násiri’d-Dín, the Sháh of Persia, Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed:
“O king! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow.... I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me.” (PDC 40-41)
The reader is no doubt informed of the verities of the Bahá’í Faith, so that it is not necessary to enumerate the basic principles of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation. For this reason, also, details are omitted concerning the events and changes produced in the world under the irresistible impact of His Revelation, since the middle of the last century. Suffice it to state that Bahá’u’lláh, out of His great universal love for every living being, formulated the broad, unassailable foundation for the establishment of a durable peace and of a veritable “Kingdom of God on earth.” Furthermore, integration of divine law and human civilization has been evolving,
[Page 7]
since then, in a growing realization of the collective
influence of religion on the mass of humanity, an influence which, in previous times, as stated before, was
believed to be exercised only over individual souls.
The world as a whole, however, except for a handful of His followers, has thus far ignored not only the application but even the acknowledgment of such a mighty Revelation, trying, selectively, to adopt some of His basic principles through round-about and thorny measures and ignoring others. The first open recognition (not, however, officially admitted) came with the universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in Paris on December 10, 1948. (The writer, as an Observer to the United Nations from the Bahá’í World Community, was present at that historical meeting. He also collaborated with other representatives of many Non-Governmental Organizations in the drafting of that document, at the NGO Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in May of that same year.)
In recent years the head of the most powerful Church in Christendom, after some feeble attempts by one or two of his predecessors, has had to admit openly the need to transfer the whole matter of “human rights” from the political-economic-social area of human activities to the more effective, nobler and loftier field of a spiritual crusade. He thus has not only acknowledged but has come to support, almost word for word, what Bahá’u’lláh had formulated and proclaimed a century before — a proclamation for which Bahá’u’lláh underwent untold suffering, persecution and imprisonment for nearly forty years.
It was on April 11, 1963 — while the Bahá’ís of the world were preparing for the election of their first international body, the Universal House of Justice, and the Hands of the Cause of God together with the members of the International Bahá’í Council were making last-minute arrangements for this historical occasion in Haifa at the Bahá’í World Center — that Pope John XXIII issued to the world his last Pastoral letter, the Encyclical “Pacem in Terris” (Peace on Earth). For this letter he received world-wide acclaim. (It is noteworthy that this Encyclical was addressed, for the first time in history, to “All Men of Good Will,” as well as to the officials and the faithful of the Church.)
In the light of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, it will be of interest to quote freely from the official translation of this document:*
*Headings are those of the present writer.
(1) A World Commonwealth. “... men are taught [by laws] how ... the community of all peoples should act towards each other ... the establishment of such a world community of peoples being urgently demanded today by the requirements of universal common good ...
“Today the universal common good poses problems of worldwide dimensions which cannot be adequately tackled or solved except by the efforts of public authorities ... in a position to operate in an effective manner on a worldwide basis. The moral order itself, therefore, demands that such a form of public authority be established ... its purpose is to create, on a world basis, an environment in which the public authorities of each political community, its citizens ... can carry out their tasks, fulfill their duties and exercise their rights with greater security.”
(2) Search after truth. “Every human being has the right to freedom in searching for truth ... has the right to be informed truthfully ... and his right to investigate the truth freely, with the duty of seeking it and possessing it ever more completely and profoundly.”
(3) Universal education. “The natural law also gives man the right to share in the benefits of culture, and therefore the right to a basic education ...”
(4) Equality between men and women. “... equal rights and duties for man and woman ... Women have the right to working conditions in accordance with their requirements and their duties as wives and mothers ... Since women are becoming ever more conscious of their human dignity, they will not tolerate being treated as mere material instruments ...”
(5) Oneness of mankind. “Human society ... ought to be regarded above all as a spiritual reality ... The order which prevails in society ... should be inspired and perfected by mutual love ... racial discrimination can in no way be justified, at least doctrinally or in theory.”
(6) Oneness of God. “Men ... are brought to a better knowledge of the true God who is personal and transcendent, and thus they make the ties that bind them to God the solid foundations and supreme criterions of their lives ... The progress of science and the inventions of technology show above all the infinite greatness of God, who created the universe and man himself.” [What a change from the days of Galileo!]
(7) Science and religion. “It is not enough to be illumined with the gift of faith ... And since our present age is one of outstanding scientific and technical progress and excellence, one will not be able to enter these organizations [for the public good] and work effectively from within unless he is scientifically competent, technically capable and skilled ... In other words, it is necessary that human beings ... should so live and act in their temporal lives as to create a synthesis between scientific, technical and professional elements on the one hand, and spiritual values on the other.”
(8) Disarmament. “It is with deep sorrow that we note the enormous stock of armaments that have been and still are being made in the more economically developed countries with a vast outlay of intellectual and economic resources ... Justice, right reason and humanity, therefore, urgently demand that ... a general agreement should eventually be reached about progressive disarmament and an effective method of control.”
(9) Atomic energy. “One must bear in mind that, even though the monstrous power of modern weapons acts as a deterrent, it is to be feared that the mere continuance of nuclear tests ... will have fatal consequences for life on the earth.”
(10) Spiritual solution of the economic problem. “Human beings have the natural right to free initiative in the economic field and the right to work ... and that each worker receives a wage in keeping with the laws of justice and equity ... peoples should set up relationships of mutual collaboration, facilitating the circulation from one to the other of capital, goods and manpower ...
“At the present time no political community is able to pursue its own interests and develop itself in isolation, because the degree of its prosperity and development
[Page 8]
is a reflection and a component part of the degree
of prosperity and development of all the other political
communities.”
(11) Obedience to rulers. “When, in fact, men obey their rulers, it is not at all as men that they obey them. Through their obedience it is God, the provident Creator of all things, whom they reverence ...”
(12) The Common Good. “Men, however, composed as they are of bodies and immortal souls, can never in this mortal life succeed in satisfying all their needs or in attaining perfect happiness. Therefore all efforts made to promote the common good, far from endangering the eternal salvation of men, ought rather to serve to promote it.”
That these sentiments echo the pronouncements revealed by Bahá’u’lláh one hundred years ago, for which He was long subjected to exile and imprisonment, will be obvious to every student of the Bahá’í Faith.
A month after the Encyclical was given by Pope John XXIII, he was awarded the Balzan Foundation Peace Prize, totalling one million Swiss Francs (about $250,000). The Pope announced he would give the money to charity. He passed away on June 3, 1963, less than two months after issuing this Pastoral letter.
____
| Note: | References to statements of Bahá’u’lláh are listed here only as examples for comparison: |
| (1) Gl. 286; WOB 203. | (7) BWF 189, 195, 240. |
| (2) Kitáb-i-Iqán 192-193, 196 | (8) PDC 26 (Gl. 253); PDC 21-22 |
| (3) BWF 200; Gl. 333-334, 259-260. | (Gl. 251); Gl. 249. |
| (4) BWF 241. | (9) BWF 183. |
| (5) Gl. 94-97; BWF 168, 182; | (10) BWF 131, 195. |
| WOB 42, 202-203. | (11) BWF 181, 192. |
| (6) Gl. 192-194, 166. | (12) Gl. 286, 254-255; BWF 184. |
African Believers Evolve Dynamic Institutes[edit]
Two institutes have been held on an exploratory basis in the region of South and West Africa. More and more of the teaching work is being placed in the loving and willing hands of the African people, lending a new and fresh approach. After a general curriculum had been set up by the National Spiritual Assembly to cover the various aspects of the Faith, a group of African friends spent a weekend in consultation and evolved the kind of program that they felt would be most helpful to them. There was a general desire to know more about the Covenant and how it related to everyday living. They suggested a program that demonstrated a Bahá’í community in action. This program was carried out in four one-week sessions in Rustenburg, and in Swaziland.
Practical Experiments in Bahá’í Functions[edit]
Each week began with the election of a local spiritual assembly which would be the guiding body for the week and would have charge of all activities of a community nature. It arranged for the election of delegates, the holding of a national convention, the election of the National Spiritual Assembly, a feast, a fast, Holy Day commemoration, study classes, and other Bahá’í functions. Through these activities more was learned in a week than could have been learned in months of ordinary teaching.
A quote from the report of the National Spiritual Assembly secretary, William Masehla, gives this picture: “Paddy Mazibuko (Board Member) opened the school and expressed the hopes and prayers of the National Spiritual Assembly and the pilot committee for success of this forerunner of the Training Institute called for by the Universal House of Justice in the historic Nine Year Plan. With an eloquence that can rarely be equalled, he concluded his talk with these words: ‘The panel of teachers is bursting with eagerness to impart their knowledge, and the students are just as eager to be recipients of this wonderful treasure.”
Friends at the Institute at Rustenburg, Transvaal,
South Africa. This was the first institute held there
under the Nine Year Plan.
Administration Makes Faith Practical[edit]
The school was then turned over to the teachers who taught the “Covenant and Administration,” dealing with the various aspects of these subjects.
It was successfully brought to the attention of the believers that the Covenant of God carried with it a responsibility that all should recognize. The laws revealed through this Covenant must be obeyed and carried out as their share of the Covenant, which included respect for the administration and its various institutions.
The administration was presented as an instrument whereby the teachings of the Faith could be made meaningful and practical, and the Covenant showed the Hand of God ceaselessly working to offer man an opportunity to serve in this ever-advancing civilization.
It became evident as the course continued that the administration and the Covenant cannot be separated. The believers had that wonderful, if not unique, privilege of partaking in a drama that could make humanity happier than it is at present.
The virtues and attributes of a true believer were presented in such a forceful manner, and so convincingly that many tears were shamelessly shared, as the hearts of the believers longed to acquire these attributes. So well were the stories of the Master handled
[Page 9]
The first historic Institute held in Swaziland, South Africa under the Nine Year Plan.
that many hours were spent discussing the beautiful
life that He led and trying to discover ways and means
of acquiring these attributes.
While the Institute started out to be for Bahá’ís only, the news spread and people asked to be allowed to bring their contacts. At the end of one of the weeks there were fourteen declarations.
A Religion for an Evolving Society[edit]
There was a deep sincerity on the part of the African teachers to make this a truly outstanding venture. At the beginning there was much discussion and consultation as to the problems encountered in the teaching and what might be done to improve methods. It ended in a renewal of dedication and a new understanding that this religion held a challenge such as none had encountered before and the Bahá’ís must demonstrate in their lives that this religion offers comfort and hope and supplies all the needs of an evolving society.
European Bahá’ís Serve African Friends[edit]
The place of the Europeans in these institutes was to cook for and serve the African friends that more could attend the complete course. Only the vernacular language was used to ensure a smoother flow of spirit and uninterrupted thought. If a European happened to come into one of the classes one of the teachers came to sit beside him to quietly translate.
An added joy of these institutes was the spirit of co-operation and unity that one of the believers expressed as being like “heaven right here on this old earth.” The way in which both teachers and students labored to make this venture a success proved beyond the shadow of a doubt the truth of the beloved Guardian’s words that the African people are “pure hearted,” and further, as expressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His tribute to Louis Gregory, the first Hand of the Cause of the African race they are “pure gold in the currency of any country.”
Swaziland Institute in session
Schools and Traveling Teachers[edit]
Photo at top shows the first Bahá’í of the Cuzco region,
Exaltacion Quispe, (holding Greatest Name) Native
pioneer (standing, left) Fidel Flores. Next to him
(standing) is pioneer, Eve Nicklin.
Above: Campesinos walked four hours to visit the
pioneer who was living in Urabamba, Peru.
Below: The Flores family, the first Bahá’ís of the pueblo
of Pampa Cruz near the city of Huancayo.
Peru now has Bahá’ís in widely separated regions.
The city of Cuzco, known as the archaeological center
as yet has no Bahá’í assembly, but there are assemblies and groups in the surrounding villages. Teaching
trips to their pueblos involve much walking and arduous climbing, but the campesinos (farmers) as the Indians prefer to be called, do not mind walking for
hours to meet their Bahá’í brothers and sisters.
Cajamarca like Cuzco is famous for its ancient Inca civilization. The small town of Celendin in this region has a very active assembly which is extending teaching activities to the nearby farms.
One part of the Puno region borders on the highest navagable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. The friends in this region are widely scattered in the vast Andea Mountain range, making frequent meetings difficult. A journey from the capital city of Lima (on what is said to be the highest switch-back railroad in the world) brings one to the city of Huancayo. Here there is an active local assembly, which carries on teaching in the surrounding area, and near here also is land for the future Bahá’í school.
The Amazon region is especially interesting because the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh transcends the frontiers along the banks of that mighty river, the Amazon. There are assemblies and groups in three countries bordering the river: Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Iquites is the principal city in the Amazon region and here a goal has been attained this year in the formation of an assembly in the department of Loreto. This has been accomplished through the efforts of a Peruvian pioneer and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Salazar. He travels frequently throughout the Amazon region of the three countries.
Mass teaching has begun well in Peru but with each victory the needs for more teachers and the opportunities for still more activity become apparent. At regular intervals schools for the campesinos are held at the Bahá’í National Headquarters in Lima. These last a week for each session and thus those who are newly enrolled are enabled to teach the Faith to their own people. The photographs on these pages give glimpses of some of the ready souls who are arising to serve Bahá’u’lláh.
Spread Faith Throughout Peru[edit]
Above: At left is a group of Bahá’ís in Celendin, small
town in the region of Cajamarca. At the right a Bahá’í
family and friends on Islandia, a small island on the
Amazon River.
To the left is one of the groups of friends along the
River Amazon. Along this river there are, spiritually
speaking, no frontiers, for Bahá’ís live in Iquitos and
Islandia, Peru; in Laticia, Colombia and in El Marcos,
Brazil. Pioneers Eve Nicklin and Pattie Beane recently
visited these places.
Below are two scenes at the Bahá’í School, held at
Bahá’í National Headquarters, Lima, Peru. Both students and teachers are shown at this school, held for
“los campesinos” of three regions in Peru.
U.S. BAHÁ’ÍS STUDY TABLETS OF THE DIVINE PLAN[edit]
“A Gift from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá — The Unique Spiritual Heritage of the American Bahá’í Community” was the theme for nationwide institutes for concentrated study by the United States believers of The Tablets of the Divine Plan. At the request of the National Spiritual Assembly, these meetings for study were called to comply with the wishes of the Universal House of Justice that all American believers become oriented to and more deeply aware of their global responsibility and the blessings bestowed upon them, as given in The Tablets of the Divine Plan.
From reports of over two-thirds of the one hundred thirty-five institutes and of hundreds of individuals, this study, held March 6 and 7, was received with overwhelming praise and gratitude throughout the country. Time and again, the friends asked for more institutes on this subject, which is the Charter of the Nine Year Plan and of the Plans preceding and following it until the time when the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh has reached the entire human race. Their requests for additional institutes range from every other month to an annual event. The objectives of the Nine Year Plan and the book, The Advent of Divine Justice, were also strongly recommended for concentrated study by the American community.
One ideal result from these institutes is that communities have reported using them as springboards for beginning study classes in their communities on the Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, enabling the friends to become thoroughly familiar with this Divine Plan.
Mention was made in many reports that the new believers benefited from their study of the Tablets by gaining greater knowledge and understanding, and that many of the older ones who have participated in one or more of the Plans initiated by the beloved Guardian in the execution of the Divine Plan also gained a fresh understanding and inspiration. Many reports told of a new spirit of action and desire to serve in the promotion of the goals of the Nine Year Plan.
There was evidence of keen interest and inspiration from the specific Tablets addressed to each of the four regions of the United States as named by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the glorious prayers accompanying the Tablets, giving the believers of those regions the guidance and assistance to spread the Glad Tidings, as the beloved Master longed for them to do.
A very interesting addition to the historical background of the Tablets was presented in the institute held in Wilmette, in Foundation Hall of the House of Worship. One of the believers had been present at the actual “unveiling” of these Tablets in New York at the Eleventh Annual Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, Bahá’í Congress and Feast of the Riḍván, in 1919. In her words: “The most important event of this particular Convention was designated as ‘The Unveiling of the Divine Plan.’ It was quite literally that. The meeting hall in the McAlpin Hotel was a very long room, at the far end of which was a sort of stage. Each day at one or two of the sessions, there would be upon the stage two easels. As the session opened, these easels were masked by richly colored draperies which made dramatic spots of color on the stage. After introductory remarks had been made and the translations of the Tablets for the particular session read, the cords of the draperies were drawn, and the original Tablets were unveiled. These Tablets were framed and under glass, and in this form those for the United States, I believe, are preserved in our archives.”
One can imagine the excitement of those attending this momentous occasion and of those back home awaiting word of what was happening. Yet, it was almost twenty years later “while the fabric of an indispensable Administrative Order, designed as a divinely appointed agency for the operation of that Plan, was being constructed,” that the initial launching of the Divine Plan took place. First, there was the Seven Year Plan of 1937-1944, then the Second Seven Year Plan of 1946-1953, followed immediately by the Ten Year World Crusade culminating in the Most Great Jubilee in London in 1963. Now, the Bahá’ís are involved with the new Nine Year Plan of 1964-1973, initiated by that supreme body the Universal House of Justice, which must “witness a huge expansion of the Cause of God and Universal Participation by all believers in the life of that Cause.”
An estimated 2,700 believers of the United States participated in this intensive study of The Tablets of the Divine Plan.
Bahá’í Holy Days Recognized in Four More School Districts[edit]
School authorities have granted permission for children of Bahá’í parents to be absent from school on Bahá’í Holy Days in the following places: Asheville, North Carolina; Buncombe County, North Carolina; Baltimore County, Maryland and Racine, Wisconsin. This is the first time such recognition of Bahá’í Holy Days has been shown in North Carolina. Bahá’í Holy Days are now recognized in 146 school districts in 38 states.
Madison Youth Conference[edit]
A youth conference sponsored by the Bahá’í Club of the University of Wisconsin was held in Madison on the weekend of February 26. Excellent facilities provided at Wakanda, a Y.M.C.A. camp near Madison, helped create a warm and homelike atmosphere. About 150 people from six states besides Wisconsin heard inspiring messages from members of the National Spiritual Assemblies of Canada and the United States, as well as from the National Teaching Committee. Consultation centered on the Nine Year Plan.
Ayyám-i-Há[edit]
Ayyám-i-Há, the Intercalary Days or the “Days of Há” meaning 5, coming between the eighteenth and nineteenth months of the Bahá’í year offer a unique chance for the believers to gather in purely social ways, to exchange gifts, to invite others to join in the fun and perhaps also to give to those less fortunate. These are the days when we can draw closer together in love and fellowship to prepare for that most holy of Bahá’í months, the month of the Fast. As our understanding of the Faith deepens, as our communities grow and become more active reports of community observances of these days are more numerous.
From the Canadian Bahá’í News we read: “As the Intercalary Days approached we consulted on them ... Since these days were ordained for us, we as Bahá’ís should celebrate them, firstly to convince ourselves, secondly to convince non-Bahá’ís that we too have a very special Holiday gift-giving party time ordained for us by our Founder ... we made our plans, purchases and presentations one at a time. Four days of thrills and excitement each day more rewarding than the last; and when the time came to begin the Fast we were so gloriously ready. We were gloriously satiated and wanted, really wanted to fast. Celebrating the Intercalary Days has given me a new insight into the Fast. Never before have I truly longed to fast.”
The Bahá’ís of Orange County, California celebrated the Intercalary Days at the County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa with a party Saturday evening, a movie and pot luck dinner on Sunday and gift giving to the needy on Monday.
In Oakland, California the community had a Persian dinner Saturday night at a hall in a park. Six Persian families prepared dinner for eighty people, many of whom were guests. The group included American Indians as well as people of other than American backgrounds. A welcoming talk of explanation of the occasion, children’s recitation of verses from the Holy Prophets, music and fun combined with the delicious dinner to give everybody the true Bahá’í spirit of joy. One guest asked to sign a declaration card, others asked to be invited again.
The believers in Gallup, New Mexico held their second annual art exhibit during the Intercalary Days. Eight artists exhibited and there was also a collection of drawings by children from France, Poland and Portugal. About eighty people visited the exhibit, some returning more than once. Added attractions were a children’s party on Friday evening and a pot luck supper Saturday. Radio and newspaper coverage was good. This exhibit was so successful that a repetition in six months is planned.
On Sunday, February 28 the Los Angeles, California Bahá’í children’s school gave a play, “The Wonder Lamp” written by Hand of the Cause, Abu’l-Qasim Faizi. This celebration of Ayyám-i-Há was held outdoors beside the Los Angeles Bahá’í Center and attracted an audience of over 200. The effort that was used in preparation for the event and the rehearsals of the forty children who took part brought the Bahá’í school to a new high level of activity and enthusiasm. Meanwhile on the preceding evening the adults of the same community gave an eight man panel discussion of the writings of the Prophets of the past.
Some of the children who took part in the play given in Los Angeles during the Intercalary Days.
Sacramento, California Bahá’ís and their friends gathered during the Intercalary Days for a program presented by the children.
Fort Worth, Texas Bahá’ís and their friends enjoy a social evening during Intercalary Days.
Marian Anderson Visits Bahá’í Exhibit[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of the United States was host, the second time within the year, to Miss Marian Anderson, world famous contralto, during the Chicago World Flower and Garden show in March. While in Chicago for professional purposes, Miss Anderson visited the show at the invitation of the National Assembly, since the rose which recently was named for her was featured in the Bahá’í exhibit.
After luncheon at the Sheraton-Blackstone Hotel, Miss Anderson and a small group of Bahá’ís went to the flower and garden show and to the Bahá’í exhibit, the theme of which was “One Earth One Country.” The exhibit was designed by Wyatt Cooper, Superintendent of buildings and grounds of the Bahá’í House of Worship, and press photographers took pictures of the exhibit with Miss Anderson and Mr. Cooper.
The director of the Chicago World Flower and Garden Show introduced Miss Anderson to all the visitors present. In this introduction he spoke warmly and with gratitude and praise of the Bahá’ís, the gardens at the Temple in Wilmette, and the fact that Miss Anderson was a guest of the Bahá’ís in her appearance at the show. Miss Anderson then spoke briefly to the visitors. The response of the audience to her presence evidenced the love she has won from all peoples, and she graciously shared with the Bahá’ís this love, the prestige of her name, and the publicity gained by her visit. The director, the president of the show, the press representatives and the audience were exceedingly cordial and warm in their welcome.
News Briefs[edit]
A panel discussion scheduled for a Bahá’í public meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana in February was made up of representatives of five world religions, including Bahá’í. This seemed so newsworthy to the newspaper and television editors that good publicity was given to the meeting in advance, and a local television station showed the panel, with a ten minute interview of the Bahá’í moderator, on its regular evening news program.
Among those attending this meeting in Escondido, California on February 5 were Indian friends of the Diegueno, Capuchine, Luisene and Cupeno tribes. Hand of the Cause Dr. Ugo Giachery, center, spoke and showed slides.
Miss Marian Anderson receives rose named in her honor from Mr. Wyatt Cooper at Bahá’í exhibit.
Bahá’í exhibit at Chicago World Flower and Garden Show, March 20-28.
Bahá’ís of Hempstead Township, New York held a
public meeting on the theme of world brotherhood
February 14 at a public hall in Hempstead. A panel of
speakers including representatives of Jewish, Christian, both Catholic and Protestant, and Bahá’í Faiths
participated and there was music performed by various religious groups as well as the Bahá’ís. Advance
newspaper publicity was good and a picture of the
speakers was printed in a local paper after the meeting. The program was warmly received by over 200
visitors.
The Bahá’ís of Rapid City, South Dakota find that as cosponsors of the annual brotherhood banquet, a well publicized civic event, they can demonstrate the principles of the Faith as well as bring it to the attention of clergymen and civic leaders. This year one of the four receiving the annual brotherhood award was Bill Myers, a Bahá’í who is active also in local civic organizations.
[Page 15]
Muskegon, Michigan Bahá’í youth present panel discussion at B’nai Israel Temple February 21. The meeting,
one in an interfaith series “Youth for Understanding”
brought favorable comments and excellent publicity.
International News Briefs[edit]
News from Brazil[edit]
The Porto Alegro community has instituted short courses to which members of the new communities are invited. At these sessions, each lasting several days, the new believers have the opportunity to deepen and to learn more about Bahá’í administration. The courses are so popular that the number of pupils wanting to attend exceeds the space available.
A magazine, Sabedoria meaning wisdom, published by an esoteric group in Brazil recently printed an article giving an authentic account of the Faith and a listing of Bahá’í books. The article declared that Bahá’u’lláh is the Promised One of all religions.
In Ouritiba the friends recently resolved to become the largest Bahá’í community in Brazil. They have adopted a unique plan which involves daily activity on the part of each person and is proving to be very successful. One city nearby has been opened to the Faith and work is progressing in two more. Publicity is frequent as well as good, and a large youth group is active. Recently they have started their own monthly bulletin as well as children’s classes.
First Bahá’í Summer School Held in Papua, New Guinea[edit]
For three and a half days in December sixty believers from various parts of the Territory of New Guinea came together under one roof for the first Bahá’í summer school to be held in that area. They came from near and far some even walking for a day over rugged mountains to get there. The roof was the sago palm leaf roof of the Bahá’í Center in Medina Village, New Ireland where the school was held. Periods of prayer, of listening to talks about the basic teachings of the Faith and of workshops and discussion alternated with time for fun, cooking and eating to make the days of this historic session pass quickly and happily. The school ended on a joyous and positive note, with friends full of enthusiasm to go out and teach. Plans for next year’s school are already under discussion.
Indians of Paraguayan Chaco Region Receive Faith[edit]
Since the enrollment of Paraguay’s first Indian, Rosendo Segundo, chief of the Guarani tribe (reported in November BAHÁ’Í NEWS), the Faith has been spreading in many remote and almost inaccessible regions. On November 21, Hooper Dunbar, auxiliary board member, and Oscar Lopez of the Paraguayan National Assembly, were able to have a small mail plane make an additional stop close to Rosendo’s house, and thus considerably ease an otherwise long and difficult trip. The next day all three men made plans to go to the Chaco, a subtropical region of northwest Paraguay. The first three hours of the journey were made by tractor, the only vehicle capable of coping with the terrain, and later by bus and plane. They found the Chaco suffering from a long drought and intense heat of 109° F. Prayers were offered. That afternoon the drought was broken by a downpour.
Although discouraged at first by the seeming dependency of the Indians upon the various Christian missions which have colonies there, many were found who were not attached in this way. Others from the various colonies asked to hear the Message, so that in all 101 believers were enrolled, including two from the Catholic mission who begged to be admitted. It is hoped that members of the Guarani tribe dependent upon the missions may transfer to the fertile colony that Rosendo is preparing for this purpose.
Covenant-Breakers’ Suit Dismissed[edit]
Six months ago the Covenant-breakers brought suit in Illinois against the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, making certain unfounded claims. In late March, as confidently expected, their complaint was dismissed by the federal Court. The dismissal was based on several legal grounds raised on the motion of the National Spiritual Assembly. Through the guidance of the Universal House of Justice in surmounting these obstacles the Cause gains ever increasing force.
BAHA'I IN THE NEWS[edit]
Bahá’ís of the Dominican Republic have been much encouraged by an excellent article on the Faith appearing on March 3 in El Caribe, the largest newspaper on the island. The newspaper had been asking many church leaders for their ideas on achieving unity through the meetings of the Catholic church begun by Pope John. The reporter interviewed Angel Jimenez Maxwell, secretary of the national teaching committee and member of the local Spiritual Assembly of Santo Domingo. The article carried the following large headline: “I believe that Prejudices Obstruct Unity of Churches,” and appeared in a prominent spot. It is well written and sympathetic to the Faith.
[Page 16]
The Teheran Journal for February 25 published a
photograph of the Bahá’í World Center in Haifa. The
picture, taking almost a quarter of a page shows the
Shrine of the Báb and bears a caption referring to
Him as the “Martyr herald of the faith.” This is the
first time such a photograph has appeared in an Iranian
official newspaper.
An associated press article of February 25, written in Haifa and carried in American newspapers sold in all the large European cities gives an accurate and quite comprehensive account of the Faith. The writer stressing the wide geographic spread of the Faith as well as its diverse membership, uses the title, “Faith Extends to 300 Lands from Haifa.”
HI Way a monthly youth bulletin published by the Presbyterian Church carried in its issue for January 1965 a two page article on the Faith written by a high school student, member of the Church and teacher in Church schools. Her account, based on a visit to a service in the Temple and interviews with Bahá’í youth is accurate and friendly in tone. Publication of the feature resulted in at least one invitation from a church youth group to a Bahá’í speaker, in Tuba City, Arizona. The speaker, Mr. Dunning found the group alert and ready to ask perceptive questions.
The Spartanburg, South Carolina Journal for March 6 gives a prominent position on the church page to a page length column describing the Bahá’í Faith. The account is quite complete and accurate and a picture of the Temple in Wilmette is included. This publicity is particularly noteworthy because there are as yet no Bahá’ís in this southern city.
Baha’i Publishing Trust[edit]
Bahá’í: A Way of Life for Millions. Reprinted from Ebony Magazine. An excellent article on the Faith, written by Lerone Bennett, editor of Ebony Magazine, has appeared in the April issue of this well known and highly respected journal. This is an eight-page article, beautifully illustrated with many photos both in black and white and in color and spread throughout eight pages of the magazine. The article is exceptionally well written and accurate in its presentation. The National Spiritual Assembly has been especially grateful for the cooperative attitude on the part of the magazine and its earnest desire to present the Faith accurately.
A large quantity of reprints have been made to be sold at cost only. These will be prepared as self-mailers and a very widespread coverage by mail, handout literature and personal presentation is anticipated, with the cooperation of all communities and believers throughout the country.
30 copies (minimum order) | $3.00 |
Spanish Edition of World Congress Slide Program Available[edit]
The Spanish edition of the slide program of the 1963 Bahá’í World Congress and Convention is now available in a narration booklet, on long playing record and on tape. Order from the Bahá’í Distribution and Service Department, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Please remit in advance in U.S. dollars.
slides, booklet, tape (or record) | $12.50 |
slides only | 7.50 |
tape 3¾ I.P.S.) or record only | 4.50 |
narration booklet only | .75 |
Calendar of Events[edit]
- FEASTS
- May 17—‘Aẓamat (Grandeur)
- June 5—Núr (Light)
- HOLY DAYS
- May 23—Declaration of the Báb
- May 29—Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh (3:30 a.m.)
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
- Weekdays
- 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (auditorium only)
- Sundays and Holidays
- 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Entire Building)
- Sundays
- 3:30 to 4:10 p.m. (Public Meeting)
- Sunday, May 16
- 4:15 p.m.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is published for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is edited by an annually appointed Editorial Committee: Mrs. Sylvia Parmelee, Managing Editor; Mrs. Eunice Braun, International Editor; Miss Charlotte Linfoot, National Spiritual Assembly Representative.
Material must be received by the twentieth of the second month preceding date of issue. Address: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A. 60091.
Change of address should be reported directly to National Bahá’í Office. 112 Linden Avenue. Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A.
