Bahá’í News/Issue 412/Text
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| No. 412 | BAHA’I YEAR 122 | JULY, 1965 |
“We Must Gird Ourselves for Heroism”[edit]
According to the explanation of the beloved Guardian, the Divine Plan of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is divided into
epochs. The First Seven Year Plan constituted the
first stage of the first epoch, the Second Seven Year
Plan the second stage, while the Ten-Year Crusade
constituted the third and concluding stage of the
first epoch of the Divine Plan.
At Riḍván, 1964 the Community of the Most Great Name entered the second epoch of the Divine Plan when the Universal House of Justice launched the Nine Year Teaching Plan designed, among other objectives, to raise the banner of Bahá’u’lláh in all areas of the planet where His followers have not yet established a nucleus of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Message from the Universal House of Justice at Riḍván, 1965 brought soul-stirring news of the rapidly increasing momentum of that majestic process launched by our beloved Guardian in 1953, when he called the widely-scattered, obscure Bahá’í World Community to embark upon its first glorious, world-encompassing crusade, a process of which the Nine Year Plan is but another stage. In one year, the Message stated, the number of centers where Bahá’ís reside had increased nearly six thousand, bringing the total to twenty-one thousand and six, while in country after country the institutions and endowments of the Faith became more firmly established.
Confident that this momentum could further increase, the Universal House called for even greater heights of heroism in carrying forward the objectives of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Charter on which the Guardian focused our undeviating attention. There are seventy-two areas, the Message tells us, where pioneers must be placed this year. These are fifty-four virgin territories not yet opened to the Faith, and eighteen once opened but not now occupied. A careful estimate made by the Universal House of Justice revealed that a minimum of four hundred sixty-one persons must be found immediately to fill these goals.
In order to distribute the responsibility among the national Bahá’í communities according to their strength and capacity, the Universal House of Justice has provided each National Spiritual Assembly with a summary of the pioneer needs for each territory, assigning to nearly all of them a specific list of territories for which they are to furnish pioneers, financial assistance, or both this year. In many instances these are assignments in addition to those given each National Spiritual Assembly at the beginning of the Nine Year Plan, and are to be undertaken in cooperation with the National Spiritual Assembly having jurisdiction over the specified area.
To guide those who will arise and “put their whole trust in God” to conquer these spiritually deprived areas for Bahá’u’lláh, the Universal House of Justice in its Message stated that the following minimum number of pioneers and settlers are needed in these five major areas of the globe:
Africa | 86 |
The Americas | 96 |
Asia | 191 |
Australasia | 29 |
Europe | 59 |
To assist the National Spiritual Assemblies in the
early placement of pioneers, the Universal House of
Justice appointed a special pioneer committee for
each of these areas which will provide for the exchange of vital information, continentally and inter-continentally, and assist the pioneer committees of
the respective National Assemblies in the routing of
pioneer offers and in the transfer of pioneers to their
posts.
As a still further aid in the rapid opening of the areas, the Universal House of Justice has established an International Deputization Fund from which supplementary support will be given to specific pioneering projects when other funds are not available. It is hoped that all the friends who are unable to respond to the pioneer call will support this Fund in compliance with the injunction of Bahá’u’lláh that those who are unable to personally arise and promote the Faith of God will enable “him who will, in his stead, proclaim this Revelation.”
Heartening reports are being received of the numbers of individuals who immediately arose at National Conventions to respond to the call for pioneers but many, many more are needed and the time is short. The Universal House of Justice appeals to every believer to “consider this challenge, be he ... ‘in active service or not, of either sex, young as well as old, rich or poor, whether veteran or newly enrolled.’ ” Great are the tasks indeed. “The teaching of the Faith must enkindle a world-encircling fire in whose light the Cause and the world ... are clearly illumined. Destiny is carrying us to this climax; we must gird ourselves for heroism.”
[ED. NOTE: Other aspects of the message from the Universal House of Justice will be dealt with in future issues of BAHÁ’Í NEWS.]
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NOTE: The letter from the Universal House of Justice, Unassailable Foundation of the Cause of God published in BAHÁ’Í NEWS for May, 1965 was incomplete. A complete copy of this letter accompanies the present issue as an insert. This important communication should be preserved for frequent reference and study. |
U.S. National Convention Inspires Resolve to Win New Victories[edit]
The fifty-sixth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of the United States opened on a joyous note. There was cause for rejoicing because notable victories had already been won in the first year of the Nine Year Plan, and also there was a sense of elation because two Hands of the Cause had come to share information and inspiration with the delegates and other assembled friends.
Paul E. Haney, Hand of the Cause in the Holy Land, was present as official representative of the Universal House of Justice, thus filling a unique and never-before-given assignment by that august body. He presented the stirring Message of the House of Justice and answered authoritatively many questions that flowed forth in the wake of the reading of that Message. His appearance was also a “homecoming” that brought happiness to him and to the Bahá’ís who gave him their loving welcome.
With William B. Sears, also on the platform through the days of the convention, the Bahá’ís of the American Community felt blessed, both because of his position as Hand of the Faith, and also because he is now assigned to assist in Homefront Teaching in the Western Hemisphere.
The meeting room of Foundation Hall, where sessions were held from Thursday morning, April 29, until through noon on Sunday, May 2, had been given a face-lifting. Like the delightfully bright spring weather that continued throughout the week, this room was a pleasant harbinger of the great achievements and spiritual bounties to come through the Divine Plan. It had been attractively renovated, with new acoustic walls and soft carpeting. With an enlarged, recessed platform and seating arrangement swung about 90 degrees counterclockwise, the speaker’s table was at one end of a straight axis beginning at the outside entrance doors. In front of the reading desk were fragrant Marian Anderson roses. These were replaced later by waxy, red anthurium blooms from the year-old national Bahá’í community of Hawaii.
Momentous Message[edit]
On the first morning, after beautiful devotions in the auditorium, came the reading of the momentous message from the House of Justice, reporting to the Bahá’í world that the long-promised breakthrough in largescale conversion is now imminent. “The majestic process launched by our beloved Guardian in 1953 ...” this Message further pointed out, “is now gathering momentum, and posterity may well gaze with awe upon the development, by so small a fraction of the human race ... of the very pattern and sinews of world order.” “The teaching of the Faith must enkindle a world-encircling fire in whose light the Cause and the world — protagonists of the greatest drama in human history — are clearly illumined. Destiny is carrying us to this climax; we must gird ourselves for heroism.”
With this great assurance ringing in their hearts and with the immediate challenges clearly delineated
Left, Hand of the Cause Paul Haney addressed the Convention as the first official representative of the Universal House of Justice. Right, Hand of the Cause William Sears encouraged the friends to still greater endeavors in fulfilling the Nine Year Plan.
[Page 4]
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States elected at Riḍván 1965. Front left to right: Miss Edna True, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Dr. Sarah Pereira. Rear left to right: Dr. Daniel Jordan, Paul Pettit, Dr. David Ruhe, Arthur Dahl, Robert Quigley.
by the Message taking shape in their minds, the delegates were quickened to consultation that was swift,
animated, eager and inquiring. They tried to assess
the abilities and opportunities and face up to the shortcomings of the American Bahá’í Community, grateful
for the infallible guidance of the House of Justice concerning goals and needs. Led off on important topics
by committee representatives and National Spiritual
Assembly members, assisted frequently by the wisdom of the Hands, guided through the channels of procedure by the ability and humor of the chairman of the
Convention, such consultation was productive of many
formal recommendations and many suggestions.
The presentations, discussions and the sharing of experiences, all evinced a spirit that was wonderful to witness, said Mr. Haney on the last morning. He spoke particularly of the joy, the vitality, the enthusiasm, the confidence and the sense of dedication of the participants in the activity of this great institution of the Cause of God. “It will be a joy and a privilege to describe the convention to the Universal House of Justice,” he said, “but only your action and response can convey the news that the House of Justice wants to hear.” There is a two-fold challenge for the delegates, he pointed out: to share the inspiration received at this convention when they return to their own communities; and to take responsibility in every way possible to make the upsurge now so evident in the Bahá’í world a reality on the American homefront and in the foreign fields.
The message of gratitude which the convention sent to the House of Justice referred to the “upsurge” of spirit in the convention and brought in reply from Haifa the word that the members of the House of Justice were praying at the Shrines that the “friends take full advantage of the resistless movement” now marked in the progress of the Faith.
Sacred Atmosphere of Election[edit]
Midway in convention, in the sacred atmosphere of a Bahá’í election, the delegates cast their ballots for members of the new National Spiritual Assembly. At such a time, Mr. Sears said, the very air throbs. It throbs here as it does at the Shrines. “There is no such moment elsewhere in the United States so sacred as this. The Supreme Concourse ... all the Manifestations of God ... rush to your aid. You want their answers. They can help.... Take your cup in your own way and empty it with the names.”
The members and officers of the National Spiritual Assembly now are: Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, chairman; Robert Quigley, vice-chairman; Dr. David Ruhe, secretary; Miss Charlotte Linfoot, assistant secretary; Miss Edna True, recording secretary; Arthur L. Dahl, treasurer; Dr. Daniel Jordan; Dr. Sarah Martin Pereira; Paul Pettit.
Institution of the Hands[edit]
One beautiful evening was spent with the Hands and the Auxiliary Board members in an atmosphere breathing the fragrance of Mt. Carmel. After a stimulating song period, Ina Mae Brown, a Sioux Indian, great-granddaughter of Sitting Bull, and member of the new Standing Rock Assembly, read with divine sweetness “O Thou Incomparable God ...” Then Mr. Sears, acting as chairman, introduced Board members and the speakers of the evening. Jack McCants, Board member, read the Message of the Hands of the Western Hemisphere, which was an appeal for each Bahá’í to make the coming year one of unprecedented devotion, dedication and sacrifice in Bahá’í pioneering. For the Bahá’í world to supply 461 pioneers, Mr. Sears showed that the “divine art of living” must be “the divine art of loving” and become the “divine art of leaving!”
Mrs. Velma Sherrill and Mrs. Florence Mayberry, who attended the convention as specially commissioned deputies of the Auxiliary Board of this hemisphere, addressed the convention. Mrs. Sherrill traced the evolution of the institution of the Hands from the time of Bahá’u’lláh until the step most recently taken of increasing the number of Board members for all continents and establishing zones for activities of assigned teams in North America.
Mrs. Mayberry held her listeners spiritually spellbound with the story of her 1957 pilgrimage and her meeting with the beloved Guardian. “You don’t think you are worthy to make the pilgrimage?” she queried. “Not anyone is worthy.... The world isn’t worthy, but God sent His Prophet to help us. I wanted help, and so I wanted to go.”
A group of Bahá’ís visiting at the United Nations exhibit during the U.S. Convention.
Arsenal of the Bahá’í World[edit]
Speaking on “Arsenal of the Bahá’í World,” Mr. Haney described with great clarity the interlocking significances of the three great Bahá’í Charters that set in motion Bahá’u’lláh’s World Order and revealed how, when the Universal House of Justice meets, a mysterious process of consultation takes place from which flow decisions that are divinely right and which, as laws, are for the salvation of the world.
After the inspirational readings and prayers of the Riḍván Feast on Saturday in the auditorium, the two speakers for the evening session were Mr. Haney and Mr. Sears, using the subject “The Role of the U.S. in the Bahá’í World.” Once again in this new epoch of the Faith under the House of Justice, the American believers are called into the arena of heroism and sacrifice, Mr. Haney said. He pointed out that in the Message to the United States at Riḍván 1964, giving them their tasks of the Nine Year Plan, the Universal House of Justice again conferred upon the American Community the power to accomplish the goals and that same spiritual primacy which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had bestowed upon them in His Divine Plan. The House of Justice has referred to their spiritual primacy by assigning to them the lion’s share of the tasks again. Most of the pioneers needed must come from Persia and the United States. At another time, Mr. Haney reported that the Guardian once said that the American Community will never lose its primacy.
With the same qualities of warmth and unselfish love and Bahá’í wisdom that Mr. Haney gave to the convention, William Sears addressed the believers, mixing knowledge with entertaining stories to sharpen his points. “Our world goals take precedence,” he reminded all, “but on the homefront rest the world goals. The problems can be solved only as a direct consequence of Bahá’u’lláh’s Message ... Are we resolute Bahá’ís, clear-minded, the ‘chosen remnant,’ ‘apostles of Bahá’u’lláh’? Who are these wondrous souls? ... If we would love the believers, we would succeed on the local level.... ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that the future progress of all time rests on the local spiritual assemblies.”
Pioneers Volunteer[edit]
The Riḍván evening closed on a very moving note when more than 30 volunteers for pioneer fields were called to the platform. Some who have been preparing for pioneering since last Riḍván, showed redoubled eagerness to serve.
In consultation the delegates wrestled with problems on the homefront, convinced that with the loss of twenty-nine Assemblies at Riḍván and in spite of a gain of the same number of new ones, there are shortcomings in teaching procedures and in “living the life” which must be understood and overcome. They heard that as a whole the last year was one of triumph for the National Fund, although monthly contributions still fell much below the budget. With the Cause advancing at an alarming rate for the Fund, “universal participation” will be required. With “the joy of giving” as the theme, we have the capacity to meet the needs, the treasurer is confident. The delegates recommended adoption of a budget of $700,000. Announcement of new
Mr. Standing Crow from Fort Yates, North Dakota is shown with some of the Bahá’í children at the U.S. Convention.
literature available, expansion plans for summer
schools and institutes, explanation of the new training
institutes for teachers, preparation of school curriculum materials to be forthcoming, exhibits of children’s
work kits, breakthroughs in national proclamation
through the non-Bahá’í press, confirmations on Indian
reservations and production of special literature for
the Indians, the newly inaugurated “Invasion” plan
and youth administration, schools and conferences,
contacts with leading clergymen and with inquiring
college students — these were topics the discussion of
which manifested the human resources being tapped
and to be tapped in the American Bahá’í Community.
The officers serving the convention were Firuz Kazemzadeh, chairman, and Dr. David S. Ruhe, secretary. There were 1,300 delegates and visitors attending. Of the 171 delegates, 148 were present to vote in person. Youth numbered 112, many of whom met one evening for dinner and a special program. Contributions made during the convention were reported as follows: to the new International Deputization Fund, $883.46; to the National Bahá’í Fund, $1,648.35; and for the Panama Temple, $500. A grand piano was used in Foundation Hall — the gift of a Bahá’í. Exhibit booths and sale counters were busy places.
It was reported that the National Teaching Committee and the Community Development Committee are now well staffed, that remodelling needed in the Publishing Trust and National Office (annex) buildings is completed, that more than $88,000 of the accumulated deficit of $125,000 has been repaid and that efforts through the United Nations resulted in freeing the Moroccan prisoners and regaining their jobs. A new and longer list of preferred goals has been made out for homefront teaching efforts. New contingents of Youth trained at the summer schools will be ready for calls from communities for “invasion” service. The new Pioneer Committee for the Americas has been appointed. Such are some of the bases from which the American Community can operate as the second year of the Nine Year Plan begins.
Colombians Set for Intensive Indian Teaching[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Colombia are planning intensive teaching work among the Guajiro Indians of their country, with a goal of 5,000 new believers during the coming year. This work began in 1961 with the first visit of Hand of the Cause, Dr. Muhájir, who encouraged the National Assembly to undertake this work on a continuous basis. It was difficult at first to keep a pioneer in the field. For the last year and a half, a Persian pioneer, Habib Rezvani, walked the sands of the Colombian Guajira desert from ranchero to ranchero of these nomadic Indians, who subsist on goats and the few crops that come during the brief, rainy season. About one hundred responded and a sound basis of trust and understanding was established.
Donald Witzel, Auxiliary Board Member, gave further impetus to the work in 1964, based upon his experience in teaching thousands of Indians in Panama, Venezuela and other countries of Latin America. During April, 1965, Dr. Muhájir returned, visited the Guajiro people and redeclared his faith in their purity of heart. Negotiations are now under way to purchase an Institute building as a center for the Bahá’í education of the Indians and for training native teachers, a basic essential for success in the new plan.
The national convention also resolved to almost triple the present number of local assemblies. The first Indian woman to be a delegate in three years volunteered the formation of fifteen assemblies from among the Guajiros. A special programming committee has been named to produce visual aids in mass quantities, including 3,000 photographs of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and reproductions of the Greatest Name, to be placed in every Bahá’í home in Colombia. Traveling teachers will be provided with simple, visual concepts of the teachings. A goal of 500 new believers of the cities and villages has also been set. Several new regional teaching committees have been appointed, eight in all, to reduce travel time and expense and to stimulate more people into direct responsibility for carrying out a vigorous program. Within these same regions, the local assemblies have their specific goals to establish new assemblies. The National Assembly members, and two traveling teachers with considerable success in the field, have specific Departments of the country and the committees in these areas, to encourage, stimulate and assist in every way, particularly by the example of direct action in the field. They will also assist with the Institutes.
Other Goals of Nine Year Plan[edit]
Eighty localities out of the one hundred required have already been opened. Twenty-three out of twenty-seven local assemblies have been formed. Four out of five required incorporations have been achieved and the fifth is in process. The opening of Saint Andrews and Providence, English-speaking island goals set by the Universal House of Justice, has been accomplished, although reinforcement and permanent, resident pioneers are needed. Renewed effort is now being made to reach the mountain-dwelling Motilon Indians and also to bring the Faith to the Chocó Indian tribe near the Panamanian border. On the other side of that border, the jungle already resounds with the Greatest Name!
Two-day Institute held during recent visit of Dr. R. Muhájir.
A Guajiro Bahá’í family receiving a visit from Dr. Muhájir, Donald Witzel, Stewart Waddell (member of the Indian teaching team, from Scotland), and Habib Rezvani.
Faith Reaches All Peoples in Colombia[edit]
Habib Rezvani at one of the Bahá’í rancheros teaching children to read and write. There are no schools and the people are mostly illiterate.
A traveling companion of the Guajira delegate is shown holding the Greatest Name with convention delegates and visitors.
Guajira Indian woman delegate (second from right) shown during the balloting for the new National Spiritual Assembly.
Members of the newly elected National Assembly of Colombia, front row left to right, Teresa Alarcón, Leonor Porras, Ellen Sims; second row: Luis Montenegro (chairman and treasurer), Ines Montenegro (recording secretary) Habib Rezvani, Gloria de Fritsche (secretary) Stewart Waddell; back row, Donald Witzel (Auxiliary Board member) and Charles Hornby.
Pioneers Arise in the Philippines[edit]
The Second Annual Convention of the Philippines included delegates from among eleven minority groups — Kalinga, Ifugao, D’Babaon, Bilaan, Bagobo, Ratagnon, Bukid, Mangyan (Pula), Manabo, Tagbanua and Igorot. Inspiration in understanding the Message from the Universal House of Justice was given by Board member, Vic Samaniego. The new National Assembly (at right) devoted its first meeting toward consulting with the new volunteers for pioneering. They are (left to right): Mrs. Fe Samaniego (recording secretary), Miss Ruth Walbridge (assistant treasurer), Mrs. Neva Dulay (treasurer), Eugenio Avarientos, Theo. Boehnert (chairman), Mrs. Luisa Mapa-Gomez, Mrs. Rose Mangapis, Dominador Anunsacion (vice chairman), Jack Davis (secretary).
National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Philippines, occupied April 1, 1965.
Hand of the Cause, Collis Featherstone, from Australia, in center above, visiting the Philippines a few days after the National Convention. His loving spirit, deep understanding of the Writings and an ability to convey both, brought joy and determination to the hearts of all who heard him, galvanizing them for new victories in the Nine Year Plan.
Some of the newly arisen pioneers from the Philippines who volunteered their services at the recent national convention.
New Goals Won in the Caribbean Area[edit]
One of the quick victories of the Nine Year Teaching Plan was achieved in the Caribbean area with the formation at Riḍván of two local spiritual assemblies on the Island of Barbados, with the promise of more by next Riḍván. Mrs. Etta Woodlen, American pioneer who arrived in Barbados in the fall of 1964, soon found many souls ready for the Faith and these immediately joined her in an active teaching and publicity campaign.
Guadeloupe Island, settled by the Jean Desert family from Haiti, witnessed the enrollment of two native believers early in April. Assisting in the teaching work is Mr. Sidney Friday from British Guiana whose employment takes him to Guadeloupe six months each year.
Martinique Island has been opened by the Andre St. Luis family also from Haiti, and St. Vincent has been settled by Miss Shirley Jackson who has reported having approximately fifteen persons interested in enrolling.
St. Lucia Island has a Bahá’í group as the result of the settlement there of the Philip Trutza family from Texas.
In the Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas has a very active Bahá’í community. A second center in St. Croix was opened before Riḍván through settlement there of Mrs. Patricia Sheppard from Texas.
The Grenada Islands re-elected their two local assemblies. Growing Bahá’í groups in other localities give promise of further expansion of the local institutions within the next year or two.
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Thomas,
Virgin Islands, incorporated March 19, 1965. Standing left
to right: Ellerton V. Harmer, Charles Dayton, William
Dickerson, Jean LaMothe, Douglas Covey, Knud Jensen. Seated left to right: Marjorie Harmer, Ruth Katharine Meyer, Mary Dayton.
First believers enrolled under Nine Year Plan in Guadeloupe: Franklin Bozor (left) and Pierre Defoe (right)
with Sydney Friday (center) a Bahá’í from British
Guiana who spends six months a year in Guadeloupe
and is assisting the pioneer family Jean Desert (from
Haiti) in the teaching work.
Bahá’ís from Havana, Marianao, Cienfuegos and Camaguey, left below, gathered in Cienfuegos several months ago to hold summer school sessions on Islám. Right below, group attending classes on Christianity held in Camaguey province, December 3-6, 1964.
Believers Throughout the World Hold Conventions
Elect National Spiritual Assemblies[edit]
In the Americas[edit]
(Below) Ninth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of
Alaska, held at Anchorage, April 24 and 25. Hand of the
Cause Zikru’llah Khádem is holding the Greatest Name,
and Howard J. Brown, Auxiliary Board Member, is on
his right. Eleven Alaskan adults with ten children
pledged to pioneer to Alaskan goals during the Nine
Year Plan. Photo at right shows newly elected National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Alaska. Front (left
to right): Hand of the Cause, Z. Khádem, in center;
Janet J. Smith, Evelyn Huffman; Lois Lee; Charlotte
Schwartz. Rear (left to right): Robert Moul; Blaine
Reed; John Kolstoe; Auxiliary Board Member, Howard
J. Brown; Don A. Anderson; Ben Guhrke.
[Page 11]
Eight delegates attending the Argentine Convention at Buenos Aires (at left, above — one absent) elected the following National Spiritual Assembly in photo at right: left to right, seated: Vali-u-llah Samadari, Manuel Caballero, Dr. Jose Mielnik, Cayetano Liardo; standing: Shapoor Saeed, Osvaldo Costas, Aramis Costas, Miguel Angel Paniagua, and Cinar Torres Lopez.
Fifth Venezuelan National Convention (right above) was held in Tocuyito, Carabobo State from April 30 to May 2. Delegates representing four Indian tribes gathered with visitors to welcome Miss Eve Nicklin, newly appointed Auxiliary Board Member for Venezuela and pioneer for twenty five years in South America. A five day pre-convention school was also held. Members of the newly elected National Assembly are shown (above left) with Miss Nicklin. Left to right: Miss Nicklin, Rafael Gonzales, Peter McLaren, Yolanda Rodriguez, Eloy Carrascal, Addie Teske, Julio Perez, Mrs. Martha Posner, Israel Posner, Mrs. Judith McLaren.
Delegates attending the Fifth Annual Convention of Honduras, held in La Ceiba, shown at left above, elected the following National Spiritual Assembly: left to right, seated: Mrs. Maizie Arguela, Mrs. Emma Lawrence, Mrs. Ruth Pringle (auxiliary board member attending convention), Mrs. Lidia Varela, Miss Olinda Sierra Andre; standing: Roldan Matute, Jose Lopez (vice-chairman and recording secretary), Felix Suazo Barrios, Carlos Vasquez (treasurer), Luis Boush (chairman). Most of the consultation of the convention centered around teaching, inspired by the recent historic congress held in Tegucigalpa in April, with two Hands of the Cause (reported in June BAHÁ’Í NEWS)
In Europe[edit]
The Fourth Annual Convention of Belgium this year
elected the following National Assembly: H. A. Kamran
(chairman), Ben Levy (vice chairman), Roger Swinnen
(secretary), Louis Henuzet (treasurer), Mrs. Bastogne
(assistant secretary), Fernand Bronchain, Shoghi
Ghadimi, Jean-Pierre Laperches, Mrs. Lea Nys. Important milestones under the Nine Year Plan, objectives
given by the Universal House of Justice, were announced: purchase of Endowment at Landelies; establishment of fifth local assembly in Ixelles; establishment of Bahá’í Publishing Trust for the French
language.
Teaching in Antwerp and Liege Accelerates[edit]
An intensive campaign involving the distribution of 60,000 leaflets in the Flemish language, and a large, publicized meeting has brought significant results through an increased number of interested seekers attending firesides. An accurate article on the tenets of the Faith appear in Het Laatste Nieuws, with promises of a series of articles to follow.
Seventy-five percent of all declarations took place in the city of Liege the past year. The principal success is attributed to joint gatherings with an informal, social atmosphere and good discussion.
The first Local Spiritual Assembly of Granada, Spain,
formed Riḍván, 1965. Seated, left to right: Mrs. Anselma
Avalos, Mrs. Carmen Monserrat, Mrs. Juanita Ortuno
(chairman), Miss Dorothy Smithson; standing, left to
right: Khalil Granfar, Celestino Gomez (treasurer),
Mrs. Frieda van Houten (secretary), Mrs. Molouk
Foroughi, Rouhollah Foroughi (vice chairman).
Left above shows the Italian Convention at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Rome, April 30 to May 2. The newly elected National Assembly (at right) are shown, front row left to right; Mrs. Agnese Boerio, Hossein Mahboubi, Miss Teresa Tabba. Standing: Ned Blackmer, Aldo Cervani, Prof. Alessandro Bausani, Prof. Hossein Avaregan, Augusto Robiati, Col. Giulio Jacoviello.
150 Attend Thirty-Fifth German Convention[edit]
A portion of the 150 delegates and visitors who
were present to hear the
Message from the Universal House of Justice on the
opening day, April 24.
Riḍván was observed with
an evening service in the
House of Worship.
Forty-eight (out of fifty-nine) delegates
consulted on the Nine Year Plan. The first
three, newly formed Assemblies of the
Plan were announced: Bad Godesberg,
Dortmund and Fürth.
Members of the newly elected National
Assembly of Germany are shown at right
(seated left to right): H. Sabet, Miss A.
Bopp (secretary), R. G. Krüger (chairman); standing; Dr. B. Hemmati (vice
chairman), G. Maltz, H. Grossmann, P.
Mühlschlegel, O. Häfner (treasurer), R. A.
Steiner.
[Page 14]
The new National Spiritual Assembly elected at the Second Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of Vietnam is shown left above, with the assembled delegates and visitors pictured at right. The Saigon Daily News published a photo of the Assembly and their names, as follows, left to right: Pham-Huu-Chin, Le-Loc (treasurer), Do-Nguyen-Hahn, Le-Can, R. Edwards, Trinh-dinh Khoi (secretary), Dang-Binh (vice-chairman), Phan-van-Mink, Jamshed Fozdar (chairman).
In Asia[edit]
Malaysia Increases LSAs by One-half[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Malaysia have elected the following National Assembly: Dr. C. J. Sundram, chairman; K. Rajah, vice-chairman; I. Chinniah, treasurer; S. Vasudevan, secretary; Mrs. George Lee; Yankee Keong; Dr. J. Fozdar; A. Raman; and Tony Fernandez. Thirty-four new local spiritual assemblies have been added this past year, making a total of 108, twenty of these being in Borneo.
Hand of Cause Visits Leper Hospital in Hawaii[edit]
Hand of the Cause, Dr. Muhájir was a February visitor to Hawaii. While there, he was able to visit each community on Oahu and provided much inspiration to the new assemblies.
On February 8, accompanied by Dr. Claude Caver, he visited the state hospital for Hansen’s Disease at Kalaupapa, Molokai. This was the first visit of a Hand of the Cause to this area, and was of special interest to Dr. Muhájir, both from the medical standpoint and because Shoghi Effendi stated that the Bahá’ís would go forth to teach in the leprosy villages.
Both the staff and patients are understandably distant to visitors as a rule, but the warmth and compassion demonstrated by Dr. Muhájir overcame their reticence. He established a warm relationship with all those he met.
Second Annual Malaysian Convention held April 30—May 2 at the University of Malaya in Seremban. There were 40 aborigines among the 130 attendants. The principal consultation centered around teaching plans.
and Africa[edit]
The Second Annual Convention for the Bahá’ís of West Central Africa, (right above) was held in Victoria, West Cameroon, April 30-May 2. Forty-one delegates assembled, almost all coming from remote bush villages in West Cameroon. Photo, left above, shows newly elected National Assembly members as follows: Stephen Tabe, Sampson Forchak, Mrs. Janet Mughrabi (secretary), Moses Akombi, Mrs. Lillie Rosenberg, Oscar Njang, Jawad Mughrabi and Solomon Tanyi. Sherman Rosenberg was not present.
Teaching in the United States[edit]
Boise Bahá’ís Sponsor Arts and Crafts Show[edit]
On April 17 and 18 the Western State Fairgrounds in Boise, Idaho was the scene of an intercultural arts and crafts show sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Boise and of Ada County, Idaho. The theme was “Unity of Humanity” and all artists, ethnic groups as well as children of nearby schools were invited to participate.
Cultural groups for whom areas at the exhibit were set aside included Basques, Orientals, Indians and Europeans. There were areas also for hobby crafts, fine arts and crafts with divisions for juvenile, amateur and professional entries.
There were 651 entries. Those on the theme of “Unity of Humanity” were judged and trophies presented to the winners by the Director of the Boise Art Gallery. The participants included artists from two other nearby states and Canada, and the displays included work from nine Indian tribes: Creek, Shoshone-Bannock, Nez Perce, Spokane, Ute, Makah, Paiute, Navajo and Pueblo.
At the time of presentation of awards Mr. Chester Kahn gave a talk on the theme of the exhibit. During the day Mrs. Alta Kahn demonstrated the art of Navajo rug weaving while her son Chester showed slides of various Indian Council Fires.
At the entrance to the exhibition was a Bahá’í display naming the Divine Revelators and stating the Golden Rule as expressed in their Faiths. Bahá’í books and pamphlets were also included in this display, with free pamphlets for those who wished. A great deal of interest was shown in the Faith and the friends in the area consider the event so successful that they plan to make it an annual proclamation effort.
Chester Kahn and his mother, Mrs. Alta Kahn discuss the unity of humanity with the Basque people, visitors at the Boise Arts and Crafts Show.
[Page 16]
Bahá’ís of Lakewood, California gather with their
friends to celebrate Riḍván. Active teaching of the
Faith is carried out in Lakewood through regular
weekly firesides.
Howard Tangier, Dr. Sarah Martin Pereira and Miss
Lydia Martin talk with a student from India (right) following a Bahá’í meeting sponsored by the Bahá’í College Club of Western Reserve University.
Individual Firesides[edit]
(Reprinted from BAHÁ’Í NEWS, page 4, July, 1957)
The following excerpt is taken from a letter written on behalf of the Guardian by his Assistant Secretary dated March 6, 1957, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bennett of Butte, Montana. It is reprinted as an incentive to all American Bahá’ís.
“The friends must realize their individual responsibility. Each must hold a Fireside in his or her home, once in nineteen days, where new people are invited, and where some phase of the Faith is mentioned and discussed. If this is done with the intent of showing Bahá’í hospitality and love, then there will be results. People will become interested in ‘what’ you are interested in, and then be interested in studying. Individual firesides will bring knowledge of the Faith to more people, under favorable circumstances, and thus constantly enrich its circle of friends, and finally its members. There is no substitute for the teaching work of the individual.”
Bahá’í Club Organized at Western Reserve University[edit]
The Bahá’í Club of Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, organized by the seven Bahá’ís on the campus, held its first public meeting April 22 with Dr. Sarah Martin Pereira as speaker. Dr. Pereira is professor of Romance Languages at the District of Columbia Teachers College and member of the National Spiritual Assembly. Her subject was “The Challenge of our Age.” A number of good questions were asked by members of the audience. The meeting was advertised by means of invitations to the students and faculty of Western Reserve and to personnel of other colleges in the area, as well as by posters on the Western Reserve University campus and one at Cleveland State College.
Bahá’í Club at University of Houston is the first Bahá’í club in Texas. Members plan weekly meetings in campus religious center.
Profile in Perseverance[edit]
Three dedicated, untried Bahá’í youth, faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle and armed only with faith and courage, proceeded to bring the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to a Christian stronghold at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
Hope College is a Reformed Church of Christ (Dutch) school. It probably represents one of the most conservative Christian groups in the United States.
Petition had been made to the school’s Student Life Committee for formation of a Bahá’í Club on campus, to no avail. Not only did the authorities deny the petition but forbade the friends to meet together on campus. Subsequently, the teacher of a non-Christian religion class offered to have a Bahá’í speaker address his class. With this ray of hope, the young people undertook to act with dignity, boldness and faith, and thereby unfolded the following success story:
They contacted the National Teaching Committee for a Bahá’í speaker, arranged for him to address two seminary classes and the non-Christian religion class on two separate days. The third day, they held a public meeting. In the meantime, they provided for invitations to be placed in every student mail-box, displayed posters in several stores in the area, and placed articles, as well as paid advertisements, in both the Hope College school paper and the Holland, Michigan Sentinel.
What were the results? Let the Bahá’í teacher’s report speak for itself. Winston Evans, who accepted the Hope College assignment, writes: “The student response at the three classes was excellent — many questions — much literature taken. There were about sixty-five at the public meeting ... after the talk, an hour’s question and answer period ... about 500 pieces of literature taken in the three days. We’re sure Hope College will never be the same. This never could have happened if our youth had not had the faith and burning desire to spread our beloved Faith.”
Remarkable as this all seems, even more remarkable is the fact that these three young people, Linda Davis, Terry Stahelin and Jonathan Wiegand, are relatively new Bahá’ís — in fact, Jonathan enrolled only in January of this year!
Bahá’ís from the Monterey Peninsula Bahá’í communities and Salinas, California at a meeting with Auxiliary Board Member, Anthony Lease (center back) on
April 18.
More than 1,500 persons viewed the Bahá’í exhibit on
Youth Interfaith Day in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, February
21. Bahá’í youth from Appleton, Madison and Milwaukee
assisted the local Bahá’ís in answering questions asked
by the visitors. Ten other religious groups also had
exhibits. The event was held in the Catholic High School.
Indian Bahá’ís representing five tribes in the Seattle,
Washington area have formed an “All Indian Bahá’í
Panel.” The panel travels to the reservations throughout the area to teach the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
[Page 18]
Local Spiritual Assembly of Lakewood, California
formed April 21, 1965. Back row (left to right): Suhayl
Ala’i, Iraj Taler-Reza, Dr. Norman Antonson, F. Dana
Eckfeld, Robert Brunst. Front (left to right): Mrs.
Leila Antonson, Mrs. Beatrice Williams, Mrs. Lilian
Ala’i, Mrs. Jalet Brunst. This Assembly was made possible because seven Bahá’ís of Long Beach, California
moved to Lakewood for this purpose.
New U.S. Local Spiritual Assemblies[edit]
Newly Incorporated Spiritual Assemblies[edit]
Local Spiritual Assembly of Antelope Judicial District,
California, incorporated March 25, 1965. Seated left to
right: Mrs. Gwen Carter, Mrs. Marion Jackson, Mrs.
Beatrice Busby, Mrs. Mildred Brackett. Standing left
to right: Ray Brackett, Charles Jackson, Dell Falls,
Wallace Carter, Jr., Reuben Busby.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Pompano Beach,
Florida, elected at Riḍván, 1965. Front (left to right):
George Miller, Annaleen Schwandes, Mildred Wimbley,
John Wimbley. Rear (left to right): John Graham,
Elmer Schwandes, Roy Miller, Sid Sigwald and Carl
Svendsen. This Assembly was originally formed in 1962,
lapsed for two years.
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Alameda, California, formed April 21, 1965.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Temple City, California,
incorporated April 9, 1965. Front row left to right:
Mrs. Dorothy Heller, Mrs. Joanne Hollinger, Mrs.
Isabel Overlin, Miss Alva Christensen. Back row, left
to right: Paul Stirneman, Mrs. Bertha Stirneman,
Henri Heller, Mrs. Hilda Pulley, Charles Pulley.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Dumont, New Jersey incorporated March 23, 1965. Members: Archie Tichenor
(chairman), Donald Drexler (vice chairman), Mrs.
Blanche Kaufman (secretary), Benjamin Kaufman
(treasurer), Mrs. Agnes Tichenor, Mrs. Adair Drexler,
Adele Psayla, Alice Morse, Mae Will.
[Page 19]
Bahá’í Center in Medina, Bismarck Archipelago, New Guinea.
News Briefs[edit]
Approximately fifty persons, two-thirds of whom were not Bahá’ís including several Navajo Indians, participated in the observance of the twelfth day of Riḍván by the Bahá’í community of Gallup, New Mexico. Dr. Fazlollah Missaghi, a Bahá’í from Írán, research mining engineer and faculty associate at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, showed beautiful slides taken during his trip to Írán in 1961, and three little Navajo girls read prayers in English and Navajo. There was also chanting in Persian and a prayer in Esperanto.
While on her teaching trip in New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, Mrs. Ruth Moffett spent one entire day in a Navajo hogan some miles from Gallup, New Mexico, where she talked about the Faith with twenty-seven Navajo Indians. Eight adults and two fourteen-year-old youths made their declarations of acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh.
In March when Bahá’ís of Lawrence, Kansas, were asked by a local minister to attend a meeting in his church for the purpose of joining other religious groups in planning some sort of “sympathy for Selma” service in Lawrence, one of them suggested that there might be many citizens in Lawrence who would not join in a march but would like to take part in a prayer service and openly express their sympathy. The idea that more could be accomplished if members of many faiths joined to pray together and to resolve to overcome problems with the help of God met with enthusiastic response. Thus an “Interfaith Service of Concern for Selma and America” was held on March 14 with some 500 persons in attendance at the St. John’s Catholic Church. Publicity made it clear that the meeting was planned by Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Unitarians and Bahá’ís. Reverend Paul Davis of the Plymouth Congregational Church who was one of the speakers pointed out that the group had come together “to express concern for prejudice and injustice everywhere, not just in the South.” The occasion gave the Bahá’ís many opportunities to meet their fellow townspeople and to obtain excellent publicity for the Faith.
The Brisbane, Australia radio station invited the University Bahá’í club to give a short talk, informing new students of their activities. They were able to present the teachings of the Faith and its aims. The talk was repeated several times on the University Hour for a few weeks.
BAHA'I IN THE NEWS[edit]
An Associated Press release written by Hal McClure and originating in Haifa, Israel, has been appearing in newspapers throughout the country since early May. The well written article covers briefly and accurately facts about the Founders of the Bahá’í Faith, its world-wide scope, its relation to all the world’s great religions, and some of its basic tenets and aims.
Principes, the journal of the Palm Society which is engaged primarily in study of the palm family throughout the world, carried in a recent issue a biographical sketch of the society’s treasurer, Mr. T. R. Baumgartner, a Bahá’í. It mentions that, with his wife, Mr. Baumgartner is very active in the Bahá’í Faith and is treasurer of the Miami, Florida Assembly.
The Niagara Falls (New York) Gazette, May 8, 1965 carried an excellent feature article on the Bahá’í Faith by staff writer Dick Klug. The article was based on an interview with Fred H. Reis, member of the local Spiritual Assembly of Niagara Falls whose picture accompanied the article which dealt largely with the Bahá’í view on government and the structure of the Faith as “the prototype for the future world government.”
The January 1965 issue of the Kanawake News, published by the Indians of Caughnawaga Reserve (near Montreal, Canada) carried a fine article on “What is the Bahá’í Faith?” written by Betty Frost. Readers who were interested in further information were invited to attend the regular weekly Bahá’í fireside on the Reserve.
Mention of Bahá’í Holy Days on calendars printed for general use is becoming more frequent. The Zion, Illinois community calendar for 1965 mailed to all schools in the district indicates on the appropriate dates all nine Bahá’í Holy Days in the year when work is suspended by Bahá’ís. Secretariat News, Volume XIX, February 26, 1965 lists in its March Holiday Calendar the Feast of Naw-Rúz (Bahá’í). This publication is circulated among personnel working at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The World Holiday
[Page 20]
Calendar for 1965 published by The Friendly World,
Brooklyn, New York, includes the principal religious
holidays of World Religions, starting with seven of the
Bahá’í Holy Days. This fifty-two page booket lists also
the national holidays of most of the countries of the
world as well as special days at the United Nations.
The Chicago Tribune May 20 carried a full column story in Robert Cromie’s book section about Dr. Rosey E. Pool, a recently enrolled Bahá’í who had just concluded her visit as an exchange professor at A & M College, Huntsville, Alabama. A native of the Netherlands, Dr. Pool is interested in the work of United States Negro poets and has published four anthologies, two in Holland and two in England. In addition to a lengthy interview with Mr. Cromie during her visit to Chicago, Dr. Pool was the guest of honor at a party arranged for her by the editor of Negro Digest and also spoke at a number of firesides.
Calendar of Events[edit]
- FEASTS
- July 13 — Kalimát (Words)
- August 1 — Kamál (Perfection)
- HOLY DAY
- July 9 — Martyrdom of the Báb
- U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY MEETING
- July 30, 31, August 1
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
- Daily
- 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Entire building)
- Sundays
- 3:30 to 4:10 p.m.
- SUNDAY, JULY 20
- 4:15 p.m.
Baha’i Publishing Trust[edit]
New Printing of World Order of Bahá’u’lláh Includes a Paperbound Edition[edit]
The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. By Shoghi Effendi. This collection of the World Order Letters of Shoghi Effendi forms a vital link in Bahá’í literature. In it he analyzes the twofold process that is transforming the face of the planet—the first, an integrating process and the second, a disruptive one. The unfolding steps through the various epochs of the Formative Age of Faith, to the golden age of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, are clearly envisaged.
Since building the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh is the prime function and concern of every Bahá’í, an understanding of the goals and the timing involved in reaching them is of prime importance. Nevertheless, the distribution record on this title has been very small indicating a profound lack of awareness on the part of a large portion of the Bahá’í community. It is earnestly hoped that the two new editions, in both paper and cloth bindings, will help to remedy that lack and that this title will meet with a strong response from the builders of the kingdom of God on earth.
Conrad Heleniak has utilized a drawing by Harlan Scheffler, well known scratchboard artist, in designing a most attractive cover for the paper edition and a jacket for the clothbound book.
Cloth, per copy | $3.00 |
Paper, per copy | 1.50 |
Picture Book in Color of House of Worship[edit]
A strikingly beautiful picture book in color of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois designed by the late Robert Buckley, is now available. It presents 21 post card sized color pictures of the exterior and interior of the House of Worship and of the surrounding gardens. There is also an appropriate text explaining its construction and unique design. Twenty pages with heavy cover, 5 x 7 inches, per copy ....$.50
| Order from | BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST |
| 110 LINDEN AVENUE | |
| WILMETTE, ILLINOIS |
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.
