Bahá’í News/Issue 424/Text
| ←Previous | Bahá’í News Issue 424 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
| No. 424 | BAHA’I YEAR 123 | JULY, 1966 |
The present wall and gate on the site where the Báb was martyred in 1850. His last words were: “Had you believed in Me, O wayward generation, every one of you would have ... willingly sacrificed himself in My path. The day will come when you will have recognized Me; that day I shall have ceased to be with you.” For a complete account see The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 500-526.
Universal House of Justice Informs of New Pioneer Settlements[edit]
The Universal House of Justice has informed the Bahá’í world of new pioneer settlements since their Riḍván message. The additional virgin territories which have now been opened are: Dominica, Islas de la Bahia, Mocha, Nunivak Island, Pribilof Islands and Seri Reservation (Sonora State) in the Americas; Bozca Ada and Imroz Island in Asia; Bathurst Island, Groot Eyeland and Tokelau Islands in Australasia; the Aeolian Islands, Ahvenanmaa and Cyclades Islands in Europe.
The additional re-settled territories are: Rio de Oro and Spanish Sahara in Africa and the Isle of Man and Liechtenstein in Europe.
In the Riḍván message Chiloé Island was inadvertently included as a virgin goal. Chiloé Island is a consolidation goal.
First Local Assembly of Vasteras, Sweden, formed
April 1966, whose members come from Russia, Finland, Kenya, Denmark, Morocco and Sweden.
Bahá’ís of Mayaguez and Ponce, Puerto Rico, on the
occasion of the first public meeting held March 13 at
Mayaguez. The speaker, Jose Monge of San Juan is
shown at the right.
Mrs. Teresa Buckley of Panama City, Panama community with Bahá’ís of Capira, Republic of Panama,
after presenting Bahá’í books to library at Capira.
District Conference held at Sholapur (Maharashtra),
India, on March 21, 1966.
Some of the Bahá’ís of Srinagar (Kashmir) with Hand
of the Cause, Jenabe T. Samandarí (in center) during
his visit on May 14, 1966, with Mrs. Shirin Boman, Mr.
Kamil Abbas of ‘Iráq and Dr. H. M. Munje.
German Convention Plans Centralized Campaign[edit]
Over 150 Bahá’ís, including delegates, participated in Germany’s largest convention to date, held in Frankfurt. Some of the achievements of the past year in respect to the Nine Year Plan were: Local Assemblies formed in Neckargemünd and Würzburg; nine volunteers for settlement in foreign countries — seven for Austria and two for Greece; a number of Bahá’ís moved to goal centers in Germany; local teaching goals developed; plans generated for a chorus for the House of Worship and for appropriate music to accompany Bahá’í prayers.
More than ever before it was felt that new approaches were required to achieve the necessary growth outlined in the Plan. Methods of effecting a centralized campaign were consulted upon, utilizing all modern media of publicity to make the name Bahá’í known, especially directed toward youth who are considered to be more open to the principles of the Faith. This national effort is to be directed toward one of the large cities, beginning in the proclamation year, and would later be applied to other cities.
Máh-Kú and Tabríz—
Imprisonment and Martyrdom[edit]
Editorial Note: This is another in a series of articles written by Guy Murchie from his diary kept on his journey to Irán in 1964 and printed with the permission of the Universal House of Justice. The photos were taken by Mr. Murchie.
April 16
My interpreter and I journeyed to Tabríz, near the northwestern corner of Persia, by train as the road is very poor and in places drifted deep in snow, while the fords are already in spring flood and even the airport unusable because of a plow breakdown. First sight of the city of the Báb’s martyrdom came while we were rattling northeastward up a valley of vineyards and fruit orchards with buds almost ready to open: mostly almonds, apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots.... And then the straggling flat-roofed houses, enough for more than 600,000 people, I’m told, which would make Tabríz the third largest city of Persia (after Ṭihrán and Iṣfáhán).
The Ark of Tabríz where the Báb was a prisoner forty days.
After a warm greeting by Bahá’í friends at the station, we went to see holy places of our Faith. First of all
was the Ark, which one could hardly miss as it is
obviously the biggest and tallest building in town
though built some 800 years ago and used until recently as a prison tower. Largely intact and about 120 feet
high by 200 feet long, it is made of buff bricks with
frighteningly precipitous stairs and Homeric halls, now
crumbling in detail and serving only as the roosting
place of innumerable, raucous, hooded crows. Here the
Báb was confined in a princely room on the west side at
the top for forty days before He went to the Fortress of
Mák-Kú in 1847, guarded by a detachment of the famed
Nasiri regiment which three years later was destined to
fire the volley that ended His life. Presumably no lesser
quarters were considered suitable for such an important prisoner, the great Ark being not only the grandest
The entrance to the police building of Tabríz, said to be almost unchanged since the Báb’s day.
edifice in this part of the kingdom but one with an
impressive aura of history and legend — such as the
still-whispered story that it has a secret escape passage
extending from the top down underground and all the
way out of the city — and, for all one can tell, this same
Ark may stand in future centuries known chiefly as a
monument to the sublime Forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh.
In the Báb’s day the Ark was at the extreme southern edge of the city which spread mostly north and east of it with a large garden in the immediate foreground, now bursting with new apple and pear blossoms, scattered cypresses, mulberry, poplar and nut trees in one of which we heard a nightingale singing. Inevitably many modern buildings have sprung up around the area, making it a public park, and most of these — perhaps somehow due to His healing spiritual influence — contain medical and health insurance offices and the local headquarters of the Red Cross.
The old Barrack Square of Tabríz, where the Báb was martyred on that never-to-be-forgotten noon of July 9, 1850, no longer exists, having been replaced by new buildings, particularly a large finance building with its three modern wings, but of course Bahá’ís know the exact spot where He was hung on a spike with His companion and shot by the 750 soldiers of the regiment. It is close to the northwest corner of the new building and, they say, a good deal of the old barracks and surroundings is preserved underground, perhaps to be excavated as a shrine in a future age of greater tolerance and understanding. A photograph is said to exist showing the Barrack Square as it was in 1862 almost unchanged from the time of martyrdom, showing the trees which youths climbed that fateful day for a better view over the heads of the great crowd and the scores of small shops all around, in one of which the
[Page 5]
Looking northwest toward Mt. Ararat from the ruins of the Fortress of Máh-Kú.
Báb had been confined the night before, according to
the guide.
After the execution, the two bodies were dumped beside a dry moat just outside the east gate of the city and four companies of soldiers posted to watch over them in turn with never less than 10 sentinels on guard at any moment. The spot is now inside a granary or warehouse for storing wheat and barley, thus completely changed. But despite the heavy guard, sometime in the middle in the third night the bodies disappeared without a trace and were never again found by the authorities. They had been carried away by a fearless and inspired Bábí named Ḥájí Allah-Yar and somehow transported to a small silk factory in the village of Milan (fifteen miles away) and there hidden by its owner, one Ḥájí Ahmad Milani who happened to be the grandfather of my interpreter. Thus were the sacred remains preserved for their eventual interment (after surviving a long sequence of hazards) in the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel fifty-four years later. Ḥájí Ahmad was such a devoted believer that in succeeding years he sent all his sons to ‘Akká to visit Bahá’u’lláh Who offered to grant any wish Hájí Ahmad might have. And the wish of Ḥájí Ahmad, namely that all his descendants be Bahá’ís, seems to have been truly granted as he already has well over 200 Bahá’í descendants, and they include pioneers in Morocco, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and many other parts of the earth.
We had a look also at the Governor’s Palace in Tabríz, which is where the Báb was questioned a year or two before His martyrdom. But it is hard to visualize how it looked in 1848 or ’49 for the present palace is completely new and modernized, though its gardens may be planted as of old with attractive catalpa and mulberry trees, a few fruit trees in blossom and the beds of yellow pansies one sees everywhere in Persia in spring. The handsome headquarters of police opposite the palace, however, with stone lions guarding its entrance, is said to look just as it did in the Báb’s day and one can imagine the crowds, many members of which speak Turkish dialects and wear woolen caps over their ears, as not being very different.
April 17
At 5 A.M. this morning four of us set forth in a little Volkswagen to visit the fortress of Máh-Kú. We were cold even in our heavy sweaters but the sun rose to reveal that our road northward ran through a beautiful valley surrounded by vari-colored hills rising to snowy mountains. Hoar frost was clear white on the grass under the almond and fruit orchards near the villages, while charming old mud walls surrounded every house and garden, many of them gracefully wind-blown as if literally eaten by the sky. We stopped for breakfast in the town of Marand forty-five miles from Tabríz where magpies are plentiful and crows seem to be nesting in every tree. Several elderly men were smoking bubble-pipes in the restaurant as we sipped our tiny glasses of tea and munched “Persian sandwiches” made of fried eggs rolled in papery bread. More than half the people here appear to be Turks, Kurds or Armenians and the babble of tongues is a source of confusion.
Perhaps partly for this reason we took a wrong turn and drove all the way to Djolfa on the Soviet border, three and a half hours out of our way. The farmers we passed all seemed to be using wooden plows with plowshares made of a pointed log of hardwood while spade work is done by two men together, the first pushing the blade into the ground with its handle as the second pulls on a rope (fastened just above the blade) to help bite out the earth. Black wool astrakhan caps are common here as well as woven ones of a brown and white checked design, and also a kind of Irish-looking, wide, visored cap in the towns. Farm women dress in their usual colorful rags, often of red flowery patterns. There were many herds of camels and cattle about the very primitive stone and mud villages that are little more than nomad camps, while the sheep ranged
The town of Máh-Kú showing ruins of the Fortress, center background.
further up the bare hillsides searching out spots of new
green growth among the brown tufts of old grass, their
shepherds hovering over little fires for warmth as the
wispy threads of smoke rose against the purple distance and, beyond the snow line, into the gray sky.
In Khuy, a town that was wildly enthusiastic about the Báb in 1848 when He passed this way, we saw its main landmark: a tall solitary brick minaret with
[Page 6]
stork’s nest on top probably just as it was then. Though
behind schedule, we looked up Bahá’í friends, delivered
their mail, drank tea, ate lunch and heard the problems
of the area.
On toward Máh-Kú, the country appeared increasingly bleaker with many a rocky scree and cliff almost leaning over the road interspersed with moraines and lava beds and only occasionally a straggling village set among bare poplars and reminiscent of Indian pueblos in Arizona even to the beam ends sticking out of the mud. Once a fat, gray rabbit crossed the road in front of us and, while fording a stream, we saw a fox with a big, bushy tail drifting gracefully along a hillside.
At about five o’clock we got to Máh-Kú set in a narrow valley between towering cliffs and shrouded by a glowering sky, and we hurried to climb through the town and up to the ruined fortress that surmounts it before darkness should descend on us. Three excited town boys guided us up the steep alleys and dizzy trails, crossing little streams, scrambling up almost vertical rocks and terrace walls, here and there passing little shops, children playing ball and goats grazing. In places the precipices have crumbled enough to endanger houses below, forcing some of the 10,000 population to move away to safer locations, but what is left of the great fortress where the Báb spent nine months of 1847 and ’48, stretching for some 200 yards along and under a huge overhanging mountainside, seems relatively secure.
The Máh-Kú fortress is plainly the highest structure of the town and perhaps 800 feet above the valley where most of the houses are. Its setting is spectacular and it commands a wide view of the rusty palisade directly west across the valley plus an expanse of snowy mountains to the northwest, which include Mt. Ararat, 16,946 feet high and only thirty miles away in Turkey, famed as the landing place of Noah after the flood. The actual structure of the fortress is mostly mortarless stone now about half crumbled away, yet enough remains to show its shape and character, with round towers and many square rooms, courtyards and ups and downs of level, even vaulted cellars for storage under the main floor and all strung along for the length of two football fields. If it soon comes into Bahá’í ownership, as is called for in the present nine-year plan, no doubt it will be restored as closely as possible to the condition it was in when the Báb was here, which will make it, if not the most accessible, at least the most unique shrine in the world.
Standing at a spot we thought might have been the Báb’s room, we recited prayers and chanted the Tablet of Visitation. The local boys fell silent and eyed us wonderingly, so our only audible accompaniment was the sound of water trickling in black streaks down the great precipice and dripping upon us from the overhang while hundreds of jackdaws, crows and swallows wheeled noisily far overhead along with a few hawks or eagles. And once or twice we could hear the distant crowing of a cock or the barking of a dog coming from the town below where flat rooftops punctuated with poplars sprawled in a pleasing pattern. The light rain that began to fall while we were there could not touch us because of the overreaching mountain above our heads, nor could we feel the cold east wind coming from Soviet Armenia against its other face. Indeed the rock was like a vault of Elysium over us, albeit fashioned of smooth stone with very few grassy ledges, a sort of cosmic benediction that overruled the firmament. The Báb called it “The Open Mountain” and local people say Máh-Kú means literally “Where is the Moon?” in recognition of the fact that full or nearly full moons are never visible from here in the normal moon hours of evening.
As we descended in gathering twilight past a flock of sheep huddling against a tinker shop and four tightly-veiled women gathering faggots, a few snowflakes fluttered around our ears hinting of the blizzard that was about to engulf us as we drove back to Khuy for the night — and of the raging river that next day would block our path to the totally ruined Castle of Chihríq, for good reason named by the Báb during His long imprisonment there: “The Grievous Mountain.”
Ruins of the Fortress of Máh-Kú, about 800 feet above the town.
A detail of the dry wall still standing in the old Fortress of Máh-Kú.
[Page 7]
Third National Convention of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii Convention Consults on Temple Site[edit]
The National Convention of Hawaii was privileged to have Hand of the Cause Zikrulláh Khádem present who expressed the bounty of living in the time when the Universal House of Justice has been established. “The supreme House of Justice is under the wings of your Lord, the All-Merciful.... The laws of God will flow from Mt. Carmel to the whole world.” He also paid a loving tribute to Martha Root, outstanding international Bahá’í teacher, by reading a statement of Shoghi Effendi concerning her. Miss Root who contacted many national leaders and members of royalty, giving them the Bahá’í message, is buried in Hawaii. Hand of the Cause Agnes Alexander, was also praised by Mr. Khádem in respect to her great teaching work.
All aspects of the message from the Universal House of Justice were consulted upon, particularly the formulation of plans for the Centenary and the Proclamation. The important matter of acquiring a temple site for Hawaii was given considerable attention. The needs of the Trust Territory, particularly the necessity of giving training to groups and isolated Bahá’ís in administration, were discussed — a shortage of teachers being the principal problem. Much thought was given to approaches in teaching Micronesians, including those attending the University of Hawaii.
Messages were sent to the Universal House of Justice, Agnes Alexander and Collis Featherstone and also cables of appreciation to the pioneers in Guam and in the Philippines.
The announcement of the passing of Miss Jessie Revell at the World Center was made on the morning of the opening day and this session was closed with a prayer for her chanted by Mr. Khádem. The convention itself was closed with another prayer by Mr. Khádem.
National Spiritual Assembly of Hawaii (back row, left
to right): Serrita Herbert, Gertrude Garrida, Evelyn
Musacchia, Hand of the Cause Zikrulláh Khádem,
Elizabeth D. Hollinger, Florence Kelley, and Elena
Marsella. Front row, left to right: James Wada, Marc
Towers (Auxiliary Board member) and Hugh Chapmen. Dr. C. V. Carver is absent.
Guatemalan Convention Held in Picturesque Upland City[edit]
Huehuetenango, city of the Highlands, is Site of Sixth Annual Bahá’í Convention[edit]
The Sixth Annual Convention of Guatemala was the first to be held outside the capital city. A reception was held
at the Bahá’í Center in Huehuetenango previous to the opening of the convention (shown in photo below). Among
highlights of the convention period was an excellent half hour radio interview with Sra. Carmen Burafato, Auxiliary Board member, Oscar Sierra, chairman of the National Assembly of Guatemala, and Prof. Hector Leonel
Alvares, professor of pedagogy at the Institute. Edith McLaren, Auxiliary Board member from Guatemala was also
present throughout the convention sessions.
[Page 9]
At right are shown members of the new National
Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala along with two Auxiliary Board members. At left, below, Carmen Burafato
is shown participating in a tree planting ceremony.
Twenty-two trees, including two ceibas, the national
tree of Guatemala, were presented to the city during
the convention. Others participating were: Mayor of
Huehuetenango, Director of the Federal School, the
chairman of the local assembly and Prof. Hector
Alvares.
On a recent teaching trip to an out-of-the-way village,
Bahá’ís could see a group awaiting them (center right)
as they descended the last barranco. The same group
are shown (right below) in an evening meeting. “How
challenging,” writes the pioneer, “to think that doubtless in many places, only accessible by foot or horseback, people are hungering to hear this message.”
During the convention period, a fireside meeting was
held in Chimusiniqui, nearby village (left below) and
a weekly children’s class organized there.
[Page 10]
Treasurer responds to Delegates questions.
Australian delegates study reports prior to session.
Australian Convention Benefits from New Procedure[edit]
The Australian Bahá’í Convention was the result of a communal willingness to further God’s plan. United by a common desire to extend the foundations of the new world order, they eagerly awaited the reading of the current message from the Universal House of Justice for guidance and inspiration in the second phase of the Nine Year Plan.
This year radical changes of procedure made it possible to spend more time on major issues. Subjects rather than committee reports were introduced, with the result that information and recommendations flowed smoothly. A portfolio containing duplicated copies of all available reports was presented to each delegate. Reports were submitted by the National Spiritual Assembly and the various committees. Auxiliary Board member Howard Harwood attended all sessions and gave valuable assistance and inspiration to the friends.
With the exception of Cocos Island, which contains exceptional problems, all pioneering goals have been obtained. However, the Pioneer Committee asked for assistance to meet other goals requested by the Universal House of Justice. From the Bismarck Archipelago and New Guinea Teaching Committee came news of nine new believers. Translations there are going on apace and there has scarcely been a Feast held in Rabaul without a new declaration.
The Temple Services Committee reported over 10,000 visitors during the year and a marked increase in the number of groups, both religious and social, actually attending the service. The fifty-four bronze stars stolen from the Temple entrance doors will be replaced by firmer castings.
A special publication session summarized the various books, magazines and pamphlets and ways of increasing distribution. The committee worked consistently throughout the year and sales were increased by 30%. A special report on the Herald of the South was contributed by Pam Ringwood.
David Hoffman spoke of the dignity and courtesy of the people of New Guinea, particularly in Madang. Madge Williams, well qualified to speak on aborigine teaching, stressed that false relationships and deep feelings of inferiority could only be eliminated by constant and unqualified Bahá’í love.
Bahá’ís of Australia look joyfully toward the Proclamation in 1967. While advertising may be the channel through which the public announcements are made, it will be the contagious joy of the spirit of the Bahá’ís which will have the strongest pull on the human heart.
Convention in session.
Call for Pioneers.
[Page 11]
Memorial service for Jessie Revell held in Bahá’í House of Worship, Sydney, Australia, early in May.
National Spiritual Assembly of Australia Sponsors Teacher Training Institute[edit]
Returning to a practice of earlier years, the National Assembly of Australia arranged for a teacher training institute to follow convention. It was held at the national Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. A full program was arranged, including the use of more intensive study sessions than had previously been tried on a large scale in Australia. This followed a year of careful preparation of such studies.
Auxiliary Board member, Howard Harwood, and his family worked with the group leaders, Mrs. G. Lake, Mrs. J. Vohradsky and J. Burdett to provide both intellectual and spiritual food. Talks were given on “The World Community” by Mrs. M. Harwood, “The Significance of the Universal House of Justice” by Mr. F. Khan and Miss C. Skrine. Concentrated study was made of the messages from the Universal House of Justice and the Nine Year Plan. The school closed with a devotional evening and the tape of Shirin Boman’s inspiring address to the World Congress in London, aided by comments from Howard Harwood on aborigine teaching.
Summer School Inspires South Australian Youth to Persevere in Teaching[edit]
The youth of South Australia held a special meeting following discussion at the summer school to formulate plans for teaching. It was their desire to give the message by personal contact in the Port Adelaide area and to attract people to a public meeting to be held at the town hall. They began by prayer and meditation. All concluded that it was not appropriate to go from door to door, but that they would try all means at their disposal to meet people on busses, at the seaside, in shops and other public places, and through polite conversation to introduce the subject of the Faith. Each small group worked in different areas of the city. In many cases it was possible to give out literature and to call attention to a special advertisement of the meeting in the local Messenger.
Although the youth were disappointed that none of the persons contacted attended the public meeting, they concluded that they would continue their efforts wherever their help is requested, particularly in country towns where it would likely meet with more success.
The report states that “the youth upheld the dignity of the Cause at all times” and did not mention the Faith when “a barrier of opposition was sensed.”
Monument Erected to Veteran Warriors of the Faith[edit]
The Australian National Assembly, in consultation with the Universal House of Justice, has recently erected a befitting monument to one of the most unique couples in the Bahá’í Faith, with a pioneering record rarely, if ever, equalled. Hyde and Clara Dunn, always known as Father and Mother Dunn, were among the first to answer ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s call in the Tablets of the Divine Plan which came to the American believers in 1918. They responded immediately and with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s cable “Highly commendable” resounding in their hearts, arrived in Sydney in April of 1919.
Through perseverance and complete faith, they were able to establish themselves in business, to travel and teach continuously throughout Australia and New Zealand. Fifteen years later the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and New Zealand was formed.
Seven years after witnessing this victory, Mr. Dunn passed on at age eighty-seven, posthumously named a Hand of the Cause by Shoghi Effendi. Mother Dunn served as a Hand of the Cause from her appointment in 1952 until her passing at age ninety-two in November, 1960. In the closing years of her life she witnessed the formation of the National Assembly of New Zealand as a separate institution; the acquisition of a Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in each country; an outflow of pioneers to the surrounding islands; and the greatest victory of all — the building of the first Temple of the Antipodes, near Sydney, the city where the Dunns are buried side by side.
When Hyde Dunn passed on, Shoghi Effendi called him a “veteran warrior” who reflected “the purest luster of the world historic mission conferred upon the American community by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.” Upon both Father and Mother Dunn rests the eternal honor of having brought the light of truth to a whole continent.
Monument erected at Sydney, Australia, to mark resting place of Hyde and Clara Dunn, Hands of the Cause of God.
Teacher Training Institute held in Sydney, Australia, following convention. Photo at right shows group discussion with (left to right): Mrs. J. Vohradsky, Mrs. Stella Childs, Mrs. Ursula Hall, Auxiliary Board members Mr. Howard Harwood and Miss Cynthia Skrine.
Canadian Convention Recommends Participation in Inter-Faith Projects[edit]
Bahá’ís will regard it as significant and altogether fitting that the largest interfaith conference in Canada’s history was held in the same city and hotel and during the same week as their own Nineteenth National Convention. During the two days before Bahá’ís began arriving at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, representatives of thirty-one faiths (all but one of the religions and denominations in the country) gave final approval to a variety of inter-faith projects developed by their board of directors. The Bahá’í official representatives were Douglas Martin and Lily Ann Irwin.
Equally as important as the conference’s membership was its sponsorship. It had been called together by the Canadian government, acting through its National Centennial Commission, with the object of providing a religious basis for Canada’s one hundredth birthday celebration in 1967. Each of the member organizations was encouraged to undertake its own “centennial project,” and all of them were urged as well to collaborate in several collective undertakings. It is the inter-faith projects which are of special interest to Bahá’ís, because they are so much in the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh’s injunction to “consort with men of all religions with joy and fragrance.”
A high point of this year’s convention was the delegates’ reaction to the report from our Bahá’í representatives to the inter-faith conference. After hearing the
People of many backgrounds are represented in the
Bahá’í Faith in Canada. Above are some who attended
the 1966 convention from the following ethnic groups:
Canadian Indian; English (Protestant); French (Catholic); Hindu; Canadian Eskimo; Persian; Chinese
(Buddhist); Jewish; Negro (Protestant) and Siamese
(Buddhist).
The Chateau Laurier, site of the Canadian National
Convention, 1966. The Peace Tower of the Parliament
buildings can be seen in the background.
details of the various projects being planned on both
the national and local level, the convention unanimously proposed the following action to the National Spiritual Assembly: Moved to ask the National Assembly to
establish a national committee to develop a Bahá’í
National Centennial project based on the theme, “Canada’s Spiritual Destiny”; moved to ask the National
Assembly to encourage all of the Bahá’í communities
across Canada to participate in one or more of the
inter-faith projects at the local level; moved that the
National Spiritual Assembly be asked to instruct its
delegates to the inter-faith conference that the Assembly supports the establishment of the conference as a
permanent feature of Canadian life after the Centennial
ends; moved that the National Assembly be asked to
instruct the Bahá’í delegates to the Canadian inter-faith
conference to work for full recognition of the spiritual
traditions of the Indian and Eskimo peoples of Canada.
The National Spiritual Assembly has now given its approval to these proposals, and will keep the community informed of the progress achieved on the Centennial project. At the moment it appears likely that the project will take the form of a booklet entitled “Canada’s Spiritual Mission.” It would outline both the remarkable parallels between Bahá’í and Canadian history and the substantial contributions which Canada has made toward the realization of Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of collective security in the Súrih-i-Mulúk.
The Canadian Convention, the first ever held in the nation’s capital, was climaxed when Hand of the Cause William Sears advised the delegates that he plans to move to Canada and take part in the victory campaign now in progress. For the public congress, the huge convention hall was filled to overflowing to hear Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh, international NGO representative to the United Nations for the Bahá’í International Community. She also appeared twice in television and was reported in both the English and the French press. At a special luncheon held in her honor she was introduced to a small group of government people and the press.
Conventions Spanning the Pacific[edit]
India[edit]
Hands of the Cause, Jenabe T. Samandarí, Dr. R.
Muhájir, with Kamil Abbas of ‘Iráq, attending the 37th
annual Bahá’í convention of India, April 30 - May 1, 2,
1966, New Delhi.
Alaska[edit]
Alaska Bahá’í Convention held April 23-24, Anchorage, Alaska.
New Zealand[edit]
Annual Convention in Auckland, New Zealand, April 30-May 1, 1966. Hand of the Cause for Australasia, Collis Featherstone, unable to be present, was represented by Auxiliary Board members Miss Thelma Perks of Australia and
Hugh Blundell of New Zealand. Heartened by news that the goals in Niue Island were being steadily achieved,
the Bahá’ís prepared themselves for greater efforts during the coming year.
[Page 15]
Delegates and visitors at the Third National Convention of Thailand. Seated at left is the Hand of the Cause, Collis Featherstone. In the photo at right, Collis Featherstone shows charts and photographs to the convention delegates with Sawaeng Thongsoot, member of the National Assembly, translating into Thai.
Thailand[edit]
National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand, elected at
Riḍván 1966, left to right: Mrs. Parvati Fozdar, Mrs.
Shirin Fozdar (chairman), Miss Dhanya Anapapitra
(secretary), Mr. Sawaeng Thongsoot. Back row, left to
right: Mr. Sone, Mr. Sompong, Mr. Thien Thai (treasurer), Mr. Marc Daugherty, Mr. Keith Blanding (vice-chairman).
Vietnam[edit]
Delegates to Third National Convention, Saigon, Vietnam.
Newly elected National Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís
of Vietnam, left to right: Ngo-Huu-Kinh, Quang-Dinh-Minh, Jamshed Fozdar (chairman), Truong-Liem-Dong,
Nguyen-van-Loi (vice-chairman), Le-Loc (secretary),
Dang-Binh, Nguyen-van-Nhuong, Do-Nguyen-Hanh
(treasurer).
Scenes at the Convention at Wilmette[edit]
Hand, of the Cause William Sears brings a message of
love and encouragement to the delegates and visitors
at the session on Thursday evening, April 28.
A group of delegates and visitors on the steps of the
House of Worship after one of the Convention sessions.
This picture was taken by Columbia Broadcasting System which is preparing a story on the Bahá’í Faith to
be included in the program “Lamp Unto My Feet”
which will be shown on a national program later this
year.
Sioux Indians from the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, members of the Fort Yates, North Dakota Bahá’í
Community register at the Convention. Greeting them,
at right, is Dr. Sarah M. Pereira, member of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Some of the youth who gathered at the Yacht Club,
near the House of Worship for session of discussion on
problems and challenges facing Bahá’í youth today.
Increasing Victories Bring Enthusiasm to 57th Annual Convention[edit]
Message from the Hands in Haifa[edit]
May 4, 1966
Enthusiasm was the key as delegates and friends
converged on the 57th Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís
of the United States, Riḍván 1966. There was enthusiasm to get on with the United States’ role in the
unfoldment of the Nine Year Plan, eagerness to make
convention consultation ever more effective, expectation of victories in sight.
From the opening day Thursday, when the Message of the Universal House of Justice was read, the friends felt the pulsating quality of Bahá’í life inherent in that challenging Message. On the 50th Anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Revelation of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, this convention caught that spirit anew. It is said that victories feed the Army of Bahá’u’lláh, and this convention rejoiced at reports of goals met — 24 territories opened, 4 locations resettled, 93 communities consolidated, a newly won National Spiritual Assembly of Brunei. On hearing this glorious news, the friends resolved with renewed spiritual energy to meet the challenging goals set forth in the Message.
Presence of beloved Hand of the Cause, William Sears, on opening day of the Convention, spurred delegates and visitors alike who live in this blessed American community to meet every expectation of the World Center. Mr. Sears gave a ringing reminder of the American spiritual destiny, and put the emphasis on the fact that the pace of true progress in the American republic was set to the spiritual rhythm evident from the outset of its history. This becomes ever clearer as the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh unfolds in the New World.
First Evening Dedicated To Hand Of The Cause Leroy Ioas[edit]
Evening session of opening day was dedicated by the Convention to the memory of Hand of the Cause, Leroy Ioas, whose loss is shared by believers in all parts of the world. Prayers for the Hands of the Cause were followed by prayers for unity raised in Spanish, Korean, Sioux, German, Persian, and English. There were members of the Auxiliary Board present, representing the Hands. Their loving attention was evident throughout the entire convention. In the Message of the Hands to the National Spiritual Assemblies of the United States, Canada, and Alaska, there was rejoicing in calling to mind the glorious events of Riḍván 103 years ago, and encouragement for the friends in the continuous expansion and teaching the glorious Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, and in fulfilling the command for universal participation in completing the many tasks of the Nine Year Plan.
Loving encouragement was extended by the Auxiliary Board members to all the believers in the teaching efforts that lie ahead. Mr. Sears reminded all that teaching was always dear to the heart of Mr. Ioas, whose counsel had been invaluable in many previous conventions here. The convention was given further impetus to meet goals when a cable from our sister community of Alaska reported all Nine Year Plan goals for that area had been fulfilled. The need for the United States’ community to carry its role fully was increasingly clear in the words of Mr. Habíb Sabet, member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Írán, visiting the United States’ convention, because the Bahá’ís of Írán were forbidden to meet in their National Convention this year. Restrictions on the Faith in Írán have only increased the unity of the believers, and inspired the friends to overcome each new obstacle.
Financial Challenges to Believers In This Country[edit]
With appreciation of the full freedom to teach the Faith in this country, the delegates consulted upon financial challenges inherent in the tasks set forth by the Message. Each assignment requires funds, the Pioneer program, the preparation for the expansion anticipated in the Third Phase of the Plan, and in the development of the Panama Temple Fund. In consultation on the Treasurer’s report with these goals clearly in focus, it was recognized that when assemblies and individual believers truly know the glory of this Faith, the flow and outpouring of funds will come. Thus, it is clear that deepening of new believers in the maturity of Bahá’í giving is of primary importance. Sacrificial giving strengthens both the believer and the entire Bahá’í World.
As foreign goals were announced, the need for increasing support for the various Funds was evident; both spiritual seeds and material seeds need to be planted in order to have fully operative teaching programs for the latter years of the Nine Year Plan. This stage will be set with the Intercontinental Conferences beginning in October 1967, with the Centenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Messages to the kings and rulers, and will conclude in 1973. That these foreign goals must be met and held was made clear to the convention as a new period of world-wide proclamation of the Faith approaches, and the need for increasing Deputization Funds was obvious.
Organizational Innovations Presented To Delegates[edit]
In the effort to gear the American Bahá’í community to its ever-increasing expansion and consolidation tasks, the convention approved the organizational innovations
[Page 18]
which fused the National Teaching Committee and the
Community Development Committee under the banner
of the National Goals Committee. The convention heard
outlines for new State Goals Committees, based on
Bahá’í electoral districts, with expectation of increasing co-operation between adjacent areas. Additional teachers will be travelling in the expansion and
consolidation efforts, and as always, Bahá’í teamwork
will continue to be the key to success in the year ahead.
Evidence of teaching success was seen in the attendance of increased numbers of our American Indian believers. It was heart-warming and the convention was reminded that the Indians were beloved by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, cherished by Shoghi Effendi, and essential to the American community. The vision of Chief Black Hawk was vividly recalled “that one day all the small groups will be combined around the Tree of Life (Bahá’u’lláh)”.
Simultaneous Sessions For Visitors And Youth[edit]
Following recommendations of last year’s convention, and recognizing the growing needs of the visitors and youth who attend the convention each year, on Saturday, there were simultaneous sessions for non-delegates at a college auditorium nearby, and for the youth in spacious accommodations made available to the Bahá’ís at the yacht club adjacent to the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds. Adult Bahá’í visitors, many newer believers, benefitted from extended consultation on the Message from the Universal House of Justice, and the tasks of the American Bahá’í community. They heard vivid accounts of the United Nations and learned of its functions, tasks and triumphs as the organization fulfills its role in directing the world efforts towards the lesser peace. Increased understanding and appreciation of the United Nations should be a personal assignment of all believers.
In youth sessions, planned and programmed largely by youth to give attention and discussion to their own needs and problems, one saw a bright picture of tomorrow’s adult Bahá’í community in the bud. Their serious concerns for Teaching, Pioneering, Service Projects, and personal spiritual development were dealt with in mature consultation. There was ample time for the fun and fellowship that filled the young people with rich memories to store and carry to communities and campuses across the country. They were reminded that the Bahá’í Faith offers a spiritual dynamic not to be found anywhere else, and they were called upon to cherish this unique responsibility in this day.
Inescapable Sacred Duties Have Been Assigned[edit]
The mounting crescendo of Bahá’í love and the zeal to carry out assignments given the American community were evident in each day’s developments. Inescapable sacred duties have been spelled out; unswerving attention must be devoted to them. The Bahá’í unity to complete these goals is not personality directed unity but the unity in the love of Bahá’u’lláh, and obedience to the tasks begins with this keystone, the love of Bahá’u’lláh. It was noteworthy that this unity was evident in the many unanimous and harmonious decisions reached after consultation in convention. Recognition was given to the National Spiritual Assembly and the Auxiliary Board members present, representing “both halves of the team of Bahá’u’lláh”, each body complementing the other’s role.
Tribute was paid in convention at the beautiful Riḍván Feast to those two devoted servants of the Cause whose passing occurred recently. Dr. ‘Alí Kuli Khán was a figure of importance in the American Bahá’í community from the time he was secretary and interpreter for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and throughout the period when his firmness in the Covenant was a beacon for the believers, to the end of his long life of dedicated teaching and writing.
Tribute was given to Miss Jessie Revell, whose entire life was devotion to the Cause, who served the Guardian and the World Center with such a love that it inspired all who came into contact with her.
National Spiritual Assembly Elected[edit]
Leading the United States’ Bahá’í community for the coming year will be the National Assembly comprised of Chairman, Dr. Daniel Jordan; Vice-chairman, Robert Quigley; Secretary, Dr. David S. Ruhe; Assistant Secretary, Miss Charlotte Linfoot; Recording Secretary, Miss Edna True; Treasurer, Arthur L. Dahl and Dr. Sarah M. Pereira, Paul Pettit, and Dr. Dwight Allen. At the prayerful, quiet election held on Friday afternoon, all of last year’s members were re-elected, but in a special election held Saturday, Dr. Dwight Allen was chosen to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Dr. Kazemzadeh. He had submitted his resignation to the National Spiritual Assembly upon his re-election because he will be out of the country for several months during the coming year.
The friends, strengthened with the confirmation of the enthusiasm they brought to the convention, heard exciting news of the growing status of the Faith in the country, in increasing attention being given in national and regional publications and in various communications media. The resumption of publishing of World Order Magazine, the additional publications planned to assist the teaching programs, and the greater energies devoted to national recognition of the Faith all gave the 1227 delegates and visitors present over 1200 ways to go back to their communities and live the life, with the closing words of the Convention ringing in their hearts. (From Gleanings, P. 196-97) “O friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny.... With the utmost unity and in a spirit of perfect fellowship, exert yourselves that ye may be enabled to achieve that which beseemeth this Day of God. Strife and dissension, and whatsoever the mind of man abhorreth are entirely unworthy of his station. Center your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God.... Please God ye may all be strengthened to carry out that which is the Will of God and may be graciously assisted to appreciate the rank conferred upon such of His loved ones as has arisen to serve Him and magnify His name....”
[Page 19]
Bahá’í display at the International Fair in Nice, France, March 3-14. Some 5,000 people visited the display and
4,000 pieces of literature were given away. Many interested persons discussed the Faith with Mme. Gaertner,
secretary of the Nice Assembly, Mr. Sananse, also of Nice, Mme. Samimi, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of France and Dr. A. Navidi, Auxiliary Board member. Several people are now attending Bahá’í firesides
in Nice and Monaco. Both of these communities are enthusiastically planning to sponsor a similar event when the
fair takes place next year.
Bahá’í display in Carmel, California held during the
first two weeks in April and marking the fiftieth anniversary of the revelation of the first of the Tablets of
the Divine Plan by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Much literature about
the Faith was given out from this information center
and many people heard of the Faith for the first time.
Norwegian Bahá’ís Pay Tribute to Johanna Schubarth[edit]
Some months ago the National Assembly of Norway along with other Bahá’ís visited the grave of Johanna Schubarth in Oslo, Norway. Shortly after her passing on December 1, 1952, Shoghi Effendi spoke of her long record of devoted service and called her the “mother of the Norwegian Bahá’í Community ... the founder of the Faith in that country.” He said: “Only future generations will be able to properly appraise the value of the great service which she has rendered at such a critical time in the history of the Faith, and under such difficult conditions....”
Although born in Norway, Johanna learned of the Bahá’í Faith in Urbana, Illinois. Later she returned to Norway, and under the guidance of Shoghi Effendi remained there from 1927 to the end of her life. One of the outstanding tasks she performed was the translation of Hidden Words, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era, and other Bahá’í literary works into Norwegian. To perfect herself in the Norwegian language she studied at the university and took the examination when she was past fifty years of age.
Although she suffered many physical hardships during the years of World War II, she was uncomplaining. In 1946 she welcomed the pioneers sent by the European Teaching Committee and, combining her efforts with theirs, assisted in the formation of the Oslo Assembly in April, 1948, the first in Norway. A more detailed account of her life, including something of her childhood in a Norwegian whaling town, can be found in Bahá’í World, Volume XII, pages 694-696. Not only the Bahá’ís of Norway, but of all the world partake of the heritage of one who was, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, a “rare soul, ... entirely consecrated to the Faith and completely devoted to its service.”
Norwegian Bahá’ís visiting grave of Johanna Schubarth, founder of the Bahá’í Community of Norway.
Inter-Religious Conference in San Diego[edit]
A conference, said to be the first of its kind ever held took place in San Diego, California on May 14 and 15, 1966 when, at the University of San Diego an inter-religious conference on “Moral Power for Peace” was attended by about 200 persons from each of nine religious organizations in the area. The sponsoring bodies included: San Diego Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, Bahá’í communities of San Diego County, the Society of Friends, Unitarian-Universalist Fellowships of San Diego County, The Buddhist Study Center, the Vedanta Society of Southern California and a spokesman for Islám.
Through workshop technique discussion took place in small groups, the subject often beginning with specific questions such as the present day world situation and going on to general topics like world peace, interreligious cooperation, etc. Some of the questions taken up included: The barriers and gateways to interreligious action for peace, what they are and how the barriers may be overcome; Programs of action and education through religious communities; What is moral power and how does it fit with use of other types of power? A few of the conclusions reached were: There is great need for: education to eliminate prejudice and ignorance; better communications; uniform system of measurement and an auxiliary language; a new force for personal and social action.
The Bahá’í Faith was well represented at the Conference, both in the planning stage and at every step of its execution. And at the two dinner hours the Bahá’ís enjoyed the opportunity to become acquainted with members of all the world’s great religions, both clerical and laymen. During the inter-religious panel at the conference, when the teachings of each Faith represented were briefly presented, the Bahá’í participant, Fred Littman, showed beautifully the universal appeal of the Faith stressing the spiritual responsibility of the individual as well as the collective goals of the Faith.
A high point of the conference for the Bahá’ís was when they led the devotions for one of the sessions, bringing the living creative words of Bahá’u’lláh directly to the audience and demonstrating the spirit of true brotherly love and harmonious cooperation which is such an outstanding characteristic of the Faith. This service brought to the lips of one of those attending, a Jewish woman, the spontaneous comment, “That was not just a service — that was an experience.”
The Bahá’ís of San Diego with the help of friends from Los Angeles were happy to be active participants at every step of this precedent-setting conference, and in the plans which are now being made for future activities of this group. A thirty-minute television program was taped, including spokesmen for Christian, Jewish and Bahá’í Faiths, which will be shown at a later date.
It was the strong and happy feeling of the Bahá’ís who took part that the conference was a great success in that it engendered a spirit which is bound to help in the mighty task of creating world understanding and brotherhood — that, in the words of one believer — “Bahá’u’lláh was with us all the way.”
[Page 21]
This picture which appeared in the Huntsville Times
shows members of the Huntsville, Alabama Bahá’í Community presenting books to the Public Library representative. This gift of seventeen Bahá’í books included a copy of The Dawn-Breakers and consists of ten books for the adult department and seven for the children’s section of the Public Library.
Bahá’ís of Cobb County, Georgia honor National Library Week by presenting twenty-four Bahá’í books to
the local Public Library. Mrs. Ruth Engler, Secretary
of the Board of Directors of the library is shown in center with Mrs. Taube Slate (left) and Mrs. Elaine Eilers,
both of whom are members of the local Bahá’í group.
The library has requested books about the Faith because of the inquiries received.
Swarthmore United Nations Fair[edit]
Bahá’ís in and near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania participated in the United Nations Family Fair held in Swarthmore on April 16, 1966. The Swarthmore Committee for the United Nations asked Joyce Perry, one of the two in the Swarthmore Bahá’í group, to represent the Bahá’ís in its planning sessions in preparations for the Fair. Booths showing the functions of various United Nations agencies were prepared by clubs, service groups, civic organizations and churches. The Bahá’í booth was on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and contained posters and literature, including Bahá’í literature as well as pictures of Bahá’í groups. This effort brought excellent publicity to the Faith and helped to show that Bahá’ís are happy to support the United Nations at any time of year, not just on United Nations Day and also that even a group of two Bahá’ís can take an active part in a community affair.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Stamford, Connecticut, incorporated in April, 1966. Seated, left to right: Belle Lennox, Eleanore Szanto, Christine Frazzetta, Maryan Sommer. Standing, left to right: Richard Tomarelli, Patricia Tomarelli, Gerald Curwin, Mildred Mottahedeh, Marguerite Luckinbill.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Green Bay, Wisconsin, incorporated March 2, 1966. Seated, left to
right: Mrs. Alvina Moellendorf, Conrad Heleniak, Gene
Browning, Dr. Jean Bonn. Standing, left to right: Miss
Florence Delany, Dr. Eduard Bonn, Mrs. Pamella
Melendy, Miss Irene Servais, Mrs. Mary Heleniak.
Two Bahá’í Delegations at Recent United Nations Conference[edit]
Both the Bahá’í International Community and the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States were represented by delegations at the recent Annual Conference for the Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations Office of Public Information held May 12-13 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. NGOs are accredited to the United Nations to disseminate information about the organization to their memberships. By listening to lectures and panels and by asking questions the representatives were enlightened on the theme, “The United Nations — A Changing Institution.” The United Nations reflects the world and therefore, as the world changes, so does the United Nations. With fifty-one new nations in the world having achieved independence since the birth of the UN, membership in the organization has more than doubled. It was admitted that our ability to learn to live with each other has not kept up with technology.
U Thant, Secretary-General, emphasized that the UN is intended to build and maintain the peace. Yet it will be as strong or as weak as its member states want it to be. Today it is not strong enough to do all that the Charter intends that it should.
The Bahá’ís well understood what Edward Lawson of the Division of Human Rights was saying when he said that human rights begin in small places close to the heart and they cannot be seen on the map of the world. The participants were made fully aware that grave problems remain to be solved. They include questions of sovereignty, law, disarmament and finances.
The representatives for the Bahá’ís International Community were Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh, Salvatore A. Pelle and Mrs. Etta Mae Mikhael. The delegation representing the Bahá’ís of the United States included Mrs. Florence Steinhauer, Mrs. Belle Lennox, Mrs. Louise Wold, Mrs. Lola Donaldson and Mrs. Annamarie Honnold.
Bahá’í Success At Berkeley Freedom Festival[edit]
A Public School Freedom Festival, sponsored by the Inter-Group Education Council of the Berkeley, California, Unified School District, was a very unique opportunity for the Berkeley Community to distribute information and material about the Faith. The Festival’s theme was “The Struggle For Freedom” and participating organizations were asked to create displays of their contributions to this universal endeavor.
The Berkeley Community’s display was concerned with the Bahá’í principles of freedom from disunity and strife, from extremes of poverty, from national and racial prejudice, and the freedom of religion and independent investigation of truth. A large pictorial display of these principles surrounded a table of Bahá’í books and pamphlets. Literally hundreds of these were distributed during the two day festival.
Much praise was given the display by the Festival directors and its hundreds of spectators, who came from all over the San Francisco Bay Area. The Berkeley Community feels that this is a most unique and exciting way to reach many hundreds of people, and hopes to repeat this project at similar functions in the future.
Those Bahá’ís responsible for the planning and execution of the exhibit are Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Deuberry, Don Boykin, Rich Richardson, Nancy Dols, Kit Dols, Andre Lanzaro and Jim Knudsen.
Connecticut Baha’i Week Held in April[edit]
Left: Bookmobile which toured the State before and during “Connecticut Bahá’í Week” and which attracted many to the Faith, shown in Stamford with Bahá’ís (left to right): Mrs. Gail Curwin, Mrs. Belle Lennox, Jeff Sommer and Gerald Curwin. Right: Participating in public meeting in Stamford, Connecticut, were (left to right): Mrs. Carol Rutstein, leader of choral group, Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh, speaker, Charles H. Durant, III, guest speaker, Jordan Sommer, reader, Mrs. Hilda Dudley, chairman of the meeting.
New Local Spiritual Assemblies[edit]
Local Spiritual Assembly of St. Croix, Virgin Islands
formed at Riḍván 1966. This is a goal area of the Bahá’ís of the United States to be included under the new
National Spiritual Assembly to be established at
Riḍván 1967.
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Santa Barbara-Goleta, J.D., California, formed April 21, 1966.
Front, left to right: J. P. Inman, Mrs. Gayle Morrison,
Mrs. Sue Bingwall, Arthur Lyon Dahl (treasurer).
Rear, left to right: Andrew Hilton, Mrs. Susan Hilton
(corresponding secretary), Gary Morrison (vice-chairman), Mrs. Margot Malkin (recording secretary), Seymour Malkin (chairman).
Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Meriden,
Connecticut formed at Riḍván, 1966. Seated, left to
right: Dr. Anselm Schurgast (vice-chairman); Allah K.
Kalantar (chairman); Mrs. Emilie M. Kalantar (secretary); Kenneth E. Kalantar (treasurer). Standing,
left to right: Mrs. Gerry Schurgast (librarian), Mrs.
Gertrude Ceballos, Antonio Ceballos, Mrs. Rilla Pollidoro, Mrs. Eleonora Kalantar.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Alexandria, Louisiana,
formed April 21, 1966. Standing, left to right: Lawrence
Alexander, Ronald S. Paul, Ronald R. Lucero, John J.
Towels. Seated, left to right: Mrs. Lura Rouse, Mrs.
Mary Smith, Mrs. Zora Towels, Mrs. Sandra Lucero,
Mrs. Zora Banks.
Local Spiritual Assembly of Richmond, California,
formed at Riḍván, 1966. Back row, left to right: Mrs.
Donna Dones, Mrs. Kathy Rafaat, Mehdi Radpour,
Leona Coles, Nathelle Steimetz. Front, left to right:
J. E. Wilkinson, Ata Rafaat, Bill Henderson, Thommy
Sims.
News Briefs[edit]
An outstanding meeting with Vinson Brown as speaker took place in Denver, Colorado on April 26, with all surrounding communities helping. At least one hundred people were there, including eighteen Indians who came in response to a personal invitation from Elizabeth Clark. Elizabeth has been making friends in surrounding Indian Reservations with individuals for many years and this meeting, with several Indians taking part in the program, was the reward of her long-term efforts. Fifty percent of the audience at the Denver meeting were not Bahá’ís and Vinson Brown spoke entertainingly about Indians and Indian lore as well as giving the Bahá’í message in a way that attracted the visitors to wish to learn more.
“American Indian Prophecies of This Day” was the subject on which Vinson Brown addressed the audience at Wichita, Kansas on April 25, 1966. This is the largest and most successful public meeting yet held by the Bahá’ís in Wichita and marked their first successful contact with the Indians of that area. Good publicity, including a radio interview and newspaper announcements and pictures accompanied this teaching effort and the believers were happy to accept an invitation to a forthcoming Indian pow-wow.
|
Correction: The address given below is the present correct address and telephone number for the Bahá’í Center in New York City. Please note this correction as it applies to the item on page 2 of U.S. SUPPLEMENT for May, 1966.
|
Color pictures of Bahá’í places and people are now available. These glorious color enlargements are excellent for teaching, and for displays and decorations in Bahá’í homes, centers and schools.
The color enlargements have a matte spray finish to reduce glare and prolong life, and are mounted on cardboard for added protection.
There are views of the four houses of worship (Wilmette, Kampala, Sydney, Frankfurt), Shrine of the Báb, Bahá’ís gathered on Mt. Carmel in front of Archives Building during the first International Bahá’í convention April 1963, a lovely scene of Haifa from Mt. Carmel with International Archives Building and Shrine of the Báb in foreground.
Prices for these unframed color enlargements range from $3.50 for a 5 x 7 inch size to $15.00 for a 16 x 20 inch size.
Write to BAHÁ’Í DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Ill. 60091 for a complete descriptive brochure.
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 MEETINGS
- July 1-4
- August 12-15
Baha’i House of Worship[edit]
- Daily
- 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Sundays
- 3:30 to 4:00 p.m.
- Sundays
- 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, 112 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. 60091.
