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No. 449

BAHA’I YEAR 125

AUGUST, 1968

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Eleven Continental Boards Appointed

Universal House of Justice Announces Further Development of
Institution of the Hands of the Cause

To the Bahá’ís of the World

Dear Bahá’í Friends,

The majestic unfoldment of Bahá’u’lláh’s world-redeeming administrative system has been marked by the successive establishment of the various institutions and agencies which constitute the framework of that divinely-created Order. Thus, more than a quarter-of-a-century after the emergence of the first National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’í world the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God was formally established, with the appointment by the beloved Guardian, in conformity with the provisions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament, of the first contingent of these high-ranking officers of the Faith. Following the passing of the Guardian of the Cause of God, it fell to the House of Justice to devise a way, within the Administrative Order, of developing “the Institution of the Hands of the Cause with a view to extension into the future of its appointed functions of protection and propagation”, and this was made a goal of the Nine Year Plan. Much thought and study has been given to the question over the past four years, and the texts have been collected and reviewed. During the last two months, this goal, as announced in our cable to the National Conventions, has been the object of prolonged and prayerful consultation between the Universal House of Justice and the Hands of the Cause of God. All this made evident the framework within which this goal was to be achieved, namely:

• The Universal House of Justice sees no way in which additional Hands of the Cause of God can be appointed.

• The absence of the Guardian of the Faith brought about an entirely new relationship between the Universal House of Justice and the Hands of the Cause and called for the progressive unfoldment by the Universal House of Justice of the manner in which the Hands of the Cause would carry out their divinely-conferred functions of protection and propagation.

• Whatever new development or institution is initiated should come into operation as soon as possible in order to reinforce and supplement the work of the Hands of the Cause while at the same time taking full advantage of the opportunity of having the Hands themselves assist in launching and guiding the new procedures.

• Any such institution must grow and operate in harmony with the principles governing the functioning of the Institution of the Hands of the Cause of God.

In the light of these considerations the Universal House of Justice decided, as announced in its recent cable, to establish Continental Boards of Counsellors for the protection and propagation of the Faith. Their duties will include directing the Auxiliary Boards in their respective areas, consulting and collaborating with National Spiritual Assemblies, and keeping the Hands of the Cause and the Universal House of Justice informed concerning the conditions of the Cause in their areas.

Initially eleven Boards of Counsellors have been appointed, one for each of the following areas: Northwestern Africa, Central and East Africa, Southern Africa, North America, Central America, South America, Western Asia, Southeastern Asia, Northeastern Asia, Australasia and Europe.

The members of these Boards of Counsellors will serve for a term, or terms, the length of which will be determined and announced at a later date, and while serving in this capacity, will not be eligible for membership on national or local administrative bodies. One member of each Continental Board of Counsellors has been designated as Trustee of the Continental Fund for its area.

The Auxiliary Boards for Protection and Propagation will henceforth report to the Continental Boards of Counsellors who will appoint or replace members of the Auxiliary Boards as circumstances may require. Such

[Page 2] appointments and replacements as may be necessary in the initial stages will take place after consultation with the Hand or Hands previously assigned to the continent or zone.

The Hands of the Cause of God have the prerogative and obligation to consult with the Continental Boards of Counsellors and National Spiritual Assemblies on any subject which, in their view, affects the interests of the Cause. The Hands residing in the Holy Land will act as liaison between the Universal House of Justice and the Continental Boards of Counsellors, and will also assist the Universal House of Justice in setting up, at a propitious time, an international teaching center in the Holy Land, as anticipated in the Guardian’s writings.

The Hands of the Cause of God are one of the most precious assets the Bahá’í world possesses. Released from administration of the Auxiliary Boards, they will be able to concentrate their energies on the more primary responsibilities of general protection and propagation, “preservation of the spiritual health of the Bahá’í communities” and “the vitality of the faith” of the Bahá’ís throughout the world. The House of Justice will call upon them to undertake special missions on its behalf, to represent it on both Bahá’í and other occasions and to keep it informed of the welfare of the Cause. While the Hands of the Cause will, naturally, have special concern for the affairs of the Cause in the areas in which they reside, they will operate increasingly on an intercontinental level, a factor which will lend tremendous impetus to the diffusion throughout the Bahá’í world of the spiritual inspiration channelled through them — the Chief Stewards of Bahá’u’lláh’s embryonic World Commonwealth.

With joyful hearts we proclaim this further unfoldment of the Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh and join our prayers to those of the friends throughout the East and the West that Bahá’u’lláh may continue to shower His confirmations upon the efforts of His servants in the safeguarding and promotion of His Faith.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,
THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTER
HAIFA, ISRAEL
JUNE 24, 1968

MEMBERSHIP OF FIRST CONTINENTAL BOARDS OF COUNSELLORS

The Universal House of Justice has announced the names of those who have been appointed to the first Continental Boards of Counsellors for the Protection and Propagation of the Faith as follows:

NORTHWESTERN AFRICA

Ḥusayn Ardikání (Trustee, Continental Fund), Muḥammad Kebdani, William Maxwell.

CENTRAL AND EAST AFRICA

Oloro Epyeru, Kolonario Oule, Isobel Sabri, Mihdí Samandarí, ‘Azíz Yazdí (Trustee, Continental Fund).

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Seewoosumbur-Jeehoba Appa, Shidán Fatḥ-i-A‘ẓam (Trustee, Continental Fund), Bahíyyih Ford.

NORTH AMERICA

Lloyd Gardiner, Florence Mayberry, Edna True (Trustee, Continental Fund).

CENTRAL AMERICA

Carmen de Burafato, Artemus Lamb, Alfred Osborne (Trustee, Continental Fund).

SOUTH AMERICA

Athos Costas, Hooper Dunbar (Trustee, Continental Fund), Donald Witzel.

WESTERN ASIA

Masíḥ Farhangí, Mas‘úd Khamsí, Ḥádí Raḥmání (Trustee, Continental Fund), Manúchihr Salmánpúr, Sankaran-Nair Vasudevan.

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Yan Kee Leong, Khudáraḥm Paymán (Trustee, Continental Fund), Chellie Sundram.

NORTHEAST ASIA

Rúḥu’lláh Mumtází (Trustee, Continental Fund), Vicente Samaniego.

AUSTRALASIA

Suhayl ‘Alá’í, Howard Harwood, Thelma Perks (Trustee, Continental Fund).

EUROPE

Erik Blumenthal, Dorothy Ferraby (Trustee, Continental Fund), Louis Hénuzet.

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The announcement of the momentous decision of The Universal House of Justice was sent by cablegram to all national spiritual assemblies on June 21 as follows:

REJOICE ANNOUNCE MOMENTOUS DECISION ESTABLISH ELEVEN CONTINENTAL BOARDS COUNSELLORS PROTECTION PROPAGATION FAITH THREE EACH FOR AFRICA AMERICAS ASIA ONE EACH FOR AUSTRALASIA EUROPE. ADOPTION THIS SIGNIFICANT STEP FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH HANDS CAUSE GOD INSURES EXTENSION FUTURE APPOINTED FUNCTIONS THEIR INSTITUTION. CONTINENTAL BOARDS ENTRUSTED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION HANDS CAUSE WITH RESPONSIBILITY DIRECTION AUXILIARY BOARDS AND CONSULTATION NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES. HANDS CAUSE GOD WILL HENCEFORTH INCREASE INTERCONTINENTAL SERVICES ASSUMING WORLDWIDE ROLE PROTECTION PROPAGATION FAITH. MEMBERS AUXILIARY BOARDS WILL REPORT BE RESPONSIBLE TO CONTINENTAL BOARDS COUNSELLORS. HANDS CAUSE RESIDING HOLY LAND IN ADDITION SERVING LIAISON BETWEEN UNIVERSAL HOUSE JUSTICE AND CONTINENTAL BOARDS COUNSELLORS WILL ASSIST FUTURE ESTABLISHMENT INTERNATIONAL TEACHING CENTER HOLY LAND FORESHADOWED WRITINGS BELOVED GUARDIAN. DETAILS NEW DEVELOPMENTS BEING CONVEYED BY LETTER. FERVENTLY SUPPLICATING HOLY THRESHOLD DIVINE CONFIRMATIONS FURTHER STEP IRRESISTIBLE UNFOLDMENT MIGHTY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER BAHÁ’U’LLÁH (Signed) UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE.

[Page 3]

Beautification of the Properties at the World Center

Bahjí from the air looking northwest. Photo taken May 4, 1967.

At the International Bahá’í Convention at the World Center April 21-24, 1968 The Universal House of Justice distributed to the members of all National Spiritual Assemblies copies of a complete summary of the progress of the Faith and of a statistical survey showing the goals attained up to April 1968 under the Nine Year International Teaching Plan both at the World Center and through the Bahá’í world.

It is hoped that this compilation will soon be available in a printed version for the entire Bahá’í world.

The first section of the book reports the current status of the World Center goals, one of which is the extension of existing gardens and preservation of the buildings on Mount Carmel. A very beautiful narrated slide program on the gardens and properties at the World Center will soon be available. Meanwhile the following paragraphs quoted from the statistical book will acquaint the believers around the world with the work that has been accomplished thus far on this World Center goal:

THE EXTENSION OF EXISTING GARDENS ON MOUNT CARMEL

As those who have visited the Holy Shrines in Bahjí and on Mount Carmel well know, the Bahá’í properties in those areas are very extensive, approaching 550,000 square metres. Much less than half this total area has been developed into gardens and therefore it must be realized that any plan for the extension of the gardens and the beautification of the surroundings of the Holy Shrines may well take many years to implement.

Development at Bahji

For many years extending back to the time of the first International Bahá’í Council attempts have been made to close the unpaved road which ran close by the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh and bisected the Bahá’í property. This has now been accomplished and the road has been re-routed so as to permit the extension of the formal gardens to the east of the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh. The pattern will be similar to the quadrant of the Ḥaram-i-Aqdas. Also sufficient ground lies to the south and west for the development of the other two quadrants, thus completing the circumference of the gardens around the Holy Shrine in future. Plans have also been made for a new entrance making for a more direct approach to the gardens from the main road. Closing the unpaved road has also made it possible to erect a fence completely around our property, thus giving a measure of protection to the gardens.

Mt. Carmel

A distinguished Bahá’í architect was called to the Holy Land on two occasions by The Universal House of Justice to prepare a concept for the extension of the gardens above the Shrine of the Báb and the Archives Building, and in this connection a photogrammetric survey was obtained. Based upon this survey the architect prepared tentative plans for the extension of the gardens and contacts have been made with both the Haifa Municipality and the Government of the State of Israel looking toward the adoption of definite plans for the development of the area in consonance with the wishes expressed by the beloved Guardian. Beyond

[Page 4] this, extended improvements have already been made, such as, the fencing of property on Mt. Carmel, including the Temple site; the development of gardens and parking lots adjacent to the Pilgrim House; the paving of the Arc; the building of a wall and the extension of the sidewalk along UNO Avenue adjacent to our gardens and adding new soil to higher levels of the gardens where erosion had taken place. The Guardian’s plan for the floodlighting of the Archives Building was implemented, the floodlighting of the Shrine of the Báb and the Monument Gardens was extended, and all of the electrical circuits in the gardens were rewired.

Holy Places and Other Buildings

One of the first decisions which had to be taken by The Universal House of Justice related to making provisions for its own offices. This was accomplished by converting the Western Pilgrim House into offices and by remodeling the Eastern Pilgrim House to accommodate both Eastern and Western pilgrims. Practically all the Holy Places and other buildings have had to undergo extensive repairs and maintenance during the past five years. Included are the following projects: re-tiling the roof of the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh and re-building the portico of the Shrine, re-roofing the Pilgrim Houses in both Bahjí and Haifa, repainting the Mansion at Bahjí and the House of ‘Abbúd in ‘Akká, and painting and gilding of ornamentation on the Shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb and the various gates and ornaments in the gardens at Bahjí and on Mt. Carmel. The flat roof of the Shrine of the Báb was also repaired and extensive repairs had to be made to the eastern wing of the terrace in front of the Shrine of the Báb due to the collapse of a retaining wall.

‘Amatu’l Baha Rúḥíyyih Khánum Visits Latin America

(concluded)

Departure for Colombia

On the scheduled day of departure for Colombia the National Spiritual Assembly vehicle with its pioneer driver had still not returned from Maracaibo, so Rúḥíyyih Khánum and her entourage of four struck camp and made two burro loads to be carried the equivalent of three long blocks to the highway over the soft sand road. Two Guajira teachers, Ana Josefa Pirela and Cecilia Aguarán went along as interpreters. Fortunately a station wagon taxi operated by the nephew of one of the Bahá’ís came along shortly and arrangements were made for transportation all the way to Maicao, Colombia. There the Colombian National Spiritual Assembly Jeep was not at hand as expected so the luggage was piled into a bus for a two hour dusty ride over a rough stony road at high velocity to Riohacha, the hot and sandy seashore town near where is located Villa Raḥmat, the Guajiro Indian Institute. It was well after dark, Friday February 29 when the party arrived. Saturday night Rúḥíyyih Khánum showed slides of her Panama, Bolivia, and Argentina Indian area visits to about thirty Riohacha adult and children Bahá’ís. Sunday afternoon she gave a stimulating talk to about twenty adults and many more children from the Guajiro Indian and Riohacha communities, which delighted both believers and visitors.

The next day the party, now two carloads, including: Creadell Haley who had arrived from Venezuela with the National Spiritual Assembly vehicle; Olavo Novaes, resident pioneer; and Lew and Betty Toomes, pioneers to Colombia for many years, and serving as representatives of the Colombia community; traveled a wandering beach road over the dunes and flats five hours to Manaure and the vicinity of the salt reservoirs. Here twice a year thousands of Guajiros congregate to be employed for the salt harvest. As many as 350 believers have been enrolled in a weekend here with two or three teaching teams. Later at Bogotá, Rúḥíyyih Khánum encouraged the National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia to take good advantage of this opportunity every year to enroll large numbers of these spiritually receptive people.

While viewing the breathtaking beauty of the glistening white of the salt areas and the delicate wine color of the nearly evaporated sea water in other manmade lagoons, the Bahá’í party attracted a group of Guajiros. From hearing just a bit of the teachings, one lady invited everyone to her house to talk with her family and hang the hammocks for the night, if they wished. It turned out that there was no adequate hammock area, and so, while the Venezuelan friends and the Auxiliary Board member talked with the family and neighbors, the rest of the party went off searching for a camping location. By the time Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Lew Toomes returned, the Indian Bahá’í teachers had enrolled five new believers.

The camp-out site selected was one of the windmills that dot the landscape of the Colombian Guajira and upon which the Indians depend for their existence. During the night time lull, the water source was the long concrete animal trough. When there was a breeze, the clean water spouted out into the trough from a three inch pipe. Cooking of supper and breakfast were communal projects, that of breakfast somewhat more complicated by the fact that it was done before dawn for the benefit of those who were fasting. The early rising and the late talking and the fact that Olavo Novaes had to be taken by car at 2:30 a.m. to town to catch a bus to get him on his way to the mountain area of the Motilone Indians to make preparations for Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s arrival there, reduced the sleeping time considerably and whittled down further the reserves of Rúḥíyyih Khánum already depleted by so many months of changing environments and climates.

[Page 5] Rúḥíyyih Khánum with Guajiros and Riohacho Bahá’ís at Villa Rahmat.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum descending a steep incline to a Yúko rancheria, high in the Andes mountains of Colombia.

Meeting Educated Guajiro

The next day the party moved on to the next town, Uribia, on the search for Bahá’ís and also a chinchorro for Rúḥíyyih Khánum, who was finding her borrowed hammock just about impossible for sleeping. Both were very elusive, especially since Olavo, the only one supposed to know the area, had left. Finally, returning to a windmill on a tip that there were Bahá’ís in the vicinity, the party was greeted by a young, educated Guajiro teacher of elementary school, Guillermo Estrada, who quickly fell in with the spirit of the Teachings. Rúḥíyyih Khánum was especially touched by his emphatic statement that “We Guajiros have always believed in God!” And he surprised everyone by saying that he, being very interested in religion, had read the Koran, but had not been able to find anything in Spanish from the Book of Zoroaster. After establishing excellent relations with Sr. Estrada and departing, Rúḥíyyih Khánum expressed the hope that this contact was the reason for what otherwise seemed like a long, difficult and useless journey. She encouraged the young teacher to provide his people with a written language to teach the children and adults, that this is the only way to save a people from losing their self respect and individuality, so that they can as a unit salvage their God-given qualities, attributes, and spiritual knowledge and contribute them to mankind. She said later in meetings with Bahá’ís that she hopes that this will be the gift of the Bahá’ís to the indigenous peoples. “I believe with all my heart that one of the things the Bahá’ís must do is teach them to read and write in their own language first. We would not be creating division. There is a great difference between division and nationalism and helping people to have self-respect and dignity. The Guajiros have nothing distinctive. If they don’t have their own language, they disintegrate. If the Guardian said we should translate into different languages, it must have been for a reason. I never asked him, but I suspect that it was to give them self-respect for their language and their race.”

About Sr. Estrada, she said to the National Spiritual Assembly later, “I would make this man my project if I were there. I have seen opportunities slip through the fingers of the Bahá’ís. They have meetings and interested people come. Then they climb into their cars and return to their dinners, their houses, their wives....”

Visit to Yúko Indian Tribe

Between Riohacha and the Motilón Indian, or more specifically Yúko Indian area, there was a long and arduous trip in the fourteen year old smallest model Jeep. Rúḥíyyih Khánum was accompanied by her steadfast and faithful companion, Violette Nakhjavání, as well as Betty Toomes, and Charles Hornby, Auxiliary Board member. Ignition failures, pushes on the hot rocky road, and repairs enroute extended to eight hours what should have been a five hour trip to the first night’s stop. Rúḥíyyih Khánum started from Riohacha ill and arrived improved. The next day brought the party to the foot of the northern Andes mountains where they were met by Olavo Novaes with as many horses and mules (4) as he could find to carry, as it turned out, the ladies and the cargo. A Bahá’í non-Yúko campesino guide and former official of the Colombian Indian Service, Luis Pastor, who is fluent in the Yúko language completed the party.

The ascension, which was a process of ascending and descending and ascending again, crossing the boulder-strewn mountain stream several times took about nine hours. The place to get provisions under cover and hang the hammocks (most of them not under cover) was reached just about the time it got too dark to safely climb the steep, winding and rocky paths. This small mud-walled house several hundred yards above the swift and cold mountain stream was home base for three days and three nights. The stream provided drinking water and stimulating baths. The owner of the borrowed house was a non-indigenous campesino, who had settled in the area and, like the Indians, was trying to make a living by burning off and clearing the mountain sides to plant corn, yuca, plantain, beans and sweet potatoes. A Yúko rancheria was a stone’s throw away and the “Papa” or senior man, who also, it was

[Page 6] The salt collecting reservoirs of Manaure, Colombia where twice annually thousands of Guajiros congregate and provide an excellent opportunity for mass teaching.

understood, was the chief of the Yúko tribe soon came to visit Rúḥíyyih Khánum. The Yúkos are “heart” Bahá’ís who have had a number of visits and contacts with their Bahá’í brothers from the cities, but the consistent means to deepen them has not been found. Five delegates from this indigenous group attended the National Convention in 1966 and it is hoped that this year (this writing being before Riḍván), with the Convention being scheduled for Riohacha, more will participate.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s home away from home was a plantain grove fifty meters from the house, where her hammock was suspended between two not too sturdy trees, but the best available. In spite of the very cold nights, she reported that her best sleep and rest in many days before and after the Yúkos was obtained here.

Need to Teach Slowly

From the base an excursion was made much higher into the mountains to visit two other rancherias, Aguste and Papa Martin. At Aguste there were a number of Bahá’í men and women. It was found hard to get them to assemble for any kind of a meeting and those that did gather did not listen too well, through the two translations. Later Rúḥíyyih Khánum explained the lack of concentration power to be a handicap indigenous to the Latin Americans, especially the Indians. “This,” she said, “one must and can teach by living with them. One must go at their speed without pressure. I was at first very discouraged, but now I am learning.” In respect to the objections, sometimes given that Bahá’ís must be building their careers, and getting married and having children and not endangering their health full-time in Indian areas, she said, “I am sometimes surprised at the doctrine of materialism that the Bahá’ís talk to each other.” She said that we proudly teach about the martyrs of the past, but get worried if someone is willing to give his life for the Cause today.

In this instance at rancheria Aguste, Rúḥíyyih Khánum moved at their speed by dropping the attempt to teach with words and got interested in the careful craftsmanship of the Yúkos and ended up buying a quiverfull of arrows and two bows to carry back to her personal museum in Haifa.

Visits to More Rancherias

The next leg of the day’s trip was more arduous and finally the going changed from breathtaking to too dangerous to continue on horse and mule and the three ladies dismounted and finished the trip to rancheria Papa Martín laboriously on foot. The giant sized palm thatched “long house” with vertical stick sides surrounded by smaller houses of the same structure and lean-to shelters was a happy sight for the climbers. Papa Martín, an elderly, stoop shouldered, vice-chief of the Yúkos was alone in the area with two women and a group of little children all seeming about two to three years old, who sat impassively in the dirt at one end of the house, while the women cleaned and cooked a white root, which is from a large “elephant ear” type of plant. Papa Martin passed out bananas and sat down to socialize. The Auxiliary Board member talked at length to Papa Martín in Spanish about the station of Hand of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum and the importance of her visit. Although he nodded and repeated words and gave the impression of understanding, it finally became apparent that he hardly understood at all. Rúḥíyyih Khánum bargained for and bought a small arrow with a split bamboo tip that could be propped open to catch a bird alive.

It was an exhausting day and Rúḥíyyih Khánum admitted later that that night in her hammock she had really thought that she might die right there.

The next day among the Yúkos a young man from the neighboring rancheria came by to show his badly cut foot, chopped with a machete. It had been superficially treated the day before by sprinkling with sulfa powder, but although better in appearance, it was still swollen and feverish. So the ladies lavished their care and attention on the Bahá’í friend, soaking the foot in hot salt water, cutting away useless flesh and treating further with the antibiotic and then bandaging carefully. Rúḥíyyih Khánum said that Jeanne Chute, who had made the major part of the Latin American trip with her would be happy to know that a new hand towel that she had left behind had been torn apart to make a dressing. The following day everyone was relieved to see the improved state of the foot, and to be reassured that it would no doubt heal satisfactorily without endangering his limb or life.

This day Olavo Novaes and Luis Pastor climbed to a remote and higher rancheria to see what was happening with a Catholic Brother staying in the area among

Rúḥíyyih Khánum, center, Violette Nakhjavání, rear and Betty Toomes, front mounted and ready to begin a trek of more than eight hours into the mountains to visit Yúko Indian Bahá’ís. Olavo Novaes is on foot.

[Page 7] the Indian Bahá’ís. The third day, the Brother of the Capuchino Order, a Guajiro Indian who had been educated by the Capuchinos, returned the call and spent some time visiting with Rúḥíyyih Khánum, who treated him well and served him coffee and sandwiches. It was interesting that he, when speaking about the races of the world said the Europeans are superior, but that all are from God, “even the Indians.” Rúḥíyyih Khánum remonstrated with him about this view of racial superiority with which he had been indoctrinated. The sixty-five year old monk was so kindly and receptive that Rúḥíyyih Khánum said, “We could teach him the Faith, but we don’t have time so we must just be very nice to him so that he will have a kindly remembrance of us.” She did speak briefly of the Faith, saying that it did not conflict with the basic things that he teaches and that we believe in the oneness of all the religions.

This day, everyone was happy and surprised to see the Yúkos coming singly and in groups to gather at the feet, so to speak, of Rúḥíyyih Khánum. Three even came across the hill singing “Soy Bahá’í; Soy Bahá’í (I’m a Bahá’í; I’m a Bahá’í). But the pleasure was short-lived, for when the Catholic Brother returned on the way to try to settle a land dispute between a Yúko and a “civilizado”, they all followed, “like children after Pied Piper” as Rúḥíyyih Khánum said.

The Return Journey

The return to the valley level ranch of Sr. Reyes where the Jeep had been left was somewhat easier than the going. Although there was some climbing, the general direction, at least, was down hill. Betty Toomes had had her fill of riding, especially after falling and bruising an elbow on the way to rancheria Papa Martín when the saddle slipped. So Rúḥíyyih Khánum rode the big grey mule and found it a more responsive and enjoyable mount. She had as a youth been a competent horsewoman. The Bahá’í world may be under the impression, from her activities and from some of the stories and legends circulating about her childhood and youth that Rúḥíyyih Khánum has a background of outdoor life. As a matter of fact she told her companions that she had not slept out of door more than perhaps five times in her lifetime prior to her recent teaching excursions, and had never bathed in a stream or roughed it the way she must do on these trips. To the Bahá’í community at Bogotá, she said, “I felt and I still feel very strongly, if at my age, over fifty, who am a

Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Betty Toomes say goodbye to Yúko Indians. The woman in front of Rúḥíyyih Khánum spontaneously kissed her, something extraordinary for these shy people.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum speaks to friends at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of Colombia, Luis Sanchez translating. She said she was happy and warm in Bogota, probably “because of the love of the friends.”

person who has always lived in comfort and in the city, if I can do it then surely other people can do it. And it is still my hope that if I keep riding horseback into the Motilones and going up the Chocó river in Panama in a dugout canoe and so on that other people will say, ‘If she can do it, I can do it ...’ “I don’t see how I can tell other people to do something, if I am not willing to do it myself.”

Nearness to Bahá’u’lláh

Rúḥíyyih Khánum explained why she wants so much to teach and be with the indigenous and less privileged people. “The humblest and most simple people in the world, mostly the illiterate, those are the ones who seem to be ready and eager to accept Bahá’u’lláh. And therefore it seems to me that this poses a very serious problem for all of us Bahá’ís. How are we going to teach these people? Who is going to teach them? And I felt after the passing of Shoghi Effendi that I should go and see this kind of Bahá’ís and if possible to do some teaching myself.

“Gradually, first doing what I thought I should do, now I have come to prefer this to any other kind of teaching. Because there is a nearness to God in the wilderness that you don’t find in the cities. It seems perhaps a strange thing to say, but I always feel Bahá’u’lláh much closer to me when I go on this kind of trip than even in Haifa. I feel that if I have a plan and the plan doesn’t work out, if I want to go to the left and I can’t and I have to go to the right, there is a meaning in it and I will find somehow what that meaning is. And this itself, as you can imagine, gives the individual a tremendous sweetness. It is a very sweet thing to taste, to feel near to Bahá’u’lláh.

“I am sure all of us, we pray to Bahá’u’lláh and we love Him and we think about Him, we believe in Him, and we want to serve Him. But I am not sure that we always feel Him very close to us. But there is something about this kind of service, where you give up the cities and their materialism and with a pure motive to go and carry His Message to these simple people of the world that want to hear about Him; you feel as if He is going with you.

“We need something. We know that we are not succeeding in teaching our own people. We have to go on trying; we’ll always go on trying. But, if there are a people that have such a prophecy in our teachings related to them (to the effect that as cited in the first

(continued p. 10)

[Page 8]

Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands NSA Cites Goals Achieved

Bahá’ís from twelve Caribbean islands gathered in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands on May 25-26, to attend the Second National Convention of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands. The delegates, the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly and visiting friends had an opportunity for getting acquainted at a Unity Feast held Friday evening, before the Convention. A member of the local press was there to gather material for newspaper coverage, and a few days after the convention a two-page article with picture of the new Assembly appeared in a local newspaper.

Mrs. Carmen Burafato of Mexico, Auxiliary Board member, gave able and gracious assistance. Those elected to the National Assembly this year were: E. Miller, Grenada; Miss Katharine Meyer, St. Thomas; Mrs. Henrietta Trutza, St. Lucia; Jean Desert, Guadeloupe; Ellerton Harmer, St. Thomas; Miss Naomi Washington, St. Thomas; Mrs. Lorana Kerfoot, St. Thomas, William Nedden, Barbuda; and Wilfred Bart, St. Kitts.

The annual report of the National Secretary informed of goals won: the incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly; the formation of a Local Spiritual Assembly on the island of St. Lucia, and others; the presentation of the book Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to heads of state of the English-speaking islands of the area (so far a reply was received from the Administrator of St. Vincent); and a total of fifty-four new members who entered the Faith during the year (twenty-six of these from St. Lucia).

National Assembly of Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands. Left to right: front: Mrs. H. Trutza, Wilfred Bart, Miss Naomi Washington, Miss Katharine Meyer, Jean Desert; rear: Ed Miller, Mrs. Lorana Kerfoot, William Nedden, Ellerton Harmer.

Pioneer family on the island of Guadeloupe, French West Indies hold fireside on the occasion of visit of Mr. and Mrs. Edvard Lindstrom. Standing, right to left: pioneer Jean Desert, Mrs. Desert and two children. Pictured is only a part of the group which gathered to hear about the Faith. Guadeloupe is under the National Spiritual Assembly of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands.

National Convention of the Bahá’ís of the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands held in St. Thomas May 25-26, 1968.

[Page 9]

Mexico Teaching Effort Reaps Harvest

Pioneer Jenabe Caldwell with Mario Santaella and Solomon Martinez, capable Bahá’í youth from Oaxaca, Mexico, who accompanied him throughout a two months’ teaching tour covering seven states, including the territories of Quintana Roo and Huehuetenango, Guatemala. They showed the picture, “And His Name Shall Be One” nightly. Pioneer Edna Ford traveled with them through the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, parts of Yucatan and in Guatemala. Native Mayan teacher, Senor Celestino Simá of Muna, Yucatan, went with them into the territory of Quintana Roo as well as into Yucatan, where the explication had to be given in the Mayan tongue. Auxiliary Board member, Artemus Lamb, and his sister, Mrs. Valeria Nichols, National Spiritual Assembly member, helped greatly with the showings. The film was viewed by thirteen thousand people and greatly forwarded the teaching work. Photo with oxen team was taken during their travel through the state of Oaxaca where oxen are still used and can frequently be seen doing all forms of heavy labor.

A Victory in ‎Nicaraqua Nicaragua‎

RIGHT:
The Local Spiritual Assembly of Jinotepe, Nicaragua, was elected just a few minutes before the close of April 21 when five new members enrolled in the Faith. They had gathered to join pioneer Solomon Escalante, his family and other Bahá’ís in prayers. Seated, left to right: Rodolfo Silva, Reynaldo Medrano, Leticia Escalante (treasurer), Jorge Aguilar (vice chairman) and Leonel Calderon (corresponding sec’y.). Standing: Narciso Navarro. Sergio Sanchez (recording sec’y.), Cesar Mendieta (librarian) and Solomon Escalante (chairman).

BELOW:
The eighth annual national convention of Nicaragua was held May 25-26, 1968 with Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Ruth E. Pringle, who presented a talk on the Nine Year Plan.

[Page 10]

(continued from p. 7)

part of this article that the Indians of America will illumine the world), who are ready and eager to become Bahá’ís, then surely we are fools if we don’t go to teach them.

“You know it has occurred to me in the last few years that the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh each person can accept for himself and if he will obey them they will change his character. But you cannot ignore the other aspect of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh to create a new society. And you cannot do anything with society unless you have thousands and hundreds of thousands of people to work with, because the Bahá’í system is for society, for all of society on this planet. The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh is for the human race, living as a group, as society. And that is why I feel that we are never going to establish the Bahá’í Faith as we want to see it established until we have thousands and hundreds of thousands of Bahá’ís in one place — we have to have everybody Bahá’í if we can make them ... Because then you can begin to get the whole system of the administration functioning; you can get the Bahá’í educational system working. If you could send our children to a Bahá’í school, teaching ordinary subjects but animated by Bahá’í principles, then from the very beginning you could affect society, because the children grow up to be Bahá’ís. They don’t lie. They don’t cheat. They don’t backbite. They are not immoral. You see you create an environment which is Bahá’í and in this you can rear a new type of human being, then create a society with these people. But you can’t do it unless you have lots of people, because you can’t work it (otherwise), you see. It’s like saying you are going to make bread with a teaspoon of flour.

“So what we need, in other words, is more Bahá’ís, and we had better take them where we can get them. And if there are any people living on the South Pole (which there are not) and they want to be Bahá’ís, well let’s teach them. We can’t wait any longer for our kind of people to become Bahá’ís ”

Returning to the capital cities after being with the Indians is no doubt anticlimactic for Hand of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum. But Barranquilla and Bogotá and visiting Bahá’ís were nevertheless delighted with her presence and her warmth and her wisdom. A public meeting was held at Barranquilla with about 30 present. At Bogotá, two different meetings for Bahá’ís only, a public meeting, a meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly of Colombia, three luncheons and a newspaper interview left Rúḥíyyih Khánum no time for extra rest and little time to catch up on her reports to The Universal House of Justice and to answer her voluminous mail, and she suffered altitude headaches, but she said that she felt very happy while there, “probably because of the love of the friends.”

More Excellent Publicity

Good advantage was taken of her visit for proclamation publicity and two articles with photographs appeared at Barranquilla and a feature story appeared in one of the nationally distributed Bogotá newspapers, El Espectador, captioned “El Bahá’í Busca la Unidad Humana”, in which the writer, Margarita Vidal Garcia says: “With a penetrating gaze sustained by an incredible inner force, the Bahá’í First Lady disseminates concepts, maxims, and irrefutable truths.”

Rúḥíyyih Khánum, in Quito, Ecuador, accompanied by Mrs. Violette Nakhjavání, being met at the airport by a group of Bahá’ís representing eleven different localities, in March, 1968.

A gathering of the friends in Curitaba, Brazil, with Hands of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Mr. Jalal Khazeh.

A historic meeting. Hands of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Mr. Jalal Khazeh with the first Bahá’í pioneer of South America, Mrs. Leonora Holsapple Armstrong, lovingly called by Shoghi Effendi “The mother of the Bahá’ís of South America.” At left is Mrs. Jeanne Chute.

[Page 11] Brazilian friends who were gathered at two-day conference with Rúḥíyyih Khánum in Sao Paulo.

Rúḥíyyih Khánum with four young friends who arose at the two-day conference to offer to visit the Brazilian Indians and to do pioneer duty in Brazil.

Mataco Indian Village of Argentina Survives Flood

During the visit of Hand of the Cause of God ’Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum to the north of Argentina, the entire Mataco Indian village of Algarrobito embraced the Bahá’í Faith. Shortly before the Riḍván period, when Auxiliary Board member Hooper Dunbar planned to assist the community with the election of their first local Spiritual Assembly, it was learned that the Pilcomayo River area where these Mataco friends reside had been disastrously flooded. All roads leading to the village were flooded and airstrips were covered with mud.

Reports indicated that the whole area of the Pilcomayo River was under two meters of water, there was no food, and the remaining Indians had taken refuge in the tops of the highest trees.

“Needless to say, we prayed hard for them, for their physical safety and for spiritual strength to withstand the inevitable attacks of the churches and superstitious people ... that the flood was a divine chastisement for their having become Bahá’ís,” The National Spiritual Assembly of Argentina has written: “To our great joy, Mr. Dunbar learned on his recent trip that Algarrobito was the only village on the river which was untouched by the flood waters, an island of refuge in the maelstrom.”

News Briefs

A cable from Zambia dated April 28, 1968 sent to the Universal House of Justice states: “REJOICE REPORT TEMPLE LAND SECURED.” A Cameroon Republic cable of May 22, 1968 reads: “... REPORTS GOOD ... NINE NEW ASSEMBLIES ...” From Tanzania: “... ANNOUNCE FORMATION 6 NEW LSAS RIḌVÁN....” The year-old National Assembly of Belize announced thirteen local assemblies and sixty-nine localities in a cable dated May 26, 1968. The Canadian cable announced the election of a Canadian Indian to the National Assembly and the first declaration in the District of Franklin. Many other concrete victories were announced in cables to the Universal House of Justice as well as pledges of renewed efforts to secure the goals. (From a Bulletin of June 3, 1968 from Haifa.)

〇

Sao Roque, Brazil has a community of eleven women and one man who have visited, conversed with and presented The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to their mayor, the mayor of a neighboring city, the director of the local high school, the city judge, the president of the Rotary Club, the president of the Lion’s Club and to the Spiritualist Center. They plan to present The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to the same officials in three neighboring cities.

〇

Bahá’ís in the Yukon Territory of Canada have doubled the number of local spiritual assemblies in their area. Last year they had two assemblies — one in Carcross and one in Whitehorse. This Riḍván they have succeeded in establishing two more — one in Haines Junction and another in Whitehorse Flats.

[Page 12]

Cameroon Convention Sparks Active Discussion

A most successful national convention this year united delegates from East and West Cameroon and brought a visitor from Fernando Poo Island. Forty-five delegates participated in active consultation, offering many recommendations. Moses Akombi reported on the Second International Convention in Haifa and on his visit to the Bahá’í Holy Shrines in ‘Akká and on Mt. Carmel. The people of Mamfe Town were invited to a talk given by Mrs. Janet Mughrabi on, “Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet of God for Today.” Mrs. Zora Banks also contributed to the question period.

Year of Good Publicity

The Bahá’í Faith has received exceptional publicity in West Cameroon during the past year, coinciding with the beginning of Proclamation throughout the world. Early in 1967 the National Spiritual Assembly submitted special files of informative literature to both the Cameroon Times, the major newspaper in West Cameroon and to Radio Cameroon, Buea, by special interview with the editor and director respectively. As a result the Cameroon Times, circulation of 2,500, published sixteen articles or news items between May, 1967 and May, 1968, comprising a total of 134 column inches and including four photographs. One article was in response to a letter to the editor which headed the letters page: “What is Bahá’í?”, giving the National Assembly an excellent opportunity to publish a three-quarter page outline of the Faith, its history, teachings and administration.

Radio Cameroon, Buea, announced Bahá’í news items or activities at least five times during the year, including a twenty minute talk given by the national secretary in support of United Nations Day and a

Newly elected National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Cameroon Republic. Front row, left to right: Mrs. Janet Mughrabi (secretary), Moses Akombi (chairman), Mrs. Zora Banks (vice-chairman), and Solomon Tanyi. Standing: Sampson E. Forchak, Simeon Arraneke, Carl Enowachuo, Jawad Mughrabi (treasurer), Peter Arrey.

twenty-two minute interview on “Radio Newsreel” given by Jenabe Caldwell during his visit to West Cameroon in March. These broadcasts were heard throughout the country and surrounding territories and reports from many quarters tell of considerable rising interest in the Bahá’í Faith and ready acceptance of the Teachings which have now become widely known through the publicity given in press and radio.

1968 National Convention of the Bahá’ís of the Cameroon Republic

[Page 13]

Convention of North West Africa

Delegates, members of the National Spiritual Assembly of North West Africa and Auxiliary Board member M. Kebdani at the annual convention in Rabat, Morocco April 27-28, 1968.

News Briefs:

The National Spiritual Assembly of Spain has announced the recent purchase of 3,600 square meters of land for the erection of a National Summer School. The land is situated at about twenty-seven kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea and has a favorable summer and winter climate, so that the school can be used at any time for the continental summer schools by European countries.

〇

Proclamation activities in Sweden are beginning to “catch on” with press and radio, some of which was generated by World Religion Day events in Stockholm. In Västerås, an excellent article written by a clergyman for the county newspaper resulted in a successful fireside meeting.

First Lapp in Finland Enrolled

Hollola Commune, the first goal municipality to be opened to the Faith in Finland, recently enrolled Mr. Uula-Antti Laiti and Mrs. Satu-Sinikka Laiti, Mr. Laiti being the first Lapp in Finland to become a Bahá’í. This historical event began two years ago when Satu-Sinikka’s parents became believers, followed by herself and now her husband. Bahá’ís of Lahti are overjoyed to welcome these friends.

Summer School in the Azores

First Bahá’í Summer School of Terceira Islands, Azores, Portugal.

Members of the local Spiritual Assembly of Sabadell, Spain on the occasion of the marriage of two of its members on April 14. Mr. Candido Ferrera Tena was married to Miss Carmen Sanchez Cuenca and the couple left shortly after to pioneer in the Canary Islands.

Social hour on lawn of Bahá’í Center, Victoria, Seychelles Islands (Indian Ocean) on occasion of Race Unity Day Symposium. The program, featuring presentations by several Bahá’ís and a talk by guest speaker Derek Brown of International Volunteer Service, included lively audience participation.

[Page 14]

Second Taiwan Convention a Happy Event

“This is one of the happiest days of my life,” commented the convention chairman at the Second Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of Taiwan, no doubt reflecting the joy of the entire Community. The convention, held May 18-19 at the Bahá’í Center in Taipei, included ten delegates and two Auxiliary Board members, Mrs. Orpha Daugherty of Taiwan and Tat Chee Leong of Malaysia. A special welcome was also given to Kit Yin Kiang, a young Chinese pioneer from Malaysia, who has served in many ways — as traveling teacher and as secretary for the community. His indefatigable service cannot help but be an inspiring example to the Bahá’í youth of Taiwan in studying the Teachings, living the Bahá’í life and teaching the Cause.

Publications of the past year have included The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh; the Tablet of Tarazat; and Man One Family. Nine Year Goals achieved are: incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of Tainan (based upon donated property for a Bahá’í Center of Tainan); and the purchase of the endowment land.

The Spirit of Teaching Spreads in Burma

Four new Bahá’í Communities have been established in Burma in recent months: Myaungmya, Bassein, Kangyidsung and South Okkalapa, with more than 170 believers. Most of them had been prominent Buddhists and after hearing the teachings given by Auxiliary Board member U Ba Sein and members of the National Spiritual Assembly, became Bahá’ís. Those from the first three communities named have had many hours of teacher training in Rangoon and upon returning home began proclaiming and teaching the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, in accordance with the teachings of former Prophets, including Buddha. The spirit they diffused is gaining momentum and the strength of these communities grows daily.

“U Tin Nu and U Sein Maug have confirmed a prominent Buddhist monk in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh through their selfless efforts,” the National Spiritual Assembly of Burma has reported. Many attended the National Convention, gaining valuable lessons to take back to the other believers.

In Upper Burma, Bahá’ís of Layde and Payapyo are not only teaching the waiting people eager to hear the Message, but are planning the construction of their own Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds to be completed by next Riḍván.

The new National Spiritual Assembly members elected on the second day of the convention held May 18-19 at National Bahá’í Center in Taipei, Taiwan consists of: Seated, left to right: Mrs. M. Molin, Mrs. Elizabeth Yen (treasurer), Mrs. R. Suleimani. Standing: Kit Yin Kiang (secretary), John Huston, Yu Su-Ho, S. A. Suleimani (chairman), Lin Yi-mou, Wang Tseng-ming (vice chairman).

Esslemont Book Wins Kashmiri Prose Award

Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era in the Kashmiri language has been selected as the best specimen of Kashmiri prose writing and a chapter from the book has been published in the Anthology of Kashmiri Prose by the State Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages. Thus this work by Dr. Esslemont praised by Shoghi Effendi in God Passes By as “that splendid, authoritative and comprehensive introduction to Bahá’í history and teachings, penned by that purehearted ... promoter of the Faith” and commended by Queen Marie of Romania as a “glorious book of love and goodness, strength and beauty” continues to win laurels for the glory of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.

〇

A Bahá’í pioneer, A. P. Kumaran, has been instrumental through the grace of Bahá’u’lláh in confirming more than sixty Bahá’ís in His Cause, one of them an Ulema (religious leader) in the Laccadive Islands, India, a Nine Year Goal area opened under the National Assembly of India.

Local Spiritual Assembly of Victoria, Seychelles Islands, who sponsored the first Race Unity Day observance on June 9, filling the Bahá’í Hall to capacity with interested guests. Standing (left to right): A. Moustache; A. Rahman (secretary); W. Hoareau: and P. Padyachy. Seated (left to right): A. Gopal, Mrs. H. Mussard (vice chairman); G. Michaud; Mrs. A. Rahman (treasurer); and W. Prosper (chairman).

[Page 15]

THE PROCLAMATION OF BAHA'U'LLAH

Compiled by the Universal House of Justice

BOOK REVIEW BY ELEANOR S. HUTCHENS

“Today there are new rulers and new people,” declared the Universal House of Justice in the introduction to the first book published at the Bahá’í World Center, The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh. For the centenary of Bahá’u’lláh’s first message to the rulers of the world, a collection of His calls to humanity has been made available to proclaim His Coming: “He Who is the King of kings hath appeared, arrayed in His most wondrous glory, and is summoning you unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation.” (PB 5,6)

The book, in deluxe edition, has been presented to 140 of the new rulers. Now the Bahá’ís are charged with the duty of presenting it to the people, with the prayer, “Grant that all Thy people may be graciously aided to recognize Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self.” (P&M,136) A regular edition has been published in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, that readers of all those languages may be reached by Bahá’u’lláh’s divine guidance and love.

Call to Rulers and All Mankind

For the first time the messages that had been available in scattered sources (Gleanings, The Promised Day Is Come, Bahá’í World Faith, The Citadel of Faith, and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf) have been collected into one attractive volume. It contains an introduction by the Universal House of Justice quoting the Guardian’s description of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, and selections from the Words of Bahá’u’lláh as He addressed the Kings of the Earth collectively, individual monarchs: Napoleon III, Czar Alexander II, Queen Victoria, Kaiser Wilhelm I, Emperor Francis Joseph, Sultan ‘Abdu’l-‘Azíz, Násiri’d-Dín Sháh; the Rulers of America and the Presidents of the Republics thereof; the elected representatives of the people in every land; the leaders of religion, and specifically, Pope Pius IX; the clergy and people of various faiths; and all mankind.

To the whole world Bahá’u’lláh issued a mighty Call: “Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One. The Call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men.” (PB 111) “O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.” (PB 112) “Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause.... With faces beaming with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future.” (PB 118-9)

What Response?

What should be the response to such a call? Almost two thousand years after the advent of Christ, there are weeks of preparation each December, churches are decorated, candles are lit, processions are formed, joyous songs are raised in praise and thanksgiving for the birth of Jesus, the Anointed One. With soul-searching, the sincere ones ask themselves whether, if they had lived in the Day of Christ, they would have been able to recognize Him, and they hope that their hearts might have been pure enough.

Dostoevski, the Russian novelist, had spiritual insight as to what might happen if Christ were to return to earth and walk once more among men. The Grand Inquisitor, charged with keeping heresy from the Spanish medieval church might see Him raising a child from the dead as an act of mercy, have Him arrested and thrown into prison. In the night the prelate might visit his holy Prisoner, acknowledge His identity, and explain that even so, He would be executed next day. Christ would have no right to add to what He had said, to interfere with the ordering of the Church.

When Bahá’u’lláh addressed the Kings of Christendom and called the priests, there was a great silence. He said, “O concourse of priests! Leave the bells, and come forth, then, from your churches. It behoveth you, in this day, to proclaim aloud the Most Great Name among the nations.” (PB 94) But only a few, as yet have heard the call. Perhaps now, with the new proclamation of the Words, there will be an awakening.

The blindness of the followers of Muhammad was also apparent, although there were thousands who arose and gave their lives that the Cause of God might live. Prayer is to be so engrossing, so directed towards God that not even a cry of “Fire!” should interrupt the devout Muslim in his devotions, but if the word “Qá’im” is whispered, the Muslim should arise at once and go to seek Him. But when the Báb issued His Declaration, He was imprisoned, and within a few years, executed. His followers were hunted down and martyred. When Bahá’u’lláh sent His Tablet to the Sháh, the youthful Badí was killed for delivering the message. The clergy, both Shi’ih and Sunni strove to incite their followers against the Bábis and Bahá’ís. Bahá’u’lláh was a prisoner of the Sháh and Sultan for the latter half of His life. Bahá’u’lláh warned, “Because of you the Apostle (Muhammad) lamented, and the Chaste One (Fátimih) cried out, and the countries were laid waste, and darkness fell upon all regions. O concourse of divines! Because of you the people were abased, and the banner of Islám was hauled down.” (PB 104)

[Page 16] The response of the Kings of Europe was contemptuous silence, for the most part. The Promised Day Is Come is a good companion volume for Bahá’ís who study The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, for it traces the disastrous results to their dynasties and to the world which resulted from the heedlessness of those who received the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. In centuries to come, none of the reputation of Napoleon III as monarch of a glittering capital and builder of empire will survive, only his rude reply to the Message of Bahá’u’lláh and his quick downfall, following a second letter: “Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst have not cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.... For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands.‎ ”‎ (PB 20).

Presentation Piece for The Proclamation of Baha’u’llah

Presented to in commemoration of the Centenary 1867 - 1967 of the Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, to the world’s rulers and leaders calling them to establish justice, unity and peace.

(Available from Public Information Department)

Today’s leaders of the nations will find in The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh a call to hear the voice of their Lord, the Lord of all mankind. If they heed the words of those Messages, they will acknowledge the mission of Bahá’u’lláh, consider themselves to be but vassals of the King of kings, watch over their subjects, judge between men with pure justice, choose their ministers with care and dismiss those who do not serve the people, arise to enforce the law of God, put their trust in God, deal with those who serve them with undeviating justice so that none among them will either suffer want or be pampered with luxuries, fear the sighs of the poor, be generous, weigh their actions as ones standing in the Presence of God, take counsel together to discover what will profit mankind, acknowledge that “the mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith,” resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst them, gather together to lay the foundation of peace, combining to prevent any ruler from taking up arms against another, and adopt a universal language. (PB 34, 47, 49, 50, 51, 67, 114, 115.)

In the introduction we read, “Bahá’u’lláh’s message is one of hope, of love, of practical reconstruction. Today we reap the appalling results of our forbears’ rejection of His divine call; but today there are new rulers, new people, who perchance may hear and avoid or mitigate the severity of impending catastrophe. It is with this hope and believing it to be its sacred duty, that the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Bahá’í Faith, proclaims again, through publication of these sacred passages, the essence of that mighty call of a century ago.” (PB xiii-xiv)

Presentation in India

Left, above: Dr. Triguna Sen, Minister of Education of India, was presented with a copy of The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh on May 22, 1968, by Auxiliary Board member Dr. Perin Oliyai, Dr. Tahira Vajdi and Dr. H. M. Munje. Dr. Sen showed an interest in the teachings of the Cause and requested books on the subject so that the teachings could be incorporated in the curriculum of the schools throughout India. Right, above: Mrs. Shirin Boman (center) and R. B. Tripathi presented the book to Professor V.K.R.V. Rao, Minister of Transport and Shipping. Professor Rao said he had visited the Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette, knew the fundamental teachings of the Faith and had come in contact with Bahá’ís in the U.S. and in India. On May 16, 1968 the book was also presented to K. L. Rao, Minister of Irrigation and Power, who showed keen interest in the Faith.

[Page 17]

The Faith is Proclaimed to U.S. Officials

Believers in the United States continue to bring Bahá’u’lláh’s message to Governors and Mayors by presenting The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh. Pictured are presentations in New Hampshire, California, Utah and New Jersey. Not shown is the presentation on May 24 to Governor Dan K. Moore of North Carolina by a group of three believers: Andrew Allison, Robert Berryhill and Cliff Ellingham. The Governor greeted the group cordially and indicated that he would read the book.

The Mayor of Monrovia, California received a copy of the book on the occasion of a city parade held May 18. The picture of the event, showing Mrs. Annie Bell Gholar, Foster Buckner and Georgene Cain with the Mayor was published in the local paper. The book was presented also to the Monrovia Public Library and the editor of the local paper.

In Salt Lake City, Utah Dr. Jalil Mahmoudi shows gift book to Governor Calvin L. Rampton while Mrs. Ruth Bailey watches. Copies were given also to three other educational and government officials of the city.

Dr. Louis King presents book to Mayor Kelly of East Orange, New Jersey. Present also are John Babuska and Paul H. Wright believers of East Orange. The Mayor received the gift graciously and recalled speaking at the home of a Bahá’í some years ago.

Mayor Eileen Foley of Portsmouth, New Hampshire receives book from Miss Linda Marshall, accompanied by Mrs. Alfred Reed and Hennin Foreman.

May 28 meeting of the City Council of Santa Monica, California is scene of presentation to Mayor Herbert Spurgin, shown at center. Citizens as well as Council members were present when the Mayor welcomed the Bahá’ís (Seymour Malkin, James Taylor, Caridad and William Crocker). Presentations in Santa Monica were also made in June to the Council of Churches and to the Head Librarian of the Public Library. At the luncheon meeting of the Council of Churches there was opportunity for questions about the Faith, a Bahá’í prayer was read, and one minister asked for a copy of Bahá’í Prayers for his personal use.

[Page 18]

Panel Discusses “Unity in Diversity”

At the right is pictured a panel held June 19 at the Library Hall of Batavia, Illinois before an audience of about fifty. This photo with a detailed account of the meeting appeared in the local paper, The Herald. Shown, left to right: Claudio Santos, president of the Latin American Club of Aurora who stressed the need for practical plans to help Spanish Americans who are eager to earn their own livelihood; Rabbi Hyman Agress of Aurora who pointed out that the Judaic teachings established the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man; Williams Reynolds, vocational director of the Area Vocational Center who questioned the adequacy of present public school education to meet the needs of all; Mrs. Lois Goebel, Bahá’í, who emphasized the remedy offered the world by Bahá’u’lláh; Thomas Mair, attorney who discussed present anarchy and unrest; Robert Desatnick, Bahá’í moderator.

Proclamation Week in Illinois a Success

Bahá’í Proclamation Week in Decatur, Illinois proved so successful that the community plans another such event next year. All of the community of twelve Bahá’ís (nine adults and three youth) participated and found to their joy that Bahá’u’lláh is ready to help those who arise to proclaim His Message.

Bahá’í Week — April 23-28 was officially proclaimed by the Mayor to whom a copy of The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh was given at the public meeting which began the week.

Preparation was thorough and included: placing 500 posters, mailing hundreds of invitations, putting up two window displays in prominent locations, offering Bahá’í speakers to each of the five public high schools as well as to churches and service clubs, arranging for newspaper, radio and TV interviews.

The response was good resulting in the use of Bahá’í speakers at three high school meetings, three clubs, a church fellowship meeting and several gatherings at Millikin University. There were two interviews on TV and two Bahá’í speakers participated in a radio “hotline” program involving telephone participation by the public.

The speakers were: Col. Salvatore Pelle, Richard Betts, Barbara Kauppala and Eric Byrd, each staying at least two days during the week and speaking to a variety of groups. There was a youth conference at Millikin University at which Barbara Kauppala, alumna, and Eric Byrd spoke and led discussions. These young people also spoke at the Unitarian Fellowship meeting and a Frontiers International meeting. Eric Byrd addressed a Black Power meeting on Millikin campus.

The end of the week found the believers tired but happy in the realization of their success. An added evidence of the power which assists those who arise to serve was the fact that the community was able to meet all bills without going into debt.

Faith Shown in Action

Bahá’ís of Astoria and Clatsop County, Oregon found a way to demonstrate their faith by service when they volunteered to “adopt” a residence housing 100 girls of varied backgrounds — Spanish, Negro, Hawaiian and Caucasian — who are members of the local Job Corps and live in a Center near Astoria. The Bahá’ís go to the Center one evening a week to get acquainted and join in the activities of the girls — games, arts and crafts — and to give them monthly parties. The girls have been invited to the Bahá’í homes for potlucks and evenings of fun. On the last day of Riḍván they were invited to the Bahá’í Center for songfest and games. Close friendships have developed between the girls and the Bahá’ís and, after six months of loving fellowship, two are enrolled in the Faith.

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The Bahá’ís of Monrovia, California participated in the annual Monrovia Day Parade, May 18, with a float which was viewed by some 35,000 people and won a trophy and prize. The float, designed and used in a former parade by the Bahá’ís of Glendora, had as its theme “Many Colors — One Mankind” and carried the Bahá’í quotation, “Ye are the flowers of one garden.” It was decorated with bright colors and carried children and youth representing the many colors of mankind. Judging from comments of spectators since the parade this effort to bring the Faith to the public attention was well worth the hours of dedicated effort which was necessary to bring this about.

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In Waukesha, Wisconsin the Bahá’ís held a three day seminar, April 12-14 on the subject of Love. Conducted by Dr. Hossain Danesh, Bahá’í psychiatrist and professor at the Chicago Medical School, it was a study in depth of all forms of love: self love; love for others; erotic love; distorted love; prejudiced love; and love as a cause of creation. Mrs. Michelle Danesh, Bahá’í and former member of the National Ballet Company, assisted in presenting the themes with her interpretive dance program in the evening.

This carefully planned and somewhat unusual type of institute attracted several hundred believers and friends from the area and it has resulted in a noticeable increase in attendance at firesides and renewed enthusiasm since the sessions this Spring.

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New Local Spiritual Assemblies in the United States

Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Bellaire, Texas formed at Riḍván 1968. Left to right, front: Theo Miller, Jr. (treasurer), Robert Sparks (chairman), Jack Keeling, Gail Casterline; rear: Miss Carol Clyde, Mrs. Robert Sparks, Mrs. Barbara Casterline (secretary), Mrs. Dorothea Lacey, William Carter.

Local Spiritual Assembly of St. Joseph, Michigan elected April 21, 1968. Left to right, front: Mrs. Carol Handy (treasurer), Mrs. Laura Kramer, Mrs. Lillian Davis (secretary), Mrs. Elizabeth Filstrup; rear: Adrian Davis (chairman), Mrs. Maxine Kimmerly, Miss Alice Moulds, Mrs. Catharine Moulds, Edward Filstrup.

First Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Salina, Kansas, formed at Riḍván 1968. Left to right, rear: John Crook, Mike Hagen, Mrs. Lupe Hagen, Fred Cairns, Mrs. Brenda Hicks; front: Mrs. Sharon Billings, Richard Hicks, Parviz Ighani, Mrs. Shigeko Bazzile.

First Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of Cobb County, Georgia formed at Riḍván 1968. Left to right, front: Mrs. Naomi Yocom, Mrs. Grace Kay, Mrs. Elaine Eilers, Mrs. Taube Slate; rear: Melvin Slate, Howard Snider, John Yocom, Ben Weil. The other member, Mrs. Fay Weil is not shown.

Local Spiritual Assembly of Olympia, Washington formed April 21, 1968. Left to right, front: Darlene Engle, Gayle Ames, Linda Pielick, Honnalore Russell; rear: Jean Pielick, Walter Pielick, Betty Misner, Harry Sheafe, Banner Lawrence.

[Page 20] Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Novato, California at time of incorporation in April 1968. Left to right, rear: Edna Thompson, Lula Giddings, Pauline Paul, Karen Folster, Betty Shurtleff, Sue Greer; front: Harry Thompson, Phoebe Babo, Fred Babo.

Spiritual Assembly of Escondido, California at time of incorporation January 29, 1968. Left to right, front: Mrs. Lula Vawter, Miss Alice Clemmer, Mrs. Grayce Smith (corresponding secretary), Bunnie Harper, Jr. (recording secretary); rear: Louis Mascali (vice chairman), William Wing (treasurer), Luter Vawter, Jacques Smith, Eugene Hicks (chairman).

Incorporated Local Spiritual Assemblies in the United States

Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Topeka, Kansas at time of incorporation April 8, 1968. Left to right, seated: Mrs. Fern Howard, Mrs. May Brown, Mrs. Cora Schulte, Mrs. Genay Newby; standing: Gary Larson, Donald Newby, Mrs. Ruth Ashworth, Ronald Crutchfield, Paul Brown.

A Baha’i Display in Florida

Bahá’í display in Sarasota County at the local Garden Club, held as an open house on a Sunday in April.

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