Bahá’í News/Issue 482/Text
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| No. 482 | BAHA’I YEAR 128 | MAY, 1971 |
The Goal is in Sight, the Time is Short
Riḍván Message from
The Universal House of Justice[edit]
To the Bahá’ís of the World
Dearly-loved Friends,
On November 28th 1971 the Bahá’í World will commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Center of the Covenant, the Ensign of the Oneness of Mankind, the Mystery of God, an event which signalized at once the end of the Heroic Age of our Faith, the opening of the Formative Age and the birth of the Administrative Order, the nucleus and pattern of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. As we contemplate the fruits of the Master’s Ministry harvested during the first fifty years of the Formative Age, a period dominated by the dynamic and beloved figure of Shoghi Effendi, whose life was dedicated to the systematic implementation of the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and of the Tablets of the Divine Plan—the two charters provided by the Master for the administration and the teaching of the Cause of God—we may well experience a sense of awe at the prospect of the next fifty years. That first half-century of the Formative Age has seen the Bahá’í Community grow from a few hundred centers in thirty-five countries in 1921, to over 46,000 centers in 135 independent states and 182 significant territories and islands at the present day, has been marked by the raising throughout the world of the framework of the Administrative Order, which in its turn has brought recognition of the Faith by many governments and civil authorities and accreditation in consultative status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and has witnessed the spread to many parts of the world of that “entry by troops” promised by the Master and so long and so eagerly anticipated by the friends.
A new horizon, bright with intimations of thrilling developments in the unfolding life of the Cause of God, is now discernible. The approach to it is complete victory in the Nine Year Plan. For we should never forget that the beloved Guardian’s Ten Year Crusade, the current Nine Year Plan, other plans to follow throughout successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith, are all phases in the implementation of the Divine Plan of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, set out in fourteen of His Tablets to North America.
The Nine Year Plan is well advanced, and this Riḍván will witness the establishment of seven more National Spiritual Assemblies, five in Africa, one in South America and one in the Pacific, bringing the total number of these exalted bodies to 101. Next Riḍván the nine already announced will be formed, together with four more, one each in Afghanistan, Arabia, the Windward Islands and Puerto Rico, bringing the total to 114, six more than called for in the Nine Year Plan. The members of all National Spiritual Assemblies which will be elected at Riḍván 1972 will take part in the election of the Universal House of Justice at Riḍván 1973, when an international convention will be held at the World Center.
The Mother Temple of Latin America, the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of Panama, is scheduled to be completed by December 1971 and its dedication will take place at the following Riḍván.
The wonderful spirit released at the four Oceanic and Intercontinental Conferences, together with the practical benefits which accrued to the Cause from them, reinforce our high hopes that the four Conferences to be held this year will be resounding successes and result in more pioneers, more travelling teachers, greater proclamation of the Message and a raising of the spirits and devotion of the friends.
Our appeal to the friends in December 1970 for support of the Bahá’í International Fund, which had reached a serious condition due to various unforeseen circumstances, has had a magnificent response from many quarters of the world-wide Bahá’í Community, and we are heartened to believe that this manifestation of devotion and sacrifice, as it continues and becomes more widespread, will resolve the condition that had threatened to adversely affect the attainment of cherished goals of the Nine Year Plan.
The travels and other services of the Hands of the Cause of God continually evoke our thankfulness and delight, even wonder and astonishment. Their deeds are such as to eclipse the acts of the apostles of old and to confer eternal splendor on this period of the Formative Age. On behalf of all the friends everywhere, we offer
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them our reverent love and gratitude. It is fitting to
record here the passing, after seventy years exemplary
service to the Faith, of the Hand of the Cause Agnes
Alexander, whose early services in Hawaii were said
by the Master to be greater than if she had founded
an empire.
Restrictive measures, directed against the Faith, and varying in severity from outright oppression to imposition of disabilities make virtually impossible the achievement of the goals of the Nine Year Plan in a number of countries, particularly in the Middle East, in North West Africa, along the fringes of East Africa and certain areas in South East Asia. It is hoped that those Bahá’í communities which enjoy freedom to teach their Faith will so far surpass their own goals as to amply compensate for the disabilities suffered by their less fortunate brothers. The army of travelling teachers must be reinforced and the friends, particularly Bahá’í youth, are called to seriously consider how much time they can offer to the Faith during the remaining two years of the Nine Year Plan. Teaching visits of brief or long duration, deputization of others, the undertaking of such tasks as would free other friends for teaching work, are all means of building up, in unison, that final surge which will carry the Plan to victory.
Two major objectives of the Plan are the formation of new Local Spiritual Assemblies and the opening of new localities. 13,966 Local Spiritual Assemblies are called for; 10,360 are now in existence. 54,503 localities must claim a Bahá’í resident; 46,334 do so now. The goal is in sight, the time short. However, the growth reflected in the above statistics has not taken place at all levels and in all areas. For while a number of national communities have already achieved, or even surpassed the goals assigned to them, many face extreme difficulties in attaining theirs. With mutual help and an increase in the momentum already generated there is no doubt that the community of the Most Great Name is capable of sweeping on to total victory, thereby gaining a view of those enthralling vistas at present beyond the horizon.
The twin processes so clearly described by the beloved Guardian in his essay “The Unfoldment of World Civilization”—the steady progress and consolidation of the Cause of God on the one hand and the progressive disintegration of a moribund world on the other—will undoubtedly impose upon us new tasks, the obligation of devising new approaches to teaching, of demonstrating more clearly to a disillusioned world the Bahá’í way of life and making more effective the administrative institutions of the Faith. The authority and influence of National and Local Spiritual Assemblies will have to be strengthened in order to deal with larger Bahá’í communities; the international character of the Cause will need to be developed, while the international teaching agency at the World Center, already referred to in previous general letters, will be established.
However fascinating such considerations, which are likely to be forced upon our attention in the near future, may be, they must not deflect our energies and will from the immediate task—the goals of the Nine Year Plan. Their achievement is the best preparation for the future and the means of developing new powers and capacities in the Bahá’í Community. We are confident that the Army of Light, growing in strength and unity will, by 1973, the centenary year of the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, have scaled the heights of yet another peak in the path leading ultimately to the broad uplands of the Most Great Peace.
The Universal House of Justice
Bahá’í World Center
Haifa, Israel
Riḍván, 1971
A Memorial Service for
Hand of the Cause Miss Agnes Alexander[edit]
A gathering for a public memorial service for Hand of the Cause Miss Agnes Alexander
held on February 11, 1971 in Kyoto, Japan, arranged by the Local Spiritual Assembly
of Kyoto.
Renewed Mass Conversion in Bolivia
Result of La Paz Continental Conference[edit]
A tremendous upsurge in the growth and spirit of the Bolivian Community has been witnessed since the historic La Paz Continental Conference last August, 1970. The Bahá’ís of Bolivia together with their enthusiastic and devoted pioneer co-workers are “awakening to the immediacy of the challenge” as called upon by the Universal House of Justice and are making concerted mass conversion efforts as bearers of the Divine Message to all those “who cry out in anguish for truth, love and unity to descend upon this world.” Bolivia, the first Latin country to experience mass teaching is again forging ahead. Places where the Faith grew slowly are flowering, areas never reached before are being miraculously opened.
Among the highlights of this fresh momentum are
mass conversion in the cities of Riberalta and Cochabamba; the opening of the last Bolivían Department of
Pando, a sub-tropical area near the Brazilian frontier,
in the Nine Year plan; the enrollment of precious
souls in Indian tribes never before contacted from the
Trinitairo, Itenez, Ignacio and the Tacana peoples.
Santa Cruz Department: A sustained proclamation effort was carried out for three years with a daily fifteen minutes of “Bahá’í Meditations” sponsored by the devoted Bolivian believer, Sr. Miguel Diez. Many people were attracted and asked about the Faith when Señorita Edith Diez, a talented young singer, won first place in a contest.
Missionary Becomes Bahá’í—Enrolls 500[edit]
An Evangelist missionary with eighteen years of service, Pedro Mamani Huayñapaca in his teaching rounds came to the farmhouse of Bahá’í Felix Topa. Felix answered Pedro Mamani’s skeptical questions about the Faith by lending him a copy of Gleanings of Bahá’u’lláh. This devoted missionary quickly realized through the Teachings that his Lord Jesus Christ had indeed returned, and without another word, embraced the Faith. He was soon zealously and enthusiastically teaching the Faith himself. It is reported that
Volunteer traveling teachers in the Department of Orur, Bolivia, attending a study course, January 11-15, 1971. Forty-Six attended and now have dispersed throughout this area to share the Faith with others.
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One of the mass teaching teams that helped bring
more than 200 new believers into the Faith in the city
of Cochabamba, Bolivia. This group was assisted by
Continental Board members Mas’úd Khámsi (center)
and Athos Costas (far right); pioneers Dorothy and
Benjamin Hansen, Ursula von Brunn, Gisela Zonneveld, Beverly Bennett, Mark Schreiber and Steve Pulley; native Bahá’ís Ines Griesser, Bertha Claros and
Yolanda Pulley.
Pedro Mamani brought in more than 500 souls to the
Faith among the thousand new believers in Santa
Cruz.
To date the most successful of the many areas in responding to the Faith in Santa Cruz is in the colonization zone of “Buen Retiro” in the Province of Ichilo where 650 have become Bahá’ís, including the Chief Engineer of the area who has offered a large amount of land on which to construct a Departmental Bahá’í Teaching Institute. Other Bahá’ís, filled with this same contagious spirit have offered eighteen lots of land destined for local Bahá’í centers, one for each of their respective communities.
Beni and Pando Departments: Until recently, the teaching efforts in Bolivia have been concentrated in the high altitudes where mass conversion began but now the teaching is reaching out to the sub-tropical and jungle areas with all the physical hazards which require endurance and courage. After the La Paz Conference a teaching team of nine Bahá’ís organized by Continental Board member Hooper Dunbar headed for Beni and Pando with four objectives in mind: to practice mass teaching methods; develop the Riberalta community of Beni and open the city of Cobija in the Department of Pando; to open the virgin territory of Rondonia, Brazil and the Brazilian state of Acre; to locate the Indian language goal tribes of the Nine Year plan and find access to their areas (Tacana, Mezo, Siriono, Itenez). All of these objectives were completed between November 15 and December 1, of 1970. Riberalta added eighty-one new Bahá’ís, bringing their total to over a hundred; Cobija was opened with sixteen Bahá’ís; Acre and Rondonia, Brazil were opened to the Faith. The city of Guayarmirin in the Beni was opened as well as the Tacana Indian tribe with twelve believers. A flying trip into the jungle to the Summer Institute of Linguistics familiarized the team with all the Bolivian tribes, their access routes, their grammar and literature in their indigenous languages.
Divine Guidance Never Ceases to Astonish![edit]
Hooper Dunbar, Leco Zamorra (Mataca Indian Argentinian believer) and pioneer Anthony Carter crossed the Bolivian border into the town of Brazilea in the State of Acre, Brazil. In a night school they were invited to speak of the Faith and the next night to show Bahá’í slides. One student was most excited and invited the three to his house the next morning. He became a Bahá’í immediately and the Bahá’ís noticed a beautiful color photograph of the Shrine of the Báb cut out of a magazine, already on his wall. He only had to know that the answer of his search was the word “Bahá’í.”
The teaching team returned to Cobija where they were invited to teach a family of six about the Faith. As Anthony Carter was speaking of how Bahá’u’lláh suffered persecution and imprisonment for mankind, suddenly he saw nailed to the wall a picture of the Most Great Prison of Akka. This happened on the Day of the Covenant, November 26. The teaching team
[Page 5]
is still amazed at finding pictures related to the Faith
in such remote areas. Anthony Carter remains in
Pando and Steve Ross in the Beni.
In Cochabamba, dynamic pioneer Mrs. Dorothy Hansen and her young son Benjamin returned from Ecuador and Peru afire with enthusiasm which she conveyed by teaching techniques of mass conversion at the National Bahá’í Youth Study Institute in December. Twenty-five youth and teachers entered the Barrio San Miguel near the market area and after several hours of unified, loving, prayer-filled effort, they returned with seventy-four new declarations. Teams continued going out for ten more days, which resulted in an enrollment of 200 new Bahá’ís. The local Spiritual Assembly of Cochabamba is busy deepening these new friends and have rented a room for meetings, study classes and a thriving children’s class. Pioneer Beverly Bennett is devoting herself to these classes.
In the Cochabamba campo the Regional Teaching Committee organized a teaching team using the Bolivian Bahá’í jeep and drove over a hazardous road to the Province of Ayopaya, high in the Andes mountains, then descended into the valley of Leque where they came upon an Indian market fair. In two hours they received fifty-five new believers into the Faith. On their return trip through deserted back roads they came to the mining town of Kampi. There the innkeeper of a small hotel entered the Faith. He offered lodging to the group as the roads beyond were covered with snow and impassable. Returning to Cochabamba, in the community of Villa Moscú, just north of the city mass teaching started in that neighborhood in the first day resulted in the enrollment of nineteen believers. They are being deepened by pioneers Gisela and Arnold Zenneveld, residents in that community.
Still eager to find believers, pioneer Dorothy Hansen and her son Benjamin, with the Zonnevelds started out on the spur of the moment to a tropical zone among the jungle rivers between Chapare Province in Cochabamba and the city of Trinidad in the Beni. Upon their return in a few days they had brought into the Faith twenty-eight new believers from the Indian tribes of the Trinitaire, Itenez and Ignacio.
The La Paz Conference sounded the clarion call for mass conversion as evidenced by these events related here, which are just a few samples of what is happening in Bolivia.
Mass conversion team which found fifty-seven new
Bahá’ís in one day (Jan. 17, 1971), Department of
Cochabamba, Bolivia. Left to right: Dutch pioneer
Arnold Zonneveld; native Bahá’í, Domingo; American
pioneers Dorothy and Benjamin Hansen; Bolivian
pioneer Sabino Ortega; native Bahá’í, Victor Gonzales;
travelling teacher Lucas Marca.
Statistics of Bolivia[edit]
Increase of believers | 9,083 |
Total to Jan. 1, 1971 | 24,102 |
New locations | 720 |
Total locations where Bahá’ís reside in Bolivia | 2,565 |
Monthly average, new believers, over 1,000 |
|
(From National Bahá’í Statistics Committee of Bolivia)
Hokkaido, Japan Bahá’í Center, December 1970; Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga with Bahá’í friends; extreme left: Mr. Tehráni, pioneer in Hokkaido; left of Mr. Olinga, Mr. Uncgae, Auxiliary Board member; right of Mr. Olinga, Mr. Moritake, first Bahá’í of the Ainu tribe in Hokkaido; extreme right, Mr. Mumtází, Counsellor.
Mass Declarations in Jamaica Before the Conference[edit]
What promise for a glorious Caribbean Oceanic Conference with 1,000 new declarations in one month. A mass teaching team from the United States arrived in Jamaica early in March. An exciting report from Magdalene Carney which arrived at the National Bahá’í Center stated that 700 enrolled after three weeks of effort.
The larger part of their goals have been achieved. In addition to finding new believers, the goals were to consolidate teaching activities in such a way that expansion will continue and accelerate while training native teachers in mass teaching techniques. Already new believers are team teaching with the original group and these new believers are in turn taking them to their friends and attending daily deepening classes. Six Jamaican believers have wholeheartedly participated in the campaign.
Waiting Souls[edit]
Miss Carney reports that souls are waiting and receptive. People of all backgrounds were taught: domestics, farmers, fishermen, teachers, ministers, extremists, the Maroons. The greatest receptivity has been in the more southern, rural communities where hundreds have enrolled. “It appears that any numerical goal is achievable if only we make the people aware of the coming of the Promised One, Bahá’u’lláh” wrote Miss Carney.
In Portland Cottage, Mr. E. C. Lewis had been searching in churches, secret orders and political organizations for years, only to find nothing worth staking his life on. When taught, he accepted the Faith immediately, took a card home for his wife to sign as he explained to her that he had found something good for the whole family. He rode with a group of the mass teachers some twenty miles to May Pen in order to be deepened, remained after the informal class to view the public film-slide program; returned home with plans for a meeting the next night at a local community. Three days later he brought two other men to May Pen for deepening and set up another meeting, this time in a larger, more adequate place with electricity, microphones, etc. He consulted with the team about organizing teams in Lionel Town and Race Course, nearby areas. This man and his family of twelve children sing, pray and quote the Bible together. “It is amazing to hear the children reciting from memory the numerous genealogies recorded in the Bible” said a team member.
A young adult known about the town of Black River as “Tarzan” at first refused to accept the Faith until he was assured that he would be deepened. He was concerned that we not “get his hopes up” and then “pull out.” He and his “gang” enrolled and have attended deepening classes nightly. After a day or so he sent the team a string of fish for their dinner, his best catch of the day, which gesture touched them all deeply. Everybody in town knows him and he can be reached by anyone yelling for “T-A-R-Z-A-N.” He is assisting in planning a public showing of the film-slide program in Independence Park for Friday, March 25th, 1971.
Talented Leaders[edit]
The team has discovered native, talented leaders emerging with dynamic enthusiasm and devotion.
The most significant point about these enrollments is that the majority of the people have literally begged for more information, a deeper understanding of the Faith, and pleaded with the team to assure them that they would be with them often, present in their communities, especially on Sunday afternoons and evenings for sharing more information, requesting “tracts” which tell them everything about the Faith.
The team has tried to double back to the various large centers for meetings at night, which served to deepen those who enrolled earlier and to draw scores of seekers who also embraced the Faith. They have been successful in convincing some extremists that the Message of Bahá’u’lláh is for this age.
One problem has been that the team lacked facilities for teaching children, space and materials, but have made the best use of what they had. Everywhere the children followed the team as though they were “Pied Pipers”. The children were encouraged to memorize passages from The Hidden Words and some prayers and songs which hopefully they will have an opportunity to use as devotionals at the Jamaica Conference.
A helpful suggestion for further teaching there is that teachers and pioneers should dwell on the positive elements which exist in the lives of the people. Their spirits have been deadened by the constant preachments about how they were born in sin, have sinful hearts, wicked minds and bodies, etc. The Bahá’í Teachings are so reinvigorating to them that they often cry when they hear them. It seems that they have been uplifted spiritually for the first time in their lives.
Needed:[edit]
Needed now is a large stock of literature, conferences organized in each center of large enrollments, encouragement and assistance in securing a large attendance at the Jamaica Conference; and especially they need Bahá’í teachers of experience, depth and devotion to visit and strengthen the bond of the new believers with Bahá’u’lláh.
The team is anxious that several in each area be trained, and they will assist others. The new believers are eager to know what to do and how to do it. Great potentialities exist in the area of Jamaica, in the opinion of the team, and they estimate that approximately twenty new assemblies may be formed this Riḍván, 1971.
Are You Planning to Attend?[edit]
| MAY 21-23 | Caribbean Oceanic Conference |
| Kingston, Jamaica | |
| South Pacific Oceanic Conference | |
| Suva, Fiji | |
| SEPTEMBER 3-5 | North Pacific Oceanic Conference |
| Sapporo, Japan | |
| North Atlantic Oceanic Conference | |
| Reykjavik, Iceland |
If living in the United States notify:
INTERNATIONAL GOALS COMMITTEE
112 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
If living in some other country, notify your N.S.A.
Faith Receives Official Recognition in Chad and the Central African Republic[edit]
At the end of January and mid-February 1971 the Bahá’í Faith was officially recognized and registered by the authorities in the Republic of Chad, destined to have its First National Spiritual Assembly at Riḍván, and in the Central African Republic, which will also have its own National Spiritual Assembly for the first time at Riḍván, 1971.
The recognition and registration, which is the equivalent to Incorporation, is a vital step forward for the Faith in both these countries, and represents a double victory in each case due to the difficulties which preceded these registrations.
In Chad, where the number of believers in the capital, Fort Lamy alone, had reached more than one thousand, application for registration was submitted during 1970 and was rejected by the authorities on the grounds that no new religion had been registered since the country became independent. As an appeal against this decision, the Bahá’ís in Fort Lamy immediately began a proclamation campaign by presenting the case and Bahá’í literature to different ministers in the Government, many of whom were most sympathetic and receptive to the Faith. However it was found that the matter would have to be submitted for a final decision to the Head of State.
Early in January, at the request of the Universal House of Justice, Dr. Aziz Navidi, international lawyer and pioneer for many years in Monte Carlo and Mauritius, flew into Fort Lamy to assist the Bahá’ís there by presenting the world-wide character and international status of the Bahá’í Faith to the authorities. After nearly two weeks of constant effort, the recognition was finally granted and the By-laws registered and published in the official government journal.
The achievement of the same goal in the Central African Republic was even more dramatic. An application for recognition and registration had been submitted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Bangui in October 1969, but a whole year passed without any reply being received in spite of the constant efforts of the Assembly to obtain legal status.
Then, during the celebration of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh on the evening of November 11th, the believers gathered for the meeting were arrested for suspected subversive activities. They remained under arrest for four days while an extensive enquiry was made into the Faith and were finally released when the true character of the Faith became apparent and the suspicions were found to be without foundation. However, since the Faith had not yet been given legal status, the believers were prohibited from teaching, holding meetings of any kind without prior permission, or from distributing Bahá’í literature.
The application for recognition was again brought before the authorities and it was decided that the application must be submitted to the Council of Ministers for final approval.
After three months, the Bahá’ís application had still not been placed before the Council of Ministers, and so, on completion of his mission to Chad, Dr. Aziz Navidi flew into Bangui to take up the application with the highest authorities.
A file of documents presenting the principles, the world-wide recognition of the Faith, including its being granted consultative status at the United Nations, and appreciations from non-Bahá’í authorities and individuals was prepared and submitted to the President of the Republic, General Jean-Bedel Bokassa. After studying the file, the President had it presented before the Council of Ministers. On 13th February, in a special session called for that purpose, the Council of Ministers at last approved the registration of the Faith in the Central African Republic.
Immediately following the meeting of the Council of Ministers, a radio communiqué was prepared at the Presidency and broadcast in each news bulletin thereafter for twenty-four hours, in the national language, Sango, as well as in French and English. The radio communiqué gave a brief history of the Faith and its principles, its non-political character and insistence upon loyalty to Government, the basic statistics of the Faith throughout the world, its status and membership among the United Nations Non-Governmental Organizations and establishment in over sixty major sovereign states in all continents.
Thus was the Faith first proclaimed far and wide throughout the country, and was brought, not only to the attention of the Head of State himself and his Ministers, but also to the entire population of the country by radio for the first time in the Central African Republic.
Continental Board of Counsellors with members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Cameroon Republic. Sitting; from left to right: Simeon Arreneke, Chairman; Kolonario Oule, Counsellor; Zora Banks, Vice Chairman; Epyero Oloro, Counsellor and Moses Akombi. Standing, left to right: Carl Jones Enoachuo; Prince Ayuk Afue, Secretary; Sampson Forchak; Abraham Enoh and Dickson Ako, Treasurer.
Maori Poho-o-Rawiri, New Zealand School[edit]
The site of the January 1971 Summer School in New Zealand was inside Poho-o-Rawiri, a “wharepuni” (Maori meeting house) at Gisborne on the East Coast of the North Island. It is reported that Gisborne will never be the same, due to the spirit generated by the classes, firesides and visitors. The total enrollment was about eighty, including numerous youth and children. A special guest-teacher was Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Gertrude Blum, who arrived from the Solomon Islands.
The Maori people were attracted. Several of the Maori Elders in Gisborne visited the school and highly praised the work of the Faith. Visitors came from far and wide to inspect the most elaborately carved Maori meeting house in New Zealand and to learn of the Faith. One overseas visitor was a member of the World Council of Churches. He noted the many youth in attendance and remarked on the failure of the churches now to attract them.
There were six declarations at the school. A new local Spiritual Assembly for Gisborne will probably result from the school.
The Universal House of Justice sent the following cable:
OVERJOYED NEWS SUCCESSFUL SUMMER SCHOOL GREAT SPIRIT UNITY FRIENDS PRAYING SHRINES ENTHUSIASM GENERATED THERE WILL INFUSE ENTIRE NEW ZEALAND COMMUNITY LEAD TO ACHIEVEMENT ALL GOALS NINE YEAR PLAN.
At the New Zealand Summer School in January, respected Maori elder and carver Mr. Muni Taumoana,
who was sympathetic to the Faith, explains the history
of the carvings inside the meeting house. From left is
Ron Pratt, Margaret Hylton, Nancy Chambers, Richard Stiles, Ian Wilson, Pauline and David Putland,
Arvind Agraval, Nick Spill and Elizabeth Braithwaite,
one of the six to declare during the school.
Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Gertrude Blum conducts a session at the New Zealand Summer School inside Poho-o-Rawiri, a wharepuni (Maori meeting house)
at Gisborne. It is one of the largest meeting houses in
the country and features beautiful examples of Maori
carvings and tukutuku panels.
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New Zealand Bahá’í Summer School, Poho-o-Rawiri,
Gisborne. December 27—January 5, 1971. Auxiliary
Board member Mrs. Gertrude Blum is standing on the
extreme right.
Every State in United States Recognizes Bahá’í Marriages[edit]
An important goal of the Nine Year plan was completed when the Governor of West Virginia in February, signed a bill recognizing Bahá’í marriages. This was the last state to take this step, and now one can be certain that Bahá’í marriage is legal anywhere in the United States.
South Carolina: Charlotte to Dillon[edit]
If you want to see eyes light up, just ask a Charlotte Bahá’í, “Tell me, what happened to you in Dillon?”
“I’d never been teaching before and didn’t know what to do. But as soon as I started down the street someone came up to me and asked what we were selling. Then I explained our purpose and he asked me to come into his house to tell his wife. I did. Before I knew it they were asking neighbors to come in, and sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles. In one hour I was overwhelmed with twelve declarations.”
Does this sound typical? It was to Charlotte Bahá’ís in Dillon.
“Eight men came in and we overheard them say ‘We’ll break up this party.’ As they walked in the door we were praying. They took seats in the back and listened to our story. As they left, there was a look of amazement on their faces. A few minutes later five of them came back in and declared, and spent the rest of the evening with us.”
Does this sound typical? It was to Charlotte Bahá’ís in Dillon.
Typical was the opening of hearts to God. Typical was the rededication of souls to God. Typical were hands joined together for love of God.
Does this sound typical? It is to Charlotte Bahá’ís who now say, “We’ve only just begun.”
(From North Carolina BAHÁ’Í NEWSLETTER.)
Finnish Exhibitions Viewed by 30,000[edit]
A Bahá’í exhibition has been displayed continuously in various locations in Finland since October 1970, mostly in connection with schools or libraries. In Heinola, at the Adult Education Center, about 300 people became acquainted with the Faith through this means. A director of an old people’s home in the same building asked for a Bahá’í speaker. At this meeting, some were ready to declare but were told by the director to investigate the Faith more thoroughly first. A library exhibit in Kangesala, by a school, attracted six classes. Some of the students copied texts from the display for the purpose of giving talks about the Faith in class. In Tampere the exhibition was located where students of a Junior High school, the Adult Education Center and a University had to pass. Some teachers brought their classes to see it which led to many animated discussions.
The display was placed in the lobby of a district library in Kuopio where thousands of residents of the town and surrounding areas were able to familiarize themselves with the Faith, and the personnel in charge were in turn thanked and condemned. For the showing in Savonlinna, thorough preparations were made by means of newspaper ads, posters and invitation cards to the exhibit, again held in a library. It is estimated that about 700 persons saw this display there. In Espoo, most of the viewers were young persons who were ready to ask questions and discuss various aspects of the Faith. Many interesting things happened at the displays. It is estimated that until March, around 30,000 persons were introduced to the Faith by means of this exhibition.
(Information from the English Language Section of the Finnish Bahá’í-Sanoma.)
Groundbreaking in Livingston, Guatemala[edit]
Two years ago the coming of Hand of the Cause Dr. Muhájir to Guatemala was like a tidal wave. Things began to happen. He told Louise Caswell, our beloved pioneer who 30 years ago answered the first call of the Guardian to go to Latin America, that she should obtain a center in Livingston, that they were a forgotten people, that it was mass conversion territory. Louise and other pioneers made some initial exploratory trips and found the first Bahá’í—a 16-year-old girl.
Dr. Ahmadiyeh, Auxiliary Board member from Belize, came the following year and we had an open-air meeting with several declarations.
A few months later Hand of the Cause of God, Enoch Olinga, our love-radiating “Father of Victories” walked the streets of Livingston like a king showering his boundless love upon all. On the boat from Puerto Barrios to Livingston many asked about him and some asked to meet him—one woman put her arm by his and her voice vibrating with emotion said, almost shouting, “Look, his skin is the same color as mine!”
Louise Caswell complied with Dr. Muhájir’s wish and made it possible to build a center in Livingston but still there were no pioneers to live and work there. We prayed!
Dan and Pam Wegener came to be directors of the Institute in Chichicastenango. Dan was named a member of the National Proclamation Committee. On a proclamation trip to Livingston, they fell in love with the people and began having visions of pioneering there and helping to bring about mass conversion. They received permission to pioneer there—soon found a house and with all their youthful enthusiasm and vigor began this tremendous, thrilling task.
The community has grown to about sixty believers. Because of the unique spirit of the people, mostly blacks, some Indians and Chinese, it is a great bounty to teach them. Their hearts are pure and they readily accept Bahá’u’lláh. They have a wonderful capacity for administration—a quality unique in Guatemala.
In February Livingston was the site of the first Regional Conference in the eastern part of Guatemala. Bahá’ís from six departments came together to participate in a weekend conference in order to learn about Bahá’í laws, administration and history.
In the afternoon of the first day the entire group walked to the edge of town to the beautiful new center
Julian Gamboa placing the first stone for the future
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds as Louise Caswell and Martin Rodriguez stand by.
Ground-breaking ceremony at Livingston, Izabal,
Guatemala in February 1971. Note the palm trees
and the Atlantic Ocean in the background. Auxiliary
Board member Edith McLaren (wearing a hat) and
Louise Caswell are holding on to the spade.
site located on a high hill over-looking the Atlantic
Ocean and surrounded by lush vegetation. Livingston
will be the site of the first local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Guatemala. It will be built with native materials—nine-sided with a thatched dome and cement floor. The
believers are helping, each in his own way. Some are
going to the rain forest and cutting materials and
bringing them back in canoes—others are working on
the center before and after their regular jobs.
Amidst radiant faces—black, brown and white, Louise Caswell with the help of Edith McLaren, Auxiliary Board member, broke the ground and laid the first stone. It was a beautiful sight to behold—palm trees swaying in the wind, brilliant tropical sun reflecting off the ocean and the faces radiating love as they walked down the hill.
The following day after classes, the Feast of Mulk was celebrated. The women of the community prepared a wonderful meal of fish, meat, rice salad and tortillas for a Unity Feast. Afterwards everyone with arms linked in a symbol of love and unity, sang Bahá’í songs and listened to a final loving message of gratitude read by the secretary of the local community. Reluctantly everyone walked to the dock to board the boat that would take them to Puerto Barrios where they could catch buses for home.
Catholic Monk Says Bahá’í Prayer on TV[edit]
Padre Mariano, a Catholic Monk who acts as Master of Ceremonies on a religious television program shown throughout Italy, recently read, for the third time, The Prayer for All Mankind by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. A viewer had requested a prayer for all religions and was rewarded with this prayer while a photograph of the Master was shown on the screen. The Monk stated that this was one of the most beautiful prayers he had ever encountered.
(From Bahá’í International News Service, Haifa)
Singing-Teaching Team Wins Latin Americans[edit]
Marvin and Jan Dreyer (Mr. and Mrs.) pioneers to El Salvador, have completed a triumphant tour of twelve countries of Central and South America and the Leeward, Windward and Virgin Islands.
In the Dominican Republic the Dreyers were interviewed on radio broadcasts and enrolled, during a four day visit, a total of at least sixty believers.
In Kingston, Jamaica they arrived in time to appear as guest stars on a benefit show that was televised. This was one of the best known television shows of the year. They were recognized wherever they went following this marvelous beginning.
In Panama the highlight of their trip was a meeting at Rio Abaja where fifty-five attended, including the Minister of Public Relations for Panama who is also the news editor for one of the two television stations in the country. He asked for slides and tapes to present on radio and television.
In Guatemala political unrest was great and a curfew was imposed, with no one being allowed to leave the capital city. Following a television appearance the Dreyers and some of the friends set out for the small village of Villa Canales to meet with a road block where all automobiles were being turned back, without exception. The friends prayed and then talked with the Army Officer who let them through; the only two automobiles on the road. About 125 people came to the meeting and seventy of them became Bahá’ís.
In the tiny town of Dona Maria a meeting was held with about forty attending. Thirty-six of them became Bahá’ís. In the small town of Quezaltepeque there was one Bahá’í who had enrolled through a correspondence course. There, 400 attended the meeting and fifty-nine became Bahá’ís, including the entire family of the woman who had been the only Bahá’í.
Exciting meetings were held in Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela and in many other places—giving free concerts, appearing on radio and/or television in many places, arousing favorable interest wherever they went.
One can hardly say the Dreyers went back to El Salvador to rest. Some few days following their return they visited a small town about one hour’s drive from their home in the capital city. There they held a meeting with forty present and thirty-two of these, including the Mayor became Bahá’ís.
IN INDIA:
Over 8,000 government officials have now received Bahá’í literature in India. The response has been highly gratifying. One recipient wrote, “... Now I’d like to know how I can help in this great Cause. Please be specific and frank.”
Right:
Haiti: Resident Auxiliary Board member M. Pierre
Augustin, resting with his bicycle during an extended
trip to the north of the island. All vehicles had been
commandeered by the government, so M. Augustin and
his companion, native pioneer Serge Bastien, finally borrowed from the military authorities, one bicycle for
the two of them to make a five and a half-hour journey
over very bad roads.
In Haiti
Above:
Auxiliary Board member Pierre Augustin and five other local Bahá’ís of the nine native pioneers who are
working in Haiti winning goals of the Nine Year plan.
These pioneers pictured are: Alfred Cassion, Phillipe
Bassien, George Marcellus, Serge Bastien and Pierre
Andre. Thrilling teaching work is taking place in
Haiti in spite of many difficulties.
Monrovia, Liberia Conference — January 1-3, 1971[edit]
[Page 13]
Friends gathered at Monrovia, Liberia for the Continental Conference for West and
Central Africa. Lower left, Hand of the Cause Rúḥíyyih Khánum standing near the
Land Rover in which she is touring Africa.
Results of Monrovia, Liberia Conference[edit]
In Monrovia a hotel owner and a restaurant owner have both become Bahá’ís teaching actively and with great success in their respective establishments. An Episcopal Priest and an Episcopal Deacon have accepted the Faith in Liberia and in Las Palmas five staff members of a high school have enrolled. One of the friends who enrolled as a result of the Conference returned to Cape Palmas and began to talk of the Cause in the public market. Before leaving the market this Bahá’í had enrolled over 200 waiting souls.
(From Bahá’í International News Service, Haifa)
Monrovia, Liberia: Hand of the Cause Dr. Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir, representative of the Universal House
of Justice, addressing the friends at the Continental
Conference for West and Central Africa.
The Bahá’ís of Guam gathered for a campout, deepening weekend in the village of Inarajan, February 4-6,1971.
Tobago Bahá’ís Visit Officials and Schools[edit]
The National Publicity and Proclamation Committee of Tobago made a decision this year to contact the Government officials and headmasters of the Secondary Schools in Tobago with the aim of acquainting them with the Bahá’í Principles and obtaining permission to deliver lectures on the Faith to the students.
To this end Miss Shamsi Sedaghat paid a courtesy call on the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Tobago Affairs, Mr. Fitzroy Bell. She had a lengthy discussion with him about the Faith and presented him with a copy of All Things Made New on behalf of the Bahá’ís of Trinidad and Tobago. She then called on the headmaster of Scarborough Secondary School and the Principal of Bishop’s High School, discussed the Faith with them and presented them with literature. They were impressed with the principles and arranged for lectures to be delivered. The following week Miss Sedaghat accompanied by Mr. L. Fraser spoke on “Comparative Religion” at the two schools where about 150 persons were present. Interest was high and it was requested that these lectures be continued on a permanent basis.
(From News Bulletin of Bahá’ís of Trinidad and Tobago)
Voice of America Broadcast[edit]
Two Bahá’ís were interviewed on the Bahá’í Faith on the Voice of America world-wide English broadcast relayed on March 7, 1971. Mrs. Anita Ioas Chapman of Washington, D.C. and Miss Linda Head, a pianist from Prince Georges County, Maryland appeared on the Voice of America’s Religion Today program. The program is a fifteen minute program and reaches around the world in its broadcast. The producer of the show became acquainted with the Bahá’í Faith through a Bahá’í pioneer while he was serving with the Peace Corps in South America. He requested the Bahá’ís appear on the program. The program covered information on the Bahá’í calendar and the oneness of religion. A report received from the Holy Land indicates that staff members at the Universal House of Justice heard the program. Other programs over the Voice of America have made mention of the Bahá’í Faith in the past.
Statistics of Vietnam[edit]
Number of believers (Jan. 1971) | 102,454 |
Total localities | 1,293 |
Groups | 834 |
Assemblies | 459 |
Incorporations | 149 |
Bahá’í Marriages are recognized |
|
Bahá’í Holy days are recognized |
|
Published Bahá’í literature in following languages: |
|
Nung, Rhade, Meo and Thaidam |
|
From the National Spiritual Assembly of Vietnam
there has come a report that the newly published textbook on Civic Education prepared for all high school
students (8th grade) in Vietnam, includes a lesson on
the Bahá’í Faith. The Faith is now being taught in all
high schools throughout the nation along with other
religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam.
Vietnam Visit of Hand of the Cause Olinga[edit]
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga, Board member Mr.
Nguyen Văn Loi and other friends entering the Bahá’í
village of TàDuong, Ninh-Thuân Province.
In the village of TàDuong: Mr. Truong Idêm Dông,
National Spiritual Assembly Treasurer, and local
Bahá’ís greeted Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga with
traditional music of the Thuong (Mountagnards).
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga at a meal served at TháiGiao village next to TàDuong.
Friends gathered at the village school at TàDuong to
listen to the words of love and unity expressed by Hand
of the Cause Enoch Olinga.
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga visits a plot of land
donated to the TháiGiao Bahá’í community by a local
Bahá’í family.
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga at a second plot of
land donated to TháiGiao community by a Bahá’í
family. The local Bahá’ís have planted corn and beans
to benefit the Local and National Fund.
WAR-TORN LAOS[edit]
In spite of being a war-torn country, the expansion work is steadily going on in Laos. From forty-eight localities where Bahá’ís were last Riḍván, there are seventy-six (February 1971) and more expected. The prospect is to have ten Assemblies by Riḍván. Twenty-three localities were opened to the Faith recently in Luang Probang with more than 1,500 believers. The important task is to keep the balance between deepening without weakening expansion.
The Teaching Conference held on December 6, 1970 at Ban Don Du for the Thakkek Area was successful and attended by fifty believers from neighboring villages.
ATTENDANCE AT SINGAPORE CONFERENCE
Fourteen natives of Laos, accompanied by three pioneers, were able to attend the Oceanic Conference held at Singapore on January 1-3, 1971. There was concern about means of getting the native believers to the conference. Finally those in charge heard of the possibility of securing a collective passport, such as has been used by Chinese when they wish to travel to Taiwan. Investigation at the Laos Immigration office confirmed this method and after exhaustive follow-up efforts for two weeks the collective passport was secured. Visas to the countries through which the party would pass were acquired later. Then, as another confirmation from heaven, the National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand sent word of the prospect of chartering a bus and an invitation to go with them from Bangkok to Singapore and back. After studying all aspects of this method of travel, the decision was made to accept this kind offer, an unprecedented occasion.
Although there was a language barrier in traveling with Thai Bahá’ís, all could feel the love and affection. There was no engine trouble, no accident and no visa problems en route. With all the party there was real fellowship and cooperation in the five days en route to the Conference and the five days returning to Vientiane. This was a unique opportunity which was seized to have warm companionship with Bahá’í brothers and sisters. The stimulation of attendance at the Singapore Conference will undoubtedly bear results in spreading the Faith more widely in Laos.
Teaching Conference at Thakkek, Laos. The immediate problem is to keep the balance between deepening and keeping speed at expansion.
Malaysian Bahá’í News[edit]
On reading the Malaysian Bahá’í News of September-October 1970 which arrived in March 1971 at the National Bahá’í Center of the United States, one cannot but feel that the hopes and prayers for the progress of the Faith are putting on the flesh of reality.
Jungle Teaching[edit]
In this issue Machambo, the manager of the Malaysian Bahá’í National Book Shop, tells the story of how he and five other young Bahá’ís for the first time attempted to cross the Main Range in the Perak jungles in order to teach the jungle folk on the other side into Pehang. Below is a condensed version of his story:
Walking, carrying haversacks, they struggled through the slippery, wet, narrow jungle paths. All of a sudden someone would slip and fall into a hole, pick himself up and continue. The first night it was raining and the wind howling when they found the home of an old “penghulu” (headman) who offered them hospitality. They slept on the bamboo floor of the hut with no mats and no pillows, but were rewarded by the declaration of the “penghulu.”
The food for the journey seemed to have been mostly tapioca, burnt tapioca and boiled tapioca. The travellers were happy to acquire guides for the rest of the journey. It took seven hours to go over high and steep hills covered with tall trees and thick, wet undergrowth infested with thorns, leeches and other crawly creatures. At one point the person in the lead fell backwards and all the rest went down too, like ninepins.
Mochambo tells of another anxious time: “I stopped to pluck out a leech. Then suddenly I realized I was alone ... I ran like a frightened animal. The jungle path suddenly branched out in many directions. I started to say ‘The Remover of Difficulties’ ... then I saw another member of the party.”
The destination was reached at 6:00 p.m. on the third day and they were welcomed with a tapioca dinner. Two stayed up to talk to the kindly “penghulu” who finally declared he wished to become a Bahá’í. In the morning he told his people about the Faith and the whole “kampong” became Bahá’í.
Other interesting items: (Malaysian Bahá’í News) The opening of the Women’s Conference in Kuala Lumpur by Shantha Sundram ... Photograph of the Santitham High School in Thailand founded by Mrs. Shirin Fozdar, where many of the students and teachers are Bahá’ís and the Headmaster is a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Thailand.... Mr. Koh of Kuantan, who wanted a copy of God Passes By and copied by hand the whole book, word for word, all 412 pages.... The Laos report of the visit of Professor H. Avaregan of Italy; the result of his stay of three nights, “two villages declared their belief and another two are expected to accept the Faith soon.” The Professor addressed a group of Buddhist monks and novices in the largest Buddhist temple in Savannakhet, telling them of the “coming of the Maitre Buddha.”
Singapore University[edit]
Three Bahá’í students at Singapore University worked excitedly for the grand inauguration of the Bahá’í society. Four thousand invitations were addressed and distributed.... The great day dawned at last. A few minutes before the scheduled hour the nervous Bahá’í students wondered if anyone was going to turn up—and soon there were about a hundred guests.... The event made news, not only on the University campus but throughout the island as it was in the national newspapers.... Three tired, happy Bahá’ís rejoiced that they had been privileged to assist in bringing the message of Bahá’u’lláh to a whole generation of students at the University of Singapore.
Elizabeth Gibson, from California, U.S.A., wrote in this issue of Malaysian Bahá’í News: “Did you know that there are almost as many Bahá’ís here (Malaysia) as in the whole United States? And in less than two decades after Uncle Yankee planted the standard of Bahá’u’lláh in this land. (Yan Kee Leong is considered the first Bahá’í in Malaysia.) With this record of past and present victories, I marvel to think of what this community is going to do in proclamation and consolidation in the near future.”
Unity Feast Before Singapore Conference[edit]
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga addressing the friends
at the Unity Feast which was held on the eve of the
Oceanic Conference, Singapore, December 31, 1970.
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga being introduced to a tribal believer from Thailand, by Counsellor Yan Kee Leong (in bow tie) at the Unity Feast, Singapore, December 31, 1970.
International Youth Winter School—Salzburg, Austria[edit]
Six hundred people from twenty five countries of the five continents attended the First International Bahá’í Youth Winter School, held between December 25, 1970, and January 3, 1971, at Salzburg, Austria.
Hands Attend[edit]
The event was blessed by the presence of the Hands of the Cause: Dr. Adelbert Mühlschlegel and Mr. John Robarts, and of Mr. Erik Blumenthal, member of the European Board of Counsellors, as well as Mrs. Mühlschlegel and Mr. Goltenboth, Auxiliary Board members for Europe.
A wonderful spirit prevailed at the school, which moved nineteen souls to declare themselves during the session.
Program[edit]
The program contained some excellent lectures and talks. Emphasis was placed upon symposiums and discussions. Themes like “Prayer-Meditation-Deeds”, “The Importance of Taking Part in the Bahá’í Administration”, “Marriage and Family”, etc. were dealt with. One whole day was given to a Youth Conference on the Nine-Year Plan. During the Conference representatives of the National Youth Committees reported on the part that the Youth are playing in the achievement of the goals of the Nine Year plan. Out of the consultations within this Youth Conference arose a call to all the participants which was met with the following response: three pioneers, thirty-two travelling teachers, and twenty-four friends pledging to hold new firesides all responded enthusiastically to the call.
“Dawn-Breakers”[edit]
One of the highlights of the Winter School was the public appearance of the European “Dawn-Breakers” group at the Salzburg “Kongresshaus”—visited by around one thousand people.
Exhibition[edit]
Open to the public at the time was the Austrian Bahá’í Exhibition. The local press published several articles on the School, and an interview with a Bahá’í was broadcast over the radio.
Resolutions[edit]
At the end of the school a resolution was sent to the press and radio, stating that the Bahá’ís see in Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings the solution to the world’s problems, and that they are determined to increase their endeavours of proclaiming the principles revealed by Bahá’u’lláh.
The Friends departed from the Winter School enriched and with hearts overflowing with the desire to bring the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, in word and deed, to all those who are waiting and searching.
Winter School at Seabeck, Washington[edit]
Air was crisp and the ground lightly powdered with snow during the Northwest Winter School held at the Conference Grounds in Seabeck, Washington, December 31 to January 3, 1971. Approaching the site of the three day institute one was greeted with a picturesque view of the Hood Canal framed by stately fir trees, and an occasional glimpse of the majestic, snow-blanketed Olympic Mountains on the distant horizon.
Faces were aglow as they greeted old and new friends in eager anticipation of the Heavenly Feast about to begin. Fires had been kindled in the fireplaces of the several meeting rooms as well as within the hearts of the believers as early afternoon registration began and acquaintances were renewed.
At 5 o’clock a program of special devotions and welcome arranged by our Auxiliary Board Member, Mrs. Opal Conner, for this fourth annual winter session.
The school was blessed with the attendance of three Auxiliary Board members, Mrs. Margaret Gallagher, Mr. Jenabe Caldwell and Mrs. Conner. Mrs. Gallagher led a study of “America’s Spiritual Destiny” as envisaged by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. Mr. Caldwell came out for a day and told the friends of the exciting teaching efforts now taking place in Alaska.
Dr. Daniel Jordan presented a series of six lectures dealing with the themes “Searching for the Meaning of Life”: “God’s Purpose for Man;” “The Source of Meaning in Life”, “The Nature of Spiritual Education”, “Safeguarding Meaning in Life”, “New Perspectives on the Covenant”, “Meaning Translated into Collective Action”, and “The Role of Bahá’í Administration.”
Following a presentation on the spiritual nature of giving to the Bahá’í Fund, this gathering voluntarily responded with an outpouring of substance to be sent to the National Spiritual Assembly.
A staff of highly qualified teachers guided the youth, ages twelve to seventeen, in learning about Bahá’í History, the Standard of Bahá’í Behavior, Consultation and Crafts.
A total of 101 persons were registered representing thirty-four communities, seven states and three countries, ages twelve to seventy-three. Since winter quarters utilize less than half the available facilities, the camp management went all out to accommodate the overflow attendance. The crowded condition at mealtime was cheerfully and lovingly accepted by the friends and with graciousness and courtesy by the efficient staff.
One evening following dinner, the friends were delighted when Dr. Jordan performed several piano selections. That, in addition to hiking, folk dancing, the talent show, a slide presentation, and just visiting with friends were the extra-curricular activities most often mentioned as being enjoyable to those participating.
Time flew by quickly as spirits were renewed and rededicated to the challenge of the immediate task ahead.
From the Australian Bahá’í Bulletin (Feb. 1971) we learn that the Ideal Desk Calendar has included in its “Thought for the Day”, a quotation for each month from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh until October, when two are used. Encouraged by this development, the New South Wales Proclamation Committee has submitted Bahá’í quotations to three desk calendar publishers for their future use. The first known time that excerpts from Bahá’í writings were used on office desk calendars throughout Australia was in 1969, when quotation were sent to them by the Regional Teaching Committee for New South Wales.
Pioneers in Taiwan Write[edit]
American pioneers to Taiwan, Lt. Col. and Mrs. Russel Weedlun, who arrived at their post a few months ago, lost no time in becoming active in Bahá’í teaching. A school for children started in November has three classes for children ages 4 to 14 as well as an informal youth and adult class. Classes are held on Sundays.
Mrs. Weedlun with youngest children’s class
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST[edit]
Messages to the Bahá’í World, 1950-1957. By Shoghi Effendi. Revised edition, with a supplementary collection.
An important collection of messages written by Shoghi Effendi containing all of his communications addressed, as Guardian of the Faith, to the Bahá’í World Community. These letters were begun in 1950 and continued to the end of his life in 1957. Before that time he had confined his communications to specific National Spiritual Assemblies or national Bahá’í communities.
This revised, second edition of the Guardian’s Messages to the Bahá’í World contains, in addition to those printed in the first edition, a supplementary collection of letters, including the ones addressed to the first historic Intercontinental Teaching Conferences called by Shoghi Effendi and held in Africa, America, Europe and Asia in 1953.
The messages in this volume contain the unerring guidance of the Guardian for the Bahá’í world during the first period of global effort in the development of the Bahá’í World Community. They outline the goals to be won, supply the guidance and inspiration for their achievement, report the stirring and miraculous development of the Institutions of the Administrative Order, and delineate the unfoldment of the Faith to the year 1963 in preparation for the formation of the Universal House of Justice. In addition, they paved the way for the initiation of many more plans for the expansion and consolidation of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh by that Supreme Body, the Universal House of Justice, and point to the glorious consummation of the majestic plan of God for humanity in the establishment of His Kingdom on earth.
This work adds an important and essential book in a Bahá’í library. (Jacket has a scratchboard drawing of the International Archives Building on Mt. Carmel, prepared by the late Carl Scheffler.)
Per copy | $3.00 |
Order from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
The Cuna Word for God Is Baha[edit]
The Cuna Indians who reside on the San Blas Islands, off the Atlantic coast of Panama, have a prophetic heritage which includes a promise that God will send people to them from the outside world with a new Book, a new Message and a new Name and that the Message will teach them to live in harmony with all the people of the world. The Cuna word for God is Baha.
Nine years ago the Bahá’ís from Panama travelled throughout the islands and, at that time, over 2,000 Cunas accepted the Cause. They have, since that time, had little opportunity to deepen in their knowledge of the Faith.
Recently a teaching team visited the island of Ustupo, spending four days with the Cunas. During this time the Sahilas (chiefs) of the island accepted the Cause, as did the Voceros (Spokesmen). That the Sahilas embraced the Faith is highly significant, as they have previously treated any visitors who spoke of religion with courtesy but have refused to align themselves with any religion. Plans are now being made to deepen the Cunas systematically.
(From Bahá’í International News Service, Haifa)
Acting Prime Minister of Ghana Visited[edit]
Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, accompanied by Mrs. Violette Nakhjaváni and Mr. Golgasht Mossafai (Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Ghana) were received by the Acting Prime Minister of Ghana on Tuesday, the 27 of November at 11:00 a.m. While waiting to see the Acting Prime Minister, Rúḥíyyih Khánum spent about a half an hour with reporters and journalists explaining in detail the principles of the Bahá’í Faith.
In the office of the Acting Prime Minister, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Information were also present. After the introductions, Rúḥíyyih Khánum thanked the Government of Ghana for being so kind to her by extending the permission to keep her Land Rover in Ghana for nine months. She assured the Ministers that the most loyal subjects toward the government are the Bahá’ís, because they do not interfere with politics and one of the principles of the Faith is the obedience towards the government of the country where the Bahá’ís reside.
After she had finished, the discussion about the Faith began and all were anxious to know more. The Minister of Information asked how the Bahá’ís do not interfere with politics. Rúḥíyyih Khánum explained that the basic principle of the Faith is unity and if each individual Bahá’í takes part in different party politics, they would work against each other; where would be the unity then?
The Minister of Education asked how the Bahá’ís vote for the government if they do not take part in party politics. Rúḥíyyih Khánum answered that in accordance with the instructions of Bahá’u’lláh and His Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Bahá’ís vote for a just government or a person who they think can serve the nation best.
Then the question of resurrection and what the Bahá’ís think about it was asked by the Minister of Education. Rúḥíyyih Khánum answered that frankly the Bahá’ís do not believe in resurrection of flesh and bone as many other religions do, but of course we believe in spiritual resurrection.
By then half an hour had passed, although the interview was granted for fifteen minutes. Rúḥíyyih Khánum, with the permission of the Acting Prime Minister, presented him the book The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh which he passed to the Minister of Education for a careful and close study. After Rúḥíyyih Khánum signed the Official Visitor’s Book of Osu Castle the interview was finished.
The news of this interview was carried on the regular TV and radio newscasts in the evening. Following this Rúḥíyyih Khánum had an interview on Ghana Broadcasting Television for five minutes about the Faith, which was broadcast on Saturday, Nov. 27.
Amatu’l Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum meeting His Excellency, Acting Prime Minister Mr. Kwesi Lamptey. The Minister of Information, Honorable Mr. T. D. Brodie-Mends, looks on. At extreme left: Honorable Mr. William Ofori-Atta, Minister of Education and behind him, Mrs. Violette Nakhjavání.
Proclamation Volume to Embassies in New Zealand[edit]
In Wellington, New Zealand, the Assembly has been busy presenting the volume The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to ambassadors at various embassies. The Yugoslav Embassy responded with interest. The American Embassy received the volume through a Mr. Ransom who said he would read it himself. At the Vietnam Embassy, Mr. Ngoc was interested to learn of the rapid growth of the Faith although this was the first he had heard of it. The representative for Taiwan said he would read the book then write to the Wellington Assembly. The Singapore Ambassador refused the gift as did the Italian Ambassador; however, later a senior member who had met Mrs. Shirin Fozdar gratefully received the book. The U.S.S.R. legation received the volume in an efficient five minutes. The Austrian representative was enthusiastic and listened intently when the letter to the Emperor Francis Joseph was discussed. The lawyer-agent for Ireland, in a short discussion on world order, twice indicated his intention to read the book. The Swiss Ambassador happily accepted the gift.
(From the New Zealand BAHÁ’Í NEWSLETTER)
East Lansing, Michigan, Mayor’s presentation of proclamation volume. Standing, from left to right, Miss Margaret Enlow, Mr. Thomas Sharrard and Dr. Keyvan Nazerian. Seated in center is Mayor Gordon Thomas.
Lakeland, Florida group presents four books to the Lakeland
Public Library. Left to right: Mrs. Wilma Jirsa; Mrs. Ann Valk;
Mr. Robert Bruhl; Mr. Cecil E. Cleveland, Jr., city librarian;
Mr. Carl Riemer; Mrs. Jesse Riemer; Mrs. Gladys Farr.
Mayor Tom B. Pearson of Del Mar, California, accepts The
Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh from Mrs. Mary Liddicoat, librarian of the Del Mar Bahá’í community. Robert R. Metz, Chairman
of the Spiritual Assembly of Del Mar and Hugh Liddicoat, first
pioneer, are shown at left and right respectively.
Presenting The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to Mayor Floyd Holland of Cheyenne (seated) are Rexford Block, librarian, and Anita Graves, treasurer of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Philippine Pioneers[edit]
One of the Philippine goals given by the Universal House of Justice for the Nine Year Plan, was two American Pioneers to assist in the great consolidation work in a country that now has over 2,000 localities and over 200 Local Spiritual Assemblies. The pioneers who arose were Mr. and Mrs. Allen and Sara Lewis and their three young children.
A month after their arrival in March, 1970, the National Assembly asked them to live in Kidapawan, a rural town in the vicinity of a Bahá’í institute in the most southern island of Mindanao, in close proximity to thousands of Bahá’ís in the villages.
Of course, the physical circumstances of their lives drastically changed. Allen had been an industrial designer for Ford Motor Company and now he would help in the villages as well as working with Sara to help in the development of the institute. It was suggested that in their town life they associate with clubs and various civic organizations and develop the identity of a young couple who were interested in people, and over a period of time to develop friends from the community. Kidapawan is a college town with banks, teachers, doctors and people from the whole range of Philippine society.
Curiosity began to grow about them since they did not push Bahá’í during their period of getting to know people. Then, only nine months after their arrival, power from on high blessed their dedicated efforts. Their children were instrumental in this event, as the Lewises allowed them to associate freely with the Filipino children whose parents became interested to also know the father and mother of these young Americans. So, along in the ninth month, their hundreds of friends began to ask, “What IS this ‘Baha’i’?”, then it was that the Lewises invited a speaker to come from Manila and they planned a four-day direct campaign to inform the town of Kidapawan.
They gave dinners, had firesides in the afternoon and evening, each time attended by forty or fifty people from all walks of Kidapawan life. All teachers in all the schools except one asked to be directly informed of the Bahá’í Faith. The women’s club had a special meeting where over a hundred women heard of Táhiri. The Rotarians, students and professionals asked for direct Bahá’í talks.
After the four days, the walls of insulation dissolved and the entire town now has a great reaction to the Faith. It is estimated that there is not a single person living in Kidapawan who does not know of the existence of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith, and now word comes that the people of the town are beginning to enroll.
It wasn’t easy for a sophisticated young couple to live in a contained atmosphere for nine months, but their steadfastness, their uni-directional spirit, their awareness of opportunity and of building for the future of the Faith, all lead to this phenomenon. Never before has an entire town been opened to the Faith in the Philippines.
Surely the Lewises exemplify the pioneers who forsook their native land, found a new home, and even in a short time saw the confirmations and blessings of Bahá’u’lláh surround them.
| NOTE: In the April 1971 issue of BAHÁ’Í NEWS on pages 12-13 is a center spread photograph made at the Singapore Conference. This is a picture of pioneers at the conference, not an official photograph of all who attended, about 500 persons. |
Hand of Cause Olinga Visits Philippines[edit]
The recent four-day visit of Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga to the Philippines was a glorious lesson in watching how one individual could generate spiritual waves. Although he traveled in the greater Manila area and spoke especially in universities and in a giant public meeting, the power of those waves seemed to reach the shores of the 7,000 islands of this country.
Bahá’ís of greater Manila had a month-and-a-half to prepare for his coming. This build-up consisted of sending a thousand pamphlets with business reply cards, semi-weekly ads in the newspapers which cover the whole country, press kits to all metropolitan newspaper people, arrangements for over a hundred college and high school editors and over 200 invited to a senior press conference. Fourteen-hundred posters were placed all over the greater-Manila area for the public meeting in the most prestigious auditorium in the city. Two thousand
Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga holding a young Bahá’í—Oloro Davis, while on his visit to Manila.
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invitations were sent for this meeting. Five universities were approached to receive Mr. Olinga as a speaker; some of which universities have been recently beset
by student demonstrations, riots, etc. Mr. Olinga was
warmly welcomed by the faculty and students. He spoke
directly of the Faith in these universities to over 700
students.
The Bahá’í Philippine National Youth Committee greatly assisted in escorting the high school and college reporters to a highly successful youth press conference in which seven colleges were represented. The senior press gave generous coverage in several metropolitan papers and a mention in a news program on TV. Mr. Olinga was met by the press, at the largest gathering of Bahá’ís ever to meet anyone at Manila International Airport.
All this led up to the largest public meeting in the Bahá’í history of the Philippines. The great majority of the guests came from reading posters or newspaper ads or articles. There was a strike going on related to the building where it was desired to have the meeting, but the strikers, after discussion allowed the Bahá’ís freedom to use the auditorium. The Under-Secretary of Education, who introduced Mr. Olinga, at the end of the program said “Christianity has not been able to bring unity to the world, but maybe Bahá’í is giving us a second chance.”
Mr. Olinga’s direct simplicity of speech and dynamic love effected Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í alike. The believers felt impelled to greater efforts. Directly and indirectly, the members of the Philippine National Spiritual Assembly feel that about five million people were reached through meetings, publicity, posters, invitations, newspaper articles, ads, press conferences, radio and television.
The spirit generated may be expressed in the words of a president of one of the universities who said after Mr. Olinga’s talk “It seems that we should all become Bahá’ís.”
Hand of Cause Robarts Visits El Salvador[edit]
When Hand of the Cause John Robarts and Mrs. Robarts arrived in El Salvador early in March, many of the Bahá’ís were at the airport to greet them as well as representatives of the press, who gave some coverage of the event.
The evening of their arrival, Mr. Robarts spoke to the friends, and again on Sunday, when more friends had come from all parts of the country he spoke on Prayer. It is reported that his words opened new doors for all and gave new direction to lives.
The next evening he gave a deepening meeting in a nearby town where about fifty new enrollees lived.
Later in the week he met with the El Salvador National Spiritual Assembly, and national committees. The couple ended their visit in a week.
The National Spiritual Assembly consider it a great blessing and have been inspired by the visit of the Robarts.
Mrs. Beatrice Buckley, Manager of the Bahá’í bookstore in the Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois.
Riḍván Message from Universal House of Justice | 1 |
Memorial Service for Hand of Cause Agnes Alexander, photograph | 2 |
Renewed Mass Conversion in Bolivia | 3 |
Hokkaido, Japan Bahá’í Center, photograph | 5 |
Mass Declarations in Jamaica | 6 |
Official Recognition in Chad and Central African Republic | 7 |
National Spiritual Assembly of Bahá’ís of the Cameroon Republic, photograph | 7 |
Maori Poho-o-Rawiri, New Zealand School | 8 |
Every State in United States Recognizes Bahá’í Marriages | 9 |
South Carolina: Charlotte to Dillon | 9 |
Finnish Exhibitions Viewed by 30,000 | 9 |
Groundbreaking in Livingston, Guatemala | 10 |
Catholic Monk Says Bahá’í Prayer on TV | 10 |
Singing-Teaching Team Wins Latin Americans | 11 |
In Haiti, photographs | 11 |
Monrovia, Liberia Conference, photograph | 12-13 |
Results of Monrovia, Liberia Conference | 14 |
Guam campout, photograph | 14 |
Tobago Bahá’ís Visit Officials and Schools | 14 |
Voice of America Broadcast | 14 |
Statistics of Vietnam | 14 |
Vietnam Visit of Hand of the Cause Olinga | 15 |
War-Torn Laos | 16 |
Malaysian Bahá’í News | 17 |
Unity Feast Before Singapore Conference, photographs | 17 |
International Youth Winter School—Salzburg, Austria | 18 |
Winter School at Seabeck, Washington | 19 |
Pioneers in Taiwan Write | 20 |
Bahá’í Publishing Trust | 20 |
The Cuna Word for God is Baha | 20 |
Acting Prime Minister of Ghana Visited | 21 |
Proclamation Volume to Embassies in New Zealand | 22 |
East Lansing, Michigan Presents Proclamation Volume, photograph | 22 |
Lakeland Florida Presents Library Books, photograph | 22 |
Del Mar, California Proclamation Volume, photograph | 22 |
Cheyenne Presents Volume to Mayor, photograph | 22 |
Philippine Pioneers | 23 |
Hand of Cause Olinga Visits Philippines | 23 |
Hand of Cause Robarts Visits El Salvador | 24 |
Mrs. Beatrice Buckley, Bookstore, Wilmette, photograph | 24 |
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is published for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, as a news organ reporting current activities of the Bahá’í world community.
BAHÁ’Í NEWS is edited by an annually appointed Editorial Committee: Mrs. Evelyn Hardin, Managing Editor; Miss Charlotte Linfoot, National Spiritual Assembly Representative; Mr. Rexford C. Parmelee, Mrs. Sylvia Parmelee.
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