Bahá’í News/Issue 485/Text
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| No. 485 | BAHA’I YEAR 128 | AUGUST, 1971 |
The Oceanic Conference, Fiji[edit]
At the registration desk: Mrs. Tiani Hancock, newly appointed
Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Gina Garcia and Russell Garcia
of the Tremaran “Dawnbreaker.”
A session of the Suva, Fiji Conference.
Attending the Oceanic Conference at Suva, Fiji, May 20-23, 1971: Hands of the Cause Dr. Muhájir (sixth from left)
and H. Collis Featherstone (tenth) with Counsellors Suhayl ’Ala’i (first), Howard Harwood, (eighth), and Thelma
Perks (eleventh); Auxiliary Board members (the rest in numerical order) Niu Tuatagaloa, Dr. Claude Caver,
Margaret Rowling, Virginia Breaks, Marjorie McDiarmid, Violet Hoehnke, John Davidson, Gertrude Blum, Rodney
Hancock, Gina Garcia, Mosese Hokafonu and Rúḥu’lláh Mumtázi. See story on page 12.
“The Floating Institute” to and from Jamaica[edit]
Everything connected with the Oceanic Conference held in Kingston, Jamaica, May 21-23 exceeded the greatest expectations.
Many of the nearly 600 believers and friends boarding the Bahá’í-chartered ship, the S. S. New Bahama Star, in Miami on May 17 were present for a Unity Feast the previous evening in Miami’s DuPont Plaza Hotel, which was also attended by some friends who were unable to go to Jamaica. At the dockside just prior to boarding, there was a visit from the Mayor of Miami, the Honorable David T. Kennedy, who presented three scrolls to Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the U.S., to be delivered to the Honorable Benjamin Cole, Mayor of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where we would be stopping to pick up some of the believers; to the Honorable Eli Matalon, Mayor of Kingston; and to His Excellency Melvyn Evans, Governor of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, where we would stop on the return trip. The Mayor was presented with a copy of The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh and he was enthusiastic in his response to the love and unity among the assembled Bahá’ís. He promised to read the book, and asked Mr. Mitchell many questions. Also present at the ceremony was a representative from the Jamaican Consul’s office, who also received a copy of this book on behalf of the Consul. Amid the sound of
S.S. New Bahama Star at sea, May 20, 1071: Mr. Glenford E.
Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá’ís of the United States (seated) sends greetings by ship-radio to the Unity Feast in Jamaica. Also taking part in the ship-to-shore hook-up is Dr. Daniel Jordan, Vice-Chairman of the
U.S. Bahá’í Assembly.
A study class aboard ship.
trucks hurrying to get supplies and luggage aboard the
ship, it was a moving scene as the Bahá’ís aboard ship
joined the believers on the dock in singing “Alláh’u’Abhá!” filling the air and sending the vibrations of the
Greatest Name over the city of Miami and far beyond.
The Deep South Singers touched many hearts as they
sang of Bahá’u’lláh’s coming and the new day of unity
He has brought.
Activities on Board[edit]
Activities aboard ship were ably coordinated by Mrs. Eileen Norman and Mr. Richard Betts, both members of the Caribbean Conference Committee. The “Floating Institute” proved to be a tremendous deepening experience. En route to Jamaica, classes were given daily for three days on “The Sure Handle,” a study of the Covenant by Mr. Glenford Mitchell; and “Fulfilling Your True Self,” by Dr. Daniel Jordan. On the return trip, Mr. Mitchell conducted classes on “The Goal of a New World Order,” and Dr. Dwight Allen presented classes on “Toward World Unity.” The classes were all well attended and well received.
In addition to the lecture classes, elective classes were offered on the following subjects: “Workshop on the Local Spiritual Assembly”, “The Bahá’í Faith and the Family”, “Bahá’í Marriage”, “Unwrapping Our Spiritual Gift”, “The Art of Consultation”, “Workshop on Mass Teaching”, “Comparative Religion”, “Workshop on Display Materials”, “Hidden Words”, and “Pioneering”. Each person could select two classes from the electives presented, and two different ones on the return trip.
The evening programs were interesting and varied, and included a presentation by Mr. Philip Cassadore, an
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American Indian from the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. Mr. Cassadore is well-known as a singer
of Apache songs, and is a consultant and visiting lecturer to a number of government agencies and universities throughout the United States. Other evening programs were: “Occupied with the Greatest Undertaking”
by Miss Magdalene Carney and the Deep South Singers;
“The Rise of the Faith in the United States,” by Miss
Charlotte Linfoot, Assistant Secretary of the National
Spiritual Assembly; and “Unsealing the Choice Wine,” a
glimpse of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, by Mrs. Mildred Mottahedeh.
Material food, as well as spiritual food, abounded on board ship. The day began with dawn prayers for the early risers and with breakfast at seven for the first sitting. Each meal had to be served in two sittings to accommodate everyone. There was a mid-morning coffee, lunch, mid-afternoon coffee and dinner—a full-course meal. Each night at 11 p.m. a magnificent buffet was served. Crew members in the dining room were from Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia and many other places. The waiters entered into the joyous spirit of the Bahá’ís, and many of them said they had never before experienced being with such a wonderful group of people.
Nightly there was entertainment provided by the ship’s program staff, movies, and music for dancing. One of the ship’s entertainers was a Bahá’í from Miami, singer Terry Madison, who had previously been booked for another engagement but who longed to go to Jamaica. There was no opening on the ship at the time. So she put it all in Bahá’u’lláh’s hands, and a few days before departure, she received a call from the ship asking if she could take the job, and at the same time her other engagement was postponed for a few weeks! She was the only Bahá’í who was paid for going on the cruise! Following the evening entertainment, some of the professional Bahá’í musicians would get together
Linda Marshall, television personality who participated in the activities of the Conference.
Mr. Philip Cassadore, Apache Indian singer, who entertained aboard ship.
with some of the ship’s entertainers for jam sessions,
which sometimes lasted into the early morning hours.
Others danced to rhythmic calypso music in the Bahama
Lounge.
Arrival in Puerto Rico[edit]
Perhaps one of the most deeply touching moments of the cruise was the arrival of the ship in Puerto Rico. As the ship drew into port, there were cries of “Alláh’u’Abhá!” The people lining the dock broke into cheers as the ship got close enough for them to see the banners on the side, “Bahá’í Caribbean Conference.” There was not a dry eye in sight, and even the crew
“Dizzie” Gillespie, Auxiliary Board member Mrs. Khádem, and His Excellency Sir Clifford Campbell, Governor General of Jamaica.
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members were moved. The Mayor of Mayaguez, his
wife, a large party of officials and dignitaries and a news
media representative came aboard for the presentation
ceremony. The Mayor received a copy of the book, The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, and the scroll from the
Mayor of Miami. In turn, he presented a beautiful illuminated scroll to be taken back to the Mayor of Miami.
He and his party were touched by the experience, and at
the end of the program he embraced Mr. Mitchell and
Dr. Jordan, and said he would look into the Faith.
The evening before the ship docked in Jamaica, greetings were exchanged via ship-to-shore telephone between the believers at the Unity Feast in Kingston and the S. S. New Bahama Star. Hands of the Cause of God, Mr. Zikru’lláh Khádem and Mr. John Robarts, relayed the greetings of the Conference to National Spiritual Assembly members Mr. Glenford Mitchell and Dr. Daniel Jordan, and in turn received the loving greetings of the believers aboard ship. A taped message from Hand of the Cause, Mr. William Sears, also brought great joy to the hearts.
In Jamaica[edit]
Although the ship was late in docking at Kingston, the Governor General of Jamaica, His Excellency Sir Clifford Campbell, waited for its arrival and extended an eloquent welcome to those attending the Conference. He received a standing ovation from the Bahá’ís. He stressed the recognition of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man as the foundation for the advancement of civilization, and told us that the motto of Jamaica is “out of many, one people.” So impressed was he with the spirit of Bahá’í love that he cancelled a previous commitment in order to attend the reception held in his honor that evening.
The Conference was officially opened with the introduction of the Hands of the Cause, members of the National Spiritual Assemblies, members of the Continental Boards of Counsellors from North, South and Central America and Auxiliary Board members present. Focus of the Conference was on teaching the masses, with particular emphasis on reaching the black population of the Caribbean area.
Throughout the trip and the Conference, mass teaching was clearly in evidence, as Bahá’í registration cards poured in. Some of the newly enrolled believers were employees of the Sheraton-Kingston Hotel, the Conference site. What a treat it was to see Conference badges proudly displayed as beaming faces went about their tasks! What a thrill it was, too, to witness the great numbers who went to the registration desk to ask to become Bahá’ís!
Session of the Jamaican Conference
New believers at the Jamaica Conference
Saturday afternoon a telephone hookup with the Conference being held simultaneously in Suva, Fiji, was
successfully completed. The exchange of loving greetings by Hands of the Cause Mr. Zikru’lláh Khádem and
Mr. John Robarts infused both Conferences with the
spirit of joy and unity.
A highlight of the Conference was a spectacular public meeting at the Kingston Arena, where thousands gathered to hear Dizzie Gillespie, Geraldine Jones, Linda Marshall and the Deep South Singers. This presentation of the Faith through music and song inspired many more to join the ranks of the rapidly swelling army of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Return Voyage[edit]
Reluctantly, the believers departed from Jamaica on Sunday, many of them having resolved to return soon to assist with the mass teaching and deepening. The spirit aboard the S. S. New Bahama Star was running higher than ever as we began the return trip. The stop in St. Thomas provided yet another opportunity for the Bahá’ís to strengthen the ties between nations with the presentation of the scroll to the Governor General of the Virgin Islands, and the receipt of the scroll to be taken back to the Mayor of Miami.
The afternoon was spent in mass teaching and inviting the people of St. Thomas to a meeting aboard ship that evening. Radio coverage of this meeting was provided by Lee Carle, of WVWI Radio. Some 200 came to this meeting and many became Bahá’ís. In all, 150 souls enlisted under the Banner of Bahá’u’lláh. A public meeting was planned for the next evening.
Captain William Makrinos customarily holds a cocktail party for guests on board. Since Bahá’ís do not drink, there was a gala reception instead. The Captain received each one with a handshake and “Alláh’u’Abhá!” So happy was he about the forty crew members who had become Bahá’ís that he set aside a room aboard ship for a Bahá’í library and for meetings. The weather was beautiful, with only one day of moderately rough passage. Crew members found it almost unbelievable that Bahá’ís could be so happy day after day, without being intoxicated with anything but the power of the spirit and the love of God!
As the ship approached the port of Miami, many of us were reflecting on the tremendous significance of the trip. The ship we had taken was originally built by the Germans as a gift of reparation to Israel after World War II and was called “The Jerusalem.” It served for a time to take refugees to the Holy Land, then was operated as a luxury cruise ship. When El Al Airlines became well established, it was sold to Eastern Steamship Lines and renamed “The New Bahama Star.” It seemed providential that this ship should have been selected to take the Bahá’ís to this historic Conference.
Coordinating Miami Events re: Jamaican Conference[edit]
The Bahá’í Coordinating Committee for the Miami events in connection with the Jamaica Oceanic Conference of May 21-23, 1971, determined to make the most of the golden opportunities offered it to exploit the event locally, spent many hours developing plans which finally resulted in the following schedule: A large Unity Feast to be held on the eve of the sailing of the S. S. New Bahama Star, Sunday, May 16; a dockside ceremony the following day, at which the Mayor of Miami, David T. Kennedy, would present good-will scrolls to our National Secretary, Glenford Mitchell, who in turn would present them to the mayors of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and Kingston, Jamaica and the Governor of the Virgin Islands at St. Thomas; a proclamation meeting the evening of May 28, when the ship would return, and at which the Mayor would receive the return scrolls from the island dignitaries; and observance, at 3 a.m. the following morning, of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, and an all-day post-conference meeting at which reports from the conference could be heard by Floridians who were not able to attend.
The Unity Feast, appropriately held in a room called “The Assembly” included besides the prayers and readings, an impressive recitation of some of the Hidden Words by Broward County youth; the singing by the Broward Singers of the prayer “Blessed is the Spot” accompanied by appropriate slides depicting each scene portrayed in the prayer; greetings from those Auxiliary Board members present and the Deep South Road Show. It was an impressive Feast, with about 400 attending.
The following day the committee nervously awaited the late arrival of the podium, the chairs and the public address system needed for the dockside ceremonies at which the Mayor was to present his good-will scrolls to Glenford Mitchell. Our prayers were answered and the Mayor appeared on the scene only moments after the equipment was set up.
After the opening prayer, as the Deep South Show performed and the chairman for the event was giving his send-off speech, the Mayor asked Mr. Mitchell about the Faith. He then said that he had been a history professor and had attended many churches, that they did not communicate, that only older people attended them. He was deeply impressed with the Bahá’ís, seeing all ages and colors in perfect harmony, and asked that his secretary be notified regarding the ceremony to be held at the proclamation meeting, where he was to receive the return scrolls from the Island dignitaries, as he wanted to be there. The Mayor was also presented with The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, as was also the Consul of Jamaica through an attaché of his office. The ceremony was closed with a prayer for safe travel.
The Coordinating Committee sighed with relief and marvelled at how Bahá’u’lláh had smoothed out the proceedings of both the Unity Feast and the dockside ceremony. With one member on board the New Bahama Star, the remaining members could not rest. There was publicity to be worked on and preparations for the return of the ship, before flying to the Conference. We still had a proclamation meeting and the post-conference meeting to be prepared.
Post-Conference Events[edit]
Returning with a new spirit obtained in Kingston, we awaited the return of the ship. On the evening of May 28, we discovered that the Mayor would not be able to appear before 9:45 p.m. because he had an earlier commitment in the same hotel. Our speaker for the evening was Dr. Dwight Allen, and with the change in plans needed, we moved Dr. Allen’s talk in order to finish before the Mayor arrived on the scene. The Consul of Jamaica also attended.
When the Mayor was presented with the beautiful scrolls, one a hand-painted scroll from the Mayor of Mayaguez, plus a gift-wrapped bottle of bay rum from the Governor of the Virgin Islands, he remarked that he had gotten the best of the bargain, and he referred to Glenford Mitchell as being the best good-will ambassador he had ever had. He was deeply impressed once more with the new spirit which brought youth and adults together and said he wanted to come and meet informally with the Bahá’ís here.
The Mayor was also given a copy of The Gleanings and mentioned he had read part of the Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh, saying it was a very deep book. The Consul of Jamaica was presented with an inscribed picture of the Wilmette House of Worship. About 450 attended this meeting, with a number of non-Bahá’ís included.
Early the next morning, at 3:00 a.m., some forty-five
Miami: Mayor David T. Kennedy of Miami, Florida (right) receives from Mr. Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, three
scrolls as part of ceremonies connected with the Caribbean Conference. At left is Caswell Ellis, Coordinator at the Bahá’í House
of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, who assisted in the presentations.
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persons attended the commemoration of the Ascension
of Bahá’u’lláh honoring the Blessed Beauty Who had
brought us all the joys of the Jamaica Conference and
the Miami events in connection with it.
The post-conference report meeting was turned over to Bahá’ís who had attended the Conference and the shipboard institute on the S. S. New Bahama Star. The glowing reports included the miraculous details of the influx into the Faith of members of the crew of the ship, those on the islands visited and in Jamaica. There were slides taken at the Conference, a singing session by the Deep South Road Show and reports of lessons learned while mass teaching and of the methods they found successful.
Publicity Media Widely Used[edit]
The five Miami TV stations, several of the radio stations and the local daily newspapers, as well as the wire services, were personally contacted and presented with press kits of the Jamaican Conference, and were made aware of the Miami activities in connection with it. Efforts were made to get the media to cover both the dockside ceremony and the proclamation meeting held after the return of the ship, as well as an interview with Dr. Dwight Allen, who would be available that afternoon. Two stations sent cameramen to the dockside ceremony. Interviews were sought for Linda Marshall, who was the only T.V. notable available before the ship sailed. She attended a meeting at the Miami-Dade College, and was interviewed on radio WIOD by Larry King, the most popular interviewer in Miami. Mr. Ben Levy was interviewed on a five-minute community program. Mrs. Barbara Barrett gave a short news release in Spanish on another channel.
Eight papers, six in Greater Miami and two in Broward County, printed our releases. One paper printed two releases. The local public information representative, who is on a black radio station once a week, discussed the Jamaica Conference on this program, which was broadcast three times in one day. Public service releases were sent twice to fifteen radio and four TV stations. Since there was no monitoring of the stations, the actual results are unknown. One lady called in after hearing the announcement and asked if Dwight Allen was the noted educator who would speak, and when given an affirmative answer, said she would attend the meeting.
In contacting the media, the two publicity representatives had a beautiful fireside for forty-five minutes with the program director of one of our more popular radio stations, and many questions about the Faith were asked by the manager of the UPI Service.
From Canada we receive news of one of the most northerly Assemblies, the incorporation of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in the District of Franklin, Frobisher Bay, North West Territory. Members are, back row, left to right: Jim Noble, Slim Lubeseder, Don Greenaway, Vic Demers. Middle row: John Weetaltuk, Dorothy Weaver, Jacob Partridge, Sylvia Demers. Front: Nedra Greenaway.
Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska for 1971-1972. Front row: Donald A. Anderson, Treasurer; Mrs. Georgia Haisler, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Janet Smith, Secretary; Eugene King. Back row: Arthur Jess, Jr.; John Kolstoe, Chairman; Mrs. Mary Brown; Robin Fowler, Vice-Chairman; Blaine Reed.
The six Bahá’ís from Iceland chosen by the Icelandic community to attend the Canadian National Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Iceland achieved its goal of four Local Spiritual Assemblies this Riḍván making possible the election of their National Assembly next Riḍván, one of the Nine Year Plan goals. Back row, left to right: Gudmundur Bardarson, Anna Maggy Palsdottir, Baldur B. Bragason, Front row, left to right: Margret Bardardottir, Svana Einarsdottir, Jonina Njalsdottir.
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Fifteenth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of Anchorage, Alaska, April 30-May 2, 1971. See story in July Bahá’í News.
Continental Counsellor Mrs. Florence Mayberry and Auxiliary Board members Howard Brown, left of Mrs. Mayberry, Ted Anderson, top left, and Jenabe Caldwell, top right, at the fifteenth Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of Alaska.
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In the canoe, preparing for the trip on the Purari river. At right, Sue Podger with two Bahá’í youth from Ora’ava.
Papua: a River Trip[edit]
In April, before election time, I planned a trip to the Gulf District of Papua. This is a flat area where the bush is dense and swampy and all travel is by river. There are four villages in this area where many Bahá’ís live. Due to difficulties in traveling, the Assemblies have not been assisted to function properly. The purpose of this trip is to deepen believers, to assist the Assemblies to hold their elections and also to bring back delegates for the National Convention in Lae.
Baimuru was the village where the plane could leave me to continue the trip by canoe. From a phone call to the Postmaster in Baimuru I learned that most of the outboard motors were in the workshop for repair, and the only one available for hire belonged to the Patrol Officer and could take me swiftly to the farthest Bahá’í village and bring me back; but that meant I could only visit Baimuru and Poroi, and omit the other villages. I did not despair, knowing God has ways, and said the Tablet of Aḥmad.
On board the plane there was an auditor, who, when learning of my plight, offered to assist. He arranged for the Baimuru Council boat to come for me at Poroi and then take me wherever I wished to go.
There were at least fifteen people travelling in the large tree-trunk canoe owned by the Patrol Officer. The pilot was a Bahá’í. When we stopped in a bush camp to spend the night I made my first talk. I considered that my talk was too complicated as most people here cannot read and write. I needed to give them what they can remember, and resolved in the future to be slow and simple, covering the main points. I would talk on the oneness of God, the oneness of mankind and of religion, give a short history of Bahá’u’lláh and then train them in elections and the functioning of the Assembly.
At Poroi[edit]
We reached Poroi at noon the next day. As the people coming to meet the boat realized that under the large beach hat was a Bahá’í they knew, they called out excitedly to the others. Almost all the villagers are Bahá’ís. They have built by themselves, an enormous Bahá’í house in the center of the village, large enough to hold all the Bahá’ís. I stayed there too.
A crowd of Poroi ladies came at once to meet me. They only speak their “place-talk” as they have not travelled about as the men who also speak Motu or Pidgin. After the first smiles and greetings from the ladies I wondered what to do. Then I unpacked a beautiful children’s scrapbook made by an old Bahá’í of New Zealand, and sat down amid them all on the floor and looked at pictures with them. This was a help to communication. They exclaimed with delight at pictures of bicycles, motorcars, and each object but above all they loved pictures of people of different countries. In the afternoon I went for a swim with the women and girls. We would jump in the swift river and float down to another point.
That evening we combined food I had brought with theirs and had a big feast for everybody. Afterwards I made my simple talk which was translated, word for word into “place-talk”. Using our small slide projector powered by a motorbike battery, I showed slides of the World Center, the 100th Year Celebration, and some slides from their own area. We listened to Bahá’í songs and songs from other lands on my cassette recorder. Then they sang for me, accompanied by the guitar. They were enthralled to hear their own voices on the recorder.
An Election[edit]
In the morning they all gathered again and began the election for five delegates to the National Convention. At first the women sat separately on the far side of the room. Before the Bahá’í message reached them they were not used to taking part in men’s affairs at all, but have been slowly growing accustomed to joining in, encouraged by visiting Bahá’í teachers. I told them to come and join the men for they too were Bahá’ís, that we are all equal now. They realized this, but were unwilling to sit next to the husband of someone else. At last they were content to sit, each beside her own husband with all the single girls at the front and all the single boys at the back. Strict chastity is strong in their tradition, combined with other good features which gives them a spiritual strength.
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Akoma Bahá’ís outside Counsellor’s new unfinished house.
As no one in the village can read or write, we held a
stick election. Five were to be voted for, so each person
received five sticks, and one by one these were placed
behind the people they chose. This is a refreshingly fast
and easy method for them. Later they held their Assembly election in the same way.
I gave them a cassette recorder, and arranged to send them tapes to listen to on Feast nights. This solved some problems about Feasts.
The evening after the election, the villagers entertained me with singing and dancing, the women wearing grass skirts and decorations. The singing is unusual; groups of three singing different songs simultaneously. The men performed dances of their ancestors. This continued all night long.
Continuing the Journey[edit]
That night the Council canoe arrived. In the morning we departed, taking the delegates on board. The journey was pleasant down the wide river. Clusters of red flowers strung through the giant growth beside the river, like Chinese lanterns. Now and then great birds, almost prehistoric in appearance would suddenly rise into the air. My umbrella was a valued protection from the fierce sun, the wind and rain.
The next village was very different as most of the children had been mission educated. Many more river travelers had visited this village. The Bahá’ís were expecting me, and there, waiting on the bank was my friend Kairi Api and retinue. We had entertained him many times in Moresby when he came down as the first Papuan delegate to our first Convention. Now he welcomed me warmly to his house, so neat, so clean and pleasantly decorated inside. What a lovely homey atmosphere it was, and what a relief from fatigue and strain! He and his family served us tea and some went to summon all the Bahá’ís to a feast and a meeting that evening. At the meeting they looked at the slides. I showed them the election procedure, which they well understood. They told of another village whose people had asked for the Bahá’í teachings. As I had no time to visit it myself, we planned that the teaching of this other village would be an activity of their Assembly.
The next morning I showed them some posters I had made to illustrate the teachings with pictures alone. These were impressive to them, especially a simple one showing a bird escaping from a broken cage, flying towards the sun—this to illustrate life after death.
Next we went to a large village near the mission station. We could feel a downcast spirit in this village as the grownups do not have enough work and the children have no school teacher. People from three nearby villages heard of my arrival and came to a large outdoor slide show, after which many people joined the Faith. Now this village has grown to be a large one with more people to teach in the three other villages nearby. I had a feeling that this Assembly would have some strong people on it, including one with plans to reform conditions of the village.
All through the next day we waited patiently for our canoe to return with more petrol. At last another one came, reporting that ours had broken down and was stranded in mid-river. I was lucky enough to be able to hire this second canoe.
Akoma[edit]
In late afternoon we started off for Akoma, a coastal village. This was on April 20. We had a grand welcome there too. The people were delighted that I had come to help them with their elections. We held the slide show again, then gathered on the large floor of the Counsellor’s new house, still under construction, for a Feast and the Assembly election. The community discussed at length the different functions of the Local Assembly, especially that of the Treasurer. I promised that I would send calendars so they could see clearly when to hold Feasts.
At Akoma too, we enjoyed an excellent breakfast. Then we started off to visit another village where a group of Bahá’ís resided, one of them an old man who was a firm believer and one of the founders of the village. While we were talking there our canoe was almost stranded in the creek by the receding tide. Some of us rushed back just in time to push the heavy canoe
Kairi Api of Mapaio standing on right.
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Women of Poroi with Sue Podger outside Bahá’í house.
down the last outgoing trickle into the deeper water—a
matter of urgency since this was the last day we could
spend at this location. Distances in these parts inevitably turn out to be longer than one would expect. It is
unusual to travel on a tight schedule such as I had. We
travelled many miles that day.
En route home we stopped at a village where the people had invited us to visit them. Some old people chatted affably with us but all the others were away fishing. Later we received a letter saying that if we had spent the night in that location, all the villagers would have declared.
Difficulties with the Canoe[edit]
Under way again, we entered a narrow tributary of the river, well shaded by gigantic sago palms on either side and there the driver discovered that he was short of petrol. So the heavy canoe had to be paddled with only one paddle around bend after agonizing bend. Gnats from the mud banks were on the attack. My plans for reaching Baimuru where Bahá’ís were expecting us that day, were rapidly fading. At last we entered another tributary where the water lay absolutely still, scum floating on the surface. Despairingly, I said: “You can see this river is never going to join up with the big river”. Sonai, from Poroi, and the others laughed loudly and there just around the next bend, was the main river. With a roar the motor came alive again as the pilot had saved the last few drops to run against the current of the big river. Then the motor sputtered out just as the next village came into sight.
There in the gathering darkness we waited as a man went to fetch petrol from a nearby store for the last leg of the journey. We waited a long time and he had not returned when suddenly, from the opposite direction, came a roaring, flat bottom speedboat, with a light flashing over the water. Oh how I wished that was my boat! Then it swung towards the bank, and out leaped the pilot for the Patrol Officer. He had come to get me as the people of Baimuru were concerned that I had not returned. Home we sped over the wide expanse of water, but reached Baimuru too late to see anyone that night. I fell exhausted into bed.
Next morning we, the delegates and I, hurried to the air strip. The small plane was already overloaded and could not carry us. Some of the Baimuru Bahá’ís had gathered at the airstrip, and checking with them on my list, found there were exactly nine Bahá’ís there. I felt they would just make a new Assembly which would be strengthened by the delegates when they returned, and by other travelling teachers. I taught them what I could in the time I had remaining. The plane returned and we took off.
My journey, which had taken me to seven Bahá’í communities and 250 miles by water, was close to its end. I knew the people were now stronger than before. I felt that I had been warmed by the great fire of their spirit and love.
Lae Temple Site[edit]
Those attending the National Convention of Papua and New Guinea visited the proposed Temple site and prayers were said. The site is on the side of a hill amidst the heavy rain forest growth and offers a beautiful view of the flat land near the outskirts of Lae just above the only highway presently linking the New Guinea highlands to the coast.
National Convention in Papua and New Guinea[edit]
Lae, New Guinea was the location of the National Convention on April 24-25. The enthusiasm was high throughout the Convention and topics of consultation showed the problems of the developing communities and a sincere desire to meet them.
Hand of the Cause of God, H. Collis Featherstone, was present as a special representative of The Universal House of Justice and greeted the Convention on their behalf. He showed on maps the world-wide growth of the Faith and especially in their own area.
Also present was Violet Hoehnke, Auxiliary Board member who has played a key role in the spread of the Faith in this locality and has witnessed the growth of the Faith from its few earliest believers through the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly to its present growth.
The Riḍván message was read in English and in Pidgin. The report of the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly was translated into Pidgin.
Delegates were encouraged to report back to their villages on returning, and to ask questions if they were not clear about the reports.
Goals of the Nine Year Plan were listed as follows: Local Spiritual Assemblies: 30—now 26, pending approval; localities goal: 125, now 120; build two more teaching institutes, one in Papua, one in New Guinea; secure the site for the Temple and Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds; incorporate three Local Spiritual Assemblies: one nearly complete at Goroka; obtain recognition of Bahá’í Holy Days and marriage certificate.
Regional Teaching Committees reported seven Assemblies in Papua. Poroi has built a local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds large enough to accommodate the entire village. There are three Assemblies in New Britain. New Guinea listed the election of eleven Assemblies with three more of sufficient numbers but physical difficulties prevented the elections in these localities.
It was recommended and passed unanimously that the goals of the Nine Year Plan showing what remains to be done, be published in Kundu, also in Motu for Papuan distribution. Also it was recommended that a publication explaining various Bahá’í teachings be made in Kudu for the benefit of local governmental officers and missionaries who might inquire in order that correct information be given. A newsletter in Kundu and Motu for Papua was also recommended.
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Papua, New
Guinea, elected Riḍván 1971; Tamun Kosap, John Mills, Noel
Bluett, Lopena Vera, Margaret Bluett, Dan Himes, John Francis,
Sue Podger, David Podger.
The Convention thanked Mr. and Mrs. Heard for
translating the New Garden into Pidgin. It was recommended that “A World in Harmony” tapes from America be used for the proclamation effort. Cassette tapes
are in preparation, using Pidgin. A study is being made
to find simple illustrated courses to translate into Pidgin for widespread distribution, which would give villages something they can use repeatedly.
The new National Assembly consists of six pioneers and three local-born believers who are well distributed; a Papuan living in New Guinea, a New Guinean living in Papua, and a member of the New Ireland community.
Pearls of the Pacific — The Oceanic Conference[edit]
The glorious and historic Oceanic Conference in Suva, Fiji was blessed with the presence of two Hands of the Cause of God, Mr. Collis Featherstone, representative of The Universal House of Justice, and Dr. Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir, with the three members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia, all the Auxiliary Board members for Australasia, and also Counsellor Mumtázi from North East Asia. The more than 400 believers who gathered in Fiji for this great occasion included nine Knights of Bahá’u’lláh, approximately forty members of National Spiritual Assemblies in Australasia, and believers from twenty-six countries. Highlighting this soul-stirring Conference was the knowledge shared by all present that this was the day when the indigenous believers of the myriad islands in this great Pacific Ocean came forth to take their rightful place in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. It was their Conference from the opening call by a Fijian believer to the closing prayer by a Cook Island Maori friend, and it was handled with dignity, sincerity, devotion and love which are the hallmarks of the island peoples of the Pacific. Time and again during the Conference, reference was made to the pearls which lie hidden in this great ocean, but many indeed were the pearls in evidence at this victorious Conference. From the highlands of New Guinea to the atolls of the Gilberts and the Continent of Australia ... from every corner of the South Pacific they came with gentle smiles, loving hearts and eloquent tongues to proclaim their devotion and demonstrate their dedication to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
Early in the evening of May 20th the friends gathered in the beautifully decorated Conference Hall for the Unity Feast. After prayers in fourteen languages, a most loving welcome was given by Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Collis Featherstone. How full must have been the heart of “Australasia’s own” Hand of the Cause as he looked out over that sea of faces and thought of the tiny gatherings of a few short years ago, and every heart in that hall seemed to beat with the one thought: “How great is the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh!”
Suva, Fiji — May 21-23, 1971[edit]
Conference Opens[edit]
Translated simultaneously into five languages, the Conference officially opened on May 21st when all present stood to show their love and respect for The Universal House of Justice as its representative, Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Collis Featherstone came forward to read the message from that Supreme Body. A hushed and expectant audience drank in these beautiful words: “Praised be to God that you have gathered to consult on the vital needs of the hour! Recalling the promise of Bahá’u’lláh ‘Should they attempt to conceal His light on the continent, He will assuredly rear His head in the midmost part of the ocean and, raising His voice proclaim: ‘I am the lifegiver of the world!’ We now witness its fulfillment in the vast area of the Pacific Ocean, in island after island mentioned by the Master in the Tablets of the Divine Plan. How great is the potential for the Faith in localities blessed by these references!” Recalling the example set by those first heroic pioneers in the Pacific, Mother and Father Dunn and Martha Root, The Universal House of Justice reminded the friends in the Pacific of the words of the Master in the Tablets of the Divine Plan when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá called for teachers “speaking the languages, severed, holy, sanctified and filled with the love of God,” to “turn their faces to and travel through the three great island groups of the Pacific Ocean—Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia ... with hearts overflowing with the love of God, with tongues commemorating the mention of God” to “deliver the Glad Tidings of the Manifestation of the Lord of Hosts to all the people.”
Following this challenging message it is small wonder that when the call went out for pioneers and traveling teachers almost every seat in the hall was vacated as believers flooded the stage and overflowed down the aisles. Confusion reigned for a few minutes until Counsellor Harwood asked the friends to return to their seats and to fill out forms during break periods.
Kaleidoscope of the Conference[edit]
Hand of the Cause of God, Mr. Featherstone said: “All around us we see the declining world conditions ... we
[Page 14]
Fijians in attendance at the Conference.
Bahá’ís from New Caledonia.
Tongans at the Fiji Conference.
Samoans at the Conference.
are witnessing the rolling up of the old world order ...
but at Conferences such as this we see just a glimpse of
the world to come ... the Kingdom of God on earth.”
Hand of the Cause of God Dr. Muhájir remarked “I remember that there were about seventeen people at the first Convention of the South Pacific and now look at the number present. Bahá’u’lláh has collected all the pearls of the Pacific Ocean and brought them here.”
Miss Thelma Perks reading the message from the Continental Board of Counsellors said: “This is truly an historical day for Australasia. It signalizes on the one hand the many great victories won for the Faith of God and on the other the dawn of a new day in the Pacific area.”
A Knight of Bahá’u’lláh recalled the words of the beloved Guardian that the people of the Pacific would travel to the far corners of the world pollinating the hearts of men with the love of Bahá’u’lláh.
An island believer said: “This gathering is God’s rainbow in the Pacific.”
A Solomon Islands believer told of mass conversion in his islands and the great need for assistance in consolidation work there.
An Aborigine believer from Australia told how his people feel about the white man—told it beautifully, for as he spoke he was neither light nor dark, he was a Bahá’í.
A believer from Papua and New Guinea told of fifteen Local Spiritual Assemblies which could not be formed at Riḍván because more experienced friends just could not get to these areas to assist with their formation.
Counsellor ‘Alá’í gave a capsule history of the early development of the Faith in the Pacific and the role of the pioneers, and said we were entering the era when the indigenous believers would be the teachers and the pioneers would be the helpers. The truth of these words was very evident as representatives of every island group, men and women, youth and adults, spoke on such subjects as consolidation, deepening, teaching the masses, giving to the Fund, the role of women, and many other subjects. They related their teaching experiences, some with tears, some with laughter, but throughout the Conference the keynote was on victory. The whole attitude was one of complete confidence that mass conversion would sweep through the islands and the only problem was how to keep pace with it, how to keep up with the consolidation and deepening work. A typical appeal was for teachers who could climb mountains and walk through the jungles to reach the waiting souls, and for pioneers to man the deepening institutes. Such a complete picture was given of the conditions, the plans and the needs in each island group that all present gained a much deeper understanding of the vast teaching field of the Pacific.
A deep hush fell upon the gathering when prayers were offered simultaneously with The Universal House of Justice who had advised: “Offering simultaneous prayers shrines supplicating Bahá’u’lláh shower Divine blessings historic Conference open new phase teaching work throughout Pacific.”
The telephone hook-up with the friends gathered at the Jamaica Conference was another beautiful highlight of this wonderful Conference.
No account of the Conference would be complete without some mention of the music, the singing and the dancing which is so much a part of the life of the Pacific Island people. There were Bahá’í songs by Indian children from Fiji, by youth, adults and children from every island group, and a gigantic singing hour led by Russ Garcia. There was a beautiful French song “A Call to Pioneer” composed by friends from the French territories which everyone found themselves humming later, and a proclamation song in Samoan composed by friends from those islands. There was dancing by the friends in the beautiful costumes of their islands, and there were skits, both serious and funny.
[Page 15]
Visitors from various near-by islands in the patio.
Between sessions there were meetings especially for
youth, and meetings between the Hands of the Cause, the
Counsellors, the Auxiliary Board members and National
Spiritual Assembly members to discuss specific plans
and projects, so that every single minute of those few
precious days was used to the best possible advantage.
Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Featherstone and Mr. Jack McCants of Guam spoke eloquently at the public meeting. There were a number of declarations, and as one Fijian friend put it: “This Conference has been the greatest proclamation in Fiji; my country will never be the same again”.
Close of the Conference[edit]
The hall was filled and silent, eyes were bright with tears as the Fijian friends came quietly to the stage to sing the haunting Fijian farewell which opened this last session. Then speaker Jack McCants broke the sadness by his opening words, “My friends, Bahá’u’lláh loves you.” He then reminded the friends that this was one of the last gatherings we would attend which had been called by our beloved Guardian and he suggested that a request go from the Conference for flowers to be placed on Shoghi Effendi’s grave. He spoke movingly of the way we should teach, saying there were only two ways, our own little way or God’s way, and that it was like holding a beautiful flower in our hands. The way of our own ego was like closing our hands and crushing the flower. To follow God’s way is to open our hands and allow the flower to bloom. He urged study of the messages of The Universal House of Justice and reminded that “the name of the game is sacrifice”. He said the Pacific Islands were a gold mine but we didn’t have forever to mine them.
Mr. Owen Batrick of New Caledonia informed the friends that although their new National Spiritual Assembly was only a week old, they had already found two pioneers to go to the difficult Tuamotos and that money to send them had been provided by a Bahá’í from Persia. He said when we contemplate something we should find the way to get it done immediately.
The Conference officially closed as Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Featherstone bade farewell with these words: “It is love that spreads the Faith ... Go back to your homes and spread that love.”
Presentation of Bahá’í book in Japanese language Existence of
God to the Library of the Ryukyu University from the Bahá’í community of Okinawa by Miss Toni Mantel, Auxiliary Board member.
Bahá’ís of the Badí Youth Center, Moundou, Chad, with pioneer Bill Davis attending the first National Convention of the Bahá’ís of Chad.
Pakistan Achieves Goals[edit]
Bahá’ís of Pakistan have been able to achieve all goals of the glorious Nine Year Plan. An eight-acre tract of land was purchased for the Temple site. The Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Pakistan was incorporated. A site was acquired for the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of Dacca. Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era was translated and printed in Urdu and Bengali. A facsimile of the Pyramid edition of the Esslemont book was produced. Tracts were published in Urdu, Bengali and Sindhi languages. Construction work began on the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds at Rawalpindi. Quotas for other countries were filled regarding the proposed Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs of Lisotho, Colombo and the one nearing completion at Panama. Great strides were made in the field of mass education in the last year. A printing press is being purchased to use in publishing Bahá’í literature for the Bahá’í Publishing Trust of Pakistan.
The contributions of the Youth have been substantial in achieving these goals.
The Pakistan National Spiritual Assembly plans to begin a training institute at Hyderabad and consolidate all the new centers and Assemblies.
Forty-two new believers formed the first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sirjawal, Pakistan this year.
Delegates to the National Convention of Pakistan this year.
[Page 17]
A group of Bahá’í ladies attending the National Convention of Pakistan.
Twelve new believers accepted the Cause and formed the first Spiritual Assembly of Thatta, Pakistan on April 21, 1971.
Bottom right: Jacob Partridge, Frobisher Bay, North West Territories, the first Eskimo delegate to the Canadian National Convention, pictured at the Convention in Halifax, Nova Scotia, sitting next to Husnieh Bahá’í, who is a granddaughter of the brother of Bahá’u’lláh. She came to Canada from Israel in 1966 and is the hostess at the National Haziratu’l-Quds in Toronto. Man at left, is not identified.
Uganda—Relations with Their Government[edit]
Uganda: The new President, General Idi Amin Dada, invited the heads of religions and churches to a meeting at his home a few days after the military take-over of the Government of Uganda. Among those present who were invited to attend were two members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Uganda. The President explained to the assembled representatives the reasons for the Army’s take-over and assured them all that the Government for the Second Republic of Uganda would guarantee freedom of worship and called upon them to make every effort to unite the people and contribute fruitfully to the unification of Uganda.
Upon the conclusion of the meeting, the Vice-Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly came forward and wanted to hand the President a copy of the publication entitled Loyalty to Government, and the President stopped and asked him to read it to the people present. The Bahá’í representative then read the entire statement on Loyalty to Government, and when he concluded his reading the President, General Idi Amin Dada, said in a very decided manner and tone “This is right.” The radio and newspaper men present immediately gathered around the Bahá’í representative and took the statement from him and it was read several times on Radio Uganda in English and in the vernacular languages. The newscaster on T.V. gave a summary of it when he was reading the national news that night. Uganda has never before had such sound and good publicity for our beloved Faith.
It is interesting to note that this broadcast has brought new life to many of the Bahá’ís who were otherwise not heard of or from for quite a long time. They are now writing to the Bahá’ís in Kampala expressing great joy for having heard the news and the statement on the radio.
Recently the President invited the Churches and religious communities in Uganda to send representatives
to a Religious Conference held in a place called Kobale
in the Western Region of Uganda. The Bahá’í Community was represented by Auxiliary Board member Mr.
Peter Mutabazi. At the closing session which was held in
Kampala at the beginning of June, the Community was
represented by Hand of the Cause of God Mr. Olinga and
Auxiliary Board member Mr. Peter Mutabazi.
—THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF UGANDA JUNE, 1971.
Eleventh Convention of the Dominican Republic[edit]
The Eleventh Annual Convention of the Bahá’ís of the Dominican Republic was held April 20-May 2, attended by delegates and visitors from most of the provinces within the country. Special guests were Mrs. Carmen de Burafato, a member of the Board of Counsellors for Central America, representing The Universal House of Justice, and Felix Ramon Gómez, Auxiliary Board member. The love, wise counsel, and enthusiasm displayed by them helped to create an atmosphere of dedication to the Cause which prevailed throughout the Convention.
A major portion of the time was devoted to carefully considering the messages from The Universal House of Justice and the Continental Board of Counsellors. In its cable to The Universal House of Justice, the Convention was happy to announce that at Riḍván, the national community had met one of the goals of the Nine Year Plan, that of the establishment of fifteen Local Spiritual Assemblies. In addition, the news was shared that, stimulated by the Riḍván message of The Universal House of Justice, volunteers had arisen to accept responsibility for completing within a month the opening of the remaining provinces in the country, another of the goals of the Plan. It is hoped that the last two years of the Plan, therefore, can be devoted to the consolidation of goals won and to the opening of additional localities to the Faith to help compensate for those countries in the world in which teaching the Faith is at present impossible.
After hearing the annual reports of the national committees, the election of the National Spiritual Assembly took place. It was conducted in a prayerful atmosphere, with eighteen of the nineteen delegates voting, fourteen voting in person and the others by mail.
The last day of the Convention was devoted to recommendations made by delegates to the National Assembly. The establishment of a national summer school, increased numbers of weekend institutes, and the education of the national community about the needs of the Funds and of individual responsibility toward them were only a few of the major items considered.
When the time arrived for the closing of the Convention with remarks by Mrs. Burafato, each had been imbued with new enthusiasm and increased devotion to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
National Spiritual Assembly: Left to Right: Rowell Hoff, Chairman; Benito Alejandro Pérez; Lépido Durán; Félix
Ramón Gómez, Auxiliary Board member; Mrs. Carmen de Burafato, member of Board of Counsellors; Mrs. Sheila
Rice-Wray, Treasurer; Austin Roland, Vice Chm.; Regino Pepín, Recording Secretary; and Danilo Rodríquez.
Missing: Rafael Benzán, Corresponding Secretary; and Wilfred Roland.
National Convention in Uruguay[edit]
On April 23-24, 1971, friends and delegates gathered at the National Bahá’í Center in Montevideo for the eleventh annual National Convention. This year there were nineteen delegates from eight Assemblies. The Convention was honored with the presence of Continental Board Counsellor S. Athos Costas whose presence and practical recommendations were a source of guidance for the delegates’ deliberations. Five new Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed and with this the Nine Year Plan goal of nine Local Assemblies has been achieved and surpassed.
Members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of
Uruguay. Front row, left to right: Edward Belcher; Mrs. Maudy
Grasselly, Treasurer; Mrs. Ana Maria Hernandez; Mrs. Eva
Moreira. Rear, left to right: Leopoldo Caraballo; Mr. Amin’ulláh
Mandegari, Chairman; Angel Toffolon, Recording Secretary;
Gilbert Grasselly, Secretary; Pablo Almada.
Convention: Mrs. Carmen de Burafato is in the first row, seated, holding The Greatest Name. Félix Ramón Gómez, Auxiliary Board member is in the second row, third from the right.
Blessed Spots in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru[edit]
At San Francisco, Chapare, Bolivia in March, 1971. The teaching
team consists of Reginald Baskin, left; Dorothy Hansen, center;
and Louise Jackson, right, with two new believers.
Sra. Pavon reads from the newly translated words of Bahá’u’lláh in Quechua in the garden of the Bahá’í Institute in Otavalo,
Ecuador.
Esmeraldas, Ecuador. On a teaching tour are, left to right:
Ben and Dorothy Hansen: Jane Czerniejewski, formerly of
Winnetka, Illinois and Jose Lucas, a member of the National
Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador.
Traveling teacher Dorothy Hansen with some of the Bahá’ís of
Tinco, Peru. Here a youth team opened villages in the Cayahonde
de Huraz area of the disastrous earthquake of last year.
[Page 21]
Leque Project: Characteristic of this area: Altiplano freezing
temperatures, 5,600 meters altitude, perilous, icy, snow-covered
roads. Domingo, driver of the jeep, enrolling new believers.
Thirty-eight entered in two hours.
Department of Cochabamba, “Chapare Project” March 1971.
Characteristics of this area: jungle heat, travel by river boats
sleeping on cow hides, on boat planks, under mosquito netting,
sudden torrential showers, innumerable biting insects. Sabino
Ortiga, Bolivian pioneer, standing, with Reginald Baskin, teaching in San Francisco. Twelve enrollments resulted here.
A deepening study course held at Uncia, North Potosi, Bolivia
on February 13-17, 1971. The friends arose to go out to teach
immediately after the classes.
A native believer deepening course held in Sacaca, Altiplano,
Potosi, Bolivia, November 10-14, 1970 at the home of Douglas
Jones, North American pioneer. Continental Board member,
Massud Khamsi, standing at left, back; Auxiliary Board member
Andres Jachakollo, at right with brief case. The inlaid wood
plaque of The Greatest Name was made over many months by
the young man holding it. During this course there were six
enrollments of Normal School students studying to become rural
teachers.
City of Cochabamba, Athos Costas, Continental Board member,
teaching in San Miguel. Left, at front, Massud Khamsi, Continental Board member. Yolanda Pulley and Dorothy Hansen are
in the group and Gizelda Zonnenfeld with another team is
teaching in the background. This is near a large native market
where mass conversion began in Cochabamba on January 1,
1971.
Carrying out the idea of Rúḥíyyih Khánum in teaching indigenous people to appreciate their native art and culture is this
traveling museum in Oruro, Bolivia, assembled by Dorothy
Hansen during her teaching trip to Peru and Bolivia.
[Page 22]
Cork, Eire: The first Spiritual Assembly. The first Bahá’í in Cork,
Mrs. Maude Bennett, has been confined at St. Luke’s Hospital
for many years, and though elected to the Assembly, could not
be present. Other members are, back row, left to right: Peter
Trundle, John Morley, Stephen Ader, John Charles Turner and
John C. Turner. Front row, Mrs. Val Morley, Mrs. Shirin Ader
and Mrs. Louise Turner.
Comoro Island[edit]
From the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Indian Ocean we learn that Comoro Island has elected its first Local Spiritual Assembly at Riḍván, thus accomplishing its goal for the Nine Year Plan. Reunion Island has raised its number of Assemblies from five to eight. Malagasy Republic has increased from four to eight. Seychelles also has increased from four to eight, three more than called for in the Nine Year Plan. Mauritius has fifty-four Assemblies now, while there were forty-five last year, which makes fourteen over the number specified by the Nine Year Plan. The friends are already in the field working with renewed vigor and enthusiasm so there is a great prospect that the remaining goals will be achieved.
FINLAND: Many teachers of religion in secondary
schools are pastors of the Lutheran Church. There have
been two Tampere Bahá’ís and one Lahti Bahá’í acting
as teachers. The doors are open, if we could only find
more teachers for the next school year. During 1970-1971
the Faith has been presented in three locations, in Tampere, in Kangasala and in Nokia, in a total of ten
schools, with twenty-four lectures and twenty-five
classes to 816 students.
A Bahá’í Club was organized at Tampere University in March 1971. At the founding meeting there were six Bahá’ís and nine pre-Bahá’ís. A Bahá’í exhibit was held in Nokia Library recently and at the same time an interview with Turadj Miraftabi was printed in the local newspaper. (From the English Language Section of Finnish Bahá’í News, May 1971)
NIGERIA: A seven-page booklet ‘AFO EDI BAHA’I’ (You Are a Bahá’í) was translated into Efik by two National Spiritual Assembly members Mr. Kingsley J. Umoh and Daniel T. Udobot, and may be published soon.
Mrs. Eulalia Barrow Bobo from the United States stayed in Nigeria three months visiting Bahá’í communities in Akure, Ife-Odan, Kaduna, Calabar, Akpabuyo Area, Lagos and Port Harcourt. The Bahá’ís of Lagos and Apapa organized joint activities for Mrs. Bobo. First she was interviewed on television, then she addressed a press conference which lasted for three and one-half hours. Leading newspapers were represented and some clergymen were present. It was an unusual thing to have such a response from the press. Immediately afterward, Mrs. Bobo was again interviewed on television. All leading papers reported the press conference and featured the television appearance. During the stay of Mrs. Bobo in Nigeria, the Faith has become known to thousands of people in the country who had not heard of it before. (From Nigerian Bahá’í News no. 3)
National Spiritual Assembly of Guatemala, Newly Elected[edit]
Seated, left to right: Aura de Sierra; Edith McLaren, Auxiliary Board member; Louise Caswell, Secretary; Marion
Tyler; Thelma Chapman. Standing, left to right: Oscar Sierra, Recording Secretary; Morris Chapman, Chairman;
Betti Zingali; Joe Zingali, Treasurer; Lewis Creitz.
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST[edit]
The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh. Selections from the Holy Writings of the Bahá’í Faith. All of the selections in this booklet are taken from Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. They give a concise concept of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, arranged under these topics: The Purpose of Creation; The Prophets of God; Progressive Revelation; The Day of Fulfilment; The Soul of Man; The Duty of Man; World-wide Regeneration; The Way to Unity; The Eternal Faith of God. A brief introduction orients the reader to the time and place of the Revelation of God for this new Day.
Many Bahá’ís will recall this compilation which was originally compiled for the 1953 Jubilee. It has now been prepared in 5½" x 8½" size, with antique gold cover. It enables Bahá’ís to place the Creative Word into the hands of receptive people in an inexpensive but appropriate form.
10 copies | $ 2.50 |
50 copies | $10.00 |
The Goal of a New World Order. By Shoghi Effendi. The
title of this booklet, which is also one of the chapters
contained in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, points
precisely to the theme. Although written in 1931, its
analysis of the causes of the world’s problems is as
applicable today as when written. Its presentation of the
guiding principles of world order, given in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, receive their clearest and most
challenging expression in this communication originally addressed to Bahá’ís. Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum, during her visit to Wilmette in June, 1970,
expressed a desire to see this vital letter from the beloved Guardian again published as a separate piece.
Bahá’ís will find it extremely useful in these days of
proclamation of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
The Goal of a New World Order has been produced in 5½" x 8½" size, with gold cover, matching in format The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh, mentioned above. Together they form an impressive presentation of the Bahá’í Faith.
10 copies | $ 2.50 |
50 copies | $10.00 |
Order above items through your Bahá’í community library service
415 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
Goals Opened in Eastern Caribbean[edit]
With the assistance of two French-speaking traveling teachers in Martinique and Guadaloupe, two virgin goals of the Bahá’ís of the Leeward, Windward, and Virgin Islands have been opened as well as another locality where no Bahá’ís had resided. The total number of new believers on the French-speaking Caribbean islands has now reached fifty-seven.
The traveling teachers were Mrs. Lea Nys and Mrs. Shanta Murday. They visited the islands together and separately during April and May. From Martinique and Guadaloupe they traveled to the virgin goal islands of Isles des Saintes and St. Barthelemy (St. Barts.) Twenty-four waiting souls were found there. On the island of Maria Galante, off the southern coast of Guadaloupe, where there were no Bahá’ís, twenty-four more new believers were enrolled.
During this time declarations were made by five people in Martinique and four in Guadaloupe. The friends on these islands were made joyous not only by the teaching efforts of the traveling teachers but also by the sharing of their Feasts and celebrations with their enthusiastic visitors.
Faith Proclaimed in German Newspaper[edit]
“Bahá’u’lláh Calls the World” was the headline over a detailed article on the Bahá’í Faith published in Trier, Germany. The article resulted from an extensively covered press conference on April 29, 1971 about “A Divine Politic” which so stimulated interest that it lasted nearly three hours. A participating Bahá’í stated that a television reporter was most unhappy that he had not earlier realized the importance of the event and had therefore not brought his television broadcasting equipment.
It is significant that this breakthrough came from Trier, which has the honor of being the only city in Germany specifically mentioned as a goal city by The Universal House of Justice in the Nine Year Plan.
A news interviewer for Armed Forces Radio Network (not yet a Bahá’í) said of the Faith that it was “the most rapidly growing Faith, undoubtedly, on the face of the earth.”
There have been significant breakthroughs in Germany which will lead, through the grace of God, to the unfoldment of the destiny of the German Bahá’í community “... a destiny which calls the German followers of Bahá’u’lláh to be ‘the torch-bearers of the light of Divine Guidance to the neighboring countries in that continent’ and to ‘spread out into Eastern and Southern Europe, and beyond these spheres into the heart of Northern Asia, as far as the China Sea.’ ” (From the message of The Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Germany on January 11, 1971.)
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First Junior High School Bahá’í Club[edit]
Bahá’í News To Be Put on Subscription Basis[edit]
BAHÁ’Í NEWS will be distributed to members of the American Bahá’í community on a subscription basis beginning October 1, 1971. The yearly subscription rate will be $6.00.
This decision was reached by the National Spiritual Assembly for purely economic reasons. Ever since its first appearance in 1924, this international publication has been mailed to the American believers free of charge. However, the accelerated growth of the community makes it impossible for the National Fund to continue to bear the heavy production costs. During the last fiscal year, the production of BAHÁ’Í NEWS and the NATIONAL BAHÁ’Í REVIEW cost $62,000. In 1970, the monthly run was 21,500 copies; by early 1971 this figure had to be increased to 33,500. It is the hope of the National Spiritual Assembly that subscriptions will meet a large portion, if not all, of the production costs.
The decision to put BAHÁ’Í NEWS on a subscription basis will not effect current arrangements for distributing BAHÁ’Í NEWS in other countries.
Shoghi Effendi expressed the hope that BAHÁ’Í NEWS would “become the foremost Bahá’í journal of the world;” and advised that it “should be made as representative as possible ... replete with news, up-to-date in its information, and should arouse interest among believers ... in every corner of the globe.” BAHÁ’Í NEWS has striven to live up to these objectives, which are supported by the expressed wish of The Universal House of Justice that its publication be continued. The journal provides an effective means of communicating to believers in every land the world-wide progress of the Faith and thereby stimulates the work of the Cause everywhere. As an historical record, BAHÁ’Í NEWS is valuable for research and is indexed annually.
A positive response to this new development in its life is necessary if BAHÁ’Í NEWS is to continue to fulfill its vital purpose. The friends everywhere are therefore urged to send in their subscriptions now, and certainly by September 12, so that they can receive the October issue.
Subscriptions should be mailed to:
- Bahá’í Subscription Service
- 415 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
Seated in front of the Howard Junior High School in Wilmette, Illinois are four members of the first official Junior High School Bahá’í Club in the United States. From left to right are Susan Pelle; Nikki Worth, Chairman; Charlie Johnson; and Andy Marks, Treasurer. Missing from the picture are the two other members, Patti Bower, Secretary; and Glen Losey.
The Club has been formed since April of this year and already has organized several firesides as well as bowling and swimming activities. Several members of the Club accompanied their parents to the Caribbean Conference.
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.
Material must be received by the twenty-fifth of the second month preceding date of issue. Address: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091, U.S.A.
Change of address should be reported directly to Membership and Records, National Bahá’í Center, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.A. 60091.
