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Bahá’í News

December 1976

Bahá’í Year 133

The Remarkable Albert Windust

[Page 0]

Guardian’s resting place visited by King Malietoa

His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa, together with Hands of the Cause Dhikru’lláh Khádem and ‘Ali-Muhammed Varqa, representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom and other Bahá’í friends, visited the resting place of Shoghi Effendi, Great Northern London Cemetery, New Southgate, on September 12.

[Page 1]

The World Center

New book on Báb’s Writings available soon

The Universal House of Justice has announced the publication of Selections from the Writings of the Báb, the first of three compilations of Scripture to be published during the Five Year Plan as a goal of the World Center.

It contains two Tablets to Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets to Muhammad Sháh, excerpts from the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá, the Persian Bayán, and the Dalá’il-i-Sab‘ih (The Seven Proofs), and from the Kitáb-i-Asmá’ (the Book of Names), a selection of various other Writings, and a large selection of prayers and meditations.

The House of Justice appointed its Research Department to make the selections, and Habib Taherzadeh was responsible for the translations, which were reviewed by a committee at the World Center.

Around the World

Australia

U.N. Day observed

On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, the Bahá’í community of Warringah Shire held a special service at the House of Worship in Sydney to mark the conclusion of United Nations Week.

Among the 450 attending the service on October 31 was Gilberto Rizzo, the Director of the United Nations Information Office for Australia, and several representatives of foreign embassies.

Readings during the 45-minute service included selections from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Moslem, and Bahá’í Writings.

Attending the United Nations Week special service at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Sydney on October 31 were, from left to right: Peter Khan, Continental Counsellor in Australasia; Stella Cornelius, President of Sydney; Mrs. Gilberto Rizzo; Gilberto Rizzo, Director of the United Nations Information Office in Australia; and Beverly Stafford, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia.

Bahá’í News In this issue Around the World 1 Albert Windust: Education of an editor 9 Bahá’í News is published monthly 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. Manuscripts submitted should be typewritten and double spaced throughout; any footnotes should appear at the end. The contributor should keep a carbon copy. Send materials to: Bahá’í News Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Change of address should be reported directly to Office of Membership and Records, National Bahá’í Center, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, U.S.A. Please attach mailing label. Subscription rates: one year, US $8; two years, US $15. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Copyright 1976, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

Cover photo: Bahá’í News Magazine, which made its debut at Naw-Rúz of 1910, was edited by Albert Windust and a year later was renamed Star of the West.

[Page 2]

Around the World

The National Spiritual Assembly of Belgium purchased a building in Brussels on November 12 to serve as the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds.

Austria

Bahá’í album released

A long-playing album of songs with Bahá’í themes was recently released in Austria. The songs are performed by the Dawn-Breakers, an Austrian music group.

A booklet of the lyrics of these songs and the basic tenets of the Faith was printed by a music publishing company. More than 1500 letters about the booklet, containing information about the Faith, were mailed to music stores throughout Austria.

The album and songbook, available from the National Bahá’í Library of Austria, have received a favorable reaction. The album has been introduced and played several times on Austrian National Radio.

Belgium

Building purchased for Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds

A three-story building in downtown Brussels was purchased by the National Spiritual Assembly of Belgium on November 12 to serve as the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds.

The Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, “The Sacred Fold”, is the official title designating headquarters of Bahá’í administrative activity. This institution is complementary in its functions to those of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, which is for Bahá’í worship.

The Bahá’í national newspaper of Belgium announced: “The wonderful news has spread throughout Belgium in only a few hours. Our new Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds is there... it’s true... we can touch it, we can see it. It isn’t a dream, but a marvelous reality, a hope for tomorrow.”

Botswana

Clubs for Bahá’í women organized

One of the Five Year Plan goals for Botswana is to organize more women’s activities. Recently, five handicraft clubs for Bahá’í women were established in Botswana by Iran Sohaili, a Rhodesian Bahá’í traveling to teach the Faith.

Mrs. Sohaili went to a number of Bahá’í communities to form new clubs and to encourage existing ones. At the club meetings, Bahá’í women learn knitting, patchwork, exchange new patterns, pray, sing, and discuss the Faith.

Mrs. Sohaili described a club meeting in Francistown. She said more than 10 Bahá’í women were there. “One dear woman wanted us to accept a gift of money from her and buy something for ourselves on the way back. We told her we would give it to the Fund, which made her very happy,” said Mrs. Sohaili. She said that when she left, two of the women accompanied her for a long distance and walked back again. She said “touching moments like these” characterized her trip. “The village Bahá’í women are enthusiastic. With attention and encouragement they will be successful in attracting their friends and inquirers to their clubs,” she said.

Brazil

Faith growing in Northeastern Brazil

“Between 2,000 and 3,000 people have recently been enrolled in the Faith in Northeastern Brazil,” the National Spiritual Assembly reports, “which is clear evidence of the divine assistance promised by Bahá’u’lláh to those who arise to serve Him.”

Two families and eight Bahá’í youth, for a nine-month period, taught in the Bahia area and in the Northeastern states of Brazil as far away as Fortaleza, Ceará.

Auxiliary Board member Sergio Couto who, with his family, is serving in Northeastern Brazil, said the activities are extraordinary.

He said weekly morning prayer meetings in 13 locations are followed by children’s classes. Each class has 20 or more children. In Natal, a five-year-old boy who is a children’s class instructor has taught and enrolled his parents. An eight-year-old boy has volunteered to serve as an instructor. In Sao Caetano, a daily institute for 15 instructors has been started and weekend activities for youth and women have begun.

He said the Nineteen Day Feasts are held regularly and well-attended. “They are the most beautiful I have ever attended,” Mr. Couto said. “The friends consult, they contribute, they pray, they sing, and they are happy.”

Mr. Couto said, “The conversion of many is already a reality; it has come alive; it is our life. One must see with his own eyes the beauty and majesty of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh alive in the hearts of the humble, the poor, the sincere.”

A vigorous plan of consolidation ensures the flame will not be extinguished in the heart of the new believer when the Bahá’í teacher leaves.

“The gaining of Bahá’í homes,” the National Assembly said, ”in which all members are believers, the mothers attend classes for instructing their children, all learn Bahá’í prayers and all are active participants in the Nineteen Day Feasts and other community activities, has become a major teaching goal. The formation of Local Assemblies will be a natural result, and some communities are now in the process of preparation for this step.”

Four new believers have volunteered to pioneer wherever they are needed in Brazil.

[Page 3] Cameroon Republic

80 attend Douala conference

As a follow-up to the Paris International Teaching Conference, the believers in the Cameroon Republic held a conference in Douala from September 10-12.

Zekrollah Kazemi and Muhdí Samandarí, Counsellors for West Africa, attended. One-hundred-thirty believers from 30 localities in the Cameroons, both English and French speaking, were present. Approximately two-thirds of the participants were under 30 years old.

During the conference, a proclamation project was launched. Teams distributed invitations to an evening lecture and leaflets in French. For the first time in Douala, a large printed poster about the Faith prominently displayed the Faith.

Approximately 80 people gathered at the lecture by Mr. Kazemi. The audience, mostly students, asked lively questions and participated in group discussion.

During the conference, the friends were introduced to a mobile institute, which tours communities in the Cameroons to assist with deepening and consolidation work. The van is equipped with a Bahá’í library, audio-visual material, and community deepening materials. The institute has been used to organize regular study classes for adults, spearhead children’s classes, and stimulate activities for Bahá’í women.

Cayman Islands

Radio programs and magazine article publicize Faith

Three members of the Kingston, Jamaica, community who visited the Cayman Islands in October to teach the Faith obtained a magazine interview and time for a weekly Bahá’í broadcast on one of two radio stations. Dorothy Harris, Irene Hollar, and Shahin Zohoori made contact with Norwester magazine, shortly after arriving, and with the International College of Cayman Islands radio station.

The director of the station invited the Bahá’ís to tape an interview for the college’s regularly scheduled broadcast. Afterwards, he offered to air a 15-minute Bahá’í radio program each Sunday at 4:30 p.m. without cost.

A teaching team from Jamaica visited the Cayman Islands recently and gained an interview with Norwester magazine and radio coverage for the Faith. From left to right are: Mary Lawrence, the social editor of Norwester magazine; Irene Hollar and her daughter; Shahin Zohoori; and Dorothy Harris.

Nahmy Zohoori, who helps prepare a Bahá’í radio program in Jamaica, used the station’s studio to adjust six Jamaican programs for use in the Caymans.

The group was interviewed by the social editor of Norwester, a magazine which has wide circulation in and around Grand Cayman. Norwester is read in schools and by passengers on Grand Cayman Airways. The article, with photographs, was printed in the December issue of the magazine. The magazine expressed a willingness to print an article about Bahá’í teachings on the use of alcohol.

Central African Republic

Teachers visit Pygmy tribe

Two members of the week-old Local Spiritual Assembly of Bogandou, in the Central African Republic, accompanied

[Page 4] Mr. and Mrs. Mohsen Enayat, international traveling teachers, to a Pygmy camp some five kilometers from Bogandou.

“After a long walk through bushland,” Mr. Enayat said, “we reached a relatively cleared area where we were greeted by a few older Pygmies who kindly set out pieces of tree trunk for us to sit on. Our guides translated for us, and we learned the Pygmies here had no religion and missionaries had not taught them.”

The Pygmies spoke about their belief in one God, Creator of all things, on Whom their lives, protection, and prosperity depended. They said that after death they believed their souls went to God. They often spoke to God, they explained. He hears and answers their requests, although they do not see or hear Him.

When asked, “What do you say to God?” one Pygmy said, “Often before I go hunting I tell Him: You made me; You gave me a family and children; help me now find them food.” They said they had no recollection of religious teachers being sent to them to explain these concepts.

Brazil

Assembly forms nine others

Six members of the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil met with the Spiritual Assembly of Belo Horizonte, one of the fastest growing communities in Brazil, on October 9-10. Last year the community was responsible for the formation of nine nearby Local Assemblies. This year the goal is to form at least five Local Assemblies.

Nicaragua

Summer school held

The Third Annual Summer school for Bahá’ís in Nicaragua was held in Las Flores September 15. The group included the oldest Native Bahá’í in Managua, and nine members of the Spiritual Assembly of Masaya, which hosted the school.

Chad

Expansion of Faith evident

In Southern Chad 27 villages have been visited by Bahá’í teachers in recent months, 14 of them more than five times. The Faith has been proclaimed to more than 550 people, the National Spiritual Assembly of Chad reported in September. Of these, 320 have embraced the Cause of God, including 78 youth. Seventeen Local Assemblies have been formed, seventeen localities opened, and the chiefs of six villages have accepted the Cause, the National Assembly said. They called this accelerated activity “gratifying”.

In the regions of Mayo-Kebbi, Chari-Baguirmi, and Logone, in Southern Chad, 27 people accepted the Cause, the Faith was proclaimed to more than 100 people, 7 teaching trips were made, 16 villages were visited more than 3 times, two institutes and one conference took place, two localities were opened and a Local Assembly formed, reported the National Assembly.

Seven deepening institutes held in bush

[Page 5] villages were attended by Local Assembly Secretaries and others. The duties of Local Assembly members were discussed.

Rito tribe members have embraced the Cause for the first time. They live on the border between Chad and the Central African Republic. Among the Rito tribe, six villages have been opened and two Local Assemblies formed.

Approximately 800 children have attended meetings conducted by selected teachers. They learned songs and recited prayers which drew their parents to the Bahá’í gatherings. Some of the children of Bahá’í parents are named for Bahá’í heroines and heroes. In one village a visiting teacher cried when greeted by a two-year-old child who called ‘“Alláh-u-Abhá”.

One of the goals of the Five Year Plan in Chad is to open 350 localities: 355 have been opened. The goal to form 75 Local Assemblies has been met. The National Assembly prays that Bahá’u’lláh will strengthen all the friends so that they may arise and consolidate these victories and expand the Cause.

French Guiana

Local Assembly elected

Before the election of its first Local Spiritual Assembly of September 19, villagers of Saramacca Village on the upper reaches of the Surinam River were joined by those from French Guiana and Surinam for a viewing of part two of The Green Light Expedition. The slides depict the visit of the Bush Negro tribes along the Surinam River.

The villagers were delighted to recognize on the screen their families, friends, and familiar villages, the National Assembly reported. The audience was touched and impressed to realize that white people traveled into the jungle to make a slide program to show the rest of the world how the Bush Negro lives, not for exploitation but for human brotherhood and understanding. Before the showing, the Captain of the village, who is a Bahá’í, spoke briefly about the Faith, said the National Assembly report.

Following the election, the entire village viewed the slides once more.

France

National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds opened

A new National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds has been opened by the National Spiritual Assembly of France in one of the most fashionable districts of Paris. The address is 33 Rue de la Faisanderie, a residential section where many of the foreign embassies are located, the National Assembly reports.

The funds for the building were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Ḥusayn-Qulí Kíyání, residents of Italy. During their pilgrimage in 1953 the Guardian spoke of the need for a Bahá’í Center in Paris, located in the 16th district, the quarter where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá resided during his stay in France.

After their pilgrimage, the Kíyánís purchased a building at 11 Rue de la Pompe, which served as the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds until the dedication of the new building at the time of the Paris Conference in August 1976.

“We are moved by the very touching manner in which this gift has been offered to the Bahá’í community of France,” the National Spiritual Assembly said. “This donation is closely linked to the memory of the Master and the beloved Guardian, and we hope to be worthy of this gift through our using of the Center for the intensified promotion of the Cause of the Blessed Beauty.”

The three-story structure is built on 475 square meters of choice Paris real estate. It has approximately 500 square meters of interior floor space.

Nicaragua

Summer school held

More than thirty Bahá’ís from various communities in Nicaragua assembled under the shade of a large tree for the Third Annual Summer School in Las Flores September 15.

The day-long institute was hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Masaya, and consisted of a series of talks about the Central Figures of the Faith, The Universal House of Justice, and the role of Bahá’í women.

The many children present attended classes and sang Bahá’í songs at intervals throughout the day. A group of Bahá’í youth from Granada performed a drama to illustrate the healing effects of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings regarding abstinence from alcohol and drugs.

Malaysia

Bahá’ís attend Asian Conference on Religion and Peace

Ten Bahá’ís from nine countries participated as observers at the first Asian Conference on Religion and Peace, November 25-30, in Singapore.

The Bahá’ís were not allowed to speak officially, but had the opportunity to mix with others and explain Bahá’u’lláh’s Message and principles of the Faith. Many of the approximately 300 delegates and 21 observers had not heard about the Faith until this conference.

Most Bahá’í observers left the conference before it was over to attend the Bahá’í International Teaching Conference in Hong Kong. Only four Bahá’ís, from Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand remained for the rest of the Asian Conference. When the head of the Pakistani delegation of three Muslims, retired Chief Justice Hamdoor Rahman, addressed the gathering, he said proudly “... The fourth participant from Pakistan is not a Muslim, he is a Bahá’í.” People holding important positions and a few government officials now know of the Faith, fulfilling an important goal of the Five Year Plan.

Bahá’ís attending the conference were Anthony Rush Thompson of Australia; Lawrence Ip W.C. of Hong Kong; R. Shah of India; Kimoko Schwerin of Japan; Fazil Kayani of Pakistan; Fe Samaniego of the Philippines; Shirin Fozdar and Re Freddy Tan of Singapore; Chandrasekera of Sri Lanka; and Prapart Suthinan of Thailand. Four nations—Burma, Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam—were unable to send observers because of travel difficulties.

[Page 6] Three Bahá’í youth from the Solomon Islands were traveling teachers in the New Hebrides from September 30 to November 14. During the trip, they performed a musical number at the Bahá’í Center in Port Vila, New Hebrides.

New Hebrides

Youth traveling teach in New Hebrides

Three Bahá’í youth from the Solomon Islands — Sibri Karotu, Selena Lekueta, and Eddy Wouhania — recently made a six-week traveling teaching trip through the New Hebrides.

The original idea for the trip came from Alick Soalo, Auxiliary Board member in the New Hebrides, during his stay in the Solomons in 1975. He said the vitality of the Bahá’í youth there could stimulate the believers in the New Hebrides.

The proposal was communicated to both National Spiritual Assemblies involved, that of the Solomon Islands and that of the South West Pacific. Arrangements were made for a team to travel during September 1976. The itinerary of the team was planned by the National Teaching Committee of the New Hebrides.

Prior to their departure, Mr. Karotu, Miss Lekueta, and Miss Wouhania prepared music, action songs, and talks in English, Gilbertese, and Pidgin. Mr. Karotu and Miss Lekueta are Gilbertese, and Miss Wouhania is a Solomon Islander from Malaita. Mr. Karotu and Miss Wouhania are members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and all three are members of the National Youth Committee.

The youth arrived in the New Hebrides on September 30. They visited four islands: Efate, Malekula, Santo, and Tanna — spending time in all Local Assembly areas and in four localities where Local Assemblies are to be formed in 1976-77.

They proclaimed the Faith through musical shows; taught and confirmed individual souls; and encouraged and consolidated Bahá’í communities.

They stayed with Bahá’í families throughout their travels.

They presented the musical show 27 times to an estimated 1,700 non-Bahá’ís, held five firesides, conducted at least eight official deepening sessions and more unofficial ones, and attended two Feasts.

Radio Villa made several announcements about the team’s movements in its news bulletins and broadcast a ten-minute live interview with Mr. Karotu.

The team remained in the New Hebrides until November 14.

Portugal

Musical proclamation held

Friends at the Regional Bahá’í School of the North, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, on November 20-21, held a musical proclamation in the public garden in the center of town. Children of two hundred refugees from Angola and Mozambique, who were housed in the hotel where the Bahá’í school was held, were attracted by the music and many brought their parents with them to the proclamation.

[Page 7] Nigeria

The Word spreading “like wildfire”

The National Spiritual Assembly of Nigeria called for special prayers to be said on July 9 for the progress of the Faith in Nigeria, reported the Nigerian Bahá’í News. The next day, a Bahá’í from Lagos joined the believers of Ife-Ife to teach in a nearby Ekarun village. The friends prayed, then followed a narrow dirt trail branching from the Ife-Ilesha road. Along the way, they encountered a man returning to his home in Ekarun village. The man escorted them to the village, where men, women, and children listened to the Bahá’ís. Fourteen adults and several youth declared their acceptance of the Faith.

The religious leader of the village told the Bahá’ís that what they taught was a confirmation of what he had read earlier that day in the Qur’án. The foundation of the Day of God has now been laid in Yorubaland, he continued, for in this new teaching, the Christians and Muslims are united for the first time in Ekarun.

Since that day, said the Nigerian Bahá’í News, 15 more localities have been opened to the Faith in the Ife-Ife area, and more than 160 believers have espoused the Cause. The word is “spreading like wildfire” through the villages with the assistance of a number of enthusiastic new Bahá’ís. Local Assemblies have been formed in Ekarun, Oluwada, and Ife. Translations into the Yoruba language have been made. Several meetings for dawn prayers and children’s classes have been held. Two communities have had the first Nineteen Day Feast. A Teacher Training Institute held in Ekarun in early September was attended by 13 Bahá’ís from 7 localities, where various aspects of the Faith were studied through visual aids designed by the Ife believers.

The Ife Bahá’ís say the receptivity on the part of the villagers is exciting. Not only has enrollment been spontaneous and rapid, but the new Bahá’ís have been at the heart of the expansion activities. One new believer has opened several localities and assisted in expansion and consolidation in areas already opened. Several teachers have dedicated their time to the expansion of the community and to deepening. The villagers insist many other centers await the Message, some of which have been prepared for future visits by Bahá’í teachers, said the Nigerian Bahá’í News.

“The word is spreading so fast that the believers in Ife can no longer keep up with the demands of the masses who are thirsty for this water of life, reported the Nigerian Bahá’í News. A great wave is sweeping over the West of Nigeria, and its force is increasing rapidly.”

Portugal

Six declare at summer school

The Hands of the Cause Ugo Giachery and Rahmatu’llah Muhajir, and traveling teachers from different parts of the world were among 60 Bahá’ís who attended the Bahá’í Summer School in Rio de Mouro, a village 20 kilometers from Lisbon. The school was held on a farm in the countryside August 16-20.

Children’s classes were planned by the National Children’s Committee and attended by 20 children, some from the neighboring village.

In the evening, after classes, the friends gathered around a campfire. The townspeople of Rio de Mouro were attracted by the friendliness of the Bahá’ís and the campfire and came nightly to sing and hear about the Faith. One night six townspeople, including a 70-year-old woman, declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.

A teaching plan directed toward gypsies and African refugees from Angola and Mozambique was presented at the end of the school. Twenty-five Bahá’ís volunteered to devote their free time to the plan.

Before the Bahá’í Summer School, there were no Bahá’ís or public meetings in Rio de Mouro.

Seychelles

Bahá’ís recognized in Independence Day celebrations

The National Spiritual Assembly of the Seychelles sent greetings and assurances of loyalty to the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Seychelles, which achieved independent status on June 28.

Bahá’ís entered a float in the Independence Day parade and won first prize—three large silver cups. The float, seen by hundreds, bore the message “We are Dawn-breakers of our Destiny” and carried a large sign reading “Bahá’í”.

At a national exhibition celebrating Independence Day, the Bahá’ís set up a booth displaying photographs, audiovisual material, and literature. Hundreds of visitors passed by the booth, including a Roman Catholic Bishop who requested and was given a Bahá’í book.

A local Bahá’í craftsman was awarded a prize for the best individual exhibit, a piece of hand-made furniture.

Solomon Islands

Faith broadcast for the first time

For many years the National Spiritual Assembly of the Solomon Islands attempted to call public attention to the Faith through radio. Their opportunity came only recently when a non-Bahá’í addressed questions to the National Assembly through a local radio station. “Do Bahá’ís believe in Jesus?” and “Do they believe He is God?” the man wanted to know.

A simple, dignified response based on Bahá’í teachings was prepared by the National Assembly and presented September 12 in a broadcast lasting 15 minutes.

Taiwan

Teaching team active in Taiwan

A teaching team composed of Bahá’ís from Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Írán, and the United States participated in a summer teaching campaign sponsored by the National Teaching Committee and National Youth Committee of Taiwan. The team took the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to 6 cities, 2 towns, and 1 village, had an influence on various other centers, opened to the Faith two new localities in which three new believers enrolled, stimulated

[Page 8] isolated believers, brought the Faith to the notice of an estimated 9,000 people and left a dignified impression on the populace wherever they went, it was reported.

The diversity of the team and the songs with Bahá’í themes in Malay, Chinese, and English attracted even shy passersby, many of whom stayed for a short Bahá’í address and a slide program. “Children and adolescents flocked to the team”, one observer noted. “In rural villages and in the larger centers, whether firesides or public meetings were being held, youth and children were the first to arrive, outnumbered adults several-fold and paid close attention throughout the entire presentation.”

Highlights of the campaign were a public meeting in Hualien attended by 40 people, mostly youth between the ages of 13 and 17; a friendly interview with ‎ths the‎ head of Tat’ung village; a Nineteen Day Feast in Beifu village where the local Bahá’ís held a stimulating consultation on teaching in their village; and successful public meetings in Changhwa and Chiayi attended by 20 youth and 4 adults, and 20 youth and 8 adults, respectively.

For many of the team members it was their first opportunity to serve as full-time traveling teachers. A vital part of the experience was the dawn prayers followed by consultation, it was stated, and the team greatly appreciated the help of Auxiliary Board member Roxanne Gardner, whose abundant experience in teaching in the South Sea islands enabled her to lend valuable assistance.

United States

Pioneering Institute held

The Pioneering Institute held October 28-31 was the first to be held at the John and Louise Bosch Bahá’í School in Santa Cruz, California. Thirty Bahá’ís attended in preparation to fill pioneering posts in Bermuda, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Mariana, the Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Portugal, Suriname, Tonga, Venezuela, and Zambia.

Australia

Bahá’ís join others in regional conference

On the weekend of December 10-12 at Point Lonsdale, Victoria, over 40 Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís attended a regional conference. The program, co-sponsored by the National Youth Committee, the Melbourne Metropolitan Committee, and the Aippsland Regional Goals Committee, emphasized the need for love for Bahá’u’lláh and teaching the Faith.

[Page 9]

The Remarkable Albert Windust:

Education of an Editor

Part II

by Bruce Whitmore

Albert Windust, as he appeared in 1931 when he traveled to Haifa to meet the Guardian.

[Page 10]

Albert wrote the inevitable letter of resignation from Star of the West

By the latter half of 1915, several letters from Abdu’l-Bahá had miraculously, considering the circumstances of World War I, reached America. Two themes dominated these communications: firmness in the Covenant and teaching (“tell everyone now is the time to teach and spread the Cause!”²⁷).

“Tablets of the Divine Plan” consists of fourteen Tablets written in 1916-17. The preface of the current edition states these Tablets did not arrive in America until after the signing of the Armistice. Five of them, written in February through April 1916, did arrive during the war and appeared in Star of the West in September 1916.

The pages of the Star of the West are overflowing with such an abundance of exciting events and profound comments printed nowhere else that an adequate review of the magazine could never be made. There is, however, one additional editorial of Albert’s eloquence and so moving that it must be shared:

“His Holiness Abdu’l-Bahá ascended to Abhá Kingdom.”

With these words, the Bahá’ís of the whole world are stunned.

Some years ago His Holiness Abdu’l-Bahá said: “These great days are swiftly passing and once gone can never be recalled, so while the rays of the Sun of Truth are shining and the Center of the Covenant of God is manifest, let us go forth to work, for after a while the night will come and the way to the Vineyard will not then be so easy to find.”

In this world, the night has come—

And with it—weeping.

And in the heavenly world?

O for the pen of a Milton, the brush of a Doré and the music of a Handel, to convey a fleeting glimpse of what is transpiring!

If it were according to Divine Wisdom that such a scene be pictured, only the vision and Word of Him who has ascended could describe it!

But His utterance is stilled—

And our pen broken.²⁸

Several months before the Master’s Ascension, a transition within the magazine had begun which would drastically alter the course of Albert’s life. In one of Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablets, originally included in the group called the “Divine Plan,” it was urged that the magazine’s circulation be dramatically expanded and that materials presented be more universal in scope, such as had been originally designated for the “East and the West.” In July 1919, an editorial regarding the future of the magazine noted:

[Page 11] Bahá’ís gathered inside the auditorium of the House of Worship in Wilmette on May 1, 1931, nineteen years to the day from when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laid the cornerstone, at the dedication of the superstructure.

For nine years, it has been like a small tree in the garden of the Cause, more or less overshadowed by other important institutions. But today—through the sustaining power of God and the bounty of Bahá’u’lláh descending in the Tablets and Words of Abdu’l-Bahá unveiled at the recent Convention and Congress—it is illumined by the Orb of the Covenant.

Stunned by this sudden blaze of light, we are slowly responding to its radiance.²⁹

A “foundation” consisting of representatives from throughout Canada and the United States was formed at Albert’s suggestion. Although this helped broaden the scope of creativity, the burden of work for Albert and Gertrude was not lessened. This burden, coupled with continuing financial problems that resulted from attempts to keep subscription charges low, made it difficult to initiate rapid changes. Many persons felt Albert lacked the ability to achieve what the Master desired and this weighed heavily upon him. To the harsh criticism of one group he responded:

My only answer is: let them write what they believe to be the faults and the remedy and what they would do to accomplish a cure, and send it to Abdu’l-Bahá for confirmation ... that he may correct the faults and remove the difficulties. A tree is helpless to water and fertilize itself. If it droops, there is a reason for it; if it is dead it must be cut down.³⁰

At the 1921 Convention it was decided to form a committee to oversee the publication. This afforded some relief but still failed to address the main problem that after all those years the continuing efforts of Albert and Gertrude was destroying their physical well-being. Only the assistance of Arthur Agnew, hired by Albert as treasurer of Grier Press in 1919, kept the publication solvent in its last two years. Even the Grier brothers were becoming increasingly agitated by Albert’s commitment to the magazine. On one occasion, John Grier angrily wrote:

Today when I called, you were busy with other things—things that in a way are beneficial to the Grier Press, but I am inclined to think that you give the Bahá’í Movement more thought and attention than the business that gives your family its daily bread.³¹

Albert’s numerous pleas to the Executive Board of the Bahá’í Temple Unity for assistance virtually unanswered, he wrote the inevitable letter of resignation, dated May 9, 1922, which said in part:

Conditions beyond the control of both Miss Buikema and myself surround us, and we find that immediate relief must be sought. In a business way, I must devote my entire time to it, and as for Miss Buikema enough to say that it is her physician’s orders that she must give up all this extra day and night work. Her family, too, insist that this be done. Sunday she and Mrs. North worked all day and until 11:30 p.m.—mailing the new issue of the Star. It was a beautiful spring day and they should have been resting.³²

A major chapter of Albert’s life closed. There must have been feelings of frustration and sorrow. But there was no bitterness. Albert, perhaps more than anyone else, recognized the underlying cause of

[Page 12] Albert read a devotional selection at the dedication of the superstructure of the House of Worship in Wilmette in 1931.

these events: the initial thrust in the development of the Administrative Order under the guidance of the Guardian.

Two months prior to Albert’s letter of resignation, the Guardian had written his first major communication regarding the administration of the Cause, one paragraph of which stated that efforts of national implication must be under the control of the “National Body” (i.e. the National Spiritual Assembly) rather than a local Assembly or a group of individuals. Albert fully recognized that the transition process for the magazine could be more speedily and effectively realized if his close personal ties were severed.

Both the magazine and the Bahá’í Publishing Society were merged under a Publication Committee. The departure of Albert and Gertrude was strongly felt. One loving tribute came from Leroy Ioas:

There is always a time when the true side and the deep spiritual fortitude of a real Bahá’í stands forth, and that is when the hopes and endeavors of sincere effort seems to apparently turn to other paths. But whatever the new events bring forth we know it is surely for the welfare and advancement of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, which we all love so much, and which we are all ready to sacrifice everything for.

The example of your pure faith in the present transition period, when all the Bahá’í Activities are taking a new aspect, is very inspiring, and I am sure endearing to yourself, of all the Friends, as has been the long years you have so impersonally served for that Heavenly Magazine.

To me, it is a great inspiration. From the early days of my life, when I first became actively interested in the Cause, a few of the Bahá’ís have particularly stood out as Guide Posts and examples of unending faith and untiring sacrifice. Such a one have you always been to me, and I know always will be, but the present gracious attitude of submitting to ‘the Will of God’ with ‘Radiant Acquiescence’ calls from me this meager statement of deep love and affection which has been growing for many years.³³

Another letter of praise was written by May Maxwell shortly after meeting with members of the National Spiritual Assembly:

They spoke of you and the relation you have always borne throughout the years, to the Cause and to the friends, in a way that made me realize how deeply you are loved and honored.

I thank you from my heart for your wonderful brotherly love and kindness to me and for the way in which you have granted my least request in the loving service of our blessed Guardian.

I love you and your wife dearly and I hope that God will grant that in this life that love may find some expression in service to you as you have always served me.³⁴

The notion that “tests and difficulties” often descend in rapid succession is certainly supported by the

[Page 13]

“In a few moments Shoghi Effendi came to welcome me to Haifa. Not tall, nor small, vigorous, smiling - all that you expect to see, and more, such is the Guardian.”

ordeals which confronted Albert immediately after the transfer of the magazine. Illness was nothing new to his family. Lucy Windust had not been well since 1918 and the family had to spend its summers in cooler climate for her benefit. Christmas of 1922, however, witnessed the beginning of an incredibly dismal year for the family. Ethyl, the youngest of the three daughters, contracted diphtheria. Within days Lucy was also infected and health officers quarantined the house. Three weeks later Albert was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. In March Ethyl’s tonsils became inflamed and, because of the quarantine, the doctor performed the surgery on the dining room table. The next several months were spent recuperating and, just as it seemed as if everything was stabilizing, Albert, in January of 1924, was again hospitalized, this time for a hernia operation. Albert was essentially “inactive” for more than a year. It was the only time between 1902 and 1954 (two years before his death) that he was not a member of Chicago’s Assembly (he also served for more than thirty years as that institution’s chairman).

In the first years after Albert’s resignation, the new staff of the Star of the West experienced difficulty in making the transition. It became increasingly apparent that Albert’s effort had been monumental indeed. He was asked to assist the publication in a variety of ways including, in June of 1924, reassuming editorship with a staff of ten writers (“contributors”), a manager, and any other assistance he would require. Albert had to decline because of his health.

From the time of the transfer, the magazine published mostly articles on various Bahá’í subjects, attempted to attain the objectives expressed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. There was, however, a small section entitled “Bahá’í News And Notes” which continued to provide condensed information on a few Bahá’í events. In December 1924, a new publication first called Bahá’í News Letter and then Bahá’í News assumed the news reporting aspect of the original magazine. Star of the West, meanwhile, continued to develop into a publication devoted to “what people are thinking” in the mid-1930’s, evolved into World Order magazine. Published until the late 1940s, the magazine was then suspended because of a crisis in the fund for some eighteen years and was finally reintroduced in 1966. The Bahá’í News continued, as a news organ for the international community. In the mid-1960’s The American Bahá’í was introduced to provide a nationally-oriented newspaper. Of the present periodicals published in the U.S. only Child’s Way magazine did not evolve directly from Star of the West; however, the first children’s publication, The Magazine of the Children of the Kingdom, received extensive guidance from Albert. What an incredible heritage we have been given by one man!*

Albert’s association with Bahá’í publications did not cease when he disassociated himself from Star of the West. His health much improved, he accepted appointment in 1925 to the Publication Committee and later The Bahá’í World Editorial Committee. He was instrumental in the production of the first five volumes of The Bahá’í World and the accuracy of these books is due largely to his conviction that nothing short of perfection was tolerable for any Bahá’í publication. Even after everyone else was satisfied with a project, Albert would always insist on one more galley proof being run and one final reading being made. The Guardian wrote Albert on several occasions expressing appreciation for his efforts; the following are examples:

Shoghi Effendi wishes me to drop you this note especially to congratulate you for the wonderful work you have displayed in the future generations and a signal proof of your devotion and ardent services to this Blessed Movement. Though a copy of it, which I believed

[Page 14]

At the mansion at Bahjí, Shoghi Effendi and Albert spent three days and three nights editing The Bahá’í World.

you had mailed, reached us only a few days ago, he has already gone over it and admired the taste and esthetic beauty that you have put into it.³⁵

Again:

Your touching letter has breathed a fresh spirit of love and devotion which has greatly heartened me in my work. Your past services are engraved upon my heart and your present work in connection with the Year Book is of extreme importance. I shall go over the Vol. II manuscript most carefully and will send every suggestion I feel I should make. I feel this is the special favor and grace promised to you by the Master and I will pray for you and your dear ones that you will be enabled to visit the Holy Land in the near future where you are assured of a most hearty welcome.

Your true brother, Shoghi³⁶

The Guardian’s comment on going to the Holy Land stems from repeated attempts by Lucy and Albert, for more than twenty-five years, to make that trip. Lucy’s dream, however, was never realized for she died during the spring of 1929.

In September of 1931, after nearly two years of struggling with the economic upheaval of the Great Depression, the Grier Press was liquidated. While John Grier attempted to reorganize the company, Albert was at last free to journey eastward. He carried with him the twenty original Tablets of the Báb, addressed to the Letters of the Living and to Bahá’u’lláh. These were being returned to the Guardian after reproductions had been made for inclusion in Shoghi Effendi’s translation of The Dawn-Breakers, published in New York in 1932. Albert also carried a small package containing two pairs of warm bed socks—a gift from May Maxwell to the Greatest Holy Leaf.

He arrived in Haifa on November 22, 1931.

In a few moments Shoghi Effendi came to welcome me to Haifa. Not tall, nor small, vigorous, smiling—all that you expect to see, and more, such is the Guardian. He said He was going to the Shrines of the Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá up Mt. Carmel—would I like to come along. I hastened to Pilgrim House to get my hat. As I came around the fence he was about 75 feet up the street. I was struck with his resemblance of the Master at that distance and from the back (I recalled the photograph we published of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when we announced His Ascension in the “Star of the West”). When about 25 feet away, he turned and called out, “Are you a good walker?” I replied, “Yes, but I will have to learn to climb!” And it was a climb to the Shrines. There were two other pilgrims with us. Shoghi Effendi talked freely with me all the way up, but I was not registering the words—only the effect of His Utterance seemed to sink in.³⁷

For Albert the visit was like a dream; a series of magnificently painted scenes indelibly imprinted within his mind. While at Bahjí he wrote:

[Page 15] One of Albert’s early drawings portrays the Ferris wheel at the World Colombian Exposition in 1893. Each car on the Ferris wheel could hold 20 people.

... I hope some day a great artist will paint a panorama of the land and sea, surrounding Bahjí as seen from there, that those who cannot make the pilgrimage may have some idea of its wonderful location—then if they could imagine the soft warm breeze that blew from the hills this day in December—could taste the oranges in the gardens—could hear the skylarks singing—could hear the tinkle of bells as trains of camels move by—even hear the braying of the tiny beasts that carry men upon their backs—hear the sighing of the wind through the pines of Bahjí—then we could somehow sense the physical contact with this historic spot. But it is the heart that sees, hears, feels the spiritual contact—one must bring that awakened heart to enjoy to the full all that Bahjí gives to the pilgrim.³⁸

Just prior to his scheduled departure, the Guardian received several bundles of material from Mrs. Nellie French which contained the manuscript for Volume IV of The Bahá’í World. Shoghi Effendi asked Albert to delay that departure for two weeks and help him edit the material. After working several days at Haifa, the Guardian, desiring quieter surroundings for the intense concentration required, took Albert to the Mansion at Bahjí where the two of them spent three days and three nights alone, constantly working on the book.

Shortly after Albert’s arrival, Shoghi Effendi had penned “The Goal Of A New World Order,” one of a series of communications which “unfold a clear vision of the relation between the Bahá’í community and the entire process of social evolution under the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh.”³⁹ When Albert left, Shoghi Effendi asked him to travel through Switzerland, Germany, and England, conveying the Guardian’s love and sharing this most important document. Shortly after his return, Albert received the following letter from the Guardian:

The days of our companionship under the shadow of the holy shrine, our collaboration, our discussions, and our prayers at the sacred threshold, will long linger in my memory. Much as I had heard, and through correspondence learned, of your tenacity of faith, your thoroughness, your passionate devotion to our beloved Cause, the intimate experience of our meeting in this sacred spot has served only to heighten my admiration for the spirit that animates you in the service to the Cause. The sequel of your pilgrimage, your journey to Europe, I regard as an added blessing and invaluable service which I greatly value. The letters I received regarding your visit to the Bahá’í centers testify to the deep impression you have made upon the believers. I will from the depth of my heart supplicate for you and your dear daughters, the Almighty’s richest blessing.⁴⁰

The transition which had begun with the transfer of Star of the West now began to finalize. The Grier Press was not reformed, and Albert worked at several jobs over the next two decades. Even though he felt wholly inadequate to teach the Cause, primarily because of his limited education, he arose to the challenge and became one of the most prominent Bahá’í lecturers of the 1930’s and 40’s. A glimpse at one page of his date book for 1938 demonstrates the incredible pace that he, at more than sixty years of age, endured:

[Page 16]

‘Abdu’l-Bahá beckoned me to sit beside Him, and slapping my left thigh three times, said with each blow: “There are many wolves in Chicago!”

Sunday, 2nd	Talk at Elam Club - “The New Holy Land”
Monday, 3rd	Begin classes for Chicago group
Tuesday, 4th	Spiritual Assembly
Wednesday, 5th	Class at room
Thursday, 6th	to Grand Rapids
Friday, 7th	Grand Rapids - “Christ’s Second Advent”
Saturday, 8th	Grand Rapids - “The Bahá’í Age of Light”
Sunday, 9th	Grand Rapids - talk
Monday, 10th	2nd lesson for Chicago group
Tuesday 11th	Mrs. McCormick - 6 p.m.
Wednesday, 12th	Class at room41

Albert gave continuous classes to new believers, developing a program for their early education in the meaning and implications of the Faith. He taught many classes on the Covenant and, in 1942, compiled a four-part article on the Covenant which appeared in World Order magazine. In the introduction he explained:

It was my privilege and bounty to become awakened by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to a new consciousness of the meaning of The Covenant. It was not accomplished in a short period of time. It began from the hand as well as the divine bounty of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when He was in Chicago in the year 1912, in the waiting room of the Northwestern railway terminal on the day of His departure for St. Paul, when He beckoned me to sit beside Him and there administered three stinging slaps upon my left thigh, saying with each blow: “There are many wolves in Chicago!”

From this startling experience, it was apparent that we needed to be awakened to something happening within the Bahá’í fold or to some fundamental phase of the Faith of which we were unaware. Whatever it might be it was important that an effort be made to understand and to correct it, as we were editing and publishing the Star of the West ...

That we did awaken is evidenced by the fact that in that same year, 1912, we began a presentation of this subject of The Covenant in the Star of the West, beginning with the November 23rd issue—the date nearest to the Day of the Covenant—and continued to do so in every issue of that date until the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921 ...

It is my belief that this subject is the most vital and fundamental of all Bahá’í teachings, and that every follower of the Faith, sooner or later, must come to an understanding of it.⁴²

During the years when Albert was leading many people to the Faith he was also establishing friendships which later proved beneficial to the Cause. One of these was Marcus Bach, with whom Albert collaborated in 1937 to produce a pageant honoring the centennial of Chicago’s incorporation. As thousands watched, the program ended with a huge choral presentation, the backdrop for which was a gigantic mural of the House of Worship. Mr. Bach published a book in 1946, They Have Found A Faith, which was “a sympathetic study of eight contemporary religious groups.” The section on the Bahá’í Faith was reviewed and edited by Albert. Mr. Bach later wrote him:

[Page 17]

After a man has tramped around for nearly ten years both in the lecture and research field he unwittingly becomes immune to people’s reactions. But I assure you that slumbering strains of deep appreciation sang in my heart upon receipt of your gracious letter. I sincerely hope that my copy of the book has reached you. The inscription best expresses my opinion. You will, however, never know how the spirit of your comment on They Have Found a Faith has inspired me and how it has lured me further into the deeper realities and concepts of the faith which is so vitally yours.⁴⁴

A decade later Mr. Bach wrote another book, The Circle of Faith, which reported his interviews with Shoghi Effendi, Therese Newmann, Hellen Keller, Pope Pius XII and Albert Schweizer. After the Guardian’s death, that portion of the book was republished under the separate title, Shoghi Effendi: An Appreciation.

As the final days of his life approached, Albert’s one great wish was to see the dedication of the House of Worship in 1953. Not only had he been involved in the early days of the project, but he had served on the Temple Committee in the late 1920’s, participated in the dedication ceremonies when the superstructure was completed in 1931 and, in 1944, been a member of the Centennial Committee for planning the centennial commemoration and dedication of the completed exterior of the House of Worship.

Late in 1952 Albert became quite ill, but refused to admit it. Although in need of a doctor’s care, he stubbornly forbade it, determined he would be in Wilmette for that historic gathering. After weeks of suffering he achieved his goal, but just barely. Shortly afterwards he collapsed and was in a coma for five days. He was destined to survive awhile longer, however, and after two operations for cancer of the prostate he miraculously recovered. At 80 years of age he resumed his Bahá’í activities and even returned to work on a limited basis.

On March 9, 1956, Albert’s soul ascended. It is difficult to find appropriate words to close the story of this man’s remarkable life; however, the following comments of the Guardian to Albert as he was leaving Haifa in 1931 are offered as a final tribute:

You are always with me, and I am with you in spirit. I shall not forget you. You are one of the pioneer Bahá’ís—one of the connecting links between the old and new phases of the organic growth of the Cause in the West. Your devoted services have been many and my prayer is that you will render even greater services. I will remember you at the Holy Shrines when I go to supplicate for the friends .... Now, I embrace you as they do in the Orient, and wish you a safe and happy journey. Good-bye.⁴⁵

27. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in “Letters from Lua Getsinger,” Star of the West, Vol. VI, No. 12, October 16, 1915, p. 91.
28. “The Night has Come,” Star of the West, Vol. 12, No. 15, December 12, 1921, pp. 245-246.
29. Albert Windust, Star of the West, Vol. 10, No. 7, July 13, 1919, p. 128.
30. Albert Windust, undated letter to Jenabe Fazil, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
31. John D. Grier, letter to Albert Windust, dated July 21, 1917, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
32. Albert Windust, letter to the Executive Board of the Bahá’í Temple Unity, dated May 9, 1922, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
33. Leroy Ioas, letter to Albert Windust, dated May, 1924, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
34. May Maxwell, letter to Albert Windust, dated August 7, 1922, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
35. Ruhi Afnan on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter to Albert Windust, dated August 26, 1928, Albert Windust Papers, Private Collection of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
36. Shoghi Effendi, letter to Albert Windust, dated October 28, 1927, Albert Windust Papers, Private Collection of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
37. Albert Windust, “Travel Log,” Albert Windust Papers, Private Collection of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
38. Albert Windust, letter to Miss Sophie Loeding, dated December 13, 1931, Albert Windust, Papers, Private Collection of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
39. Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, (Wilmette, Ill., Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1938), p.w.
40. Shoghi Effendi, letter to Albert Windust, dated February 28, 1928, Albert Windust Papers, Private ‎Collecton Collection‎ of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
41. Albert Windust, notations in Marquette Senior Diary of 1938, January 2-12, 1938, Albert Windust Papers, Private Collection of Miss Isabelle M. Windust, Benton Harbor, Mich.
42. Albert Wihndust, “The Covenant,” World Order, Vol. VIII, No. 7, October, 1942, pp. 225-226.
43. Marcus Bach, letter to Albert Windust, dated May 13, 1946, Albert Windust Papers, ‎Natinal National‎ Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
44. Marcus Bach, letter to Albert Windust, dated November 12, 1946, Albert Windust Papers, National Bahá’í Archives, Wilmette, Ill.
45. Shoghi Effendi, quoted in Albert Robert Windust, pp. XXI-XXII.