Bahá’í News/Issue 56/Text
The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada
| No. 56 | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 1931 |
URGENT APPEAL FROM THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY[edit]
Bahá’í friends of the United States and Canada. October 15, 1931
Beloved co-workers:
On October 10th the members of the National Spiritual Assembly were compelled to take the unprecedented action of telegraphing the Local Spiritual Assemblies as follows:
“DIRE EMERGENCY NATIONAL FUND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTIONS, NOTIFY ALL BELIEVERS.”
The reason for this action was that the regular contributions to the National Fund have so decreased as to render the National Assembly unable to meet even current running expenses. Furthermore, we faced the fact that $10,000 is immediately needed to safeguard the Temple structure during the coming winter.
What we want to impress upon every loyal believer is that the Temple Trustees have been forced to place contracts for heating installation to the amount of $10,000, without having that amount in the treasury or face the problem that the winter cold would seriously damage the structure built with such sacrifice and love. We are relying on the body of American believers to understand the emergency and arise to meet the situation. The needs of the Temple before this winter were made known at the Convention, and early in July the National Spiritual Assembly explained the matter fully in the new Plan of Unified Action.
The Welfare of the Cause in America depends upon the whole-hearted response made by the believers to this urgent plea. We implore the believers one and all to enter upon a season of fervent prayer for Divine assistance and confirmation. We share with you the following dynamic message just received from the Guardian:
“My dear and esteemed co-workers: The new Plan of Unified Action conceived, adopted and published by your Assembly is an admirable one. It is at once concise, appealing in tone, dignified in presentation and practical in its conception. It fully and truly deserves the unreserved support of every American believer. I shall be glad to associate myself with this further collective and heroic effort exerted by the friends by contributing to your National Fund, every month for a period of three years, the sum of $95. Your Assembly, faithful to its trust and conscious of its high calling, has sounded the call for a further and final effort on the part of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in that land. It is for them, now if ever, to arise for the speedy consummation of a divinely appointed task. Shoghi.”
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NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA General Address: Bahá’í Secretariat, Evergreen Cabin, West Englewood, N. J. OFFICERS ALFRED E. LUNT, Secretary, 89
NELLIE. S. FRENCH, International
ROY C. WILHELM, Treasurer,
CARL SCHEFFLER, Financial Secretary,
Bahá’í News The Bahá’í News is the Organ of communication between the National Spiritual Assembly and the believers, and is printed for distribution to believers only. EDITORIAL COMMITTEE SARAH WALRATH, Chairman. ALBERT WINDUST, Editorial Manager
SOPHIE LOEDING. ALBERT VAIL.
Editorial Office: SARAH WALRATH, 1415 Sherwood
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In the last several issues, the Editorial Committee has appealed to the friends for news items from the Bahá’í Communities throughout the country. The response has been very meagre and we are therefore again asking that every Assembly make a point of sending a brief, newsy report of the activities in its Community each month. These should reach the Chairman of the Editorial Committee at the above address, not later than the tenth of the month. We need the help and co-operation of all the friends and we are definitely counting upon it. To help us in our work, we would ask that when quotations are used in these articles, the authority be stated also.
EDITORIAL
“THE MIDNIGHT SIGHS OF THE POOR”
The economic depression which is general, directly or indirectly affects all people, and necessitates many calls for relief. Those who have resources nowadays and the greater gift of a merciful heart, often find themselves taxed to the limit by steady and varied demands. These distressing conditions give play to the shining of various spiritual lights. The Holy Manifestations have all been most considerate of the poor. They have set before mankind the example of service to them and they advance the station of those servants who follow them in dispensing bounty. Among the qualities of a real man, tenderness, generosity and mercy must be found. Those in need of material aid receive the greatest possible blessing if through the relief of their deprivations there comes to them a knowledge of God and the universal bounty. Thus may both the giver and receiver become enriched by the kindly service and generous act. There can be no doubt as to the feelings of relief which come to those who suffer when aided. Also a deeper insight into spiritual mysteries, a sense of happiness which God bestows and sometimes even a greater store of material treasures and larger capacity to handle them wisely, may come as a result of relieving those who sigh.
In the Hidden Words Bahá’u’lláh says:
“Mine is benevolence and bounty; well is it with him that adorneth himself with My virtues.”
The divine civilization, whose light is increasingly reflected in the world, has vastly increased the number of philanthropies. Over a period of years, staggering—one might almost say fabulous—sums have been poured into channels of human progress and relief. So great has been the volume of this service that in nearly all cities it has been found necessary to organize the forces of relief so as to make them more scientific and effective. In numberless cases governments of cities, counties, states and nations have added their resources to those of private philanthropies in human relief. Co—operative service in such matters is one of the enlightening signs of the times.
Bahá’ís are blessed in having a perfect organization, divinely created, which, if allowed to function in aiding the needy will bring to bear a balance between tenderness and mercy on the one hand and sanity and judgment on the other. As the friends of God hear at all times extremely weighty responsibilities, such as the building of the House of Worship and the maintenance of Bahá’í Administration with its various activities, as well as relief of the destitute among the friends and in the community at large, all calls for relief upon individuals should be adjusted, not directly and personally, as a rule, but rather through the Local Spiritual Assembly. In this way, consultation and guidance will direct, and bewilderment will give place to clarity of vision. Even in giving that which according to every legal requirement is rightfully our own, a practice which will be found to minimize mistakes, is that of seeking the advice of those whom spiritual communities have chosen as their representatives and whose collective observation, experience and vision exceed that of the individual. The duplication of service which often limits philanthropy can also thus be avoided.
In one of the cities it came to the attention of the Local Spiritual Assembly that one of their members was in sore need. The matter of relief was considered with sweetness and kindness. The little circle knew their own responsibilities, limited resources, yet also the urgent need of this friend. As a result of consultation a practical plan of help was evolved which laid no great burden upon anyone. By their cordial invitation this friend goes each day to dine with one of the families in this circle From their Assembly fund his room-rent and other expenses are met. Each month they also find something to send to the National Fund for the inevitable expenses of the Cause. In this way their work grows and they are now engaged in a great constructive service to their city.
The means of overcoming every difficulty are revealed in the teachings. If both mind and heart are intelligent, if Supreme Guidance is sought, if the law of consultation and kindness is followed, all the glooms and shadows of the world will vanish before the Great Light.
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SHOGHI EFFENDI DATED NOVEMBER 2, 1931 “Urge all English speaking Believers concentrate study Nabíl’s immortal Narrative as essential preliminary to renewed intensive Teaching Campaign necessitated by completion Mashriqu’l-Adhkár. Strongly feel widespread use of its varied rich and authentic material constitutes most effective weapon to meet challenge of a critical hour. Unhesitatingly recommend it to every prospective visitor of Bahá’u’lláh’s native land. —SHOGHI.”
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LETTER FROM SHOGHI EFFENDI[edit]
To the National Spiritual Assembly
Mr. Alfred Lunt, Secretary.
Dear Bahá’í Brother:
I am directed by Shoghi Effendi to acknowledge on his behalf the receipt of your three letters dated July 6th, June 4th and July 9th, together with their enclosures, all of which he has read with careful attention and deep interest.
Our Guardian wishes me to express his lively satisfaction at the efficiency and promptness with which the National Spiritual Assembly have undertaken the publication of Nabíl’s Narrative. The plan you have conceived to further the means for its production has met with his unqualified approval, and he hopes that the response of the believers, not only among the English speaking Bahá’ís, but the friends throughout the world, will be such as to repay fully the painstaking efforts which you have exerted to insure its success.
He has already cabled you expressing his desire to associate himself with the effort that you have made, and he will be glad to forward in the month of October a check for the hundred copies of the standard edition which he has requested you to send him. In addition, he will mail a sum of three-hundred dollars for nine copies of the special edition which he hopes to send to a few well-known friends of the Cause. Shoghi Effendi would be pleased to hear of the response of the believers to the call for both editions and would be glad to help in any way he possibly can for a wide and prompt distribution of the volume published by your committee . . . .
Shoghi Effendi was rather affected to learn of the meagre response of the believers to the call urging them to maintain the standard of their self-sacrificing endeavors in connection with the Temple. He is fully alive to the critical character of the financial situation throughout the world and is well aware of the extent of sacrifice that the completion of the structure has already entailed. The publication of the “New Plan of Unified Action,” he fervently hopes and prays, will prove the signal for a fresh outburst of self-sacrificing zeal which can alone carry this sacred enterprise to a successful conclusion.
Regarding the report of the Committee on Persian travel, Shoghi Effendi feels that the paramount needs of the Temple should be given first consideration by the believers. Not until the work of the exterior ornamentation on the first unit (superstructure) of the Temple has sufficiently advanced would he advise the American believers to embark on a fresh financial enterprise, however valuable and significant it might be.
Our Guardian trusts that a careful reading of Nabíl’s Narrative will not only serve to familiarize the American believers with the character of the stirring events that have marked the birth of the Cause in that land, but will serve to deepen their realization of the spirit that animated those who have achieved such immortal renown on its soil.
With Shoghi Effendi’s renewed assurance of unqualified admiration for the manner in which you have arisen, in collaboration with the other members of the National Spiritual Assembly, to discharge your sacred and arduous duties.
- Yours sincerely,
My dear and esteemed co-worker:
The “New Plan of Unified Action” conceived, adopted and published by your Assembly is an admirable one. It is at once concise, appealing in tone, dignified in presentation and practical in its conception. It fully and truly deserves the unreserved support of every American believer. I shall be glad to associate myself with this further collective and heroic effort exerted by the friends by contributing to your National Fund every month for a period of three years, the sum of ninety-five dollars. Your Assembly, faithful to its trust and conscious of its high calling, has sounded the call for a further and final effort on the part of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in that land. It is for them, now if ever, to arise for the speedy consummation of a divinely appointed task.
THE NEW PLAN OF UNIFIED ACTION[edit]
The Editors of the Bahá’í News would urge all the friends to arise to the Call of Shoghi Effendi and the appeal of the National Spiritual Assembly to the New Plan of Unified Action.
In connection with this effort, we would remind the friends of the following excerpt from the Koran (Sale’s translation)—
- “Verily, this present life is only
- a play and a vain amusement but
- if ye believe and fear God, He will
- give you your rewards. He doth
- not require of you your whole
- substance: if He should require the
- whole of you, and earnestly press
- you, ye would become niggardly,
- and it would raise your hatred
- against His apostle. Behold, ye
- are those who are invited to expend
- part of your substance for the
- support of God’s true religion; and
- there are some of you who are niggardly.
- But whoever shall be niggardly
- shall be niggardly towards
- his own soul; for God wanteth
- nothing, but ye are needy; and if
- ye turn back, he will substitute another
- people in your stead, who
- shall not be like unto you.”
Also may we quote an extract from a letter from the Guardian to Mr. Willard Hatch, dated at Haifa, September 10, 1931—
- “I hope and pray that you will
- be able to concentrate your efforts
- on arousing the believers and urging
- them to attain to still greater mass-sacrifice
- and self-abnegation. The
- new plan must not fall into abeyance,
- it deserves the sustained and
- energetic support of every believer
- in the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. Inestimable
- blessings shall crown America’s
- high and self-sacrificing endeavors.”
And as a climax to this urgent appeal of the National Spiritual Assembly we present the following cablegram just received from Shoghi Effendi—
- “Profoundly deplore stringency
- (the) financial situation. An appeal
- to individuals and Assemblies alike
- (to) maintain despite world-wide
- depression, (their) high standard
- (of) self-sacrificing efforts (for the)
- National Fund is imperative. Abundant
- blessings shall be vouchsafed
- its staunch supporters.—SHOGHI.”
Haifa, October 19, 1931.
THE BAHÁ’Í MAGAZINE[edit]
HOLIDAY OFFER
Since the holiday season is very near at hand The Bahá’í Magazine is again extending a helpful offer to all those who may be thinking of gifts for friends at this time. During the months of November and December New Subscriptions may be had for $2.50 instead of $3.00 a year. We are ready to offer for two months the single issues of the Magazine (back numbers) as long as they last, at the rate of 15c a copy. We have very few of Volumes 1-2-3, more of Volume 4, but not many, and of the rest we will be glad to furnish them as long as they last. This will enable you to complete your files. Possibly you will be glad to have us bind them for you at the rate of $1.25 for the binding, plus postage, which varies according to distances.
MESSAGE FROM COMMITTEE ON BAHÁ’Í WORLD VOL. IV.[edit]
The Committee for the Bahá’í World Vol. IV. desires to express through the medium of the Bahá’í News, its gratitude and appreciation for the splendid co-operation of the friends who have undertaken the historical sketches of the various cities in which ’Abdu’l-Bahá sojourned while in this country, and to assure the friends that all of these manuscripts together with the interesting and valuable old photographs have been sent to the Guardian for his review and selection.
As has been stated before, the collection of these narratives was undertaken in the hope of preserving for all time the record of the visit of ’Abdu’l-Bahá as cherished in the minds of those personal participants who were blest with the privilege of being eye-witnesses of this sacred event.
If there are still manuscripts outstanding, the committee will be pleased to receive them (even though the date for their completion has transpired), and they will be forwarded to the Guardian and be subject to the same review and choice by him, as those which were received earlier.
The committee desires that it shall be clearly understood by the contributors to Vol. IV, that the material which will appear in the next volume is in no wise subject to their choice, but is wholly left to the judgment and wisdom of Shoghi Effendi.
CENTRAL STATES SUMMER SCHOOL 1931[edit]
Confirmation, joy and radiance marked the first session of the Summer School for the Central States which was held during the first nine days of August on the Eggleston farm at South Davison, Michigan, twelve miles east of Flint and about fifty miles northwest of Detroit. From thirty to thirty-live friends from Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington, D. C., were present for all or part of the session and many more came for one or more of the daily sessions, so that some ninety souls were served and shared in the bounties of the week. Some heard the Message for the first time, attracted souls were confirmed, confirmed souls were strengthened.
The School was made possible through the devotion of Mr. and Mrs. Eggleston of Detroit who own the farm and are consecrating eighty acres of it to Bahá’í purposes, hoping eventually to see a Bahá’í community develop there.
The aim of the School was to prepare teachers, and the theme for the week was “The New World Order.” In a series of four talks on The New Economics Mr. Ober traced the economic development of the western world, analyzed the present crisis, gave the Bahá’í solution to the present world problems, and set out the need of a Bahá’í community as a working plan of the new world order.
The series of four talks by Mr. Ives gave inspiration and practical points on how to give the great Message. His talk on the Hidden Words was particularly inspiring as he shared with the group some of the precious results of his years of study and meditation. On the last Sunday morning Mr. Ober gave the picture of a future Bahá’í community, possibly right there, and Mr. Ives dwelt on the necessity of the spiritual basis of love for such a community, all felt a new urge to hasten to spread the glad tidings, that Bahá’u’lláh has already laid the foundation for this new world order.
A very practical contribution was made when Mrs. Gift spoke on The Education of Children for the New Day, giving in some detail the plan which some of the Peoria group are working out with children. The outline of this plan will soon be available for all.
As we look back, Mrs. Ives’ daily class in public speaking, Mrs. Dorothy Baker’s talks, full of spiritual insight, Miss Fanny Knobloch’s personal reminiscences, Mrs. Ober’s stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Mrs. Collinson’s services, Miss McKay’s care of the children, all seem indispensable to the success of the School. In fact, every one there contributed in some way.
Although a brief report cannot at all do the School justice this one would be quite incomplete without speaking of the beauty of the place and how well it lends itself to such a project. A peaceful and lovely ravine furnished the setting for most of the meetings. Ridván Garden, it was named. The out-of-door life in this environment, the afternoon free from any set program, the informal gatherings around the evening camp-fire, the meals in one family group, all helped to create a normal atmosphere and a happy, restful one. In reviewing the session one asks how could such bountiful blessings be gathered into one week and how could a spirit of such impelling harmony and loving urge develop in so short a time?
Plans for the next summer’s session are already under way. The committee agreed unanimously to continue to use the direct method of teaching, holding to Bahá’í subjects and Bahá’í teachers. As the knowledge of this new venture spreads many more will want to avail themselves of the opportunity it offers.
IN MEMORIAM[edit]
Word comes to us from Honolulu of the passing of Meta A. Sutherland, a member of the Spiritual Assembly of that city and one of the very early, faithful Believers. Mrs. Sutherland was apparently in her usual health, when, early in the afternoon of September 17th, she passed peacefully away. The Honolulu friends will greatly miss her faithful and obedient service to the Cause.
Parveen Hunt, nineteen-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Tandy Hunt of Portland, Oregon, crashed in an airplane on the morning of September 20th. In his death Portland has lost a young man of splendid character. He was chief mechanic for the Paragon Flying Service and was leaving that very day to go into business for himself with a school friend, who crashed with him. Parveen was brought up in the Bahá’í Faith and was named by ’Abdu’l-Bahá. He was an example to all who knew him, for thoroughness, painstaking endeavor, enterprise, energy and enthusiasm in his chosen work. He never spared himself to help or benefit others, and his sunny disposition, his charm, his courtesy and his happy smile won him countless friends, and his untimely passing is mourned by all who knew him. He had a beautiful Bahá’í funeral, and as a last tribute five airplanes followed the funeral procession to the cemetery, and circled above as the closing rites were read.
On October 14th, Mrs. Tressa Jacobsen, for many years a beloved member of the Kenosha, Wisconsin, Assembly, passed on suddenly into the life eternal. For her loving devotion to home and friends alike and as a social worker, Mrs. Jacobsen will long be remembered. This sad event coming as it did was a shock to her family and friends.
Mrs. Anna Bohanan, for twenty-three years, also a devoted Bahá’í in Kenosha, departed this life October 16th. The funeral was attended by a host of friends. The service was conducted by Mr. Albert Windust of Chicago. Mrs. Bohanan will be mourned by a wide circle of friends both within and outside the Bahá’í circle. A few days before passing Mrs. Bohanan expressed a wish that this message be sent to all who knew her: “You tell them I love them all very much—tell them I will pray for them.” Both these Bahá’í sisters were pioneers in the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh in their city, and the Bahá’í News on behalf of its readers extends heartfelt sympathy to Mr. Jacobsen and to Mr. Bohanan and his four daughters in their bereavement, also to Mr. and Mrs. Hunt and the family of Mrs. Sutherland.
