Light of the Pacific/Issue 54/Text

[Page 1]

CENTENARY COMMEMORATION

It was the morning of 23 June 1970, the hundredth anniversary of the tragic death of Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch. Hand of the Cause Paul Haney, and members of the Universal House of Justice had forgathered at the Barracks in the prison city of 'Akka to offer prayers in the cell which Bahá’u’lláh had occupied for two years, two months and five days following His arrival in 'Akka in 1868. The scene of the martyrdom was also visited and a prayer chanted there.

Immediately afterwards the party proceeded to Bahá’í.where they joined others serving at the World Centre and nearly eighty pilgrims from many countries. All walked around the Ḥaram-i-Aqdas and down the path to the Most Holy Shrine. There the Tablet of Visitation was chanted.

Later that same day, in the waning moments of the 19th of Nur, the friends assembled at the twin monuments of the Purest Branch and his saintly Mother, Navvab, to conclude the program commemorating the cen (cont. on p. 2)

[Page 2]2 (cont. from p. l)

tenary of the Martyrdom. and verses appropriate casion were read and chanted. In our hearts we knew that one day all humanity would surely understand the meaning of the event the Bahá’ís were at this moment observing: one day there would be universal understanding of the significance of the prayer of Baha u'llah: "I have, O my Lord, offered up that which Thou has given Me, that Thy servants may be quickened, and that all that dwell on earth be united." And so it was possible in this sacred spot to blot out from our consciousness the rumble of the outside world and to fix our thoughts on the event that brought us together, praying all the while that, God willing, the promised redemption of mankind wggld not be far removed from our te.

Prayers to the oc (Bahá’í International News Servicd

UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE MESSAGES

February 18, 1970.

To: All National Spiritual Assemblies Dear Bahá’í Friends:

We share with you the text of a cable sent today to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States for publication in "Bahá’í News”:

"JOYFULLY ANNOUNCE BAHA'I WORLD ATTAINMENT CONSULTATIVE STATUS UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL THREBY FULFILLING LONG CHERISHED HOPE BELOVED GUARDIAN AND WORLD CENTER GOAL NINE YEAR PLAN STOP SUSTAINED PERSISTENT EFFORTS MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVES BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY UNITED NATIONS DEVOTED SUPPORT BAHA'I COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT WORLD FINALLY REWARDED STOP SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMNT ADDS PRESTIGE INFLUENCE RECOGNITION EVER ADVANCING FAITH BAHA'U'LLAH STOP OFFERING PRAYERS GRATITUDE HOLY SHRINES."

(S) UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

May 3, 1970

National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands

Dear Bahá’í Friends:

With reference to your letter of April 19th, the question regarding the Bayan and other Writings of the Báb has been dealt with by the beloved Guardian in some of his letters. The following extracts written by his secretary on his behalf provide ample elucidation of the subject:

"We do not know the exact dates when the Bayan was revealed. Undoubtedly it will be translated in the future, but the style is extremely difficult and great learning will be required for such a work. As the Bayan was superseded by Bahá’u’lláh's laws it is not essential for us to have it at this time." , , , , (To an individual believer, dated August 5, 1949.)

"The severe laws and injunctions revealed by the Báb can be properly appreciated and understood only when interpreted in the light of His own statements regarding the nature, purpose and character of His own Dispensation. As these statements clearly reveal, the Babi Dispensation was essentially in the nature of a religious and indeed social revolution, and its duration had therefore to be short, but full of tragic events, of sweeping and drastic reforms and those drastic measures enforced by the Báb and His followers were taken with the view of undermining the very foundations of §hi'ah orthodoxy, and thus paving the way for the coming of

I I H Baha ” nah‘ (To the NSA of lndi?9§3d)Burma,dated February , .

"The Bayan has been translated into French many years ago by Monsieur A. L. M. Nicholas, of Paris. But no attempt to translate it into English has so far been made.”

(To an individual believer, dated March 19, 1938) With loving Bahá’í greetings,

(S) UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

[Page 3]PANAMA TEMPLE

.. ‘ 4.

CONSTRUCTION‘

Photo at left shows a wing wall section of the Temple ready for putting on out side forms. Progress

on construction will

View of one of

the wing walls geometric pattern. Universal House of Justice.)

CA B L E April 27/70

”DELIGHTED NEWS YOUR CONVENTION. CABLE FORMATION FIVE NEW ASSEMBLIES ARISING OF PIONEERS DOUBLING ENROLLMENTS ACQUISITION TEMPLE SITE PRAYING SHRINES IMPETUS WILL CARRY HAWAIIAN COMUNITY NEW HEIGHTS ACHIEVEMENT"

(S) UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

be reported on from

time to time as the

work proceeds.

with reinforcement in place showing (Photos sent by Department of the Secretariat,

APOLOGY - — we are sorry that the May-June issue of "Light of the Pacific" is late. The entire Editorial staff (all 2 of us) were on leave at the same time!

[Page 4]BRAZIL

The results of the youth teaching trips have been excellent. One group of four youth visited Goiania,Brasilia, Belo Horizonee area. They had excellent radio and television broadcasts,

ries in the field of newspaper

publicity. Goiania announces two new believers, one adult and one youth.

Another group of youth went to Matto Grasso where they proclaimed the Faith to the mayors, met with two Indian tribes, and made many contacts with the people in the small city of Aquidauana, where one young woman declared her faith in Bahá’u’lláh.

BRITISH ISLES

"We have recently had some remarkable advances in publicity; "Ted Cardell and Meherangiz Mun siff speaking on the Faith on a programme 'The Nature of Faith‘ over BBC. World Service, reported

in our last Newsletter as having been heard as far away 3 the Falkland Islands, have also had repercussions from Imly with an enquiry for information and a request to be put in touch with the Bahá’ís in Turin......"

BURMA The sixth Local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, located in Layde Village,

about 120 miles from Rangoon, was opened on Feb. 21st. Thirty-two friends from Rangoon, Daidanaw, Twante, Thamaing and North 0kkalapa joined the friends in Layde and their guests from surrounding villages.

CANADA

In an effort to bring Canada's two major cultures together within the Bahá’í Faith,a program of proclamation, teaching and consolidation was launched by a small band of local, dedicated believers in Quebec. The program, authorized by the National Spiritual Assembly, was supported to an unprecedented degree by the entire Canadian Bahá’í community wifih praye§s,visits

y trave ng teac ers an contributions. The French-speaking representation in the Bahá’í Faith in Canada has, as a result, more than doubled in the past nine months.

WORLD

and won victo N EWS

This year a group of young Bahá’í artists and designers have put together an animated 'Brief'as a vehicle for the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. It utilizes film, sound and slides as well as traditional art forms, and includes a mobile environment. A seven-person team of Bahá’í youth accompany it to act as hosts. Knight of Bahá’u’lláh Richard Stanton is the Tour Manager.

CHILE

Joyfully we announce the opening of two new Mapuche Indian Reservations to the Faith. One of the Reservations, Pancul,now has fourteen believers, an achievement due to the dedicated spirit of Miss Katherine Meyer, pioneer in that area.

The other Reservation, Sanchez, was opened as a result of the efforts of Luis Huincache and Juan Cayul, two young Mapuche Bahá’ís, who traveled to the Province of Malleco and dedicated a month to teaching the Faith in that area.

ECUADOR

Bahman Ishraqi, a Persian pioneer who works with the Salasacas Indians, joined a group of traveling teachers for a week-end teaching trip to Esmeraldas,the fertile mass-teaching territory recently opened to the Faith in Ecuador. The others had made plans to visit another comunity, but before departing one of them said, "Don't leave, Bahman, until you have 50 believers."

An hour before bus time on Tuesday, Bahman had enrolled 48 believers. It was becoming dark and he was worrying about the 49th and 50th. At that moment someone from the third floor of a nearby building called out to him and asked, 'What are you looking for, young man?‘ Bahman boarded the bus that evening with his "Goal accomplished["

FINLAND

One of the Nine Year Plan goals assigned to Finland is to extend the teaching work among the Gypsies, a goal which the National Spiritual Assembly has conscientiously pursued.

[Page 5]FRENCH GUIANA

In 1964 one of the Nine Year Plan goals was to re-settle French Guiana and to establish one Local Spiritual Assembly there.

Mr. Rivadava Da Silva of Brazil recently reported that nearly four years ago he learned of Brazil's responsibility to form a Local Spiritual Assembly in French Guiana, and so offered his services as a pioneer. "The Local Assembly was formed, and soon the National....I feel the same way I did when I saw the Bahá’í Temple in Wilmette for the first time."

GAMBIA

Mrs. Eulalia Barrow Bobo, a believer from the United States who is spending several months travel teaching in Africa, recently visited Gambia. "When I arrived in Bathurst," she said, "I gave a believer one of my name stickers. He

looked at it and said casually, "Barrow is your surname? I know a lot of Barrows in Gambia." I re plied, Joke.

‘You have to be playing a Barrow is an English name, the name of my father, his father and his father.‘ He said, ‘No, Barrow is an African name from the Mandingos, a very great people. They were warriors, musicias and one of the very rich men in Gambia is Mr. Abdullah Barrow, a trader.‘ I asked if he could take me to see this man, and he agreed that he would.

"When I was finally introduced to Mr. Abdullah Barrow I hardly knew what to say. He was so much like my people I could hardly believe it. He stood before me....a full-blooded Mandingo Moslem, with all the Barrow features. I spoke after being introduced. ‘God has indeed been good to me,’ I told him. 'I vowed if I ever ot to Africa I would find my peop e. I never dreamed He would make it so easy.‘

GUYANA

Mrs Donald Witzel, Counsellor in South America, and Auxiliary Board member Mr. Peter McLaren visited Guyana during the month of March to further the East Indian mass teaching effort in that territory. ‘Wherever we went," reported Mr. Witzel,"teams of interested believers have been taken and trained in this work. Undoubt edly the National Teaching Committee has cabled you the results of this thrust which was a total of 51 new Bahá’ís..."

INDIA

The Public Information Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of India has placed advertisements about the Faith in a number of newspapers throughout the country. In response to each advertisement, a considerable number of enquiries about the Faith have been received. Many enquirers have asked for more Bahá’í literature.

Miss Zarangiz Attabi, a medical student and pioneer from Persia, is the only Bahá’í in Goa. Recently, she gave her first public Baha i talk where she addressed a gathering of students who were invited by the Father of Jesuits Society. Some of the students were so impressed with her speech that they are arranging for her to give future lectures to the Local Youth Organization the Lions Club and the Rotary Club.

MALAWI

The Ntonda Bahá’í Group recently wrote to the National Teaching Committee for Malawi, where a National Spiritual Assembly is to be formed this Riḍván, as follows: "We, your fellows of Ntonda group, let you know that we have a class of children totalling 53, and we have a deepening class every Sunday. Now, we should like to ask you.....to help us build a Centre, and to visit us and the children.

On January 1st, Auxiliary Board member, Mr. Enayat Sohaili,visited Ntonda Village. "On arrival," he said, "we found a large gathering of men, women and children await ing us. There were about fifteen Bahá’ís, thirty contacts and over 50 children."

PANAMA

As two cars filled with Bahá’ís from the city approached the small village of Boca Del Monte at the foot of the Chiríqui mountains where a Teaching Institute was to be held,not a Guaymi was in sight. "For a moment," said one of the friends.'hll hearts seemed to fail and there was a silence.” Messages hand-carried to all of the villages, had gone out far in advance. Then, slowly, quietly, from behind

[Page 6]trees and bushes, smiling faces began to appear -- first the men; then the ladies in their colorful dresses, some carrying tiny babies in pretty crocheted bags and many, many happy children. Nearly 200 of them had walked one, two or three days, carrying food, clothing and babies; then slept through the night on the ground awaiting the arrival of the friends from the city.

Traveling teachers visited Ustupo in the San Blas Islandsto show slides of the Intercontinental Conference, the Holy Shrines and the Bahá’í Houses of Worship. The Manager of the theater in Ustupo had agreed to allow the friencb to use the theater for a special showing. Soon, word spread that the Bahá’ís were having a special show. Why was it only for Bahá’ís? Why couldn't they all come? The theater was so small, it only seated 300, and there are nearly four thousand residents. A change had to be made. The slides would be shown outside on the wall of the theater, high enough for everyone in the park to see. An estimated 2,000 Kuna Indians saw the show. A sea of people in the darkness --excitement covered the island. Shouts of joy and delight filled the air....as they saw the work progressing on the Temple which they had so long heard about.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

From December to January Baby Cruz,a home-front traveling teacher, visited Panay and Negros Islands where she met with some of the student pioneers in the Philippines. In Iloilo she was met by the Persian students Sharoukh Mahmmodi.and Hayedeh Rowshangah. The three friends presented a copy of The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh to t e mayor o oi o ty. e mayor, who had heard of the Faith but thought it to be local in origin, learned something of the vast scope of the Baha i comunity and invited Sharoukh and Hayedeh«to visit him and his family.

Dale Eng, a pioneer from the Hawaiian Islands, presented Bahá’í books to the mayor and vice-mayor of San Jose, Nueva Ecija. The mayor asked a number of questions about the Faith and its purpose. The vice-mayor had found, at some time in the past, a page from‘a

Bahá’í booklet written in Tagalog. The page, which he had kept, contained Bahá’í prayers. At his meeting with Mr. Eng, he presented

the page of prayers and asked if these were from the Bahá’í Writings.

SARAWAK

About 200 people packed the 5foot passageway of Beluru Bazaar from 7 until 10 p.m. one evening when a colorful Bahá’í slide show was beamed on a tiny screen in the isolated Bazaar where the world communit is unknown. The spectators exc aimed "Hua!" then became silent as a voice named each object in Malay as it appeared on the screen. In an isolated Bazaar like Beluru this is excellent publicity, and it has changed the attitude of the people towards the

Bahá’ís. Any teacher would now find it easier to teach the Faith there.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

In Trinidad and Tobago the number of believers has more than quadrupled during the past year. At the beginning of the year there were no Bahá’ís in Tobago where there is now a sufficient number of believers enrolled to form two Local Spiritual Assemblies. Durin March, Counsellor Donald Witze and Auxiliary Board Member Peter McLaren participated in the first National Teaching Conference of Trinidad and Tobago in Morvant. The President of the Village Council welcomed the members of the Conference and later, was so moved by the sphjt of the gathering that he became a Bahá’í.

UNITED STATES

".....FIRST OF FIVE BAHA'I CONFERENCES ON EDUCATION SCHEDULED AS PART OF BAHA'I OBSERVANCE OF U.N. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION YEAR HELD IN WILMETTE FEBRUARY 20 TO 22 ATTENDED BY NEARLY 1,000 BAHA'I ADULTS AND YOUTH...."

"...DELIGHTED REPORT ATTAINMENT GOAL 2700 LOCALITIES SET FOR NEXT RIDVAN. POTENTIAL ASSEMLIES NUM BER 90. SENSE IMPENDING BREAKTHROUGH SOUTHLAND MORE CONVINCING 27 DECLARED BOGALUSA (Louisiana) WITHIN TWO HOURS LAST WEEK. TEACHING MOMNTUM TO BE ACCELERATED BY NAW RUZ CONFERENCE AT FROGMORE (South Carolina)"

"FURTHER TO EARLIER MESSAGE BOGALUSA DECLARATION TOTAL 60."

[Page 7]CALABASH 7

(Hawaiian Bowl of Friendship)

BLOOD BANK RESERVE

The Hawaii Bahá’í Blood Bank Reserve presently stands at 25 pints. It is advisable that we maintain this supply to prevent the need for emergency calls in our greatly enlarged community. Prospective donors should contact the Blood Bank on the grounds of Queen's Medical Center, Honolulu.

EWA

The Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh was commemorated by the Ewa Community at 3 a.m. on May 29, in the Ayala home. Prayers and readings of His last days were given. Ewa was happy to welcome a new believer, Philip Smith of Pearl Harbor. Everyone enjoyed a pancake breakfast and talk of pioneering until 8 or 9 a.m.

PHILIPPINES

"Glad to hear of your accomplishing your goals for the Nine Year Plan. we are almost finished with our goals and hope to finish them this year. We have more than 200 LSAs this year and we need more workers in helping with our consolidation. Hope soon Hawaii can send us more pioneers.”

TAPES LOST

The tape recordings of Mr. Curtis Kelsey's talks on Dec. 27 and 28, 1969, are missing. Would anyone who taped these talks please loan them to the National AudioVisual Service for duplication, so that we will have a complete set. Contact Mr. Toby Shattuck at 6681444 (Honolulu.

"In addition to teaching, all can pray, fight their own spiritual battles, and contribute to the Fund. If every believer will carry out these sacred duties, we shall be astonished at the accession of power which will result to the whole body and which in its turn will give rise to further growth and the showering of greater blessings on all of us."

\wellspring of Guidance, p. 38)

The Bahá’í University Club won the $50.00 prize for the most original booth at the Pan-Pacific festival held at the Manoa campus may 1, 2 and 3.

The picnic sponsored by the Baha 1 University Club at the Queen's Surf on May 9th, was a potluck supper. _Baha'is and their friends from Waialua, Wahiawa and Koolau poko attended the colorful event.

GOOD NEWS 1

"Though our Community is not financially rich, the wealth of spirit shown at our last Feast bnmght

a recommendation that individual believers support the Philippine Pioneer. Many members have asked

to donate $1.00 per month for this purpose alone. If the National Spiritual Assembly does accept our offer we would wish, if approved, to send a letter to this pioneer through the National Spiritual Assembly. Such a letter would express our prayers and interest."

NEW ARRIVAL

George and Jane Salazar, Kaneohe, are the proud parents of a boy, Jason, born on May 13, 1970.

NUGGETS

"Among these children many blessed

souls will arise, if they be trained according to the Bahá’í Teachings.”

(words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 7-2

[Page 8]3 NEW BOOK

we are happy to publication of

EDWARD GRANVILLE BROWNE AND THE BAHA'I FAITH by H. M. Balyuzi

Edward Granville Browne, Sir Thomas Adams’ Professor of Arabic and Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge, who died in 1926, is known to all Bahá’ís as the author of that unique en-portrait of Bahá’u’lláh, so 'majestic and aweinspiring,” of which pilgrims are reminded as they enter the room of Bahá’u’lláh at Bahjí, and which is so frequently quoted. In 1890 he was ranted four interviews by Baha'u llah. Of this inestimable privilege, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to Prof. Browne: "You should appreciate this, that of all the historians of Europe none attained the Holy Threshold but you. This bounty was specified unto you.”

book, which has careful work,

announce the

Mr. Balyuzi's cost him years of has been reviewed and approved by the Hands of the Cause of God in the Holy Land. Its production is to a high standard, with 136 pages including bibliography and index, and with 10 Art Plates, including facsimiles of Tablets by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and letters in Browne's own hand. It will be bound in red cloth, with two-color jacket, and will sell for $5.75. Orders should be placed through your local librarian.

Due to the delay of this issue and insufficient space the regular quarterly report of new believers will appear in the July issue.

COMING EVENTS

Aug. 1 - FEAST ofKamal (Ierfection) Aug. 14-16 - NSA Convenes

Aug. 20 - FEAST of Asma (Names) Sept. 8 - FEAST of 'Izzat (Might) Sept. ll-l3 — NSA Convenes

SUPPORT YOUR NATIONAL FUND

Contributions received during period of April 21 to May 20, 1970: Local Assemblies - ll Groups - 1 Individuals - 9 Contributions received during period of May 2l to June 20, 1970: Local Assemblies - 13 Groups - 1 Individuals - 12

TREASUREWS ADDRESS

Mr. Ben Ayala, Treasurer, 92-568 Palailai Street, Makakilo, Oahu, Hawaii. 96706

ATTENTIONH

For the information of friends, and contacts for the neighbor islands:

Hawaii: - Mrs. Ruth Musacchia Phone 935-0310 (Hilo)

Hawaii: - Mrs. Nedra Murray Phone 775-0131 (Honokaa-Hamakua)

Kauai: - Mrs. Serrita Herbert Phone 245-Eflb (Lihue)

Maui: - Mrs. Daisy Sabin Phone 76-O01 (Kahului)

Maui: - - Mrs. Eve Geary

Phone 878-1957

Molokai: - Mrs. La Vida Cortez Phone 553-5686

HAWAII BAHA'I NEWS (The Light of the Pacific) is published for circulation among Bahá’ís only by the National Spiritual Assembly of the

a organ reporting current activities of the Hawaiian, Marshall, Caroline and Mariana Is a

HAWAII BAHA'I NEWS is edited by an annually-appointed Editorial ComShirley Lombard, Director; Lil Hollinger; Gertrude Garrida,

Hawaiian Is nds as a news

mittee: Reviewer and Proofreader.

SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR "The Light of the Pacific" are $2.00 jurisdiction of the Hawaiian Islands. Send your address to: The Li

to anyone outside the money and your mailing

Allan Place, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

nds Bahá’í communities.

each per year

t of the Pacific, c/o 3264 96 17_

s i*3 ‘5 . ” ‘kale