Lights of Guidance/Nature and Function of the Nineteen Day Feast

Lights of Guidance edited by Helen Hornby
Nature and Function of the Nineteen Day Feast

795. Purpose of the Nineteen Day Feast

"…The main purpose of the Nineteen Day Feasts is to enable individual believers to offer any suggestion to the Local Assembly which in its turn will pass it to the National Spiritual Assembly. The Local Assembly is, therefore, the proper medium through which local Bahá’í communities can communicate with the body of the national representatives…."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, November 18, 1933: Bahá’í Meetings; The Nineteen Day Feast, p. 24)

796. The Lord's Supper—The Nineteen Day Feast

"You must continue to keep the Nineteen Day Feast. It is very important; it is very good. But when you present yourselves in the meetings, before entering them, free yourselves from all that you have in your heart, free your thoughts and your minds from all else save God, and speak to your heart. That all may make this a gathering of love, make it the cause of illumination, make it a gathering of attraction of the hearts, surround this gathering with the Lights of the Supreme Concourse, so that you may be gathered together with the utmost love.

"Each one of you must think how to make happy and pleased the other members of your Assembly, and each one must consider all those who are present as better and greater than himself, and each one must consider himself less than the rest. Know their station as high, and think of your own station as low."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Star of the West, Vol. IV, No. 7, p. 120)

797. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is Present in Heart and Soul

"Make ye an effort in every meeting that the Lord's Supper may become realised and the heavenly food descend. This heavenly food is knowledge, understanding, faith, assurance, love, affinity, kindness, purity of purpose, attraction of hearts and the union of souls…. When the meeting is conducted after this manner, then ‘Abdu’l-Bahá also is present in heart and soul, though His body may not be with you."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Bahá’í World Faith, pp. 407-408)

798. Attendance at Nineteen Day Feasts not Obligatory

"Attendance at Nineteen Day Feasts is not obligatory but very important, and every believer should consider it a duty and a privilege to be present on such occasions."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, December 15, 1947: Bahá’í News, No. 210, p. 3, August 1948)

799. If Feasts be Held in Proper Fashion…

"As to the Nineteen Day Feast, it rejoiceth mind and heart. If this feast be held in the proper fashion, the friends will, once in nineteen days, find themselves spiritually restored, and endued with a power that is not of this world."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 91)

800. Prophecies About Feasts

"… This is that 'divine table' (or food) of which mention is made in the prophecies: 'On that day they shall gather together at the divine table", and 'people shall come from the East and the West and arrive in His Kingdom'."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. II, p. 422, 1940 ed.)

801. Visitors Can Take Part in Consultation, They Cannot Vote

"As to visitors to a Nineteen Day Feast, Bahá’ís from anywhere in the world should of course be warmly welcomed, and may take part in consultation. However, only members of the local community can vote on recommendations to the Local Spiritual Assembly."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, December 1, 1968)

802. Omit Consultative Part of Feast if Non-Bahá’í Appears

"The rule that only Bahá’ís may take part in Nineteen Day Feasts is not a new one, indeed it was often reiterated by the beloved Guardian. However, when a non-Bahá’í does appear at a Feast he should not be asked to leave; rather the Assembly should omit the consultative part of the Feast, and the non-Bahá’í should be made welcome. Of course, if the non-Bahá’í is well known to the Bahá’ís and no hurt feelings would be caused, he might be asked to retire during the consultative part. In general, however, it is much better to avoid such problems where possible, and you seem to have taken the wisest course during your friends' last visit by taking them out for the evening, so avoiding the problem.

"During the period of consultation the Bahá’ís should be able to enjoy perfect freedom to express their views on the work of the Cause, unembarrassed by the feeling that all they are saying is being heard by someone who has not accepted Bahá’u’lláh and who might, thereby, gain a very distorted picture of the Faith. It would also be very embarrassing for any sensitive non-Bahá’í to find himself plunged into the midst of a discussion of the detailed affairs of a Bahá’í Community of which he is not a part."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, March 24, 1970)

803. Voting Rights Cannot be Removed for Failure to Attend Feast

"The Guardian has never heard of any ruling by which a believer who does not attend three consecutive 19 Day Feasts can be deprived of his voting rights. He does not consider that such action is justifiable at all. The whole question is whether a person considers himself a Bahá’í or not, and is willing to adhere to the principles of the Faith and accept the authority of the Guardian and the Administration—whether that individual is able, or always in a condition psychologically to attend Feasts and Bahá’í meetings is an entirely different subject…."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria, March 2, 1951)

804. Non-Bahá’í Attendance at Nineteen Day Feast

"With regard to the attendance of non-Bahá’ís at a Nineteen Day Feast, you can explain to … the essentially domestic, administrative nature of the Nineteen Day Feast…. The Guardian's secretary wrote on his behalf on 21 September, 1946:

'As regards your question concerning Nineteen Day Feasts … as to non-Bahá’ís attending, this should by all means be avoided, but if non-believers come to a Nineteen Day Feast, they should not be put out, as this might hurt their feelings.'

"This is why, if a non-Bahá’í does appear at a Nineteen Day Feast he should be made to feel welcome, but a Bahá’í should certainly not invite a non-Bahá’í to attend.

"A non-Bahá’í who asks to be invited to a Feast will usually understand if this matter is explained to him."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, March 13, 1967)

805. The Nineteen Day Feast for Bahá’ís Exclusively—No Variation from this Principle Permitted

"The beloved Guardian has instructed me to write you concerning an action recently taken by your National Assembly, as published in your January-February Bahá’í News, that non-Bahá’ís may attend 19 Day Feasts if 'the earnestness of their interest in the Faith' is vouched for by a declared believer.

"The Guardian wishes me to direct your attention to the fact that none of the institutions of the Faith nor its cardinal principles may be changed under any circumstances.

"The 19 Day Feast is an institution of the Cause, first established by the Báb, later confirmed by Bahá’u’lláh, and now made a prominent part of the administrative order of the Faith. These 19 Day Feasts are for the Bahá’ís, and the Bahá’ís exclusively, and no variation from this principle is permitted.

"Thus the Guardian feels you should rescind the action taken by your Assembly in opening the Feasts to 'near Bahá’ís', as it is not consistent with the spirit of the administrative order for non-Bahá’ís or near Bahá’ís to attend the 19 Day Feasts, particularly the administrative portion of the Feast."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany and Austria, May 28, 1954, The Nineteen Day Feast, November 1975)

806. Bahá’í Groups, Isolated Believers and Friends Should Observe the Nineteen Day Feast

"In reply to your letter of November 8th we feel that all friends, whatever their circumstances, should be encouraged to observe the Nineteen Day Feast. Obviously it can only be an official administrative occasion where there is a Local Spiritual Assembly to take charge of it, present reports to the friends, and receive their recommendations. But groups, spontaneous gatherings of friends, and even isolated believers should certainly remember the day and say prayers together. In the case of a group it may well hold the Feast in the manner in which a Local Spiritual Assembly would do so, recognizing of course that it has no official administrative standing."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles, December 1, 1968, Bahá’í Journal of the British Isles, No. 190, March-April 1969)

807. Where Nineteen Day Feast Should be Held

"The matter of where the Nineteen Day Feasts should be held is certainly one for the Spiritual Assembly to decide; but the Haziratu'l-Quds seems the logical place on most occasions. Until the friends have a place of worship … this building will also be used for devotional meetings, as well as for administrative purposes.

"If under some circumstances, some special Feast is offered in the home of one of the believers, with the approval of the Spiritual Assembly, there can be no objection; but, generally speaking, he feels it is better to use the Haziratu'l-Quds."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, February 18, 1954: Bahá’í Meetings; The Nineteen Day Feast, p. 31)

808. The Owner of the House Must Personally Serve

"… The owner of the house must personally serve the beloved ones. He must seek after the comfort of all and with the utmost humility he must show forth kindness to every one. If the Feast is arranged in this manner and in the way mentioned, that supper is the 'Lord's Supper', for the result is the same result and the effect is the same effect."

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. II, pp. 468-469)

809. Children up to Age Fifteen Permitted to Attend Feasts

"Up to the age of fifteen, children of Bahá’í parents are considered to be Bahá’ís and are permitted to attend such functions as Feasts. Upon reaching the age of fifteen, however, the child must make his own declaration of faith if he wishes to continue as a Bahá’í. Again, the mechanics of enrollment are left to the discretion of the National Spiritual Assembly."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil, March 27, 1968)

810. District Nineteen Day Feasts

"Each city will have its own Spiritual Assembly, not a number of district ones. Naturally, district 19 Day Feasts can be held where there are very many Bahá’ís in one city."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, March 31, 1949: Bahá’í Meetings; The Nineteen Day Feast, p. 29)