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Required to prevent epidemics
Dear Parent(s):
We expect a large number of children to participate in the children’s program at the St. Louis Conference and realize that the probability of epidemic is always high when a great many children are brought together in a place away from home. We want to be sure that our Bahá’í children are protected against such a distressing probability. It is therefore a requirement that children attending the Conference and participating in the children’s program be immunized against the following diseases:
Measles, Polio, German Measles, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Tetanus
In most states immunization services are available through the public health system. Of course, if you prefer, your family doctor can provide the same services. Perhaps your child has already been im I Children must be immunized for St. Louis
munized against these diseases, but the immunizations may need to be brought up to date. In any case, when you come to register your child or children in St. Louis, please present a signed and dated statement from a doctor or local health authority verifying that immunizations have been effected according to the above listing, so that your child can be accepted into the children’s program.
Please act immediately because some immuniza- .
tions require time to take effect.
It will also be helpful for the program coordinators in St. Louis to know at the time of registration whether your child has any serious allergies.
With loving Bahá’í greetings and many thanks for your attention to these matters,
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'Is or THE UNITED STATES
St; Louis offers chance to travel teach
To All Local Spiritual Assemblies and Teaching Committees
Dear Bahá’í Friends:
As the conference draws nigh enthusiasm mounts. Judging from the large number of pre-registrations to date—over 5,000—we are certain the conference will turn out to be the largest Bahá’í event yet to be experienced in the American community.
The main purpose of our writing is to point out the countless opportunities for teaching which will become possible in the movement of large numbers of believers to and from the conference. Since one of the objectives of the Five Year Plan is vast expansion of the Cause of God and since traveling for the purpose of teaching is one of the most effective means of ensuring that expansion, we appeal to all believers attending the St. Louis Conference to arise with conviction and enthusiasm to teach as never
,-. before. Their travel to and from the conference will
offer them the greatest opportunity for teaching ever
to be made possible in.this country to such a large number of traveling teachers.
“The movement itself from place to place," asserts the Blessed Beauty, “when undertaken for the sake of God, hath always exerted, and can now exert, its influence in the world."
Beloved friends, it would be lamentable indeed if
the teaching opportunities so clearly to be offered by
the intended travel of large numbers of believers to
and from St. Louis were not exploited. We lovingly
and urgently request, therefore, that you call this
matter to the attention of all the friends in your
sphere of influence; encourage them to discuss
among themselves the means by which they can
make the most of this unprecedented opportunity;
exhort them to prepare themselves through study and
review of appropriate passages in the Sacred Texts,
to teach properly, to.give the message directly, honestly and with conviction, to proclaim the appearance of the Lord of Hosts and to inform their hearers
of the essential purposes of His unifying, world
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AUGUST 1974
civilizing Revelation. They should not go after mere numbers; they should rather fill each receptive heart with the divine truths brought by the Bahá’í Teachings and let the power of the Covenant ignite the spirit animating such a heart. Without dampening the enthusiasm of the friends, caution them to be wise in their manner of teaching, to avoid the inevitable blunders of impetuosity. For example, it would not be wise for them to invite interested non-Baha'I's
to attend the conference in the mere hope that this"
will cause them to become Bahá’ís. You can imagine the practical difficulties, not to mention the possible embarrassment, of dealing with such a situation in St. Louis should a number of teachers decide to take this action.
The teachers will not have all the time they need in every instance to teach adequately those with whom they may come in contactf therefore, advise them to acquire introductory pamphlets which they can then hand out to seekers, and remind them to endeavor to give the seekers direction as to how they may get further information.
Among other things, the extracts from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh which appear on pages 63 through 72 of The Advent of Divine Justice can inspire, prepare and assist thefriends in their teaching efforts.
With loving Bahá’í greetings and assurance of our prayers for the protection of all those who will be traveling to the St. Louis Conference,
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBY or THE BAHA'Is OF THE UNITED STATES
Procedure to follow if ballot not received
As a preventive measure, the National Spiritual Assembly outlines below the procedures to follow in the event that there is any problem with the mailing of Convention calls this year. If your ballot does not arrive, please proceed as follows: I 1) If you are able to attend the Convention you will be provided with ballot paper and an envelope at that time;
2) If you are unable to attend, complete a ballot before the Convention and mail it to the person who has been designated to receive mailed ballots in your District. To find out the name of this person, check with your Local Assembly, call or write your District Teaching Committee or the Host Assembly (listed in this issue of The American Bahci’z’). You may also give the sealed ballot to the Local Assembly Secretary who will transmit it to the appropriate Convention officers;
3) ' To vote by mail, write the name(s) of the believer(s) whom you wish to represent your District
at the National Convention. Vote only for the number of delegates allotted to your District, and leave enough space between thenames so that ballots may be easily separated later. You may discover the number of delegates assigned to your District by calling or writing your Assembly Secretary or District Teaching Committee;
4) Place your ballot in a small envelope and seal it. Do not make any mark on this envelope;
5) Place the sealed envelope in a larger envelope and either mail it or send it as described above. Write the word BALLOT in the left-hand comer of this envelope and be sure your name is on it so that you may be credited as a voter.
The National Spiritual Assembly anticipates successful and problem-free District Conventions this year. However, if any problem does arise, the Assembly is sure that the believers, armed with these guidelines and with supreme confidence in the sacredness of their task, will not hesitate to proceed with the election and other business ‘of their Conventions.
Electoral districts listed by state
Alabama, N Kentuck)’ Alabama, S Louisiana Arizona, N Main6
Arizona, Maryland/D.C. Arkansas i (mainland) California, N'l Massachusetts California, N2 Michigan (mainland) California, C1 Minnesota, N California, C2 Minnesota, S California, S 1 Mississippi California, S 2 Missouri California, S3 Montana Comrade 13 Nebraska Colorado, W Nevada, N Connecticut Ncvadav S DelMarVa (Delaware, Mary- New Hampshire land peninsula, and Virginia New Jersey peninsula) New Mexico, N Florida, N New Mexico, S Florida, C New York, E Florida, 3 New York, W Georgia, N North Carolina, E Georgia, 3 North Carolina, W Idaho, S‘ North Carolina, C Illinois, N 1 NW‘ Dakma Illinois, N 2 (Cook County) Ohio: N
Illinois, S Ohio, S
Indiana Oklahoma, E Iowa Oklahoma, W Kansas Oregon
[Page 3]
REVIEW
3
Pennsylvania, E V_eiiii°_iii _ pennsylvania, W Virginia, N(mamland) Rhode Island Virginia» 5
Washington, W Washington/Idaho
(eastern Washington and northern Idaho)
South Carolina, N 1 South Carolina, N2 South Carolina, C South Carolina, S
South Carolina, El Wesi Viigiiiia South Carolina, E2 Wisconsin, S South Carolina, E3 Wi3'MiCh
south caroiinmw (northern Wisconsin and
south Dakota northern peninsula of Tennessee ' Michigan)
Texas, N Wyoming
Key
¥::::’§
Texas, E1 8 : South
Texas, E2 E T; East
Texas, W W = West
Utah C = Central
Districts to coincide in majority of cases
The National Spiritual Assembly has decided that, in so far as it is possible, teaching districts and electoral districts should be the same. A teaching district is a state, or a portion thereof, with a District Teaching Committee; an electoral district, on the other hand, is a state, or a portion thereof, in which all the believers vote together as a unit to elect delegates to the National Convention. The two types of districts have not always coincided; however, the National Assembly has made an effort this year to reconcile their boundaries by making changes in electoral districts in eleven states. These changes, as well as the complete list of electoral districts by state, are listed below. Further details will be published in regional or district bulletins.
The following states have had changes in their electoral districts:
Delaware: Now part of the new electoral district, DelMarVa.
Maryland/D.C: Includes mainland Maryland only. Peninsula of Maryland is part of DelMarVa. Virginia, N: Includes mainland Virginia only. Peninsula is part of DelMarVa.
Idaho, S: Is now the electoral as well as the teaching district.
Washington/Idaho: New electoral district comprising eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Wis-Mich: New electoral district comprising northern Wisconsin and the northern peninsula of Michigan.
Michigan: Now comprises the “mainland” only. Oklahoma: Now has two electoral as well as teach ing districts. Boundaries are the same as for teaching districts. Minnesota: Now has two electoral as well as teaching districts. Boundaries are the same as for teaching districts.
South Carolina, E: Now consists of three electoral and teaching districts: Eastern 1, Eastern 2, and Eastern 3. Check your regional bulletin for boundaries.
South Carolina, N: Now consists of two electoral and teaching districts: Northern l and Northern 2. Check your regional bulletin for boundaries. Arizona: Yuma County has been transferred from the southern to the northern electoral district, thus making the teaching and electoral districts synonymous.
Colorado: Two electoral districts——East and West—have been created to coincide with the East and West Teaching Districts.
Illinois: Now three electoral districts: Northern 1, Northern 2 (Cook County), and Southern.
Schedule for District Conventions
District Host Assembly Date Alabama, N Birmingham 10/27 Alabama, S Montgomery 10/27 Arizona, N Flagstaff 10/6 Arizona, S Tucson (10/13 Arkansas Little Rock 10/ 13 California, N 1 Davis 10/6 California, N 2 Santa Rosa 10/13 California, C 1 San Jose 10/27 California, C 2 Fresno l0/27 California, S l Burbank 10/6 California, S 2 San Diego I0/13 California, S 3 Santa Barbara 10/27 Colorado, E Littleton 10/ 13 Colorado, W Alamosa 10/13 Connecticut Vernon 10/6 DelMarVa Wicomico County 10/6 Florida, N Jacksonville 10/13 Florida, C Orlando I0/I3 Florida, S Ft. Lauderdale 10/27 Georgia, N Atlanta 10/6 Georgia, S Perry 10/13 Idaho, S Boise 10/6 Illinois, N 1 Rockford 10/6 Illinois, N 2 Springfield 10/13 Illinois, S Skokie 10/6 ' Indiana Indianapolis 10/27 Iowa Des Moines 10/13 Kansas Emporia 10/27 Kentucky Lexington 10/ I 3 Louisiana Lafayette 10/6 . Maine Augusta 10/6 Maryland, D.C. Washington, D.C. l0/l3 Massachusetts Worcester 10/ 13
[Page 4]
AUGUST 1974
4 Michigan Mt. Pleasant 10/13 Rhode Island Providence 10/6 Minnesota, N St. Cloud 10/6 South Carolina, N 1 Clemson 10/27 Minnesota, S _St. Paul 10/13 South Carolina, N 2 Spartanburg 10/27 Mississippi Jackson 10/6 South Carolina, C Columbia 10/6 Missouri Jcffgrson SOUlh Carolina, S ChaflCSton Montana Bozeman 10/6 :0“? garollnas E E 553111;‘? Cit)’ Nebraska Omaha 10/13 0"‘ 3“) ma» I 0“ Nevada, N Carson City 10/ 13 3011:: garornai EV3 greater A3('in°r Nevada, S Las Vegas 10/27 0" am ma’ _r°e“W°° New Hampshire Nashua 10/13 South Dakota Sioux ‘Falls 10/27 N J T 10/6 Tennessee Nashville 10/I3 ew ersey renton New Mexico N Gallup 10/13 Texas’ N A““"‘“° ' 1°/13 . ’ Texas, C Austin 10/13 New Mexico, S Roswell 10/27 Texas, S Corpus Christi 10/27 New YOI'l(, E Yonkers Texas’ E 1 Dallas New York, Rochester 10/6 Texas’ E 2 Houston 10/6 North Carolina, E Raleigh 10/13 Texas, w E] paso 10/6 North Carolina, C Greensboro 10/27 Utah Salt Lake City 10/27 North Carolina, W Charlotte 10/13 Vermont Burlington 10/27 V North Dakota Bismarck 10/6 Virginia, N Fairfax 10/27 Ohio, N Mansfield 10/6 Virginia, S .Richmond 10/13 Ohio, S Dayton 10/13 Washington/Idaho Spokane 10/6 Oklahoma, E Tulsa 10/6 Washington, W Puyallup 10/13 Oklahoma, W Edmond 10/13 West Virginia Charleston 10/27 Oregon Eugene 10/27 Wis—Mich Green Bay 10/27 Pennsylvania, E Philadelphia 10/13 Wisconsin, S Kenosha 10/27 Pennsylvania, W Pittsburgh 10/13 Wyoming Laramie 10/27 F 'v Year Plan Pioneer Goals AFRICA (E) Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 EUROPE
(E) Botswana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (F) French Antilles . . . . . . . . . .2 (F) Belgium . . . . . . . . . . . _. . . . .4
(F)(E) Cameroon Republic . . . . . .2 (E) Leeward and Virgin Isl. . . .2 (Gr) Greece _ _ , , , , , , , , , . . _ .2
(F) Dahomey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (S) Nicaragua . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (N) Norway , . _ _ _ , , , _ , , _ _ , , ,1
(F) Togo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 (S) Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (P) Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
(E) Ghana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (S) Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (F)(G)(I) Switzerland . . . . . . . . .
(E) Lesotho . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .2 (S) Peru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 1
(F) Malagasy Republic . . . . . . .2 (E) Trinidad and Tobago . . . . .2
(E) Malawi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (5) Uruguay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 TOTALS
(E) Rhodesia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (E) Windward Isl. . . . . . . . . . .i AFRICA _ _ _ _ _ _ ‘ . . _ _ _ _._26
(E) British Indian Ocean Terr. .2 41 AMERICAS _ . _ _ . ' _ _ _ . _41
(E) Tanlam - - ~ - - - > » > - - ~ - --1 ASIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
G'aInbIa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' . ‘ I I ' I ' 4
(E) Slerra Le0“€ - - ' ~ ~ - - - ~ - ~ ~2 (P)(C) MBCEIU - - - - - - - ~ - . - . » - « - -2 EUROPE . . . . . . . . . . . .. 11
(F) Zaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 (E) India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..2 T03
26 (K)(E) Korea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
(F) Laos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 KEY;
(F)(E) Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 C Chinese _Speaking
’ .' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Southern
(S) Ar . 4 (E) Philippine Isl. . . . . . . . . . . .2 D D t h_ k.
gentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (E) Taiwan 2 u c spea mg
.I 2 h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E En “Sh_S eakin
(S) Clue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. E Th 1 d 1 g p g
. ( ) ai an . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F F h_ k.
(3) Costa Rica . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (E) Vietnam 4 TCDC SPC3 “lg
(S) Dominican Republic . . . . . .2 ' ' ' ' ' ' ‘ ' ' ' ' ‘ ' ’ G Germamspeakmg
(S) ' Ecuador . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2, 0 Gr Greek—speaking
(S) Guatemala . . . .v . . . . . . . . . .2 I Italian-speaking
(E) Guyana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 AUSTRALASIA K Korean-speaking _
(D) Surinam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (E) Caroline Isl. . . . . . . . . . . . .2 N N0rweglan—speaking
(F) Haiti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 (E) Western Samoa . . . . . . . . . P Portuguese-speaking
(S) Honduras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 4 S Spanish-speaking
‘W
[Page 5]
REVIEW
Dr. Julian N. Abas Casper, Wyoming July 1, 1974
Mr. John S. Allen Suffolk, Virginia February 15, 1973
Mr. Daner Anderson Lancaster, Kentucky March 1974
Miss Brenda Baker Maple Valley, Washington June 6, 1974
Mrs. Myrtle Blissett Birmingham, Alabama Date unknown
Mrs. Alice M. Brady Orrnond Beach, Florida 1969
Mr. Eugene Brown Bay Pines, Florida 1974
Mrs. Mozelle Brown Asheville, North Carolina April 1974
Mrs. Mattie Jane Carothers Clover, South Carolina May 7, 1974
Mrs. Lizzie Cooper Georgetown, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Betty Darugar Eatonton, Georgia May 13, 1973
Mr. A. J. Dobbins Fon Wort.h, Texas Date unknown
Mr. William C. Dodge Bluepoint, New York August 4, 1973
Mr. Rufus Emanual Suffolk, Virginia July 5, 1973
Mr. Antoine Etienne Brooklyn, New York February 8, 1974
Mrs. Lillian Flynn St. Louis, Missouri 1972
Mrs. Alma Gamble Kingstree, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Juanita Garcia Corpus Christi, Texas March 3, 1974
Mr. Andrew J. Gleason Forestville, Wisconsin May 3, 1974
Mrs. Martha Golden Suffolk, Virginia September 19, 1972
Mr. Clyde Gore N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Frieda Gould Belchertown, Massachusetts March 28, 1974
Mr. Charles Graham Effingharn, South Carolina May 29, 1974
Ms. Nellie Graham , Tamplico, South Carolina Date unknown
Mr. Dallas Hanna Nesmith, South Carolina January 20, 1974
Mr. Leroy Hawk Pierre, South Dakota April 12, 1974
Mr. Hallowed Hinson Hartsville, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Dorothy Pearl Hoffman" Lima, Ohio April 19, 1974
Mrs. Elizabeth Houston Temple, Texas Date unknown
Mrs. Lucille Huey Batavia, Illinois May 12, 1974 _'
Mr. Harry Hunter Key Largo, Florida Date unknown
/ Dr. George H. Hutchinson Detroit, Michigan May 24, 1974
Mr. Harry Jeffrey Hartsville, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Myra Burt Jones South Yarmouth, Massachusetts June 7, 1974
In Memoriam
Miss Rowena Jordan Decatur, Illinois May 27, 1974 ,
Mr. Hennan C. Jurgensen Clinton, Iowa May 18, 1974
Mr. Arthur Knight Stuttgart, Arkansas Date unknown
Mrs. Gwen Kochendorfer St. Paul, Minnesota Date unknown
Mr. Hyman Kronick Brooklyn, New York April 7, 1974
Mrs. Ernestine Krug Mount Carmel, Connecticut March 13, 1974
Mrs. Zelrna J. Krug Oceanside, California May 25, 1974
Mr. James T. Lawrence Suffolk, Virginia Date unknown
Mr. Lawrence Lytle Black Mt., North Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Frances MacDonald Long Beach, California May 7, 1974
Mrs. Ama Meade San Diego, California April 13, 1974
Mr. Lacey Moore Tampa, Florida Date unknown
Mr. John W. Moore . Timmonsville, South Carolina Date unknown
Mr. John P. Moriarty Worchester, Massachusetts June 9, 1974
Mr. James Murphy Vassar, Michigan July 4, 1974
Mrs. Aleitha G. Murray Hartsville, South Carolina Date unknown_
Mr. Charlie Myers Manning, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Lula Naha Mesa, Arizona April 18, 1974
Mr. Ken W. Nichols Dallas, Texas May 15, 1974
Miss Sarah E. Payton Washington, D.C. September 1972
Mr. Robert H. Perkins Detroit, Michigan May 28, 1974
Mr. James Phillips
' Clover, South Carolina
June 15, 1974
Mrs. LaVerne Phillips Carson City, Nevada May 30, 1974
Mrs. Mary Pomeroy Colorado Springs, Colorado May 31, 1974
Mrs. Lelar Prince Hartsville, South Carolina Date unknown
Mr. Joshua Redday Fort Totten, North Dakota April 21, 1974
Mr. Joe Reynolds La Place, Louisiana June 1974
Mrs. John Robledo Sonora, Texas Date unknown
Mr. Johnny Robledo Sonora, Texas Date unknown
Mr. Sylvester Rush Timmonsville, South Carolina Date unknown
Mrs. Marilyn Samelson Dayton, Ohio June 16, 1974
Mr. Richard Seabrooke Staten Island, New York Date unknown
Mrs. Renee Shakespeare Birmingham, Alabama Date unknown
Mr. Kenneth Shryock Bakersfield, California Date unknown
Mr. William Slaton Guadalupe, California 1973
Mr. Clarence Smith La Place, Louisiana February 8, 1973
Miss Cathleen Steer Laurinburg, North Carolina Date unknown
Mr. Comiff Taylor Milwaukee, Wisconsin April 23, 1973
Mr. Levin J. Thomas, Jr. Mardella Springs, Maryland
Mr. Roosevelt West Suffolk, Virginia Date unknown
Mr. Richard Whaley Snow Hill, Maryland Winter 73-74
Mrs. Elnora Whitaker Suffolk, Virginia April 10, 1972
Ms. Ella Williams Lake City, South Carolina Date unknown
Mr. Jimmy Wright Avoca, Arkansas
May 19, 1973 Date unknown Mrs. Rebecca Young Omaha, Nebraska Date unknown
Mr. Willie Thomas Tallahassee, Florida Date unknown
Mrs. Emma Ward Freeman, West Virginia Date unknown
Deepening Program
The purpose of the Comprehensive Deepening Program is to help facilitate the spiritual transformation of the Bahá’í community. In its Riḍván message
_ of 1967, The Universal House of Justice called upon
all communities to deepen themselves and explained to us what deepening is. The Comprehensive Deepening Program is based on this explanation and represents one of the National Spiritual Assembly's responses to this request from The Universal House of Justice.
Creating a new world order means developing new attitudes and values, and changing our conduct so that it reflects the Bahá’í spirit and conforms to Bahá’í law. To be spiritually transformed is to express God’s purpose for man in all of our actions.
Local Spiritual Assemblies are responsible for the spiritual health of the friends and this depends on deepening. Shoghi Effendi wrote that the Administration is the instrument of the spirit of the Faith and that the Faith “is designed to benefit the entire human race, and the only way it can do this is to re—form the community life of mankind, as well as seeking to regenerate the individual.” (Compilation on the Local Spiritual Assembly by The Universal House of Justice, p. 28)
Points of information about the Comprehensive Deepening Program to be emphasized
1. Local Spiritual Assemblies ,have an institutional obligation to help reform community life and
AUGUST 1974
regenerate the individual. The Comprehensive Deepening materials were developed to help Local Spiritual Assemblies undertake this responsibility.
2. Local Spiritual Assemblies should use the materials in a variety of ways suited to their particular needs and they should take an active role in determining how they can be used.
3. Local Spiritual Assemblies may expect assistance from the National Education Committee which is in charge of assisting in the implementation of the Comprehensive Deepening Program throughout the country and helping communities to make the most effective use of the materials. ‘
4. The intent of the materials is to help Bahá’ís spiritualize their lives and change their behavior. The emphasis therefore is not on study and reading, but on action through study and reading. There can be no Bahá’í' action without knowledge of the Bahá’í principles which are to guide behavior. The Comprehensive Deepening Program materials are organized to facilitate access to knowledge of these principles and to inspire action based on them. Action based on Bahá’í principle is the sign of the “regeneration of the individual." The emphasis on action also includes discontinuing all of those actions which are contrary to God’s purpose for man.
5. While the Comprehensive Deepening Program is for all Bahá’ís whatever their background and
experience, Local Spiritual Assemblies should con 5
sider ways of making certain that all new believers begin their deepening immediately after enrollment.
6. As Local Spiritual Assemblies find successful ways of using the materials, they should submit reports to the National Education Committee who can then share the information with other communities.
7. Several additional materials are in preparation. These are as follows:
The Dynamic Force of Example (which deals with the Role of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as Exemplar, and elements of Bahá’í' character that express God’s purpose for man). _
Portals of Celestial light (a ‘study of Prayer and Meditation).
Prescriptions from The Divine Physician (a discussion of a variety of destructive or harmful attitudes and Bahá’u’lláh prescription for them).
If you are going to serve overseas with the Peace Corps or any other international volunteer organization please notify:
THE INTERNATIONAL GOALS COMMITTEE 112 Linden Avenue
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
[Page 7]
POSTF
REVIEW
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE OFFICE oF THE TREASURER
Contributions to Bahá’í Funds surest way lift human burdens
Dear F riends:
I have received the enclosed materials from the World Mercy Fund seeking my contribution for the alleviation of the drought in the Sahara. What are we to do with pleas like this? One is torn between the obvious needs of our fellow/nen and building the Bahá’í World Order. Please help me.
We sympathize deeply with your perplexity in the face of the heartrending appeal you received from the World Mercy Fund. We wish to share with you the perspective on this problem offered by the Guardian through his secretary which was published in Bahá’í News in August 1948:
Regarding the question you raised: In the first place every believer is free to follow the dictates of his own conscience as regards the manner in which to ‘spend his own money. Secondly, we must always bear in mind that there are so few Bahffis in the world, relative to the worlds population, and so many people in need, that even if all of us gave all we had, it would not alleviate more than an infinitesimal amount of suffering. This does not mean we must not help the needy, we should; but our contributions to the Faith are the surest way of lifting once and for all time the burden of hunger and misery from mankind, for it is_only through the system of Bahá’u’lláh—-Divine in origin——that the world can be gotten on its feet, and want, fear, hunger, war, etc., be eliminated. Non-Bahá’ís cannot contribute to our work or do it for us; so really our first obligation is to support our own teaching work, as this will lead to the healing of the nations.
The obstinate refusal of the generality of mankind to recognize the divine healing Mission of Bahá’u’lláh has caused and will continue to cause death and catastrophe for many innocent people, people who have never had the opportunity to learn of His coming themselves. As the number and severity of mankind’s calamities increase, we Bahá’í's will be appealed to more and more to assist with material relief. To such appeals, each Bahá’í must respond, after deeply prayerful reffection, as his own conscience dictates.
Communities are responsible for meeting goals established
Dear Friends:
Our Community is having some diffieulty relating to the Fund. Our budget for the National Bahá’í Fund is $120 per Bahá’í’ month, but we are usually able to send only half that amount.
The general feeling of the Community is that the goal is something to “shoot at." This feeling tends to relieve the sense of commitment. For example, 9’ all the members of the Local Spiritual Asselmbly itself contributed, we would reach at least 53% participation.. We have actually attained this four out of 17 times this year.
Please advise us on this matter.
Perhaps your local Fund is suffering from a lack of Bahá’í maturity on the part of the friends in your Community. If we recognize that the Bahá’í Faith marks, in the Guardian’s words, “the coming of age of the entire human race,” we must see also that this requires from every Bahá’í a degree of maturity that was not required in previous Dispensations. Such maturity implies assumption of responsibility by the individual Bahá’í without prodding from the institutions of the Faith. Among these responsibilities are daily prayer, constant deepening, teaching, and regular and sacrificial support of the Bahá’í Fund.
In announcing your Community’s_goals for the
coming year your Assembly should bring it force fully to the attention of the friends, that far from being something merely to shoot at, their goals are to be regarded as a promise made by your community to Bahá’u’lláh Himself. The National Bahá’í Fund goals represent the amount of money that the National Spiritual Assembly feels is necessary to complete the tasks of teaching and consolidation in a given year. The delegates at the National Bahá’í Convention, through their action in approving the budget of the National Spiritual Assembly, have promised on behalfof the Bahá’ís of the United States to meet this goal. The friends should be made aware of this fact and should respond as befits those who are, in the words of the blessed Bab, “the bearers of the Name of God in this Day.”
From time to time the friends receive appeals, either as individuals or communities, from pioneers needing financial assistance. It is advisable when such an appeal is received to contact the International Goals Committee so that inquiries can be made and the true situation ascertained. The address is: International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IHinois 60091. Telephone: (312) 256-4400.
[Page 8]
AUGUST 1974
NATIONAL BAHA’l FUND
Trend shows Fund support increasing
To: All Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í’ Groups
Dear Bahá’í Friends:
Contributions for the month of Nur have confirmed the development of a most exciting trend in the support of the National Bahá’í Fund. During this month, total contributions were some $34,000 greater than for the same month last year. Since the beginning of the year, the National Fund has received $65,000 more in contributions thanin the same period a year ago. Most thrilling of all, participation by Local Spiritual Assemblies reached an all time high of 651, winning for the first time our goal for Assembly participation.
Letters from communities and individual believers throughout the country have testified to the remarkable spirit that has been released in our Community. Many have pledged to increase their support of the National Fund by 30 percent, while others have promised even greater increases! In a letter of 29
December 1970, the supreme House of Justice asserted, “The backbone of the Fund must be the regular contributions of every believer. Even though such contributions may be small because of the poverty of the donors, large numbers of small sums combine into a mighty river that can carry along the work of the Cause. Moreover the unity of the friends in sacrifice draws upon them the confirmations of the Blessed Beauty.” We are truly seeing the gradual fulfillment of these words.
This is the moment for which we have waited. At last we are within reach of meeting our goal on a regular and dependable schedule. We call upon every individual and community that has not yet done so to consider whether it is possible to help
, meet the goal of $137,000 each Bahá’í month. We are so very close. The victory will surely be glorious!
In loving and humble service, NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE Bahá’ís OF THE UNITED STATES Dorothy W. Nelson, Treasurer
National Fund Charts
Total Number of Assemblies Contributing
650 GOAL BY ‘ LM 1974 651 ill § 4504001S _ J’ Jamal INCOME (Beauty) Contributions $ 87,691 Fund Goal 137,000 Estates Contributions
5 200.000 3 150.000 rm - ms Ioimuv can
3 100.000
3 50,000
. ":."".“.'.‘l".'.“l‘.“.‘ .1‘ 1-:.1 :: ':'.'1 2': '::'!*::"|‘:'." 1:‘ :.|:.'. 4. ‘Azamat Nur Year to (Grandeur) (Light) Date $110,091 $128,669 $326,451 137,000 137,000 396,000 12,338 2,154 14,492
