National Teaching Committee Bulletins/1920/October (Special Bulletin 2)/Text

[Page 1] Our dear brother Charles Mason Remey is serving in Germany for a time in accordance with instructions from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and his letter to us regarding his experience there among the Bahá’ís is so replete with spiritual fragrances that we consider it a real privilege to circulate it among the friends in this way. It is one of the sweetest stories of attainment unto the realities of existence amidst storms and trials of almost every kind. The letter is dated at Esslingen, Germany the last of July.

"To, the Bahá’ís in America:

"Dear Friends

In El Abha:

"I have been for some days now in Germany and I am receiving so much Bahá’í love and kindness at the hands of our friends here, that I hasten to write you this letter in order to share with you the spiritual bounty of this experience.

"It has been the fortune of many of the Bahá’ís to travel in foreign parts there to find the love of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá burning very fervently in the hearts of the people of The Covenant -- friends who poured out this spirit of faith in acts of love and kindness, upon the favored traveller. This experience is a spiritual bounty of the Cause of God. Such love and kindness is not the result of human interests nor changing affections; these are the fruits of the divine love which the manifested God has planted in the heart of humanity, and which is burning in the souls of His people.

"Some years ago when I travelled among the Bahá’ís in Persia, I had brought to my mind, and penetrating my heart at every turn, the fact that I was the unworthy recipient of a great wealth of kindness and devotion, which those people held in their hearts for the Bahá’ís of the Occident, and that this love between those distant people of the East and of the West was the fruit of The Covenant.

"Now here in Germany I am experiencing a similar blessing, for through the kindness showered upon me here, I feel this great love and devotion of our friends here for the Bahá’ís in America. It is as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá teaches, when soldiers of the world rush into battle to kill one another, soldiers of God’s Kingdom rush forward to embrace one another.

"With the Bahá’ís here in Germany, I have demonstrated to me daily that the recent war has caused the love of the friends here for those in America to become more evident and manifest than ever before. This is most apparent, because it is in such strong contrast with the surrounding chaotic conditions of this nether world. In the hearts of the Bahá’ís here there is not only no trace of the national hatred, which of late has characterized the relations of our two countries, but more than this they have a great love for the friends in America. I am deeply touched and spiritually refreshed by their Bahá’í attitude, for the psychology of the war has not entered into their souls, with the result that the [Page 2] fragrance of The Kingdom of El Abha is a living divine presence in their midst.

"Our people here in Germany have suffered much. They are now undergoing the after effects of the war, which, in some respects are as trying, and as difficult, as were the conditions during the period of fighting. Although nominally the war is over, practically there is still the great economic pressure between the nations and this is causing the people here much suffering and misery.

"The people here do not have quite enough to eat, nor is the food which they have sufficiently nourishing. Months and years of this continued shortage of food and nutriment needed by the normal man has reduced them physically to an extent which their bright and cheerful faces and spiritual countenances would belie.

"The other day, while in Leipzig, I visited a Bahá’í home in which there were four children. The parents were working people. The three youngest of the little ones were boys, and at my invitation they drew near and finally sat on my knees. I remarked to the mother, who stood by smiling, that she must be very happy to be the mother of such a family, whereupon a change of expression crossed her face; she looked pained and left the room. A Bahá’í present then told me how hard it had been for these parents even to partially feed their children, and even harder for them to see their little ones growing up undernourished. Though these little fellows had tanned skins and pleasing and responsive faces, their bodies were pitifully thin and emaciated. The eldest of the trio told me he was twelve years old, but he appeared to be about nine! This is but one example of the many which I am seeing daily. These are living testimonials of the troubles caused by war.

"The cheerfulness and the hope and the spiritual assurance of the Bahá’ís here in Germany, is in such strong contrast with their material condition, that their problems are all the more appealing -- particularly to one who finds himself the recipient of so much of their kindness such as I am now receiving.

"In the near future I hope to be able to write to the friends in America, telling them in detail of the Bahá’í work here in Germany. Now I am writing in brief in order to send this letter immediately and without loss of time, in order to suggest that the friends in America do all in their power to further the Bahá’í spirit of love and service of the friends there for friends here.

"Shortly after the postal service was reestablished (after the armistice between America and Germany) some of the Bahá’ís in America wrote very kind and warm letters to the Believers here. Those letters coming at that time, with the spirit which they brought, were very much appreciated, for this demonstration from the American Bahá’ís was an assurance to the people here that the divine bands of the kingdom of El Abha united the hearts of the believers in the midst of all the upheavals of the great world war. Furthermore, in addition to writing letters, some friends in America sent wearing apparel and food stuffs to the Bahá’ís here, and this was a spiritual demonstration which so supplemented the letters that many good results followed.

"It would be very good indeed if the friends in the American Assemblies would write to the Bahá’ís here and share with them copies of the translations of tablets recently received from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Several of the Bahá’ís here are students of English, and they translate into German many of the revealed words coming from America. These are read in the meetings and are then spread among the people. Attached to this letter is a list of names and addresses of some of the Bahá’ís in Germany with whom the friends in America can communicate in English. [Page 3] "During the past year and a half the majority of the people in general in America have been in plenty, enjoying the luxuries of life to a degree unprecedented in the history of our own country and, so far as I know, unprecedented as well, in the history of any other country. This condition is one of the after effects and the results of the war. While war brings untold miseries to many, to others it often brings, for a time, a certain appearance of prosperity, resulting from the disturbed and shifting political and commercial conditions. Again as the pendulum swings back to the other extreme, conditions are reversed and comes the restitution which is inevitable.

"In addition to writing to the friends in the assemblies in Germany, it would be very good indeed if the friends in America, in our present hour of material plenty, would send packages of food stuffs to the Bahá’ís here. Much is needed here in Germany, but certain food stuffs are most needed above other things. These are white flour, canned butter and milk and sugar. Such supplies can be sent by post from America into Germany in packages not exceeding five kilogrammes (about ten pounds) in weight. These packages should be clearly and legibly marked "LIEBERSGABE" (gift of love) which will enter them into Germany free of customs. Packages should be very securely wrapped -- preferably sewed up in cloth than tied in paper -- and should be registered. Further particulars and directions can be had through enquiry at the post offices in America.

"Since Stuttgart is the principal Bahá’í Center in Germany, and since the friends there have organized a "Bund" or an assembly, which has been recognized by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, I would suggest that any Bahá’í offerings coming to these parts be sent to the

Bahá’í-Bund, Hölderlinstrasse 35, Stuttgart, Württemberg, Germany.

with the request that these gifts be distributed among the friends throughout Germany where they are most needed.

"With the arrival of any food stuffs in response to this letter, I will suggest to the friends of the Bahá’í-Bund" that a committee be formed to distribute these offerings.

"The work of teaching in Germany will be helped by food sent to the friends here, for these Bahá’ís are serving those whom they teach and will make it possible for them to give offerings of food along with the teaching which will be productive of good results. The value of such services will be all the more enhanced when it is known that these offerings come from the Bahá’ís in America.

"The 'Society of Friends' (Quakers) in America have established food distributing centers in a number of cities in Germany, and this good work has helped to better the international feeling of friendship among the people in this country. Let us Bahá’ís also do materially in proportion with our means, to help our friends here, and thereby further the spread of the message of The Kingdom.

"Mr. and Mrs. Ober are now on their return voyage to America. You probably known that in accordance with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s instructions they visited the friends here on their return from The Holy Land. They were in these parts for one month and now on all sides I am finding the happy results of their work. trust that many of the American Bahá’ís may meet them, for they will draw a very vivid picture for them of the conditions among the Bahá’ís here in Germany, of which I write. [Page 4] "The town of Esslingen, where I am now staying, is near Stuttgart. It is an old city nestled in the valley of the Neckar, between hills covered with orchards and vineyards still retaining its medieval ramparts with fortified towers, and narrow winding streets, with picturesque half timbered gabled houses, the upper stories of which project over the side walks and are supported by quaintly carved corbels. In rambling about the town it is easy to imagine ones-self back in the middle ages, but when one enters into the homes of the Bahá’ís in Esslingen, one finds there the life and the spirit of the Abha kingdom to such a degree, that the contrast between the new and the old - the quickening life of this new age, and the old civilization of the past -- is very forcibly born in on ones consciousness.

"Here in Esslingen we have a very flourishing and active Bahá’í Assembly. The meetings are very joyful and their spirit is most soul refreshing. Last Sunday these friends spread a Feast. One hundred and fifty persons sat at one table, built in the form of a hollow square, which filled a large banquet hall. me sat at table for over three hours and a half constantly refreshed by the varied spiritual programme. This consisted of the reading of prayers and tablets and addresses by the friends. Music was rendered during the serving of refreshments and later a poem written for the occasion was read by its author, a young man, which was followed by a short Bahá’í play presented by four attractive young girls. To me the most beautiful feature of this entertainment was that it was given at no little sacrifice, for our people here in Esslingen are all in modest circumstances. Though the refreshments served were simple (in America they would have been considered very simple indeed) yet the outlay represented a great deal in this country, although our friends here have not enough food for themselves, yet a good portion of what they have they offer to others in the name of The Center of the Abha Covenant!

"The Bahá’ís here are much interested in knowing of the progress of the Mashrakol-Azkar. So many have asked me about this work that I plan to spread a Mashrakol-Azkar Feast here in Esslingen the middle of August, at which the programme of thought will revolve about the ideals of the Mashrakol-Azkar.

"Faithfully yours "In His Service, "CHAS. MASON REMEY."

P. S. "List of some of the Bahá’ís in Germany with whom the friends in America may correspond in English: Herr Max Bevder, Esslingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. Bahnopste 8.

Herr Gustav Eger, Esslingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. Bahnopstr 20.

Herr Kurt Doring, Gera, Germany. Blucherstr 29

Herr Hermann Grasmann, Hamburg, Germany. Petkumstr 19. [Page 5] Frl. Jager, Stuttgart, Germany. Lehenstr 31.

Frl. Hauff, Stuttgart, Germany. Gerakstr 7.

Frl. Marie Plessner, Gotha, Germany. Miconins Platz 5.

Herr Heinrich Schwab, Esslingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. Katrinenstr 26.

Frl. A. Knobloch, Stuttgart,

Herr Richard Kohler, Esslingen, Wurttemberg, Germany. Schelztorstr 29.

Herr Wilhelm Herrigel, Stuttgart, Germany. Holderlinstr 35.

Herr & Frau Consul Schwarz, Stuttgart, Germany. Alexanderstr 3.

Frl. J. Staebler, Stuttgart, Germany. Veckarstr 53

Germany. Vene Weinsteigstr 23

"The following extract is from Miss Alma Knobloch's notes: 'During ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's visit in Stuttgart in 1913, in speaking to a group of young people, asking them if they could speak French and English, He said: 'You must correspond with the American believers. The Americans will come to Germany, and the Germans will go to America. You must correspond with the American believers.' "

C. M. R.

Issued as a Special Bulletin, October 1920, by the Teaching Committee of Nineteen.

The Mendota, Washington, D. C.

MARIAM HANEY, Secretary.


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