National Teaching Committee Bulletins/1923/April 9/Text

National Teaching Committee Bulletins
April 9, 1923

"We have ordained the delivery of the Truth through explanation and demonstration....csscees

"Verily all things are stirred with the Fragrances of Revelation, Are ye resting on your seats and ye call yourselves the sincere ones?" Baha'u'llah,

"J work by the confirmations of the Holy Spirit. I do not work by hygienic laws, If I did I would get nothing done}" Abdul Baha,

"The onward march of the Cause hath not been, nor can it ever be, stayed," Shoghi Effendi,

BULLETIN Issued by Bahai National Teaching Committee Aprikt 9, 19235,

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IMPORTANT: As it is of the first importance that all mail sent to the friends should be safely delivered and without forwarding from place to place, kindly cooperate by sending as soon as possible change of address either of yourself or any of the friends during the past year, as the mailing lists must be kept as accurate end as up-to-date as possible, This cooperation will be very much appréciated,

Also please send the name and address of any believer whom you think might like to have his or her name added to the Bulletin mailing list,

THE MEANING OF THE WoRD ASSEMBLY

What is the meaning of the Word "Assembly" in Bahai terminology? This question has been asked so many times, and as we have aiso been requested to publish the answer in the Bulletin, - we are supplying the Divine Answer from the Instructions of Abdul Baha contained in a Tablet to the Bahais of Hamadan, Persia, and published in the Star of the West of September 8, 1914:

"Assembly means the diffusion of the Fragrances of GOD,

"Assembly means humility and friendliness toward the believers of GOD,

“Assembly means the Promotion of the WORD of GOD,

“Assembly means to be sanctified and holy from all else save GOD.

"Such is the Spiritual Assembly, Such the Divine Meeting, Such is the Lordly congregation,

"The ultimate desire of Abdul Baha is the organization (establishment) of such Assemblies, and He is their servant,

“Por this servitude is the Crown of Eternal Sovereignty and this thraldom is freedom of both worlds,"

Se oot nw es Se ea oe ee wae ee [Page 2]=oe

A MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAN FRIENDS FROM JENABE FAZEL

I have great happiness in the station and service of the Bulletin for the Blessed Cause, and therefore am contributing a few lines, The Bulletin is spreading the divine breezes by giving the gist of the services of the servants of the Cause; it assists the thought of the Bahai workers in giving always the news of ali the friends of God, It is the mirror of the progress of the Cause in this country, creating the desire for service in the hearts of all the friends, Therefore it is sure to receive the divine confirmations and I hope it will be always more and more beautiful and useful in every way.

We all know that one of the great services and duties of the Bulietin is to make the friends arise for giving the Message, and that this is the foundation of all service, and it is also the duty of all individual Bahais, In almost all the Blessed Tablets this duty was strongly emphasized, In His Last Will and Testament-which is like a picture of his whole desire -- the Master gives a command, in one important part, about this service, Therefore in this New Year which is the first year of the rising of the Guardian of the Cause to put into practice the Will of the Master, it is necessary that we have a most new activity in this important service. The friends of God should concentrate all their thought upon the promulgation of the Divine Breeze and upon trying to send forth the Heavenly Message to the ears of all people in the most effective way. By day and night we must not rest in this service. We must make the result of our whole thought and speech and action the promulgation of the Divine Teachings, that the seeds of the Kingdom may be planted in the hearts of all humanity and, through the Intisible Power, may grow and become fruitful, Then the material world will become the mirror of the Kingdom and the Oneness of Humanity will be founded. This dark world will be illumined and become an Abha Paradise, This is the most important duty of all the divine friends in this Day and the cause of nearness to God and of real rest and happiness for all humanity.

We must not be discouraged because we are trying so hard to give the Message of the Divine Kingdom and have but little fruit. As Christ said in regard to this same condition in His age -- "Many are called but few are chosen", But the seeds of the Kingdom cannot be without fruit. it may be that through some conditions of human nature the process may be a little prolonged, but they will surely grow and bear fruit,

If we would accomplish very quick results for the guidance of the people of the world many souls among the friends of God mist arise for this service and each of them must give the message. It may be that some people might not be attracted by the eloquent speech of one teacher who would be greatly enkindled through the simple words of another, On one occasion the Master was relating a little history about this subject -- He said "Once a king loved the daughter of a shepherd but the shepherd did not want to give his daughter to the king. Many messengers were sent by the king to the shepherd asking for the hand of his daughter, even his ministers and eloquent courtiers, but the shepherd did not accept any of them, At last the king sent another shepherd to the shepherd, and after he had talked a little to him, the shepherd accepted him and gave his daughter through him to the king, This shepherd said 'The king sent to you many messengers, why did you not accept them?' and the shepherd replied ‘the king never sent to me an eloquent messenger like yourself whom I can understend!'"

My aim is that when we have a great many of the friends arising in the service of the Cause and giving the message, at that time we will realize our great success and witness great progress in the Cause,

" ..If all mentions are turned into one mention, and all thoughts concentrated in one point, then man will find (a higher) spirit, and witness (a higher) confirmation, " Abdul Baha, [Page 3]sin

WASHINGTON ACTIVITIES

His honor, Jenabe Fazel, is speaking publicly every Sunday night at Art Center Hall, and it is quite a miracle how he discourses in English, having no interpreter just now, Every one seems to understand; they profit accordingly and are refreshed thereby.

Also he is giving two talks a week at lirs, Boyle's house: Monday night and Wednesday night, lessons on the Ighan, Sunday morning there is also a meeting at Art Center Hall for the believers, when the revered teacher gives instructions on ‘the Ighan, The program for Sunday afternoon differs each week; usually a group meeting at one of the homes is arranged for strangers.

Jenabe Fazel was teaching two of the friends here a few days since, and among other points we made note of the following:

"Abdul Baha revealed ten Tablets: two for each of the five regional sections of the country as defined by Him, together with other Instructions -- all on the subject of Teaching, We gathered these Instructions into one Volume, and called it 'The Divine Plan', The 'Divine Plan' therefore is not a human plan, What are we doing to execute the Divine Plan? If we could crystallize the Instructions in all these Tablets into one WORD, that WORD would be TEACHING."

A visit from our revered teacher to the friends in Baltimore on Sunday, April 8th, brought the Gladtidings and the joy of the Kingdom to many hearts, All considered it a timely visit from Jenabe Fazel, He spoke in the afternoon in a public hall at the regular Sunday afternoon meeting and later to the friends,

One of the notable events of recent weeks in Washington was the visit of about ten days of Mrs. Brittingham, who was the guest of Mrs. de Lagnel, She rendered a most effective service in this City, giving both public and private talks; and her especially confirmed service to individuals was a bounty. One of the meetings arranged during her visit was entirely devoted to the subject of TEACHING, Some of her illumined remarks noted were:

"Some Teaching Requisites:

1, Conviction: ‘We must first be affected ourselves before we can hope to affect others." (Abdul Baha),

2. Adaptation: No two audiences alike, ‘Make the subtle basis of unity'. (Abdul Baha).

3. Love: (Imbued not with the selfishness of human love, but the Divine Love of GOD which lives only to give, and the possessor of which must give and give and die to give),

4, Informed: Unless we have become ourselves submerged in the WORD, we can never teach others anything about it, (Beginners mist be taught to depend upon the WORD in teaching. Every audience is different),

5. Severance: The state to which through Divine Love's Realization we gradually arrive through the lover longing for nearness to the Beloved, So severed that a mountain of gold on either side of our path cannot attract us; that we shake the dust of every City from our feet when we ieave it; so severed that step by step we may draw a little nearer constantly to the Sanctuary of His Presence,....—

The Naurooz Feast in Washington was a gala occasion, It was the first gathering of the friends in the new home of Dr, and Mrs. Ardeshire Irani, and our beloved brother and sister left nothing undone, The comfort and happiness of the guests were their concern at every moment, robably one hundred were present, among them many strangers. Mr, Allen B, McDaniel gave the Message with great sweetness, -speaking fluently and eloquently, The host anc hestess gave the friends a real treat in having sterioptican views of some of the sacred places in and around Acca and Haifa as well as some of the beautiful pictures of Abdul ‘Baha,

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Mr. Stanwood Cobb has been giving a number of lectures recently, among them one on “Universal Peace” at the League for the Larger Life; a very stirring address before the Theosophical Society, which was enthusiastically received; and a short but very glowing address at a Unity Meeting of a number of organizations at ‘the Wardman Park Hotel, He had for his subject "The Search After Truth". About eight hundred were present,

lirs. Boyle was. the guest of the Zonta Club recently at their. weekly inncheon, when she spoke on "The Bahai Revelation, a Movement for Peace and Brotherhood, ' :

Mr. Louis G,. Gregory has been in Washington most of the winter much to the comfort and happiness of all the friends. He has given several public talks on the Temple and other subjects, Recently he attended the National Spirituel Assembly meeting in New York, and then left for New Haven, Conn., where two splendid meetings were held; one in the hall of the Theosophists md the other at the Congregational Church (colored), Both were well attended and enthusiastic. Mr. Gregory said in one of his letters: "The Thompson sisters, who have ever been so loyal and devoted, are gathering a bright circle, which is ever widening and reflecting the Divine Glory of the Covenant. Great is their joy.”

Mir. Gregory then proceeded to Harrisburg, Pa., where he did effective work promulgating the Divine Teachings. This week he has been in Cleveland, and omong other notes on the work in that City, he writes:

"Through the help of the Assembly and especially the Flemings and the Martins, we are having some glorious meetings here, We spent Saturday and Sunday with about one hundred of the most noted people of this City in a conference,,...in which general subjects were discussed...... . Present were the finest brains and noblest hearts of this section, including judges, professors, social workers, clergymen and officials of variovs kinds who are intensely interested in human welfare, About six or seven colored friends end two Chinese were among those present, The greater part of two days was spent in earnest discussion and social communion with a view to finding a way out of the world's difficulties, it was truly an extraordinary gathering, one that those present will never he able to forget -- so earnest were the souls, The influence which permitted me to attend and have a brief word on the questions was that of our splendid colored Bahai brother, Mr, Martin, who is so highly regarded among all classes here, He was himself one of the speakerS..sesese”

Meetings will be arranged in other middle West Cities for lir. Gregory, and he will arrive in Chicago in time for the Convention,

"But we, fired with the hope of the ABHA Kingdom and ever mindful of the unfailing Promises of the Dawn of a new and better Day, must weather every storm and endeavor to impart to every earnest seeker that firm faith and inner peace which the world cannot give," Shoghi Effendi,

IN AND AROUND BOSTON

Mr. Wm, H, Randall reports on the very effective work Dr. John Herman Randall is continually doing for the Bahai Cause, Dr. Randall is a frequent visitor to Boston, and among his recent lectures one on "The Unity of Science and Religion" and another on "fhe New Spiritual Consciousness” attracted large and enthusiastic audiences, Also Worcester, Mass., has had Dr, Randall for two lectures recently, one on "The Oneness of Mankine” and another on “The Rediscovered Christ in Abdul Beha", lr. Randall stated in one of his recent letters that Dr. Randall “finds people everywhere ready and eager to hear of the great Bahai Principles, He is preparing large audiences for a deeper understancing of the Bahai Spirit." lir. Randall also said in one of his letters: “Abdul Baha looked to America to accomplish great [Page 5]abn

things and Shoghi Effendi is also looking to America to fulfill the Master's confidence, and perhaps to be the great awakening center of His Kingdom end we will not fail; we cannot fail if we drop every personal problem and unite on the plain of devovcion and sacrifice,............Every grievance or human desire that we have today will go no farther than the grave, but His Will and His Knowledge will attend us in our awakening in the Kingdom, Why search for anything else now or be obedient to any other Guidance?"

Another Center near Boston which has had much Life this winter is Newport, R, I. Mrs. Smythe has been holding Bahai meetings in her home and has succeeded in gathering a very interested group, Mr. Chas, Mason Remey, who spends much time in Newport, was the speaker and teacher at several of these meetings; also the Clergyman of the Unitarian Church invited Mr, Remey to speak to a group at his home, and other group meetings were arranged as a result, Many are deeply interested and greatly attracted to the Cause,

Mr. Randall has been invited to speak before the "Open Door Club" a group of women who are open minded and ready to receive and listen to the Truth wherever it may appear. They have themselves chosen the subject on which they wish Mr, Randall to speak, riamely: “The Spiritual Dynamics of the Bahai Cause”,

"The blessed seeds sown for years at Dublin are beginning to appear in the

realm of the haarts,"

CHICAGO -- THE HEART CENTER

"Now praise be to GOD that Chicago and its environs from the beginning of the diffusion of the Fragrances of GOD has been a strong heart,”

Mr, Vail writes: "The meetings in Chicago are more successful than ever before and the spirit of unity is wonderful.”

A long list of the meetings being held in Chicago both in private homes and in a public hall, indicates a time of the greatest activity in that City, With so many of the illumined teachers of the Cause resident there, Chicago is indeed blessed.

Mr, Charles H, Kohlman writes an interesting detailed report about many of the teaching activities immediately surrounding the Temple and its construction, and he adds: “Bahais have something vital to give out,.......We must not ‘hide our light under a bushel', It is our duty to shout the Glad-tidings from the hilltops........ The Chicago Assembly is the heart of the Movement in North America,..csde< Lt is functioning with renewed vitality.....

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TEACHING IN NEW YORK

The following excerpt from a letter of Mr, Mountfort Mills gives in brief a few items of vital interest connected with the activities in New York:

"Developments here in New York are encouraging, A really widespread interest in the Amity Convention is gradually growing in directions that will, we believe, result in permanent association witn us in that kind of work anyway. Some splendid people are taking hold; the opportunity is enlarging as we move along and we are hopeful of really substantial results, (No definite date fixed as yet for the Amity Convention in New York).

"In the more immediate work of the Cause there is a slow but steady increase of interest from week to week, There was @ Bahai afternoon in a series of lectures on the great religions of the world given each Sunday at the Community

‘Church, Dr. John Herman Randall's. A la arge number were present and considerable enthusiasm was shown, Mr. Holley gave a most masterful and sciolarly exposition of the Principles, and I spoke a few words after him on the Dynamic of the Movement, [Page 6]he

“But for us the most interesting part of the afternoon was when the presiding minister......arose and said that not until after hearing our addresses had he realized that his emancipation from narrow orthodoxy into the larger spiritual vision he had enjoyed now for many years, was entirely due to talks he had had long years ago with one of the Bahais in Kenosha,...... It was a most graceful and generous tribute and done in a fine spirit,"

The next Sunday Mr. Mills spoke on “Jesus and Abdul Baha" at the Society for Ethical Culture in a course of talks on "The Teachings of Jesue in the Modern World," Mr, Mills further says:

"These meetings are popular and always well attended,

"At the Library there is a constant increase in the number of inquirers that come there daily to learn more of the Cause; it is a rare experience to go there and not find Mrs, Ford and at least two or three others speaking to small groups in different parts of the rooms,

"Altogether we are beginning to see unmistakable evidences of the gradual breaking through of the Power that has restored to us the Guardian of the Cause, I am sure it must be the same in every Center, No wonder we are encouraged, "

Mr, Gregory records a teaching story of a friend in New York, which makes a strong appeal:

"An interesting and praiseworthy way of spreading the Cause is that of Mr. H. A. Dike of New York, who lives on the WORD and by daily toil, His specialty is helping men who are in want, Visiting a park where many idle men are found, he invites the most needy one to be his guest for a time, The man who accepts the invitation is given the Message and literature, as well as his board and lodging, and mean time the host is busy finding hima job. In this way during the past year, Mr. Dike has aided fourteen men to find employinent, and has also attracted a number of souls to the Cause, Verily, ‘Deeds reveal the station of a man,'"

PHILADELPHIA ACTIVITIES

Among the many vital talks given in Philadelphia this winter was one on the Temple by Mrs. True.

Mrs. Brittingham is constantly serving both in public and private, and some of her talks have been - By invitation she addressed the Hermes Theosophical Society. Her subject wes “LIGHT”, A talk at the In-As-Much Mission, a downtown center for working men, giving the Message and Fundamentals of the Bahai Movement,

A special group meeting gathered at the home of a recent believer where she gave the Bahai Teachings to new and attracted people,

An invitation to speak on the Bahai Movement at a dinner given in the interest of prisoners, As Mrs. Brittingham was in Washington at the time, the Chairman invited Miss Jessie Revell to speak in her place, The group of people present represented several races,

Mrs, Brittingham addressed the Sunday Breakfast Association, a gathering of about five hundred men, It is an Orthodox Body and she was requested to speak on these lines, but the Chairman also understood that she would speak on the Bahai Cause, which was done with tact yet the ground was well covered,

Last Sunday Miss Jessie Revell gave a talk on the Bahai Cause in a new theatre -- the best in the City for the colored people, % was a most heavenly meeting. Miss Revell writes very enthusiastically about it, and among other things says:

"Tt seemed as if every one present was helping me to speak for Abdul Baha, Mr, Butler, who is lr. Gregory's friend, arranged to have me speak there, Hi, Gregory encouraged us and hopedto hear that my sister Ethel and I were speaking to large audiences," No one can deny that the Promises of Abdul Baha are ever fulfilled [Page 7]@7<

For more than a year the Philadelphia Assembly has been using the names of the Bahai months as subjects for the 19 Day Feasts.

A SHINING PATHWAY

"Arise with heart and soul. and let not these golden days slip by without results!" These WORDS of Abdul Baha have been transformed into the world of action by Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives, These two devoted servers have travelled the shining pathway of service with such a joyousness and radiance of spirit that wherever they go, there we find RESULTS which show how gloriously they have attracted the confirmations of the ABHA Kingdom without which all seed sowing is lifeless, They are comprehending souls themselves, therefore they are able to give a comprehensive presentation of the Most Great Cause and its Life-imparting Principles and Teachings.

Let us travel for a while with these two friends and share the thrill of being and doing in this Day "the Day of the Lord of the Kingdom; the day of the fulfillment of glorious Promises", Only in brief, however, can the story be told,

In every Gity where Mr. and Mrs, Ives have abided for a time, there seems to be raised up by the Power of the Covenant alone, some person or persons who offer assistance by furthering the Divine plan of seed sowing.

In Syracuse, N. Y., Mr. and Mrs, Ives were the guests of Mrs. Burlinghan, a radiant sister Bahai who is aflame with the Light of the Kingdom,

The brilliant talk of Mrs. Ives before the Federation of Women's Clubs.in Syracuse will long be remembered, Her subject was "A Universal Movement Which May be the Solution of World Problems", It was one of the most glowing and thrilling events in their life of teaching service. Several hundred women heard the Great Message, and as a result invitations to speak on the Cause immediately followed, and two splendid articles appeared in the Syracuse Journal,

Two weeks were spent in Niagara Falls, N. Y., during which time the Message was widely given, and a large meeting was held.in the Unitarian Church,

Rochester, N, Y. -- Here some of the most brilliant publicity work through the Press was the precious reward vouchsafed through the Power of the Holy Spirit. Every newspaper carried accurate and splendid articles from time to time, ranging from short paragraphs to two columns, thus the Bahai Message was made known to thousands in that vicinity, In addition a weekly magazine which has a free circulation of one hundred thousand and goes into every home in the City carried a full page picture of the Temple and a descriptive article, All this was accomplished through the efforts of a newspaper woman to whom Mr. and Mrs. Ives had manifested mach Bahai love and kindness during their residence in New York City.

Among the Talks given in Rochester may be mentioned the Address given in the Universalist Church by Mr. Ives on "From Chaos to Peace"; a Talk on the Seven Valleys; Talks every Sunday afternoon at a public hall; group meetings regularly in the apartment of Mr. and Mrs, Ives, and during the few weeks stay in the City many meetings at different Clubs and in many private homes, So confirmed were the efforts here, that the result was the organization of a group; the establishment of the regular Feasts; the inauguration of regular public and private meetings, Mrs. Ives especially mentioned some of the meetings with the Spiritualists. They particularly send an invitation to our revered Jenabe Fazel to speak there when he comes to Rochester. The Minister and others of the congregation heard him at Lilydale. Already the Rochester group of devoted friends are planning for a big program when Jenabe Fazel visits that Center.

Mr. and Mrs. Ives both wrote gloriously of the beautiful services of Mrs. Herrick, an old and wonderfully illumined Bahai, who will now carry on the blessed work there with the assistance of some of the new friends, Mr. Ives gives the ex[Page 8]ith

planation of all Bahai success when he says: "The confirmations of the Center of the Covenant are pouring down continually. How surely the Supreme Concourse descends into the arena of heavenly conquest whenever the Bi tentes’ effort is made, The most wonderful proofs of this are daily coming to us," Mrs, Herrick's appreciation of the work accomplished is summed up in these words: "I thank Abdul Beha every moment for sending these two blessed souls to Rochester, I had prayed and asked Him to send some one, but never dreamed that my prayers would be answered so soon and that we would have a regular Assembly".

Buffalo, N. Y. -- In this City Mr. Ives spoke on the Bahai Cause before the Forum of the Universalist Church; at a group meeting for attracted and interest~ed ingquirers; three public meetings arranged at the League for the Larger Life; and an address before a large gathering of Spiritualists. Mr, and Mrs, ives had served in Buffalo on previous visits, and were made happy in heart and radiantly thankful to hear of the newly confirmed souls who had come into the Cause. Mrs. Ives spoke of the beautiful services of Miss Maud Mickle who had especially arranged several meetings, and who has arisen with such power and sincerity to uphold the Standard of Truth in that City,

Mr. and Mrs, Ives are now in Columbus, Ohio, where they expect to remain for several weeks, This is another Center where teachers were much needed, It surely seems as if their footsteps have been guided to the place where they can do some pioneer work and establish a Center, If any of the friends have relatives or

friends at Columbus, please send name and address, and it will be forwarded to Mr, and Mrs. Ives,

THE VOICE OF THE WEST

Seattle: Just’ as lfiss Martha Root was sailing from Seattle for China, she sent a brief report of the work in that City, It was an intensive program of fourteen lectures, Among other things she writes:

"It is impossible for me to speak adequately of the love of the friends, it seems to be boundless, The days in Seattle were days in heaven, They do things in such a BIG way. They are original,

"At present in addition to their regular Assembly meetings, they have a Sunday Forum in their hall and friends serve lunch after the morning session, This Forum attracts a group that the regular meetings would not,”

Miss Root also suggests that since she was ill and could not go to Vancouver, it would be a very much appreciated service if the friends would write to the Vancouver Assembly thus completing this trip through the medium of eo Address furnished upon request,

Mrs. Latimer of Portland, who accompanied Miss Root to Seattle, writes a most glowing account of her experience, Excerpts from her report follow:

"eeeel feel that the friends have received something from Martha that will be lasting and out of her trip will come one of the great spiritual awakenings. «---eHer life of self sacrifice, her untiring efforts in the Cause of GOD, have made us all realize the true meaning of sacrifice, It is not what she said on the subject, but the doing! .........There has been the greatest awakening of the colored people in Seattle, and it is our longing wish that our beautiful friend, Louis Gregory, will soon return to the Coast......Through his efforts the people of Portland and Seattle opened their doors for our blessed sister, and in her they found the spirit of humility and love,,...One distinct feature of Martha's talks was that during her stay in both Portland and Seattle, the people who came once, continued to come again and again, -- they grasped the Teachings and are procuring literature. - yeeceeeetay @ universal prayer go out for Martha's health, that she may have the

strength to do His Will,.....In all the worlds of GOD we shall be grateful that she came our way.” [Page 9]whe

San Francisco: Mrs, Cooper has just returned from a teaching tour to Oroville and Marysville, Calif,, where she had a most successful and happy visit, Through the effort of Mrs, J, P, Hopkins of Gridley, a large number of people heard the Message in that vicinity, The friends are planning and preparing the way for an extensive teaching campaign for Jenabe Fazel whenever in the future he may visit the Western States,

Santa Paula: Mrs, Carpenter, our active and enthusiastic Bahai sister in this Center, has written many glowing reports of the efforts of the friends gathered there on many occasions and who have for their aim the promulgation of the Divine Teachings, The Standard of Truth and the Banner of the Covenant are mightily held aloft in this City, and all the inhabitants are hearing the most vital Divine Remedy for this Great Day, Mrs. Carpenter has prepared the way for every Bahai teacher who will ever visit this City in the future for her home is the Bahai Center and she has ever been doing the great pioneer work in the field of earnest Bahai endeavor.

During the last few months,. Mrs, Waite has been one of the visiting teachers to this group, Among her talks was one at the home of Mrs, Carpenter to an extremely orthodox group, Her subject was "The Life and Teachings of Abdul Baha", Many who were somewhat antagonistic went away without asking questions, for they said their questions had been answered in the Talk, Many were attracted to the point of great interest and wishing to know more and more, Another Talk of lirs, Waite's was in the Universalist Church, where on previous occasions, Jenabe Fazel, Mrs, Brittingham and Mr, Remey have spoken, The subject here was “The New Jerusalem", The Minister of this church opened the service by reading some of the Bahai prayers, and a young lady sang as a solo “Softly His Voice Is Calling Now". At the conclusion of the Talk the Minister said that his church would always be open for Bahai speakers,

A second teaching trip to Santa Pavla was made by Mr, and Mrs, Waite when Mrs, Waite spoke on the Temple, the great Ifashrequl Azkar,

Among other Centers visited by lirs. Waite have been Santa lionica, where she has been invited to address the Theosophical Lodge several times; she also speaks once a month at Glendale and recently has spoken in Pasadena,

Pasadena: Mrs, Stuart French has recently sent us clippings from the daily papers containing articles on the Bahai Cause. She has been successful in having an article accepted every week, and she selects her contributions with great wisdom and care, giving the Truth from time to time in the Words of Abdul Baha, Thus His Creative Utterances reach thousands of people, Mrs. French is a brilliant Bahai server, who demonstrates that "capacity attracts" as the Beloved Center of the Covenant taught us, and sne serves with great wisdom and illumination, Both in her writings and her speech she serves the Cause with dignity, sincerity and sweetness,

The friends in Pasadena hold their meetings in the Recreation Room of the Vista del Arroyo Hotel. An excerpt from one of Mrs. French's letters will be of interest:

"Frequently guests of the Hotel come in to our meetings, and frequently also we hear thet they have either seen Abdul Baha in London or Paris, or have

eard him in this country, We are more than for‘unate to have so central and popular a meeting place, and the room is always a bower of flowers arranged sometimes for social festivities but sometimes placed there especially for us by a faithful Italian boy who knows. but little of the Teachings, but who seems to have caught the spirit of it all,

"After the San Francisco Convention, the young people were gathered together and a Junior Assembly wes formed by lirs, Collins,.........1t is marvellous how bright and alert these young people are, and they come each time filled with [Page 10]-10 ideas which are discussed and then the Principles applied, During the absence of Mrs, Collins, the Junior work will be carried on by'Mrs, French and Mrs, Herbst.

We hope to make an excellent showing at the end of the year, and we invite suggestions as to the best way of handling this important matter, We offered a prize for the best essay on the Principles of the Cause,......"

Glendale: Our beloved spiritual sister, Mrs, Beckett, writes that the Cause is growing very rapidly in this City, and because as she tells us ‘we are aware that Spiritual Assistance only comes by and through OBEDIENCE to the Commands . Abdul Baha said in one of His Holy Tablets that "there would be angels in America‘~and surely a few of them dwell in that City of Glendale for there is not one in the group who is not “holding to the Firm Rope” which is the Center of Life and Light and Love,

Among other California activities, Mr, Willard Hatch writes of a very successful teaching trip to the Murietta Hot Springs, where lirs, Duckett had prepared the way by interesting a numbér of people of capacity, and she called for a Bahai teacher to follow up her work,

The owner of the hotel kindly offered his parlors for meetings, and Hir, Hatch, our very illumined brother, gave a wonderful presentation of the Message to an audience composed of people from a dozen or more different nationalities, The subject at his first talk was "The Search after Truth", Mr, Hatch reported “that the whole audience seemed to be united in splendid interest and agreement,...,,There was not a dissenting voice,....The most intelligent Jewish people present were among the extremely enthusiastic who wished to know more, There was such deep interest that the guests appointed a Committee to ask for a second and third talk,"

Thus through the Divine Bestowals the Blessed Bahai Message has been heralded in its purity and beauty resulting in great happiness, Abundant fruits will surely be the result of this seed sowing for the Message will be carried far and wide by the guests assembied here from various parts of the country.

FLORIDA'S "SPRING" SEASON

St. Augustine: The item of great interest here is that the newly organized group are making real progress, Regular meetings are held at the home of Dr, and Mrs, Walter B. Guy, and the Cause is being deepened as well as widened, Mr. Howard MacNutt was the visiting teacher for the Feast of Naurooz and other well arranged meetings while enroute North, Dr. and Mrs. Guy are likewise making plans for the great big teaching program of the future when His honor, Jenabe Fazel, will visit St. Augustine during his tour of the South,

Iiiami: Mr, and Mrs, MacNutt and irs. Grundy of Brooklyn have been in and about Miami for four weeks, in which time a most intensive work was accomplished, Briefing the report of dear Mrs. Atwater, whose home is the Center in this City, the following will give us a glimpse of the activities:

Among the Addresses given by Mr. MacNutt, the most important were three Thursday public meetings at the Woman's Club Auditorium at each of which the liessage was given, Also Mrs, Grundy contributed the musical program at these meetings. Four well advertised Sunday afternoon meetings at the home of Mr, and lirs, Atwater; two meetings at a Spiritualist Church; and another brilliant Address by lir, laclutt in the Royal Palm Park before lr. Bryan's Bible Class, One of the other speakers on the same program with Mr, MacNutt was Mr, C. Lee Cook of Louisville; both of these speakers had met before having been on the same program at the Amity Convention in Washington,

Mr, MacNutt was also invited to give the Message by radio which was accomplished through one of the largest Broadcasting Stations in the South, [Page 11]-li Among other contributions to the teaching program is the work of Mr. and Mrs. Harlan F, Ober who are constantly heralding the Message and speaking on the Temple, and who have been visiting many Centers enroute West. One of their recent openings was an opportunity to broadcast a Talk on the great Mashrequl-Azkar from a Radio Station in Pittsburgh,

Mrs, Clara Sharp is spreading the Message in Texas with her usual enthusiasm and receiving confirmations which prove devotion and sincerity, She is con-~ stantly travelling from City to City, and always writes about the prepared souls she meets everywhere, While in San Antonio recently she met Mrs. Beven of Bahia, Brazil, S. A, Mrs. Sharp writes an interesting account of her visit, and her story

brings us again close to the work in South America, An excerpt from her letter follows:

" ..eIt has been a joy to hear Mrs, Bevan speak about Miss Holsapple's work in Bahia, When she told of all the sacrifices she had made, of her hard work and untiring devotion to the Cause, my heart sang praises to His Holy Name for such a messenger.......It was very lonely for her there, but she kept bravely on with her work, Mrs, Bevan says that her translations were splendid and that she served every moment,"

Mr. and Mrs, Frank Clarke have been located in Vermont for many months, and have sown the Seeds of Truth in that section, They are sincerely and faithfully serving, and so devoutly thankful for the Gift of Belief that they are arising with power to herald the WORD revealed today, They have recently been emphasizing the importance of the Word, and an excerpt from one of their letters is timely:

"Baha'u'llah teaches us to declare the Glory of GOD, and our need of Him; to realize that we are nothing and that only through GOD and His Messengers have we any hope of salvation.,.....S0, if we long to know GOD (naturally as a plant longs for water) accepting the BOUNTY in GOD'S WORD and praying to Him constantly for Guidance, that He may assist us in our work; and if we try to live according to the Divine Commands and keep our Covenant to serve the Cause of GOD; then we may develop spiritually, and, as easily as we develop physically and mentally when we follow the natural laws which govern progress upon these lower planes of human existence."

Mr. Randall is constantly striving to uphold the Divine Standard of the Revealed WORD, and in a recent letter he said:

"If the wisdom of the people were to be followed there would be no necessity for the appearance of a Manifestation, and therefore the very fact that the Creative WORD speaks a different language and establishes different standards is a proof of what the people need,...,.If we believe in the Center of the Covenant, we believe every WORD and never question It and act accordingly, but if we believe our own wisdom and our own thoughts are more important and nearer truth, we are neither steadfast nor firm, nor spiritually centered.....1I cannot see any two sides to this question and you are either on the side of GOD or you are not...,.."

"Hearken unto the Exhortations of the Unique Friend with the ear of the soul, 0 people of GOD! The WORD of GOD is like unto a tree; its planting ground must be the hearts of the people." Baha'u'llah,

"THERE IS NO REAL SEPARATION",

One of GOD'S heroines, Mrs, Eva Cooper of Muskegon, Mich., a beloved maid-servant in the Cause for many years, passed into the Kingdom of Light a few days since, One of the friends in that City, Mrs. Bagg, writes that “irs. Cooper was known for her beautiful faith and firmness") She also states “Mr, Vail was with us and assisted in the funeral service in the most heavenly manner, Indeed the strangers who came with all their prejudices, left feeling a wonderful change had

taken possession of them, He proved the great victory over the grave through the Living WORD", [Page 12]The passing of Mrs, Louise Eardley of Baltimore was very sudden and unexpected, She was the mother of Miss Beatrice Eardley of that City and Mr, &. H, Eardley now a member of the Detroit group of Bahais.

lir. Chas, Mason Remey went over from Washington to render all the assist ance he could at the funeral service, and he writes:

"The service was very impressive, The clergyman who has opened his churs several times for Bahai speakers, read the service. In addition we read the Holy lords upon Immortality which always bring to the hearers the assurance of the Life BEYONG 5.5 cess. ones

"Mrs, Eardley was a staunch and firm believer end —r of the Bahai Cause in Baltimore for twenty years and at the critical period in the growth of the Cause when firmness was most needed,.......Her great desire was to see the Baltimore . Assembly organized and this was accomplished a few days before she joined the Army of Saints in the Heavenly Kingdom,"

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WITH THE FRIENDS ABROAD

Cuba: One of our dear sisters, Mrs. Antonette Snodgrass, has recently gone to Cuba to live, and evidently first of all to be “about the Master's business" serving the Divine Food. Doors of opportunity have unexpectedly opened for her, and she has given the Message in Central Senado, Camaguey and LaGloria. One of her interesting experiences was teaching a clergyman who has worked in twenty-nine different countries; who speaks Spanish like a native, wno is fearless, a strong bril lant character and immensely attracted to the Cause, This service will surely bear the fruit of blessing in time,

India: An extract from a letter shared with us from Mr, Mi, R, Shirazi of Karachi will be of interest:

"Day by day I am glad to feel that I am nearing the time when I shall meet those brilliant stars in the firmament of the ABHA Kingdom (American Behais),.

I have read with great interest the Bulletins of the Bahai National Teaching Committee,...,and I am feeling that the time for the slow progress of the Cause has passed away and an epoch has come when the Behais will no more have time to teach individuals, They have to adopt methods by which to give the Message to the multitudes, In India there are very few workers end the demand on them is too great.

The Bahai Convention has aroused a good deal of interest in the Cause and we cannot cope with the demands from newspapers and other bodies for Bahai articles and lectures. If possible, try to train some American elderly ladies to come over to India and teach........."

From Bombay comes the news that the Bahais have themselves learned Esperanto and are teaching four hundred people this universal language, most of them college students, The Message is also given and many enter the Cause,

The Temple will be built in Bombay,

Teheran: Through Miss Elizabeth Stewart's letter to lirs, Brittingham, we learn of the safe arrival of Miss Genevive Coy in Tehcran and of her warm reception and the interesting inception of her work. Hosts of friends have been to see her in her home with Miss Stewart and Dr. l’oody, All had a most happy time when Dr, Coy met the teachers and the classes, She addressed them in a few words of Persian which gave them yet greater happiness,

Dr. Moody writes about Ghodsea's services and savs: "The blessed girl, Ghodsea, has done some wonderful things here, and incited many of the women to grasp opportunity, She has started a public wash-house, a dressmaking establishment (to try and train the people here to dress more like the Americans); a Socicty of Progress for Women, besides helping on various Committees, Really she has done a marvellous work," [Page 13]«If=

A Tablet from Abdul Baha to Ghodsea while she was in this country, contained the following Instruction: "Thou hast been away from thy country for several years and thou art living in a strange land. All are waiting in Teheran that thou mayst become a collection of perfections in America, then return to Persia, in order to teach and educate the girls, Therefore, do thou strive day and night to acquire this capacity, efficiency and worthiness,......."

Aleppo, Syria: Our dear friend and brother, Mejdiddin Chelebi Akkash ha

ent a letter replete with food for spiritual thought, We are extremely grateful for his suggestions and illuminating words, They are encouraging and refreshing. We can only quote an excerpt from the letter here, but we will try to share the letter in full with the Assemblies in America:

" .+eeBy the Appointment of Abdul Baha as the Center of the Covenant, the Unity of GOD and His Cause was pronounced,.....The Tree of Life is the Tree of the Covenant, What a mercy for this age-long suffering world on the part of the Supreme Beauty, the Ancient One......

"As we walked in ABDUL BAHA, the Dawning Point of the Sun of E1ABHA after BAHA, so, ‘He around Whom all the Names Revolve' did not choose, in His turn, that we remain after His Departure without Divine Guidance; and, following the Example of His Father, left the Chosen Branch to us by His Most Wonderful Book of Testament,

"So just as we have contemplated the reflection of the Most Great Orb in the Horizon of the Master, so we are now gazing upon the Reflection of the Glory of the Master in the Horizon ” of the Guardian of the Cause, Shoghi Effendi.....+.

"Baha'u'llah in His Book of the Covenant, calls His Center of the Covenant as ‘The Heritage for Whomh there is no equivalent’, The same is true of our Beloved Shoghi Effendi".........

"The union of the East and the “est is an accomplished fact spiritually. We have today an ideal miniature world of humanity in the Bahai world, It remains to develop this Bahai world into the larger Bahai world, It remains for us to do our best in order to hasten the arrival of the day when ‘Thou wilt see the earth changed into the Paradise of ABHA', Let us try to make the spirit into flesh,.....

Egypt: From Egypt we have a glowing letter from an American Bahai who sailed from this country the lest of January -- no other than our beloved Mrs. Collins of Pasadena, who, with her husband, has spent a month on the Nile, How happy the friends will be to hear the following good news from her:

"We are just finishing our month on the Mle, and a wonderful trip it has been -- wonderful for me because Abdul Baha has allowed me to sow seeds in His garden, May some one be allowed to water them soon", Then Mrs, Collins tells of the different types of people she has met, among others a splendid young Mohammedan with an open mind and heart to whom she gave the Message, He returned to her day after day with his questions, First he had the blue book and memorized the Principles;

hen he had the Hidden Words and Brilliant Proof, On their return to Assuan, he went to her again, reminding her of other books he would like to have and asking for the address of fahais in Cairo and luxor, Another interesting seeker was a pure Egyptian - a Copt -, He told Mrs, Collins all about their expectation of the return of Jesus, etc,, and then she gave him the Message, His interest was complete, And still another story of real LIFE is about giving the Message while standing in the holy of holies of one of the oldest temples,

We hope Mrs, Collins will be permitted to travel over the whole world for her deep spiritual conviction, her intense earnestness, her purity of purpose and her manifest sincerity and loyalty, will surely attract those who cross her path.

Japan and China: iiiss Alexander writes in her ietters that there is much prepared soil in China, so liiss Root will find some doors open for her and the pveople heartily longing for a teacher. Groups of students from China visiting in Japan for

W [Page 14]-14~ educational purposes, heard the Message, returned to their homes, and now numerous letters are coming to Miss Alexander asking for more kmowledge and literature, It

is interesting to note the expression of one of the Chinese students, who writes:

"We like peace much, and we like universal peace still more, therefore the Principles of Abdul Baha will be surely welcomed with heart and soul in Canton." The Message has been heartily received by his friends, and he wishes to translate into Chinese all the books and papers on the Cause which he receives, The blue book is already printed in Chinese, Another student from among this group has recently come to America to attend one of our large Universities and has met the group of Bahais in that Center,

Miss Alexander also writes about the extraordinary spread of Esperanto in Japan, There are groups in nearly all the higher schools of learning in Tokyo. One of the leading magazines of Tokyo publishes articles every month on the subject,

Mrs, Finch also writes interestingly of the work in Japan; of a Japanese girl who has left for this country to unite with the friends in Seattle and Portland. Mrs. Finch is teaching English in Tokyo and finds daily opportunity to spread the Message, During the summer season she travels tc various Cities, sometimes far distant places by invitation of her pupils, and in this way has had several very successful teaching tours,

Italy: Mrs. Ledyard gives us some interesting items, as she tells of the very successful efforts of Mrs. Hoagg who has been in different parts of Italy for about two years, In regard to Mrs. Hoagg's work in Rome this winter, Mrs. Ledyard writes:

"She has had a most successful winter and much has been accomplished,

She was fortunate in meeting two very efficient people who have assisted her with her translation of the Paris Talks, The work is about ready for the printer. Mrs. Hoagg has written a preface to the book to explain to the Italians the history of the Cause. I have seen nothing in any book so clear and so well done,

"A group of young men and girls -- all Italians -- are now gathered in a ¢lass, and they meet with Mrs. Hoagg every week,"

Germany: The friends will enjoy a word from our radiant Mrs. Krug, who writes: "I cannot express in words the joy that comes to our hearts to read the account of the glorious erowen of the Holy Cause in America, as well as all over the world, GOD be praised!.....,The life over here is perfectly suited to our needs, I am never lonely nor do we feel any separation from our loved ones at home,...... At the moment I am teaching a charming family of Turkish Mohammedans. Freiburg being a university ‘town, many young students come here from atl over the world, Again we feel the Master's guiding Hand in bringing us here,"

England: From Manchester comes the most Bt oekous news about the visit of Jenabe Avareh to that City, An excerpt from Mr, Hall's letter gives a glimpse of the spiritual joy which was theirs while the great teacher was with them:

"We have had a brilliant week through Jenabe Avareh having come amongst US....++.eIM various parts of the City he spoke upon the Principles of the Bahai Movement with power, calmess and penetrating eloquence, -- Dr, Lotfullah translating for him,.,....To hear him sweetly speaking and calling the people in the beautiful Unitarian Church at Altrincham (near here),....was something never to be forgotten; and to hear him in his incomparable way explaining to the large congregation in the Cross St. Chapel (Unitarian) in the center of Manchester, that ‘the Light is come'.,.set our spirits rejoicing, In schools, in our homes in various parts of the City and to groups of from a dozen to three hundred, he spoke the healing words of the Bahai Truths and always with success, not only because of his Addresses, but likewise through his never failing answers to questions,"

Mr, Hall further tells us that one of the most wonderful events of the visit was the remarkable meeting of the East end the West in beautiful accord, ar[Page 15]-15=

ranged in the manager's dining room of a large Linotype Works where two thousand people are employed, Here Jenabe Avdreh gave a marvelous taik, and through the Power of the Holy Spirit confirming him, brought work people, managers and directors all together, and all finding comfort in the Bahai Teachings, As Jenabe Avareh said "Both workmen and employers find complete satisfaction and harmony under the shade of the great Tree of Life”,

Dr. Esslemont also wrote about the wonderful time they had with Jenabe Avareh and Dr, Lotfullah in Bournemouth, England, where the revered teacher spoke in Dr, Esslemont's Sanatorium, also before the Esperantist group, and before the Christ Church Branch of the League of Nations Union,

Mrs. Louise Gregory who has been in England for some time, spent several weeks at Bournemouth where she materially assisted in the work, She then visited in Brussels, and is now settled in Luxembourg where she will remain for sometime. There will be much pioneer work to do there as it is a new field of endeavor, but because of her sincerity and faithfulness, she will attract the confirmations promised to every loyal and devoted Bahai who promulgates the Pure Teachings of today.

Miss Julia Culver whe unexpectedly spent several weeks in Switzerland -where she watered the seeds sown there on previous visits, is again in Yaris, She gives us only a glimpse of the work there, of the meetings in the Scott's lovely studio, of the numerous interesting people to whom she has given the Message, and of the greatly renewed interest on all sides, -- Mme, Dreyfus-Earney, Miss Edith Sanderson and others being in Paris serving at this time, She also tells us about Myhranguise Rabb ani, sixteen years old, youngér sister of our beloved Shoghi Effendi, and Mariam Jalal, her cousin, the daughter of Rooha Khanum, both of whom are in school in Paris and are responding wonderfully to their new environment,

"Teach, always teach, The confirmations of the Holy Spirit will descend upon those who teach constantly, Never feel fear, The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say, Never fear, You wili grow stronger and stronger," Abdul Baha,

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The following is an excerpt from the letter of Shoghi Effendi, brought to America by Jenabe Fazel:

"As to the extent of his sojourn, the details of his travel, his plans for visiting the various spiritual centers and all other matters relating to his visit, I have left them all to his own discretion, that he may, after consultation with the various Spiritual Assemblies do as he deems best and most serviceable to the interests of the Cause in that land,

"That all the friends may realize more fully the urgent and supreme necessity of Teaching the Cause in these days, that they may arise to inaugurate a more strenuous, systematized and extensive campaign of service -- these are the high aims he has set before himself and which he intends, with the unfailing haéip and whole-hearted support of every believer in America, to achieve in the immediate future. .

"May his second visit to your shores mark, in its character and results, a new and memorable era in the history of the Cause in that great country:”

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BAHAI NATIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE

By Mariam Haney, Secretary,

1302 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D, C,