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STAR OF THE WEST
PUBLISHED NINETEEN TIMES A YEAR
In the Interest of the BAHAI MOVEMENT
By the BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, 515 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
Publishers: ALBERT R. WINDUST—GERTRUDE BUIKEMA—DR. ZIA M. BAGDADI
Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the postoffice at Chicago, Ill., under the Act of March 3, 1879.
TERMS: $3.00 per year; 20 cents per copy.
Two copies to same name and address, $5.00 per year.
Make Money Orders Payable to BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, P. O. Box 283, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
To personal checks please add sufficient to cover the bank exchange.
Address all communications to BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, P. O. Box 283, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
"Great importance must be given to the development of the STAR OF THE WEST. The circle of its discussion must be widened; in its columns must be published the essential problems pertaining to the Bahai life in all its phases. Its contents must be so universal that even the strangers may subscribe to it. Articles must be published, dealing with the universal principles of the Cause, the writers proving that this Cause takes a vital interest in all the social and religious movements of the age and is conducive to the progress of the world and its inhabitants. In short, the STAR OF THE WEST must promote the aspirations and the ideals that will gather little by little around these general Tablets, bringing into the light of day all the historical, religious and racial knowledge which will be of the utmost value to the Bahai teachers all over the world."
Vol. 12 CONTENTS No. 16
| PAGE | |
| "I am with you always " Words of ABDUL-BAHA. |
250 |
| "Now is the Separation, O longing ones!" Words of BAHA 'ULLAH. |
251 |
| Words of Abdul-Baha to Early American Bahais | 251 |
| " The Master and his whole family narrowly escaped crucifixion" Letter from MAJOR W. TUDOR-POLE |
252 |
| Cablegram from Teheran | 253 |
| PERSIAN SECTION—Written by Dr. Zia M. Bagdadi | 256, 255 |
HIS HOLINESS ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Photograph taken in San Francisco in 1912
"I am with you always"
Words of ABDUL-BAHA.
I say unto you that anyone who will rise up in the Cause of God at this time shall be filled with the Spirit of God, and that He will send His hosts from heaven to help you and that nothing shall be impossible to you if you have faith. And now I give you a commandment which shall be for a covenant between you and me—that ye have faith; that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end; even should ye hear that your Lord has been crucified, be not shaken in your faith; for I am with you always, whether living or dead, I am with you to the end. As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the standard—this is the standard—this is the standard.
STAR OF THE WEST
"We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations; that all nations shall become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men shall be strengthened, that diversity of religion shall cease and differences of race be annulled. So it shall be; these fruitless strifes; these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the 'Most Great Peace' shall come."—BAHA 'ULLAH.
Vol. 12 Sharaf 1, 77 (December 31, 1921) No. 16
"Now is the separation, O longing ones!"
WORDS OF BAHA 'ULLAH!
Chanted in commemoration of the Ascension of His Holiness ABDUL-BAHA.
He Is God!
The nightingale of separation (perching) on the branch of the horizon (of the word) is warbling (saying): Verily, this is a separation, O longing ones!
The bird of fidelity is singing from the tree of eternity, saying: Now is the separation, O longing ones!
The dove of parting is cooing from the Sadrat of separation, saying: O longing ones, the separation has come!
Say: Verily, the time of union is over and the separation has come through Divine decree; and this is a separation, O longing ones!
The tears are flowing from the eyes of the people of eternity from among the Supreme Concourse on account of this separation, O longing ones!
The breeze of joy has ceased to blow from the garden of Light on account of this separation, O longing ones!
By God, Verily, the faces of those that are occupying high balconies have turned pale on account of this separation, O longing ones!
The joy of life of everything between the heaven and the earth has changed on account of this separation, O longing ones!
The houries tinged their eyes with tears of blood, when they heard the announcement of this separation. O longing ones!—and they will not adorn themselves with the robes of eternity when they hear the announcement of this separation, O longing ones!
Verily, this is a sorrow with which no sorrow in the kingdom of spirituality can be compared, for the breezes of separation have blown, O longing ones!
Words of Abdul-Baha to Early American Bahais.
Farewell Words to the First Party of American Pilgrims, Acca, 1898, From "An Early Pilgrimage."
ABDUL-BAHA turned suddenly to us, and raising his voice in a tone so poignant that it pierced every heart, he stretched his hands above us and said: "Now the time has come when we must part, but the separation is only of our bodies, in spirit we are united. Ye are the lights which shall be diffused; ye are the waves of that sea which shall spread and overflow the world. Each wave is precious to me and my nostrils shall be gladdened by your fragrance. Another commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another even as I love you. Great mercy and blessings are promised to the people of your land, but
(Continued on page 254)
STAR OF THE WEST
TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA
O thou STAR OF THE WEST!
Be thou happy! Be thou happy! Shouldst thou continue to remain firm and eternal, ere long, thou shalt become the Star of the East and shalt spread in every country and clime. Thou art the first paper of the Bahais which is organized in the country of America. Although for the present thy subscribers are limited, thy form is small and thy voice weak, yet shouldst thou stand unshakable, become the object of the attention of the friends and the center of the generosity of the leaders of the faith who are firm in the Covenant, in the future thy subscribers will become hosts after hosts like unto the waves of the sea; thy volume will increase, thy arena will become vast and spacious and thy voice and fame will be raised and become world-wide—and at last thou shalt become the first paper of the world of humanity. Yet all these depend upon firmness firmness, firmness!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA
O ye apostles of BAHA 'ULLAH—May my life be a ransom to you!
. . . . Similarly, the Magazine, the STAR OF THE WEST, must be edited in the utmost regularity, but its contents must be the promulgator of the Cause of God—so that both in the East and the West, they may become informed with the most important events.
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Editorial Staff: ALBERT R. WINDUST—GERTRUDE BUIKEMA—DR. ZIA M. BAGDADI Honorary Member: MIRZA AHMAD SOHRAB
Vol. 12 Sharaf 1, 77 (December 31, 1921) No. 16
"The Master and his whole family narrowly escaped crucifixion"
Letter from Major W. Tudor-Pole.
London, England,
December 2, 1921.
To the STAR OF THE WEST:
We have not cabled to you this week in any official way, as the news from Haifa will have reached you direct by cable as soon as it came here, and our hands have been pretty full in doing all in our power to make the arrangements which are referred to in the enclosed memorandum.
The writer, on behalf of the English friends, and on his own behalf, would like to join with the American friends in prayer and praise for a great and noble life wonderfully lived and finally crowned by a peaceful passing into the Wider Realms. Probably there is no one who knows so well as the present writer that the Master and his whole family narrowly escaped crucifixion on the Mount of Carmel two days before we entered Haifa in August, 1918. This tragic event was only frustrated by the unexpectedly swift advance of Allenby's troops, which forced the Turkish authorities out of Haifa before they even had time to carry out their terrible threat, or to take the Master and his family with them into the hills as hostages. Knowing all the facts at first hand, I can join with the friends throughout the world in thanksgiving that the last few years of the Master's life were spent in comparative peace and tranquillity, and that his passing over was not marred by any tragic or untoward events.
Shoughi Rabbani and his sister will be returning to Haifa towards the end of the present month, and they will be accompanied by Lady Blomfield, and by Ziaoullah Asgarzade.
We have not yet received any further details from Haifa beyond the first cablegram, dated 3 p. m., 11/28/21, as follows: "HIS HOLINESS ABDUL-BAHA ASCENDED TO ABHA KINGDOM. INFORM FRIENDS. (Signed) GREATEST HOLY LEAF," but we expect further news hourly and daily, and shall be only too glad to share with you all that is received.
Although it is perhaps early days to discuss the matter, I anticipate that the
American friends will be considering the production of a Memoir, and if the present writer, or any of the other friends in London who have recently been in the East, can be of service in helping you with the material for this volume, we shall be pleased. We are, of course, not satisfied with the references that have been made in the Times, Morning Post,
--PHOTOGRAPH--
12.5:21 - 9.30 A.M.
FORM 59 31951
CABLEGRAM PACIFIC THE COMMERCIAL CABLE COMPANY ATLANTIC
NO. ___ TIME ___ CHECK ___ VIA ____Dec. 4__ 1921
Send the following Cablegram "VIA COMMERCIAL" conditions printed on the back subject to the terms and hereof, which are agreed to.
AI3 FL3226
TEHERAN 19
BAHAI ASSEMBLIES, WILHELMITE, NYK.
LIGHT OF COVENANT TRANSFERRED FROM EYE TO HEART. DAY OF TEACHING, UNITY. SELF SACRIFICE.
ROUHANI (House of Spirituality)
Fac-simile of cablegram from Persian to American Bahais.
Daily Mail, and other papers to the
event, but we have done the best we
could, and so far as the New York World
was concerned, writer saw their representative
here late last night, and he
hopes that the cable that was sent out
to New York was of an accurate and
satisfactory character.
The pressure here is so great that at the moment we cannot enter into further details, much as we should like to do so—this is simply a note to assure the American friends that we are one with them in profound sympathy, as is indeed the case with friends throughout the world.
Yours in faith and friendship,
W. Tudor-Pole.
MEMORANDUM
November 29, 1921.
The Master, Abdul-Baha Abbas (H. E. Sir Abbas al Bahai) passed peacefully
to the Wider Life at Haifa early yesterday morning. The following steps have been taken from this office today:
Friends in England have been advised by telephone or telegram. Mr. Frederick Leveaux of Alexandria has been asked by cable to proceed to Haifa and render all possible help to the family and friends on behalf of the British and American friends.
The Colonial Office has been requested to instruct the High Commissioner at Jerusalem to arrange for official British
representation at the funeral, and to make all possible arrangements needed by the family and friends at Haifa and Acca.
Sir Wyndham Geedes, First Secretary to the High Commissioner, Palestine, has been cabled privately to the same effect. Mr. Shoughi Rabbani, Abdul-Baha's grandson now in England is returning to Haifa immediately.
The Times obituary notice has been arranged and every effort is being made to prevent inaccuracies or misstatements appearing, in this or any other newspaper.
If the friends in England would wish any other steps taken at this juncture will they communicate with the undersigned, who joins with them in human sorrow for the beloved departed, but who rejoices to know that a peaceful passing has crowned the life of one of the Great Spiritual Sons of Humanity.
W. Tudor-Pole.
Words of Abdul-Baha to Early American Bahais.
(Continued from page 251)
on one condition; that their hearts be filled with the fire of love, that they live in perfect kindness and harmony like one soul in different bodies, like one soul in different bodies. If they fail in this condition the great blessings will be deferred. Never forget this; look at one another with the eye of perfection; look at me, follow me, be as I am; take no thought for yourselves or your lives, whether ye eat or whether ye sleep, whether ye are comfortable, whether ye are well or ill, whether ye are with friends or foes, whether ye receive praise or blame; for all of these things ye must care not at all. Look at me and be as I am; ye must die to yourselves and to the world, so shall ye be born again and enter the kingdom of heaven. Behold a candle how it gives light. It weeps its life away drop by drop in order to give forth its flame of light. . . . The time has come when we must part, but the separation is only of our bodies; in spirit we are united forever."
From Utterances of ABDUL-BAHA to Pilgrims in 1905:
"If you should receive news in America that I have been thrown into the sea or carried away to an unknown place, if you should receive word that I have been tortured and killed—change not, grieve not; nay, rather, be more firm, be more rejoiced, and let your steadfastness grow and increase. For our meeting-place is the Kingdom of God. There shall we meet. I am always in great danger. Perhaps in an hour a telegram may come and everything here be changed. Therefore, hold fast to the Cause of God; be firm, whether I am in this world or not. Wherever I may be—here or in the next world—I will always ask assistance for you."
Extract from a Tablet from ABDUL-BAHA dated December 30, 1905:
"If thou question regarding the trials and difficulties of Abdul-Baha—that is a sea boundless, full of storms and surging. But Abdul-Baha is in perfect peace and composure and in complete joy and happiness and tranquillity; nay, it is for him a ready banquet and an adorned feast. I hope that at the end of this feast and banquet the overflowing chalice of martyrdom will come around to him, and then will he be intoxicated by that wine.
"But as to you. You must not look at the catastrophes of Abdul-Baha. Consider power and strength, and withstand the world for the sake of the love of Abdul-Baha. Bear the persecution of the enemies and the blame of those who oppose. Under all conditions My soul and My life shall abide with you in this world as well as the world above."
--PERSIAN TEXT--
--PERSIAN TEXT--
