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| VOL. 21 | NOVEMBER, 1930 | NO. 8 |
| Page | |
Editorial, Stanwood Cobb | 227 |
The First Feminist Martyr, Zeine Nour-ud-dine Zeine | 230 |
Old as the Hills, Cora E. Gray | 234 |
A Pilgrimage Through Persia, Martha L. Root | 235 |
Some Aspects of Modern Science, Glenn A. Shook | 241 |
Consultation and Discussion, E. B. M. Dewing | 246 |
Consultation Is An Art, Doris Holley | 252 |
A Universal Language—Which? A. Evelyn Baxter | 254 |
| Cover Design by VICTORIA BIDIKIAN | |
STANWOOD COBB | Editor |
MARIAM HANEY | Associate Editor |
MARGARET B. MCDANIEL | Business Manager |
Subscriptions: $3.00 per year; 25 cents a copy. Two copies to same name and address, $5.00 per year. Please send change of address by the middle of the month and be sure to send OLD as well as NEW address. Kindly send all communications and make postoffice orders and checks payable to The Baha'i Magazine, 1112 Shoreham Bldg., Washington, D. C., U. S. A. Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the postoffice at Washington, D. C., under the Act of March 3, 1897. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103 Act of October 3, 1917, authorized September 1, 1922.
--PHOTO--
The American University of Beirut has become one of the greatest centers in the college education of the Bahái youth of the world. No other college at the present time has a group of Bahá’i students equal in size to this. The religious attitude of the college authorities is very liberal, and the Bahá’i students are given the same opportunity to practice their religion and hold their religious meetings as all other religions and denominations. It is significant to see these young women without the veil.
| VOL. 21 | NOVEMBER, 1930 | NO. 8 |
progress which emanate from the forefront of advancement of the world of humanity. . . . One is the influence of civilization. . . . The other is the divine influence.”
THERE ARE TWO kinds of organization which characterize human affairs. One, the result of conflict of human wills, energies, and intelligences finally resulting in a political and economic empire which has the power of functioning perhaps for centuries and regulating the affairs of all humans under its sway. Of such was the Roman empire, the most striking example in antiquity, a stupendous organization which for some centuries assured the peace of the known world and the stability of a universal civilization. Of such also are the modern empires which at the opening of the twentieth century bid fair to rule the world by gentleman’s agreement.
The second form of organization is that which expresses an inner truth, intrinsic, essential to the soul of man. This truth we call spiritual. It is in fact, however, as much pertaining to the secular as to the spiritual world, for it is simple Truth, and Truth in its essential unity is unique and one. When mankind become enrolled under the banner of this essential Truth, a wonderful organization takes place which is an expression of the spiritual
qualities of man—those qualities which we may call the higher and truer qualities: loyalty, obedience, brotherhood, kindness, charity, justice, patience, industry, perseverance, serviceableness, and subordination of self to the need of the group.
AT THE VERY time when the Roman
empire was at its height and
the legions of Caesar shook with
their colossal tread all the lands that
fringed the Mediterranean, there
was a humble carpenter, of a subject
race held somewhat in contempt
by the Romans, who gathering a
few simple-minded disciples about
Him launched a movement which
was destined to produce for mankind
a spiritual organization. To
the secular-minded Romans this
stupendous event was no event at
all. It remained unnoticed, unrecorded
in their chronicles. Nevertheless
the organization founded by
Christ was to wax in proportion as
the organization founded by Caesar
was to wane. And when the time
came that the will of the Caesars
was no longer efficacious in controlling
the world and the huge colossus
of the Roman empire was falling to
ruin before extraneous attacks, nevertheless within this rotten shell was sprouting a new germ which was to overshadow all of Europe with the blessings of its verdure and its fruits. The Pax Romana came to a tragic end, but the Pax Christiana effectively grew until it sheltered three continents with its power.
Again in the Seventh century arose in Asia the spiritual force of Islam which was able to organize warring desert tribes into a force which united under one empire and one civilization diverse peoples, tongues and races from India to Gibraltar. Within these districts so long the prey of petty warfare, peace and prosperity flourished as never before.
TODAY WE HAVE the spectacle of
humanity struggling to form an organization
of the first-named type—a
great League of Nations in
which the diverse wills, needs, desires,
emotions, of fifty-two countries
are expected to be so balanced
as to guarantee perpetual peace.
While this praiseworthy effort is going on in Geneva, from Haifa is radiating an influence of quite another nature seeking to build world peace and brotherhood upon the expression of the innately spiritual and noble qualities of man. Which of these two movements will predominate in world affairs? The one has all of pomp and circumstance to render glory and prestige. The other movement is working quietly and humbly in the hearts of individuals, unheralded by newspapers and by politicians. Already the foundation of that noble political structure conceived as the League
of Nations is threatening to crumble before the emotional outbursts of a neurotic and war-crazed Europe. All American newspaper correspondents agree in testifying to the war psychology which now pervades the Old World and the imminent danger of a new world war. They assert that the League of Nations and the Briand-Kellogg peace pact are today the least important factors constituting international politics.
Tragic fact! The Structure upon which the League of Nations was founded, ideals noble and perfect in theory now seems to be but a futile display in the midst of the electric storms which rage throughout Europe.
Was not this exactly what ’Abdu’l-Bahá announced—that human and political efforts toward world peace would be unavailing for the very reason, He pointed out, as events are now proving, that the human will cannot so regulate itself in the midst of the play of volcanic human emotions. “According to the divine teachings the banner of Universal Peace must be raised by the Power of the Word of God. The oneness of humanity must be established by the Power of the Holy Spirit. No matter how the politicians strive, their efforts cannot bring peace. Unaided human power is of no avail.“*
UNFORTUNATELY humanity cannot lift itself up by its own bootstraps. In other words, human nature being what it is (as pessimists so often take pleasure in pointing out) strife and conflict will go on inevitably. But the very nature and essence of religion is to change and sublimate
* Teachings of 'Abdu’l-Baha.
human nature. Only by such change and sublimation can the causes of war be eliminated or controlled. “The world of humanity cannot be saved from the darkness of nature, and cannot attain illumination, except through the abandonment of prejudices and the acquisition of the morals of the Kingdom.”*
The impulse to unity, to peace, must come from within the heart of man both individually and collectively. Individuals must value the welfare of others as highly as their own; so, too, must nations deal with other nations in terms of the Golden Rule. Only where this good will is actually being expressed collectively by humanity is universal peace possible; and such a spirit of unity and brotherhood is possible only through a spiritual power impregnating and revivifying the hearts of men.
THE PRESENT SPECTACLE of nations
that have just missed annihilation
in the last war again facing each
other with hatred and malevolence
which cannot help but produce
another conflict,—this spectacle is
one of the most tragic that human
nature has to offer. How often has
man’s passion-nature driven him
into a course of action which his intelligence
could show him was
suicide. And yet he could not stop!
The spirit of conflict and aggression is like a trail of gunpowder which, if once fired, blazes to a catastrophic end. Such is human nature in its present state of evolution upon this planet. For this reason it becomes apparent that no politico-economic system can hold in balance the desires, needs, passions, of humanity in such a way as to guarantee peace and security of civilization.
But while the efficacy of secular peace movements is waning and their futility is becoming apparent, the power of the spiritual is daily gaining. All over the world men and women are turning to that horizon illumined by the Glory of God in this Day; and a living miracle takes place, that races which have existed in eternal hatred of each other have now become brothers in fact. The Bahá’i brotherhood is a potency capable indeed of one day achieving world unity and peace, for in it is that same Power which created the fair peace of India under Buddha, the glories of Christianity, the majesty of a virile Islam. But today for the first time religion, unified in expression as well as in truth, is destined to penetrate the whole world and to lead all nations and races under the banner of universal peace and brotherhood in the name of Baha’u’lláh. “Peace be unto those who follow guidance.”
“Today no power save the great power of the Word of God, which comprehends the realities of things, can gather together under the shade of the same tree, the minds and hearts of the world of humanity. It is the motive-power of all things; it is the mover of souls and the controller and governor of the human world.”
Mr. Zeine, the author of this valuable article, is a graduate of the American University of Beirut and is now a teacher of sociology in that splendid institution. He has a remarkable background. His grandfather, Jinabi Ziene, left Persia and followed Bahá’u’lláh first to Baghdád and later to ’Akká where he spent the rest of his life as one of His amanuenses, so the family first lived in ’Akká and later in Haifa. We are fortunate to have for the Bahá’i Magazine the accurate material which Mr. Zeine has sent us—a picturesque and dramatic account of the tragic story of Qurratu'l-’Ayn, the far-famed Persian Feminist and Poetess, the first woman martyr for the freedom of women.
YOU can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women”, so said the Persian feminist and poetess Quarratu’l-’Ayn, when she was imprisoned in 1850.
Born from a noble family, her keen and sagacious intelligence and her fervid eloquence very soon filled all those who came in contact with her, with awe and admiration. Awe, because in her controversies with the most learned men, she was ever triumphant. Admiration, because in a time when most of her country women could not read or write, she displayed such marvelous powers of learning and speech.
Her beauty matched her elocution. But it was a grand, a commanding, a majestic beauty. On one occasion, it is so related, when she was delivered up to the government authorities, she was brought before the Shah, who, on seeing her, said: “I like her looks; leave her and let her be”. On another occasion, the festivities and rejoicing of a wedding were going on in the house of one of the Persian nobles. When Qurratu’l-’Ayn came in the ladies of the court and other distinguished guests who were present were so much attracted by the charm of her looks and
so greatly impressed by the beauty of her speech that, “forgetting the festivities, they gathered round her, diverted, by listening to her words, from listening to the melodies, and rendered indifferent, by witnessing her marvels, to the comtemplation of the pleasant and novel sights which are incident to a wedding”.
IT MEANS VERY little to say that
Quarratu’l-’Ayn was in advance of
her age, unless one says also what
that age was. Persia, nay the East
in general, was in a deplorable
state. Ignorance and superstitions
prevailed; intolerance and bigotry
waxed high. Education was neglected.
The rights of women were
slighted. Such were some of the
conditions during that age. Filled
with a passionate desire to change
all that situation she raised her
voice against it, discussed and debated
with doctors and sages, and
addressed the meetings of the most
eminent men. At the beginning
she used to carry on her discussions
and talks from behind a curtain,
but later she threw aside her veil,
thus adding the power of her looks
to the potency of her words.
To lay aside the veil and speak in public, at a time when “women were secluded in harems and had to be closely veiled if they appeared
in public places”, when it was considered impolite for them to speak to men, needed a heroic courage. The very ideas she propounded endangered her life. Yet her courage never failed her and her heart never recoiled from the oppressions and persecutions that she received at the hand of her enemies. By day and night, and accompanied by a few women who had become inspired by her noble ideas, she traveled in Persia from city to city, pleading with men and women everywhere to abandon their prejudices and superstitions and love truth; to put aside hatreds and jealousies and live in harmony and good will with each other. She championed the cause of education of both sexes and fought for the freedom and rights of her kind. Her fame now spread far and wide so that “most people who were scholars or mystics sought to hear her speech and were eager to become acquainted with her powers of speculation and deduction.”
Finally, the clergy were alarmed: her vehement and tumultuous ideas confounded them, and her courage and steadfastness in spreading those ideas filled them with apprehension. The people were aroused to molest her, and eventually, she was delivered up to the government authorities. It was then that she pronounced those heroic words with which this account begins. She was imprisoned for two years. Then in August, 1852, a disastrous attempt was made on the Shah’s life. Many people were arrested, horribly tortured and condemned to death. And she was one of the innocent victims of that fatal day.
QURRATU’L-’AYN met a very painful and lingering death. The story of her execution is a very tragic one. She was delivered over to one of the military authorities—a Sardar—who was made responsible for her execution. In Tihran “she was placed in the house of the Kalantar, a town official who was made responsible for her custody”.
“‘Three days’ (the Kalantar’s wife related) ‘our beloved guest stayed in her room chanting prayers—eating little and seldom. On the morning of the third day she said to me: “Tonight, they will come for me”. She gave to me a bottle of attar of roses, a ring, and a handkerchief—her only possessions—all she had left of her former riches.’”*
Another account has it that Qurratu’l-’Ayn had put on a snow-white robe of pure silk before her execution. When asked by her guardian, early in the evening, why she had changed her dress, “I will be going on a long journey tonight,” she had answered. And so by dint of feminine intuition, she had known the time of her death. As the leaden-footed hours of the night were passing one by one and the silence of nature grew deeper, the beginning of that journey was drawing nigh. “Chanting prayers, she waited, waited, prepared and ready for what she knew would come!”*
And that evening they came.
It was the fifteenth of September, 1852. The lights of the city of Tihrán were going out one by one. People were sleeping. The richly colored domes and minarets of the
* From unpublished notes, with permission of Lady Blomfield.
Capital shone pale in the light of the moon. A sad moonlight was shining through the window of the room where the beautiful Qurratu’l-’Ayn was confined. It was a room in the garden of the Sardar near the gates of the city, to which she had been brought that same evening. The stars were so pale! And the night was so still, so silent, as if the whole creation was watching breathlessly in dreadful expectation of a bitter and heartrending tragedy.
At about midnight, for the first time, the tranquil silence was broken by the sounds of some footsteps. Presently a key turned in the lock, the door opened slowly, and a handsome young Turk entered the room of Qurratu’l-’Ayn. He held a silken handkerchief in his hand. She, sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, was praying. As he moved towards her, she suddenly raised her head, threw at him one of her piercing glances and said in a clear and dignified voice: “Young man, it becomes you not to be my executioner, and to perform such a crime”. Horror stricken by those words, the young Turk refused to touch her, turned back, and ran out of the door “like a madman”. It is said that he dashed into the room where his master, the Sardar, was awaiting him, flung at his feet the fatal handkerchief and the money he had received as a bribe, and said: “I am ready to kill myself and not shoulder the responsibility of this woman’s death”.
A few moments later, another person entered the room of the prisoner. He was a heavy set, coarse, ugly looking man. And he
was drunk. He held the same handkerchief in his hand. Qurratu’l-’Ayn had finished her prayers, but she was still sitting on the floor. As his looks fell upon her, his wolfish eyes flashed with ferocity born half of intoxication and half of his own beast-like nature. Without a moment’s hesitation, he threw himself upon the unfortunate young woman and accomplished his dark deed—he strangled her with the handkerchief. There were still signs of life in her when he drew her out of the room. Here he met others who were sent to help him in the accomplishment of the Sardar’s fiendish scheme. They dragged her to the rim of a dry well and threw her into it. Immediately the well was filled up with large and heavy stones. It was midnight.
The moon had now sunk behind the snow-clad Elburz mountains. The shadows of the domes and the minarets grew deeper and blacker. Darkness enveloped the city of Tihrán. There was not any light save the pale glimmering of the lonely stars. As the men were returning from the well, something fluttered on a rosebush near by. Apparently a nightingale disturbed in her sleep. At the same time a loud shrill sound of a cock pierced the appalling silence of the night. Also a wind was growing, “a wind that laid a cold finger upon flesh and spirit.” And the leaves that laid without a sound on the trees began to whisper again. It seemed that the creation was beginning to breathe once more; but there was something in that breath that resembled a deep sigh, like the sigh that is drawn by the audience when the curtain falls on the last act of a
mournful tragedy. And we can, with a profound certainty, say that the silent stars, that night, looked down upon one of the most ferocious and cruel acts of man.
Thus ended the life of one who “like a lily of the desert growing amongst ruins, gave flowers and perfumes to surrounding moral devastation”. Why? Because she believed, she believed in the Great New Message of the Báb; and because she, fearlessly, unwaveringly, enthusiastically, delivered that Message to the people of her country. “The Báb said of her: ‘Lo! she answered My call, even before I had called her.’” She believed that that Call was the Truth.
The story of her conversion is in itself a testimony to her keen spiritual sense and deep receptiveness to truth. “One never-to-be-forgotten day,” writes Lady Blomfield,* “she (Qurratu’l-’Ayn) was turning some books and papers in the library of a more enlightened cousin, when she found a little leaflet, the first words attracted her attention, she read on and on, she became more and more interested—then thrilled and excited!
“‘Who wrote this?’ She cried to her cousin who came in.
“‘What have you there? What has happened? Why are you so agitated?’
“‘But you must tell me who wrote this’. She showed the leaflet to him. Then it was his turn to be agitated.
“‘You have found that, where? Oh, I cannot tell you about it, you should never have seen it!’ It is a very secret matter! It should have
* From unpublished notes, with permission of Lady Blomfield.
been securely and carefully concealed.’
“‘Now that I have seen it’, and her voice shook with excitement, ‘you must tell me about it, my cousin.’
“He still hesitated, but at last, yielding to her enthusiasm, he said: ‘It is written by Sheikh Seyid Kasim—keep it a secret, closely guarded—the risk of a terrible danger would attend its discovery!’
“‘So this wonderful pamphlet is by Sheikh Kasim Rashti and Sheikh Ahmad Ahsai? And this is what they teach their disciples? But it is the Truth, every shining word of it . . . ’”
And once the fire of that Truth kindled her soul, her faith became dynamic. From the moment when she believed the Truth until the hour of her martyrdom, she followed the demand of the venerated Sheikhi teacher, Sheikh Qasim Rashti,: “then let all the world know”. No wonder then if E. G. Browne wrote “Had the Babi (Bahai) religion no other claim to greatness, this were sufficient that it produced a heroine like Qurratu’l-`Ayn“.
More than seventy years ago, Qurratu’l-’Ayn, throwing back her veil, told her countrymen: “Why do you sleep? Awake from your beds of negligence. The sun hath arisen from the day-spring of pre-existence. Why do you drown yourselves in the sea of materialism? Behold the resplendent light! Listen to the songs of the New Age. A new life is breathed into all existing things. The zephyrs of the divine favor are wafting upon you”.
DOES NOT THE world need that message today when the moral life of the people everywhere is becoming loose, when ancient customs and cherished beliefs are disintegrating, when the economic forces are threatening disaster, when the threads of political relations are sorely strained and tangled?
Let the politicians in their offices of State, and the leaders of religion in their houses of worship and the teachers of youth in their educational
institutions—who are all in a great measure responsible for the establishment of Peace and Order in the world—let them turn their gaze to the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh and see for themselves if it is not therein that lies “a supreme instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace, and the one agency for the unification of the world, and the proclamation of the reign of righteousness and justice upon the earth”.
ANOTHER GREEN Acre season has closed and memories crowd upon me—the low spot on the path where the cold evening mists always greeted us, the old Inn, the river, the happy faces of the friends. Vivid pictures remain etched on my heart, a woman who came in tears, her fortune suddenly gone, her husband snatched away by death, her family miles away, alone, so terribly alone; the dawning in her sad face of the first faint promise of peace; her wistful smile in answer to offered friendship and at last new courage, new plans, a life caught up out of the blackness of despair and given a vision of happiness through service—the miracle of re-creation through the Master’s touch. A young Jewish girl, bringing to Green Acre a sister who needed the out-of-doors, coming an atheist and going away in the company of “Him of Whom Moses and the prophets did write”, Whose “sign” is His power to transform human lives.
Such is Green Acre. The method? Old as the hills—the presence of God mirrored first in the lives of human friends, until the broken reflections are lost in the complete picture and the Master is real! The miracle comes often in this place. Here His eyes saw the sunset reflected in “The River of Light”. His feet have trod these paths. These pines have given Him of their fragrance. Here the sunlight wove a golden carpet for His use. Here those who love Him gather for rest and refreshment and talk of Him with happy voices and faces made radiant by His presence. Hither each brings his tiny candle to illumine, if may be, the path we strive to follow in the footsteps of the Master.
And now we go again, the newly born with eyes still misty in the unaccustomed splendor, with feet faltering a bit on the new path but with faces alight in confidence and trust. To the four winds go souls with renewed courage, with clearer vision, with readier sympathy, with deeper love and truer devotion to our Lord. Such is Green Acre, “the Green Acca of America”.
This is the fifth and concluding article of the series by Miss Root describing her experiences in Persia. Beginning in the July number and continuing monthly, the articles have been widely and favorably commented upon, and have interested both Bahá'is and non Bahá’is. They have often been referred to as the best contributions from the pen of this distinguished Bahá’i teacher and author.
AS Persia is the foremost Bahá’i nation both chronologically and in point of numbers, it will be of great interest to describe the administration of the Bahá’i work in this country because of the number of years in which the Movement has been developing there. The application of the principles of Bahá’u’lláh in the daily life is now being practiced to a remarkable extent.
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY:
First and foremost in speaking of
the work in Tihrán is to explain
about this group of nine, elected
each year. Until the present time
the Tihrán Spiritual Assembly has
acted as National Spiritual Assembly,
looking after the Bahá’i work
of the whole country. This year or
next, probably this will be changed
and a National Spiritual Assembly
will be established. It has not been
possible to do this earlier, to gather
and publish the lists and statistics,
because of the many prejudices existing
in the country. Never have
I seen a group of men work more
indefatigably than does this group
of nine in Tihrán. They meet in
sessions from four to five hours
long, three times a week. Many
other meetings must necessarily be
called, too, when telegrams from
other cities show that Bahá’is are in
difliculties. On fete days—and they
are numerous in Persia—this committee spends the entire day straightening out the affairs of the Cause. Hundreds of letters are received from all parts of Persia and advice must be sent. The work in Tihrán itself is colossal, for all the work in all the committees must first be presented to this National Spiritual Assembly, and all questions and information about these matters must be discussed and voted upon. No committee does anything without the consent of the National Spiritual Assembly.
This National Spiritual Assembly also gives a great deal of attention to the two large Bahá’i Tarbiat Schools, one for boys and the other for girls, and these institutions rank very high in character, in morals, and in scholarship. Of the eighty students sent by the Persian Government to Europe to study this year, twelve were Bahá’is; they won through sheer scholarship and notwithstanding the fact that they were Bahá’is. One examiner said: “I am against your religion, but I must say that the Bahá’i youth are well trained.”
Each year, too, this National Spiritual Assembly arranges a national convention where different subjects are discussed. This congress continues for twelve days, with two sessions each day, these
meetings being of four or five hours’ duration. For example, topics like the following may be chosen: What to do in order openly and officially to declare the Baha’i Cause as a new religion? How best to facilitate intermarriage among the Jews, Zoroastrians and Muhammadans who have become Bahá’is? What must we do to promote the education of Bahá’i children in all villages? This convention is held at the Ridván the last of April, for in this springtime the Government offices are closed in the afternoon and thus there is a little more leisure time for the majority.
When these questions are decided upon they are sent to the seventeen different Bahá’i districts, for it should be explained that the Bahá’is of Persia are arranged in seventeen great sections of the country, each section having a Central Spiritual Assembly for that area which may include one hundred or two hundred local Spiritual Assemblies. These questions are relayed on from the seventeen points to all local assemblies. Then the seventeen Central Spiritual Assemblies hold seventeen earlier Bahá’i conventions each in his province, where these questions are duly discussed and each of the seventeen conventions elects one delegate to come to represent them at the National Convention in Tihrán at the Ridván time. After the National Convention in Tihrán, this National Spiritual Assembly in Tihrán must collect all the data and discussions on these questions, decide upon them and put them into action.
There are many committees for men. They are as follows:
I. Men's Arrangements Committee,
which plans many hundreds of meetings all over the city. Every night in different sections meetings are held, for one hundred or perhaps two hundred persons, because so far in Tihrán it has not been possible to have a large Bahá’i gathering very often. It has seemed more wise to keep the gatherings smaller until Persia is a little more advanced in freedom of religious thought and conscience.
II. Charity Committee, and this really means the Finance Committee. Every Bahá’i gives money each month for the expenses of the Cause in Tihrán, and this Finance Committee spends this money for the schools, for progress of the Cause, for sending nineteen Bahá’i teachers throughout the country, and for the poor and sick. A subcommittee of this group buys food and fuel in the summer months when they are cheaper, stores them and then in winter gives them out to the poor. All the Bahá’i poor and sick are looked after, their wants are investigated, and in difficult times many persons are helped irrespective of religion or nationality. Every call for help in Persia has found a response from Bahá’is.
III. Huquq is managed by one man who is specially appointed for this work. Every Bahá’i in Persia without exception gives his Huquq each year; this gift is never asked for, it is always brought with happy free will. Many persons in Persia who are most sincere Bahá’is but outwardly cannot declare their faith, send their Huquq secretly just as they also send money to the Charity Committee. Perhaps I should explain exactly what Huquq means. At the end of each year
when a Bahá’i makes up his accounts and sees how much he has been able to save in this period he gives nineteen per cent of this income in a lump sum as his Huquq. Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas says regarding Huquq:
“Whosoever possesseth an hundred mithgals of gold, nineteen mithgals thereof shall be dedicated to God, the Lord Who hath power to rend the earth and the heaven. Beware, O people, lest ye deprive yourselves of this great bounty. Verily, We laid this Command upon ye while We were independent of ye and of all there is in the Heavens and the earth. Herein lies a great wisdom and discernment comprehensible by none save God, the All-Knowing, the Wise. Say thou, by this (He) hath willed that your possessions may be cleansed and that ye approach stations unattainable save by those whom He willeth. Verily, He is the All-Giver, the Beloved, the Bounteous. O people, defraud not the Lord of His dues, and enjoy not (your wealth) save after with His permission. Thus hath it been ordained in the Tablet and in this exalted Tablet. Whoso defraudeth the Lord defraudeth justice; and upon him who obeys what hath been ordained, shall descend blessings from the Firmament of the Bounty of his Lord, the Generous, the Bounteous, the All-Giver, the Ancient!”
IV. Publishing Committee. This group writes articles for newspapers and these are shown to the National Spiritual Assembly before they are sent out. Sometimes this Committee brings books from Egypt to be sold; many Tablets are mimeographed for distribution as printing is not allowed. This
Committee receives its money from the Finance Committee.
V. Teaching Committee for Men. This committee arranges sub-committees in all the different sections of the city. There are many Bahá’i teachers in Tihrán. These subcommittees bring together the little groups of individuals who are interested to hear about the Cause and to study. This General Teaching Committee chooses and sends the Bahá’i teachers to these little meetings which occur, five or six, every evening.
VI. Committee for Entertainments. Each believer in Tihrán goes to this Entertainment Committee and announces what entertainments he will give during the year whether dinners, luncheons or teas. He states how many guests he can entertain and gives the dates for these events. Then the Entertainment Committee arranges these meetings which are also semi-social parties. Many hundreds of these entertainments are given by Tihrán Bahá’is during the year, for Persia is noted the world over for its hospitality.
VII. Committee for Children's Savings Bank. Every day Bahá’i parents try to give their children coins more or less. Every Sunday the child when he goes to Bahá’i Sunday School takes his coins and the teacher gives him little tickets for these. When the tickets accumulate to make one dollar, he is given a cheque or share for one dollar. No child can draw his money for ten years, as the idea is to teach them to save.
This committee has extended its activities to the provinces where it has many “shareholders.” At present the capital of the committee
amounts to about twelve thousand dollars being the aggregate of very small savings; and this sum has been put at interest at six per cent.
The foundation of this committee was based upon instructions from ’Abdu’l-Bahá, Who sent two gold coins as the first contribution to the “Savings Bank.” An account under the title “’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Capital” has been opened to which contributions are made by friends. By ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s instructions ninety-five per cent of the interest on this capital is to be spent each year for Bahá’i purposes and five per cent added to the capital. The fact that the Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi also has a capital in this committee is an effective encouragement to the children.
VIII. Boys’ Sunday School Committee. This committee meets twice a week to prepare the spiritual lessons for the boys. They not only study the Bahá’i Teachings, but the Books of all other religions and philosophies, and choose extracts from all to teach the children. Every six months they have an examination for the boys (and girls). Little prizes are given to those who stand highest and these premiums are presented at a feast to which are invited the parents and all the children. They do wonderful work, and they say that Dr. Susan I. Moody has helped them very much in organizing and arranging the various departments.
IX. Schools’ Committee. Their work is to promote the schools. They have control of the funds of the school and they sometimes give garden parties, theatre performances and other entertainments to raise money for the schools. They
consult with the teachers about all the needs of the schools.
X. Success Committee. The work of this Committee is to interest people who are in high stations, ministers, statesmen, chief officials and others.
XI. Committee for Copying Tablets of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and ’Abdu’l-Bahá. This is a very great task because it is all by hand and there are many thousands of these Tablets. They are collecting every Tablet from every part of Persia. Most of these precious Tablets have never been translated into English or other languages. For three years this committee has been working constantly, and only one-half of the work is finished.
XII. Holy Places Committee, which looks up all Bahá’i historical sites and houses, takes photographs of these places, and when the properties are owned by nonBahá’is this committee tries to purchase them in order that they may be kept as historic shrines.
XIII. Committee of Properties Left by Will to the Cause. The duty of this group is to ask the documents of such properties from all parts of Persia and file them, also sometimes by consent of the National Spiritual Assembly they change these properties into money or for other better properties. This is often a long process.
XIV. An Economic Committee has been recently established. This group has written to the United States, Great Britain and other nations for information how to establish a great cooperative association first in Persia and then between Persia and the United States and with other countries. The members are now translating these circulars.
When the translations are ready the National Spiritual Assembly will study them and decide what to do and the Economic Committee will carry out their instruction.
XV. Justice Committee. The work of this committee is about as follows: For example, if some difficulty arises between two Bahá’is financially or otherwise, this committee settles it. Each party chooses two members of the Committee and the committee chooses one member. These five hear both sides of the case, give a decision and the complainants must accept the verdict of the five. This saves the time and money of lawsuits in the courts. The other day two Muhammadans who had a difference came and asked this Justice Committee to settle their case in this same way.
XVI. Committee of the Eternal Garden. This is the committee which looks after the Bahá’i cemetery. This Bahá’i cemetery which is just outside Tihrán is the most remarkably beautiful one in all Persia. The Bahá’is bury their dead according to the Commands of Bahá’u’lláh as given in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in the best respect and in a lovely manner. The graves, just as in the western world, are dug deep and the lots are made attractive with fine trees and fragrant, beautiful flowers especially Persian roses. Nearly all the Bahá’i dead are laid to rest in this great garden which was given by one of the believers.
XVII. Young Men’s Bahá'i Association which looks after the general Bahá’i Library and other places where non-believers may come to read the Bahá’i books. It has several sub-committees. One of these is to train youth to give
Bahá’i lectures. Another is a Sports’ sub-committee that arranges games in the great Bahá’i Garden of 15,000 square yards situated just outside the city. After the sports the young men gather in the Bahá’i Hall in this garden to hear lectures about the Cause. This Young Men’s Committee also has another sub-committee to correspond with Bahá’i youth of the west. Still another sub-committee is called the theatrical group, it is composed of very capable Bahá'i actors and musicians who give two or more theatre productions each year. These plays are sometimes solely about the Bahá’i Cause. Sometimes they are classic Persian plays with a high moral and with them something about the Cause is introduced. The money raised is devoted to the work of this Committee. This Committee also arranges excellent Esperanto Courses.
XVIII. Women's Arrangement Committee. This committee arranges meetings for the ladies as the men and women have separate meetings except a few times in the year when they are able to have joint sessions. This group decides the places, the dates and the program for many hundreds of meetings for women in Tihrán.
XIX. Women's Teaching Committee to interest non-believers.
XX. Young Women's Committee to teach the girls. These classes which are like the Sunday Schools of the west, meet every Friday afternoon, as that is the holy day of the East. The classes are held in private homes. This year there are seventeen classes for girls in different sections of the city. There are thirty-four teachers and three
hundred and sixteen scholars. They have nine grades. The first and second classes of little girls learn brief quotations from the Holy Words of Bahá’u’lláh and ’Abdu’l-Bahá and other Prophets. The third grade is given a short history of the Bahá’i Cause; the fourth grade learns “Hidden Words” in Persian; the fifth and sixth grades study a book called “Lessons in Religion” written by a great Bahá’i teacher Muhammad Ali Nabil Akbar. It deals with many Commands in the “Kitabel-Aqdas.” The seventh grade has a course in “A Traveler’s Narrative.” The eighth grade studies the book of Iqán and the ninth and highest grade is given a course to learn to give public lectures on the Bahá’i Cause.
XXI. Committee for Progress of Bahá’i Women. This group has a school for women who did not have the opportunities for education in their youth. These women are first taught to read and write, or if they know how to read and write, they are taught composition in order to know how to express themselves.
Later they all write articles about the Cause, and they are taught to give Bahá’i lectures.
XXII. Committee of Co-operation of Men and Women. Since conditions in Persia do not permit of men and women holding joint meetings very often, this committee is to co-ordinate the work of the men’s and women’s committees. Each committee among the men and women appoints one delegate to this special committee.
All these committees which I have enumerated for Tihrán have similar duplicates in all the other sixteen districts in different provinces of Persia where each district is the center of many local assemblies.
Those who have had the privilege of seeing the Persian Bahá’is at work in this wonderfully arranged administration, can realize the potency of the Bahá’i Cause in the actual life of the world and its power to transform its civilization from the chaotic individualistic systems of the present to that of cooperation as given to the world by Bahá’u’lláh.
“In this century a great impelling stream is manifest in the world of intellect. Minds have been stirred by this impulse and have made marvelous progress . . . Man must throughout all the degrees of life evolve and progress day by day, for life is continuous. The Divine Manifestations have appeared so that They may confer the divine realities upon man, an ideal power which enables him to advance along all the degrees of human attainment. The power of the world of existence is limited, while the power of God is unlimited . . . therefore the holy souls who are confirmed with this divine power are likewise endowed with eternal motion. Their progress becomes unlimited. Day by day their lives are strengthened, the circle of their comprehension becomes wider, the sphere of their intellects becomes more effectual and their Spiritual powers are increased.”
This is the concluding article by Professor Shook in his series on modern science which commenced in the September number. These articles have proven to be an illuminating course in modern scientific trends linking religion and science.
WE HAVE already seen that if the mechanistic assumption is carried to its logical conclusion there is little chance for any type of religion. In most instances, to be sure, all of the destructive implications are not taken into account and this leaves room for at least Deism if not Pantheism, nevertheless there is a feeling, shared alike by those who are familiar with Modern Materialism and those who follow scientific thought, that ultimately science will have a complete solution of the mind. Now we are forced to add to this the rather sinister fact that the very word “religion” to many sincere people, cannot be disassociated from the notion of prejudice, superstition, discord, etc. In reality these people are not antagonistic to religion but to the incrustations of religion; nevertheless the result is the same.
On the other hand we observe great progress for peace, universal brotherhood, reconciliation and racial amity, etc., operating ostensibly without the aid of organized religion and in most cases entirely devoid of the spirit of religion, as the plain man understands it.
Consequently it is rather difficult, at the present time, to reestablish the concept of a revealed religion, that is, a religion promulgated by
a prophet divinely inspired, such as Christ or Muhammad.
However, there are two or three points that we must keep in mind. When we apply anything like scientific investigation to world conditions today it is not at all obvious that society, unaided by great spiritual ideals, will gradually evolve into a higher state so that it can control its own destiny. Moreover, it is not unreasonable to suppose that a Manifestation of God, on earth today, might do for society just what Christ did for the Roman world or Muhammad for Arabia.
Finally, if we assume that religion may be renewed again, i. e. if we assume that the Christ spirit (not the historical Jesus) might return to earth again, it is quite plausable that it might come at a time when irreligion and undecipherable confusion are the rule of the day.
While science can make no contribution to religion, the scientific spirit, which is free from dogma and prejudice, will greatly assist us in differentiating truth from error even in things spiritual. One trained in science cannot, because of his scientific training, advance the knowledge of spiritual development but he may, because of his tendency toward mysticism, be able to demonstrate the consciousness
of the presence of God. It has often been suggested that such a person probably keeps the two fields in separate compartments of his mind but so he does with music and science or art and science. This does not indicate any dualism but a differentiation of method as applied to two distinct fields. The difficulty in the past, that is, in the days of atomic materialism, was that the foremost thinkers assumed that scientific knowledge was the only certain knowledge.
The greatest proof that man may again receive spiritual education from a great Prophet (or Manifestation of God) is, of course, the existence of the Prophet Himself. To use Ábdu’l-Bahá’s very comprehensive illustration, Christ was the perfect mirror that reflected the divine rays and when the people turned to Christ they saw God reflected in Him. In speaking of our relations with God Eddington’s words are to the point, “The most flawless proof of the existence of God is no substitute for it: and if we have that relationship the most convincing disproof is turned harmlessly aside.”
When we turn to the cause of Bahá’u’lláh we find all of the elements of any past religion but in the very nature of the case we also discover that He has brought infinitely more than any other Prophet because His message is universal, and moreover the world is more mature today than at the time of Christ or Muhammad.
The validity of His message and His uniqueness as a Divine Educator does not depend upon any one phase of His life or teaching although any one part of His teaching
would in itself be sufficient proof for the erudite. We will in this connection, however, point out certain important aspects of this universal religion in order to demonstrate that things spiritual cannot be reduced to a mechanical system of atoms. At the same time we will not lose sight of the fact that our scientific training will keep us from being objects of antiquated traditions.
Even a superficial study of Bahá’u’lláh and Ábdu’l-Bahá (His son and successor) will convince any fair minded person that They were unique in Their station and that Their message to the world is not to be compared to local and transitory reforms that we witness on every hand. Some forty years ago Benjamin Jowett of Oxford, in speaking to one of his colleagues, made this significant statement, “This is the greatest Light that has come into the world since Jesus Christ. Never let it out of your sight. It is too great and too near for this generation to comprehend.”
All who are familiar with the early history of Bahá’u’lláh, both friends and enemies, are agreed that He was not educated in any school and certainly He could not have been very familiar with the arts, sciences or political history of Europe and the New World, at the time He was exiled from Persia in 1852. The rest of His life was spent in exile and prison; sometimes with a little liberty but more often under conditions that would be unendurable to the most rugged to say nothing of one who was of noble birth unaccustomed to such hardships. Nevertheless in spite
of these handicaps He trained thousands of His countrymen to a degree of enlightenment that has astonished all onlookers and we must remember that Persia was at this time among the lowest of the civilized nations of the world.
At a time when the eastern nations were in perpetual strife and conflict, when the various sects were exhibiting nothing but intense hatred, He taught that it was better for the individual to be killed than to retaliate and so effective was His teaching that over twenty thousand were martyred within a few years.
For more than a thousand years these people were taught that all. religions were inferior to Islam and that all foreigners were infidels; nevertheless in an incredibly short time these apostles of the new day under the inspiration of their leader in far away Ákká, came to regard all religions as one and the people of the earth as “the leaves of one tree”.
He urged Persia to study the arts and sciences of the Western nations, taught that reason and religion must conform, that men and women are equal, that all children must be educated. He even went so far as to maintain that society must educate the children if the parents are not qualified to do so.
Not only did He advance ideas that were entirely new to the Eastern nations but He anticipated practically all of the most progressive ideals of today.
Isolated from the culture of Europe and without books of any kind He commands the limitations of the extremes of wealth and poverty, the abolition of both chattel and economic slavery, the adoption
of a universal language, the formation of a Universal League of Nations, the settlement of disputes between nations by an international arbitration court. And these are only a few of His reforms.
Such knowledge must be innate: The more we attempt to give a mechanical explanation of the mind of such a unique individual the more irrelevant does such an explanation become to our experience.
One of the greatest proofs of the Manifestation of God is the creative power of His words. Even if one is only slightly susceptible to mysticism he cannot read the words of Bahá’u’lláh without feeling their spiritual import. The following are from the Hidden Words:
“Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test the servants.”
“Thou desirest gold, and I desire thy freedom therefrom. Thou hast recognized the wealth of thyself therein, and I have recognized thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom . . . ”
“Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thee light therefrom and seek none other than me, for I have created thee rich. and bountifully favored thee.”
The prophecies usually create very little interest except in the minds of those who have a profound regard for sacred scriptures, and probably for the reason that a prophecy has no practical significance until it has been fulfilled. When a prophecy is fulfilled however it does furnish corroborative evidence which must not be overlooked.
The zeal of the unorthodox for their skepticism concerning the prophecies of Isaiah, Daniel and Revelation is only equalled by the zeal of the orthodox for the literal interpretation of the first chapter of Genesis but we will try here to avoid any bias by considering only prophecies that have been made and fulfilled in our day.
About sixty years ago Bahá’u’lláh wrote to the heads of the leading nations, announcing His mission and urging them to cooperate in the establishment of true religion, just government and international peace.
Napoleon III showed only contempt for this timely warning whereupon Bahá’u’lláh wrote him again in 1869 saying in part:1
“Thy doings shall throw thy kingdom into confusion, sovereignty shall pass from thy hands, to requite thee for thy deeds, and thus shall thou find thyself in grievous loss. . . . We behold abasement hastening upon thy heels and thou art yet of them that are heedless.”
The next year he was defeated by Prussia and the second French Empire came to an end.
A few years later, in the very beginning of the new German Empire, Bahá’u’lláh wrote to the Emperor an equally solemn warning as follows:
“O King of Berlin! . . . Recollect the one who was greater than thee in station (i. e. Napoleon III) and whose position was higher than thine. Where is he? And where are his possessions? Be admonished and be not of those who sleep. He cast the Tablet of God behind him when We informed him of
(1) Baha’u’llah and the New Era, J. E. Esslemont.
what had befallen Us from the hosts of oppression, and thus disgrace beset him from all sides until he returned to the dust in great loss. . . .”
“O banks of the River Rhine! We have seen you drenched in gore because the swords of retribution were drawn against you and you shall have another turn. And we hear the lamentations of Berlin, although it be to-day in manifest glory.”
How could a prisoner in Ákká predict such events except by intuition!
While Ábdu’l-Bahá was in this country He referred to the World War on several occasions. In October 1912 in California He said;
“We are on the eve of the Battle of Armageddon referred to in the sixteenth chapter of Revelations. The time is two years hence, when only a spark will set aflame the whole of Europe.”
’Abdu’l-Bahá also foretold the social troubles after the war in no uncertain terms. In November 1919 when everyone was fairly confident that peace and harmony would certainly reign for a while, He said;
“It is clear that each nation now wishes complete self-determination and freedom of action, but some of them are not ready for it. The prevailing state of the world is one of irreligion, which is bound to result in anarchy and confusion. I have always said that the peace proposals following the great war were only a glimmer of the dawn, and not the sunrise.”
On the other hand we are assured of the ultimate triumph of spirituality over materiality. In 1904 ’Abdu’l-Bahá wrote:
“Know this, that hardships and misfortunes shall increase day by day, and the people shall be distressed. The doors of joy and happiness shall be closed on all sides. Terrible wars shall happen. Disappointment and the frustration of hopes shall surround the people from every direction until they are obliged to turn to God. Then the lights of great happiness shall enlighten the horizons, so that the cry of ‘Ya Bahá-el-Abhá (O God the most Glorious) may arise on all sides.”
The moment we realize that man’s spiritual nature must be trained by a Divine Educator a certain amount of confusion in our mind gives way to order. The coming of the Great Prophet is like the renewal of spring; every activity of man takes on new life. It is not surprising therefore, with this powerful spiritual force operating in the world today, that we should witness a tendency toward spirituality in the arts and sciences in the face of the prevalent mechanistic outlook.
Every effort then, that we see, which is primarily for the advancement
of the race, the elimination of prejudice, the reconciliation of the nations and the establishment of praiseworthy morals must be in the very nature of the case the reflection of this great spiritual force.
It is not unscientific to assume that such a spiritual force does exist in the world and that it operates as we have indicated; rather it would be decidedly unscientific to attempt an explanation of the mind without taking into account the influence of these Manifestations of God who appear in our midst from time to time.
We may be cognizant of the source of this power or entirely unaware of it and still manifest it to more or less degree according to our capacity. In the words of Bahá’u-lláh;
“Its light, when cast on the mirrors of the wise, gives expression to wisdom; when reflected from the minds of artists, it produces manifestations of new and beautiful arts: when it shines through the minds of students, it reveals knowledge and unfolds mysteries.”
“Between religionists and scientists there has always been warfare for the reason that the former have proclaimed religion superior to science and considered science opposed to religion. For this reason strife and enmity have existed between them. His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh declared this to be a mistake, for religion is in harmony with science and reason. If it be at variance, it proceeds from the mind of man only and not from God and is therefore unworthy of belief and not deserving of attention . . . Bahá’u’lláh has removed this form of dissension and discord from among mankind and reconciled science with religion. This is His unique accomplishment in this day.”
The author of this interesting article on the value of consultation has recently come from New Zealand to this country, and has been carrying on special studies in the social sciences at Columbia College. His treatment of the subject well expresses the importance which the matter of consultation is assuming in the eyes of the social scientist. The article will be especially illuminating to Bahá’is who may not have fully realized to what extraordinary extent the secular world is being moved to carry out the very principles laid down by Bahá’u’lláh many years ago.
IN this article consultation and discussion are dealt with in their broadest aspects and for the sake of convenience are not differentiated. The primary objective is to enumerate the mental and spiritual attitudes of individuals that it is necessary to hold, in order that a perfectly conducted and harmonious group may come into being. Its purpose is also to demonstrate that the social sciences have arrived at a realization of the value of integration in the group. Throughout, the Bahá’i law of loving consultation is upheld as the most advanced conception of this subject yet achieved. The perfectly conducted Bahá’i Spiritual Assembly, be it in the Orient, in the Americas or in the Southern Hemisphere, is the new world order in embryo and there is nothing to prevent each individual and association from introducing these ideals into their affairs with great advantage.
’Abdu’l-Bahá laid down a law in His Will and Testament to the effect that “It is incumbent upon everyone not to take any step without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person
will act independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire and do harm to the Oause.”
The recognition in some degree of the value of consultation is by no means a recent development. We are told by a Jewish chronicler of the Macabean period of ancient Rome that “three hundred and twenty men sat in council daily, consulting always for the people to the end that they might be well ordered. . . . and there was neither envy nor emulation among them.”
In the days before the Great War, De Toqueville, author of “Democracy in America,” in discussing the habits of free cooperation and discussion, almost uninfluenced by the character of the state among German, and to a greater degree among the Russian peasantry, wrote, “It is man who makes monarchies and establishes republics, but the cooperative community seems to come directly from God.”
Today in all walks of life the principle of consultation is taking hold upon the structure of society. In education the discussion method is being developed more and more, at the end of public meetings and lectures of all kinds, it is almost customary to have discussion before closing; in big business, the one man concern is being increasingly
rare, and has given way to trusts, the corporation and the limited liability company controlled by an elected board of directors. The question of the desirability of these associations does not enter into the point under discussion. A still later development which is usually rewarded with considerable success is the business where the worker also has a controlling interest. Democracy itself is in fact based on the principle of consultation. The dictator is always insecure and absolute monarchs are almost of the past.
In all these instances, however, and in many others that could be given, where consultation is resorted to, the law of consultation is only incidental and subjective, whereas Ábdu’l-Bahá makes it objective and fundamental. Moreover, as is always the case when a philosophic and spiritual structure is built up around a social incident, it quickly assumes a significance that previously was absent. It is like the raw material for a product that is all assembled, and which as yet exists only in the plans and mind of the artisan.
There is also at least one vital aspect missing. The vital characteristic of consultation as enunciated by Ábdu’l-Bahá is that it must be loving and harmonious and He says regarding the obligations incumbent upon the members of consulting councils, “The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the assembly.” This essential difference is not present in the concept held by the average citizen. Where consultation takes place, as for example between members of a parliament,
consultation in love and harmony is not considered essential; in fact usually there is no real desire for agreement. Consultation is brought about under those conditions by a group in the hope that their eloquence will be instrumental in winning over a majority to their way of thinking, so that they may bring about some policy that they desire to see affected. Personalities and anger are frequent and there is no obligation or attempt on the part of the defeated side to abide by the will of the majority. Their views are unchanged and they will work unceasingly to the end that their point of view will eventually prevail. Concerning this Ábdu’l-Bahá says, “It is again not permitted that any one of the honored members object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting any decision arrived at previously, even though that decision be not right; for such criticism would prevent any decision being enforced.”
HAVING thus briefly described the
Bahá’i law of consultation and compared
it to other forms of consultation,
let us now consider the desirable
mental and spiritual attitude
for the individual to assume,
and the psychological processes
that take place during consultation.
Ábdu’l-Bahá says, “The shining
spark of truth cometh forth only
after the clash of differing opinions.”
This is a marvelous and
profound statement which psychologists
and sociologists today increasingly
echo. Miss Foley wrote
of individual attitude in a discussion
group, “We must not press
our view. We should pool our differences.”
H. A. Overstreet in
“About Ourselves,” when discussing the manner in which world unity can be brought about, mentions the matter of suitable institutions. He says, “Far more fundamental then is the necessity for producing the type of minds which have the habit of thinking widely and understandingly with and through other minds. Such intercreating minds, making their linkages with other minds, will gradually build up more finely functioning groups, which in turn making their wider linkages will carry on a progressive unification of mankind.” Again he says, “In discussion, mind meets mind. Each mind gives as well as takes. Each mind learns in a measure, to become open to the other, to tolerate, to try to understand. In each mind there are born ideas and attitudes that come not solely out of itself, but out of the interaction of other minds. And out of that union of other minds with many minds, comes a breadth and power of insight not otherwise achieved.”
The command to consult should be welcomed by every Bahá’i because the importance of the Cause is so vital, that none should feel capable of taking the responsibility of individual action. He should realize that no matter how altruistic his motives may be his point of view by reason of his humanly constituted mind, must of necessity be tinged with his personality. It is only the Perfect Man Whose opinion is impersonal; yet such Beings are exceedingly humble and Their charm lies in the manner in which They do not seek to force Their message upon those around them and so destroy their ability to express
themselves. Rather they seek to draw out the individual and bring to light all that is best in mankind.
The very least that can be said in favor of group consultation, is that it is a shifting of responsibility from the weak shoulders of the one to the broad shoulders of the many. Inharmony is often due to individual mistakes; but if the whole group have made an error, all alike are responsible and friction between the group and the individual or between the group and a section of the group is accordingly rendered less likely.
One prime requisite for consultation is humility. Each individual, especially if he has a pet scheme of his own which he wants to see put into operation, should approach the council chamber as though he were a subject bearing gifts, which he knows are quite inadequate to a king. His attitude should be that of desire to have his scheme tested and if feasible, improved upon. “Should anyone oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed,” wrote Ábdu’l-Bahá.
Professor McIvor, of Columbia University, says there should be a willingness to discuss differences, and they should not be regarded as a source of division.
The attitude should be that of the scientist. Heigel describes the scientist as one who sinks himself in the object. He goes out from himself, seeks to unite with something that is out there in the thing or the life he is studying, he divests himself as far as possible of his personal equation, intrudes nothing of his private self, lets the object
tell him what it has to tell. Overstreet says the scientist tries to find fact deliberately with carefully guarded technique. Eddington, when discussing the value of science, says, “Moreover the answers given by science have a singular perfection, prized the more because of the long record of toil and achievement behind them.” In short discussion to be effective must be carried on with patience and a passion for truth.
Let us emulate the great and wise Socrates, whom Overstreet so beautifully describes, “Socrates was great as the oracle once reminded his fellow Greeks, because he knew he did not know. He did not come bristling with his own opinion, he had no impervious dominating egotisms; he was not at all wrapped up in a kind of finality of self congratulation. He went out modestly and sincerely to discover what other people thought. And in the process of talking with them simply and searchingly, he brought to birth ideas of which they themselves had been quite unaware. But what was more by this give and take process of his, he brought to birth ideas in himself; so much so, that when these ideas emerged, he was the most astonished of all.
“It would be a pleasant task to paint the picture of Socrates for Socrates is convincingly like what any average individual might be, if only that individual could grasp the idea of emptying the idea of pretention, and trying to build up ideas by intercreating processes with his fellows.”
No one, when the majority disagrees with him, should adopt the attitude, “Well, you have my opinion
and you do not accept it, I accept your decision, but you are wrong, and I have nothing further to say.” Such an attitude closes the door to truth as far as that individual is concerned and may prevent the master key to the true solution from being contributed which that individual may yet hold. It is like a rower in a race throwing away his oar because he does not like the instructions of the stroke. The rest of the team are not only deprived of his propelling power, but have an additional dead weight to carry and this extra weight in the group is represented by a straining of the relations. It is an attitude that indicates that the individual considers himself exclusive and superior in intelligence to the others. This does not mean that in a group there may not be experts of superior ability. It is the duty of the rest to recognize this greater wisdom when it appears. But it would seem that only in the ease of a definite hard and fast technical or legal point is it justifiable for an individual to hold on to his opinion. There is a further danger to the individual that results from this holding on to a point of view. It may become inhibited and a mania, and result in neurosis and all kinds of undesirable nervous conditions. There is nothing more tragic than to find someone who has a perpetual grouch because, some group ten years ago would not do something he thought they ought to do.
Then there is the opinionated person. He is slightly different because whereas the previous type may be perfectly sincere, the opinionated person merely likes to hear
his own voice and never really minds very much if his ideas are acceptable or not. Of this kind Overstreet naively remarks, “. . . he has his mind all made up. He knows. ‘Don’t tell me,’ he says. And if you are wise you don’t.”
Tricks of oratory should have no place in true discussion, useless reiteration avoided, and above all argument for its own sake.
All should be ceaselessly on the watch for the clique consciousness. As soon as a group within a group develops, efficiency and vitality diminish, and loving consultation is impossible. A slavish adherence to precedence must be avoided. Conditions change and just because a step failed ten years ago or even last year, it does not say it always will. Henry Ford is a good example in this respect; he refuses to allow records of unsuccessful experiments to be kept. New blood should be deemed a necessity and all should acquire the secret of eternal youth as far as thought is concerned. The greatest men never get old and often do their best work at great ages. Just as soon as an individual has ceased to look for new aspects of truth and starts to sit back on his laurels and the glories of the past, that individual ceases to be a positive force in society.
The timid should be encouraged, for beneath a retiring exterior deep wisdom often lies.
THE ATTITUDE of compromise is
not truly constructive, because it is
not real agreement and that process
of integration that is so characteristic
of the highest type of consultation
has not taken place. Compromise
in its very nature implies continued difference under agreement; the parties agree to differ.
In discussion, interest in dull subjects is stimulated. Matters that are hard to give whole-hearted attention to when attempted alone, assume a different aspect when dealt with by a group.
True discussion is stimulating to the intellect, a group intelligence is aroused that is something in the nature of healthy competition, but more profound. Man is a social animal and it is a well-known fact that two working together will do more work than the same two men working separately.
Associations that plan conferences should remember that the best results accrue when the speeches are brief and few, and the discussions under control and numerous. It is not conferring to have billed speakers and after them to confine the discussion, to a few previously selected persons who proceed to deliver prepared speeches. Such gatherings fail to a large degree, because all have not participated, the thought is individual thought and the “shining spark of truth has not come forth after the clash of differing opinions.”
Regarding the character of a group, it is easy to see that the more important its function, the more difficult it becomes to maintain harmony. A discussion group or a language class is not likely to indulge in acrimonious debates, because nothing very vital is involved. A group of business men, legislators or members of a religious body are far more likely to so indulge because matters that affect them deeply are involved.
The group needs to examine the motives of the individual if he is obstinate and a continued source of inharmony. In everyday life it would probably be found to be due to self-interest and in religious matters it may be that also, but more likely due to a narrow dogmatic mind. Singleness of purpose and absence of complex motives are the first essentials for a harmonious and efficient group. It might well be said that the harmony of the group increases inversely as the complexity of the motives of the individuals decreases, and their sincerity, love, singleness and purity of purpose increase.
In the Bahá’i group, the highest type of consultation yet conceived is evolved, because their method is conscious loving consultation. It will be the pattern for all society of the future and the Parliament of Man yet to be. In Persia especially, whole groups of society practice the Bahá’i plan on a large scale, indeed it would be a separate article in itself to describe them.
Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’i Cause, says that Bahá’is should consult even in their private affairs. When that is universally practiced, a civilization of the very highest order will be born.
against our own instincts and natural inclinations, and self-sacrifice in subordinating our own likings to the imperative requirements of the Cause of God, can insure our undivided loyalty to so sacred a principle [consultation]-a principle that will for all time safeguard our beloved Cause from the allurements and the trivialities of the world without, and of the pitfalls of the self within.”
ACCORDING to the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, true consultation brings forth the right decision. That is, a procedure exists by which the right decision may be found. This is one of the basic principles of the Bahá’i Revelation. If we work from principles to particulars, our action being the result of conscious obedience to spiritual law, our action will be based upon a solid foundation which the winds of personal opinion cannot blow down. We will have an unerring formula by which the right decision may be arrived at. The principle or law employed to find the right decision is the law of consultation, the guiding principle of this age.
What is true consultation?
“Every destruction is followed by a construction”, Bahá’u’lláh assures us, so perhaps if we see what is supposed to be consultation in the usual sense and clear that preconceived idea out of the way, we can proceed to the interpretation of this guiding principle according to the spirit of the Bahá’i teachings.
Ordinary consultation consists in talking over an already-formed decision with someone we have picked out, consciously or unconsciously, to agree with us. Do we consult with someone who we know in advance will not agree with us? Not unless we have to, and often then we don’t even listen to what that “unreasonable” person has to say. If, unexpectedly, the person with whom we are consulting does not agree with us, we try to win him over to
our opinion. That is, we try to prove the correctness of an already formed opinion by finding a corroborator. We find another person of the same opinion to prove the success of our consultation. But have we made the right decision? As the principle upon which this form of consultation is based is the principle of agreement, and even more strictly, agreement with us, the word consultation can hardly be applied to it. Agreement has nothing to do with the right decision, it is simply a confirmation of an already formed decision.
Consultation is an art. We need training in this subtle form of the expression of truth. The free schools for this important education are the Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá’is of the world.
In the administration of a Bahá’i community under the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, decision is vested solely in a Spiritual Assembly. When we use the means of true consultation in this age, by consulting with an Assembly (as a member of it or as a believer), we haven’t chosen those whose decision is final, but they have been chosen by the whole community. Therefore any other form of discussion ceases to be consultation in the sense of the existing procedure by which the right decision may be found. The decision is obtained through opinions advanced without attachment, and this is a result of spiritual growth. The opinions are advanced impersonally, in a spirit of search
for truth, and the decision arrived at by majority vote of a Spiritual Assembly is unquestionably accepted by the Bahá’i community.
The training of those elected to serve as members of a Spiritual Assembly is difficult and painful. These nine people, as a whole, the various personalities representing different salient qualities, or states of consciousness, make together one more or less complete human being. It is like being mixed with eight other people in a magic retort, which, if heated to the secret intensity, will produce the divine elixir. These training schools in the art of consultation are crucibles in which the fire of self must be wholly consumed.
The attitude of the ordinary person, at first in an unchanged state of consciousness, is that of pride at the honor conferred upon him, or an over-awed admiration of the other eight members and a feeling of spiritual inferiority. The latter is really false humility, for we are taught not to think of our own capacity (it would be enough to discourage anyone), but to know that if we are elected we must do our best and trust in God, and that to be overwhelmed with our own short-comings is but the other side of the shield of being overwhelmed with our own importance. The outcome is just as limited. “Self-mastery is self-forgetfulness,” said ’Abdu’l-Bahá.
At first we submit outwardly to the majority rule, but inwardly we are not convinced. Even if we have the wisdom, (and obedience) not to mention it to others, inwardly we feel that our idea or opinion (which has been rejected) is right and timely, and would have produced much good but for the fact that the other timid souls lack courage and vision. In other words we are completely attached to our own inspiration. It is only as our consciousness begins to change from the personal to the impersonal, from the particular to the universal, that we can begin to form a part of that mysterious collective entity through which the truth can come—a channel through which the spirit can work—when that channel is not clogged by insisted-upon opinions and personal prejudices.
Prayer, and meditation upon the words of Bahá’u’lláh, produces a changed state of consciousness, and it is only by a changed state of consciousness that the Revelation can be proved. Otherwise it is useless. If we stay just the same, personally-minded and limited, we do not belong to this universal age and cannot become an instrument through which its spirit can function. As our thoughts become permeated with the spirit of the Teachings our consciousness changes. This is the mysterious secret of the spirit of the age.
NOTICE: Back numbers of the Star of the West from the earliest issues are very much needed to complete bound volumes. Will all those who have extra copies which they can spare please mail them to The Bahá’i Magazine, 1112 Shoreham Building, Washington, D. C.
This magazine has often published accounts of International Esperanto Congresses. The Twenty-second Universal Congress of Esperanto was held this year at Oxford the sessions of which are very well described by Miss Baxter in the following article.
UP AND down the world, multitudes now realize the need of a universal language which shall make not only possible but easy the interchange of trade, culture and friendship between small and almost unknown nations, as well as between the so-called ”Great Powers.” But it is another matter when one inquires which among the tongues already spoken is to be the medium of interchange, or whether it shall be a new invented language.
Only those who are accustomed to international affairs, such as great congresses for peace, religion, law, medicine, police, postal services, cooperative societies, and the like, have any idea of the chaos which reigns owing to the translation and retranslation when, say, even four languages are used; and although this is somewhat obviated by simultaneous radio transmission of the translations, yet considerable difficulty remains yet to be overcome.
But what was the state of affairs at the great Twenty-second Universal Congress of Esperanto held at Oxford (England) in August? Any misconception arising from ambiguity? Any preference of one person before another due to supposed superiority of nationality, or to the fact that the one is using his mother-tongue while to the listener it is an acquired language? Emphatically
no! Whatever the nature of the gathering—social function concert, play, the business meetings of the Congress, the impressive Summer University, or the smaller meetings of special societies or activities—the same success and satisfaction prevailed.
As one who had the privilege of attending this great Congress, I should like to give a few personal impressions and reminiscences Matter-of-fact reports can be read in the various Esperanto journals such as “Esperanto,” “La Nova Tago,” “International Language,” “Heroldo,” etc.
First of all let me say what an aesthetic treat it was to meet in this historic university city—the centuries-old seat of learning—and to have the opportunity between more serious occupations, of roaming around the wonderful old colleges with their interesting halls and beautiful gardens. And with what hospitality and generosity the Mayor and Corporation welcomed us What excellent arrangements had been made by the indefatigable secretary, Mr. Cecil Goldsmith, for housing his unwieldy family!
All large meetings were held in the beautiful hall of the Town Hall—those of the Congress itself and of the Universal Esperanto Association (U E A) in the mornings; those of the Summer University in
the afternoons; and in the evenings the various social functions; while sectional meetings were held in the lecture-rooms of Christ Church College adjoining.
The Congress was attended by over twelve hundred people from twenty-nine different countries. Is that not indeed a miracle when twenty-nine tongues are made eloquent in one common language?
This great family was welcomed individually by the Deputy Mayor and Lady Alderman and most hospitably entertained. The great hall was beautifully decorated with plants and flowers, and the gallery running the length of the hall was draped with the flags of many nations, and on the platform was the “Verda Standardo” representing “Esperantujo.” Mr. Bernard Long, B.A. (London), President of the Congress, ably presided and welcomed the many nations represented at the Congress. Official representatives from various governments gave the greetings of their country, and a letter from our beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi (Guardian of the Bahá’i Cause) was mentioned, and was afterwards read at the second business meeting. How encouraging to feel the interest and support of our Guardian in this important world-wide movement towards friendship between all nations!
A wonderful service was held on Sunday morning at St. Mary the Virgin’s, when the large church was full, and Rev. T. Grahame Bailey, M.A., D.D., gave an excellent address on the necessity of exerting ourselves in order to make progress in the spiritual life, and called on us to put forth every effort
--PHOTO--
Miss Lydja Zamenhof, youngest daughter of the late Dr. L. Zamenhof, creator of the Esperanto language.
towards the realization of universal peace which can be so greatly helped by a universal language. A Roman Catholic service was held in the Priory of the Holy Ghost. At noon, all the “Kongresanoj” assembled in a corner of the quadrangle of Christ Church College for a group photograph, and in spite of cloudy conditions this proved a great success.
THE CONGRESS was officially
opened on Sunday evening, when
the hall was again crowded. One
representative from every country
attending the Congress gave a
short greeting in turn. It is ever
a joy to see the family of Dr.
Zamenhof represented at the Congress,
and at this meeting Dr. Felix
Zamenhof, brother, and Miss Lydja
Zamenhof, youngest daughter of
the esteemed “Majstro,” were
both on the platform and gave short but moving speeches in the very spirit of the inventor of this wonderful language. It is no mere coincidence that this daughter of so universally-minded a father, is the only Bahá’i in Poland. She not only knows and loves the Bahá’i Faith, but works devotedly to promote the Cause by speeches, articles and translations. She has just finished translating into Esperanto “Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era” by Dr. Esslemont. The meeting closed with the singing to organ accompaniment of the world-wide Esperanto hymn “La Espero.”
AMONG BAHA'I activities, a meet-
ing was held on Monday, August
fourth, in the afternoon at which
about sixty people were present,
representing several nationalities.
The feeling was most sympathetic, and the three papers given by our esteemed teacher, Mrs. Mary Hanford Ford of New York, Miss Elsa Maria Grossmann of Hamburg, and Miss Lydja Zamenhof of Warsaw, pointed out the need of a recurrent Manifestation of God, and that the time was ripe for such to appear–indeed that He had already appeared in the person of Bahá’u’lláh. Professor Paul Christaller (Stuttgart) as Chairman presided in a most cordial manner and gave a few of the Teachings which are peculiar to the Bahá’i Movement, such as a universal language, script, education, and above all universal peace. Two of the “Hidden Words” of Bahá’u’lláh were read by the writer. The Bahá’i friends met twice for lunch, when those
from other countries were the guests of the Bahá’i British National Spiritual Assembly. Many from distant lands felt the joy of friendship which is only possible in many cases by means of Esperanto.
A SPECIAL feature of this Congress
was the large number of blind
persons from several countries, and
the splendid arrangements made
for their comfort by Mr. and Mrs.
Merrick and their helpers. Two
ladies devoted the whole of their
time to the sale of objects at a stall
on behalf of the blind, many of the
articles having been made by the
blind themselves. Esperanto has
been of enormous benefit to the
blind, not only for purposes of
travel, but by using only the one
international language for translation
greatly increasing the scope
of literature available in Braille.
As a relaxation from the serious occupations of the day, every evening had some form of entertainment, and on Friday evening was held a great international ball at which many wore the picturesque dress of their country. Every evening also there was given a short “Talking Film” in Esperanto.
Perhaps one of the most touching of the Congress meetings is the closing one. Our amiable President, Mr. John Merchant (Sheffield) who so ably conducted the business meetings with the efficient help of the Secretary, Robert Kreuz (Geneva) bids us keep the “Verda Standardo” flying throughout the world for another year, when we hope to experience as successful a Congress at Krakow in the land where Dr. Zamenhof lived and worked.
