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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'O'LLAH.
Vol. IX Rahmat 1, 74 (June 24, 1918) No. 6
Report of the Tenth Annual Convention of the Bahai Temple Unity
Held at the Auditorium Hotel, Chicago, April 27th to 30th, 1918
TUESDAY AFTERNOON SESSION—Concluded
(Continued from page 72)
The Chairman: "The Ballot Committee is ready to report."
Mr. Scheffler announced the results of the second ballot, 35 votes cast, Mr. Randall receiving 13, Mrs. Rice-Wray 11, the balance scattering.
The Chairman; "The Chair declares no election, therefore another ballot is necessary."
Mrs. Hoagg: "I move that we take the two names who have received the largest number of votes and select one of those two. This motion was seconded and carried."
The Chairman: "You will vote in this case for one person from the two names receiving the highest vote on this ballot, namely, Mr. Randall and Mrs. Rice-Wray."
There followed a discussion regarding Mr. Vail's book shared in by Mrs. Ober, Mrs. Gillen, Mr. Remey and Mrs. Hoagg.
It was moved by Mrs. Ober and seconded by Dr. Woolson that the Convention put itself on record as considering that Mr. Vail's book entitled Heroic Lives should not be recommended as a text book for Bahai children.
Mrs. Hoagg called attention to the existence of a very splendid compilation for use of the children that had been prepared by Mrs. Hannen who had been instructed by Abdul-Baha to carry on this work in the children's Sunday school.
Dr. Bagdadi pointed out that everything depended upon the authorization of Abdul-Baha. If Abdul-Baha has not authorized any publications then it is a mistake to write any books and to publish them.
The Chairman: "Suppose the committee finds that there is no authority to write then would this motion not still be necessary in order that the book should not be sold as a Bahai publication."
Dr. Bagdadi: "Yes, it should not be considered as a Bahai publication."
Mrs. Ober: "That is all we mean. We do not question the sincerity of the book. Our only idea is in relation to our own body, and the question is whether it should be accepted as a text book for our children."
The Chairman: "Is there any objection to this in your motion, that the motion should be subject to the determination of this committee which is to look into these tablets, and find out whether this book would be authorized?"
Mrs. Ober: "That is all right."
Mrs. Struven suggested taking the consensus of opinion of the Convention to the several assemblies and this would not necessitate a vote in the Convention.
The Chairman: "If the decision comes that the committee is not authorized you need something to authorize the committee to act."
Mrs. Coles in discussing the matter said in part: "There is quite a difference between appreciating a thing that is beautiful from a literary point of view and endorsing it as a Bahai book for the sowing of the seed of the revelation of God, as a piece of Bahai literature.
"There is a deep and wonderful appreciation of Mr. Vail's work and we know that through that pure spirit a great and wonderful bounty is falling. But it seems to me that the thing for us to have clear is that from the Bahai Cause, from the Publications Committee, only that which is of the Word of God and authorized as a message from that source, shall go forth."
The Chairman: "Are you now ready for the question? All in favor say aye, opposed no."
Motion carried.
The Chairman: "Now Mr. Scheffler will announce the last ballot."
Mr. Scheffler: "The third ballot gives Mr. Randall 18 votes and Mrs. Rice-Wray 16 votes; 34 votes cast."
The Chairman: "The Chair declares Mr. Randall elected to complete the membership of the Board. Mr. Scheffler will now read the names of the Board."
Mr. Scheffler: "Mrs. True, Dr. Bagdadi, Mr. Remey, Mr. Gregory, Mr. Lunt, Mrs. Hoagg, Mrs. Maxwell, Mr. Ober and Mr. Randall."
Mr. Remey: "Mr. Chairman, it seems to me that the point that Mrs. Harrison brought out this morning about Abdul-Baha standing singly and alone, solved this, and all other difficulties regarding this matter of these books. The Manifestations of God are unique. They are not to be classed with the creatures. When we are giving the message of the Covenant, the Manifestations, we are sowing a living seed, and when we are simply giving the message of a man, why, we are sowing a seed, but it is not a living seed. It seems to me that there is a class of literature coming up, much of which is on sale, and rightly so, on our Bahai tables, which is in the form of written books composed by friends who are sympathetic with the Cause, who discuss various subjects and lead up to the Bahai teachings. For instance, such a book as that is Mr. Holley's book Modern Social Religion. It discusses sociological questions and leads people up to the Bahai Cause as the solution for these various questions.
"I am sure as time goes on, we will have more of these books, and I think it would be very interesting to get an expression of opinion from the friends regarding these books, which are really sympathetic to the Bahai Cause."
Mr. Ober: "It seems to me the statement that Mr. Remey made in the beginning is the key to all of this. The Manifestations of God are unique and peerless; and it is the associating of their words with other words, the words of men, no matter how wise they are, that is the great defect of some of this literature. But, of course, the writing of articles of explanation from the economic point of view, from the philosophical point of view and from the religious point of view, which do not bring in a lot of indiscriminate things, will, I think in the Orient and undoubtedly here, be one of the means of spreading the Cause. I can see no harm in it myself. . . . It is simply a question of presenting the truth according to the capacity."
Dr. D'Evelyn: "Mr. Chairman, I would like to have the approval or recommendation or appreciation of this Convention on the desirability, owing to the present condition of affairs, of reading at our respective meetings, Abdul-Baha's prayer for the confirmation of the American government. I make the request that this Convention endorse the desirability of this prayer being used on such occasions."
Mrs. Breed: "I move, Mr. Chairman, that this Convention endorse the reading of this prayer for the confirmation of the United States in our meetings."
Mrs. Coles: "I second the motion."
A PRAYER FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
REVEALED ABOUT THE YEAR 1900
O God—thou who art the confirmer of every just power and equitable empire in eternal glory, everlasting power, continuance, steadfastness, firmness and greatness!—strengthen, by the abundance of thy mercy, every government which acts rightly towards its subjects and every dominion that protects the poor and weak by its flag.
I ask thee, by the abundance of thy holiness and that of thy bounty, to assist this just government which hath stretched out the ropes of its tent to far and wide countries; the justice of which hath manifested its proofs throughout the well inhabited, cultivated and flourishing regions belonging to such government.
O God, strengthen its soldiers and flag, give authority and influence to its word and utterance, protect its territories and dominions, guard its reputation, make its renown widely spread, divulge its traces and exalt its flag by thy conquering power and wonderful might in the kingdom of creation.
Thou are the confirmer of whomsoever thou willest.
Verily, thou are the powerful and the almighty!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
After a discussion it was agreed to change the word "endorse" to "suggest," to put in the date of the tablet, and to add the words "in America," so that the motion as finally made read as follows: "Resolved that this Convention suggest to all the assemblies in America the reading of the prayer revealed by Abdul-Baha in 1900 for the confirmation of the American government, in our meetings."
The Chairman: "Are you ready for the question?"
Motion carried.
Mr. Remey brought up the question of the circulation of Mr. Harmon's books entitled Divine Illumination and the Microcosm and the Macrocosm.
After a full discussion of this matter it was moved by Mrs. Cooper duly seconded that "We declare Mr. Harmon's books contraband and instruct the assemblies to keep them out of their libraries. After the action taken by this Convention in regard to violation it is the logical step to suppress the literature which has been the cause of that trouble. Mr. Harmon has a perfect right to circulate his own books publicly but the assembly should have nothing to do with it."
Motion carried.
The Chairman: "Is there any further business?
Mr. Ober: "I move we adjourn."
Motion was seconded.
The Chairman: "The motion is made that we adjourn. Is there any objection? With your permission I will ask Brother Kinney to play his beautiful hymn, which we will all sing in closing, and then just a word of prayer at the end; and this will be the last session of the Convention, unless you otherwise desire."
Thereupon, after song and prayer, the Tenth Annual Mashrekol-azkar Convention of the Bahai Temple Unity came to a close at twelve minutes after seven o'clock P. M., on Tuesday, April 30th, 1918.
Secretary, BAHAI TEMPLE UNITY.
(Signed) Harlan Foster Ober.
STAR OF THE WEST
PUBLISHED NINETEEN TIMES A YEAR
By the BAHAI NEWS SERVICE, 515 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, Ill., U. S. A.
Entered as second-class matter April 9, 1911, at the post office at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879.
Editorial Staff: ALBERT R. WINDUST — GERTRUDE BUIKEMA — DR. ZIA M. BAGDADI
Honorary Member—MIRZA AHMAD SOHRAB
Terms: $1.50 per year; 10 cents per copy
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.
TABLET FROM ABDUL-BAHA.
HE IS GOD!
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.
Vol. IX
No. 6
First Meeting of New Board of Bahai Temple Unity
Held at the Auditorium Hotel, Chicago, April 30th, 1918
ONE of the greatest evidences of the unity and love of the Convention, was found in the first meeting of the Executive Board, which was held in the evening of April 30th, immediately after the Convention. The members of the Board gathered and began the meeting with prayer and chanting, which was followed by an indescribable quiet and peace. No one spoke, for it seemed that the doors of the Rizwan had opened, and the breath of the holy Abha spirit had encircled all. We found infinite rest and wonderful consolation beyond the capacity of words to describe.
It may have been a moment or many minutes, we could not tell, but with hearts overflowing we turned to each other, and from all lips came the words: "this is unity," "this is the mystery of unity."
In one of the first tablets revealed by Abdul-Baha, regarding the Mashrekol-azkar, are the following words, "Whosoever arises for the service of this building shall be assisted with great power from his supreme Kingdom and upon him spiritual and heavenly blessings shall descend, which shall fill his heart with wonderful consolation and enlighten his eyes by beholding the glorious and eternal God."
We were aware that we had received a wonderful bounty from Abdul-Baha, through his mercy and love.
Had it not been for the actual, legal necessities, the Board would not have organized. One spirit enthralled and controlled all, like a living, breathing organism. The existence of this spirit was and is essential, while all other matters were and are incidental.
The following officers were chosen:
PRESIDENT—Mr. Charles Mason Remey, Washington, D. C.
VICE-PRESIDENT—Mrs. May Maxwell, Montreal, Canada.
SECRETARY—Mr. Harlan Foster Ober, Cambridge, Mass.
FINANCIAL SECRETARY—Mrs. Corinne True, Chicago, Ill.
TREASURER—Mr. William H. Randall, Boston, Mass.
Harlan Foster Ober.
--PHOTOGRAPH--
Letter from Charles Mason Remey
Dear Bahai friends:
. . . . I have recently terminated the matter of the tombstone where the remains of our late Bahai brother, Thornton Chase, rest in Inglewood Cemetery, Los Angeles, which for some time had been pending and I am now happy to be able to tell you that the stone is in place. From the letters and photographs which have been sent me the monument appears to be most satisfactory.
An excavation was made and the casket was permanently enclosed in a concrete tomb which was built up to the level of the ground to form the foundation for the stone which is a single piece of granite one foot thick, six feet six inches in length and three feet wide, weighing one and three-quarters tons. The top is polished and upon this is inscribed the Greatest Name placed within a circle which is divided into nineteen segments, and the following lettering:
"THIS IS THE ILLUMINED RESTING PLACE OF THE HOLY SOUL
THORNTON CHASE
WHO IS SHINING IN THE HORIZON OF ETERNAL LIFE EVER LIKE A STAR."
—ABDUL-BAHA.
1847-1912.
The matter of this stone was first taken up with Mrs. Chase who gave her consent; then through Mrs. Emogene Hoagg, who was at that time in the Holy Land, Abdul-Baha sent his word of approval. After this the work was begun.
The design of the stone is severely simple. The plainest kind of a moulding forms a base above which runs a series of small circular sunken panels, nine along each side of the stone, and three across each end, in all making twenty-four in number.
Since Abdul-Baha has made Mr. Chase's tomb a place of Bahai pilgrimage, in my imagination, I have seen erected there a mausoleum, possibly in the form of an open circular temple, the roof of which, supported by nine columns, would afford shelter to the many who will visit the spot.
In this stone, I had in view a monument for the present complete in itself, and one which eventually might serve as a tomb slab to form the central feature of a mausoleum which may be built.
Faithfully yours,
C. Mason Remey.
In Memoriam
THORNTON CHASE
FRIDAY, October 19th, 1917, was the fifth anniversary of the visit of our Beloved, the Center of the Covenant, to the "lllumined resting place of the holy soul, Thornton Chase, who is shining in the horizon of eternal life ever like a star."
Twenty-one of the friends in Los Angeles, including Mrs. Chase and a number of her personal friends, were privileged to gather in Inglewood at noon, the hour Abdul-Baha visited the same spot in 1912. The meeting was both a dedication of the stone recently placed there by Mr. C. Mason Remey and a celebration of the visit of Abdul-Baha, thus fulfilling his word to the friends to "visit this grave and on my behalf bring flowers, and seek the sublimity of the spiritual station for him."
The thoughts of those present were centered in the immortality of the soul, the reading being extracts from the words of Abdul-Baha on "Immortality" and his remarks regarding Mr. Chase uttered when in San Francisco. A prayer revealed by Abdul-Baha for Thornton Chase was read, as well as extracts from his various writings. Mrs. Chase then told us of incidents in the life of her husband, how he come into the Movement and something of what it meant to be a Bahai in the early days of the Cause in America. Frank B. Beckett.
MRS. SIDNEY ROBERTS
ON November 30th, 1917, Mrs. Sidney E. Roberts, one of the active Bahai workers in Denver, Colo., passed from this world. She was one of Denver's pioneers; always active in good works and faithful in visiting the sick and poor. Her home was blessed by the presence of Abdul-Baha when he was in America, who told her that she would be remembered throughout coming ages.
Mary B. Morrison.
CHARLES IOAS
--PHOTOGRAPH--
ON May 30th, 1917, Charles Ioas, of Chicago, ascended to the station given him by Abdul-Baha in the following tablet to him from his holy presence, in 1900:
"To the honorable Mr. C. Ioas—
O thou who hast advanced toward God!
By God, I rejoiced when reading thy letter which declares thy belief in the unity of God and thine acknowledgment of the appearance of the Kingdom of God. This is a matter whereby thy face shall brighten in the Supreme Concourse, and thy forehead shall sparkle among the people. Then know the worth of this gift, the lights of which shone forth unto all directions and indicate the attraction of the Concourse of El-Abha, the Most Glorious. Then be firm in this Cause, and thou wilt behold thyself in a lofty station, having all that is in earth under its shadow, because,
--PHOTOGRAPH--
this is verily that gift which is mentioned in the Gospel. O how good is this bounty in this day, when the commemoration of the true God is published and spread in all directions!
El-Baha be upon thee!"
Charles Ioas was born in Munich, Germany, on March 23rd, 1859. He passed through the regular elementary courses of study and graduated from the University of Munich in 1880. The same year he came to America, studied law, and thereafter followed that vocation. He received the glorious message of the appearance of Baha'o'llah and the Center of the Covenant, in 1898, and immediately dedicated his life and being to the Cause of God. He was one of the first members of the House of Spirituality and served thereon for many years.
His body rests in Mount Auburn Cemetery.
GEORGE LESCH
--PHOTOGRAPH--
GEORGE LESCH, one of the best known servants in the Bahai Cause in America, passed from the world of the seen to the realm of the unseen, at Chicago, April 8th, 1918. He was one of the first in the occident to hear of and accept the message of the Kingdom, devoting his life in service to the Center of the Covenant.
In the minds and hearts of those who knew him, his name will ever be synonymous with trustworthiness, sincerity and faithfulness. He was the first secretary of the House of Spirituality, serving in that capacity for many years. It was upon his return home, about midnight, from a business meeting, to arrange for the recent Mashrekol-azkar Convention, that he was stricken with apoplexy and died soon after, with the Greatest Name upon his lips.
In the public meetings, when he spoke before the people, the two subjects which he was ever fond of presenting were "Prayer" and "The power of the Holy Spirit."
George Lesch was born at Chicago, December 27th, 1866. His body rests in Graceland Cemetery.
A TRIBUTE FROM HIS CO-WORKERS, THE HOUSE OF SPIRITUALITY.
Chicago, Illinois.
Miss Mary Lesch, Chicago.
Dear sister in El-Baha:
The members of the House of Spirituality, at a meeting held Thursday evening, April 11th, desired to express to you their sympathy in the passing of your dear brother and our respected co-worker, George Lesch.
We realize that no words of ours can eulogize him, and that any attempt to do so would be entirely inadequate. Recognizing the great love that existed between you, our love for you both gives us the privilege to share with you his memory and to keep it sacred in our hearts as it undoubtedly will be in the hearts of posterity.
His faithfulness, sincerity and sacrifice in the path of God were known to all. It is an honor to be associated with such an one whose whole life was one of faithful service, who was steadfast under the most severe tests and "endured until the end."
Our greatest hope is that we all may serve as devotedly as did he the blessed Cause that we all love.
Your sisters and brothers of
THE HOUSE OF SPIRITUALITY,
Carl Scheffler, Secretary.
A TRIBUTE FROM MRS. I. D. BRITTINGHAM.
San Diego, California.
Miss Mary Lesch, Chicago.
My dear sister in His love and presence:
I have waited until the Convention was over, to write you of my joy with
you in the glorious and wondrous promotion of your beautiful brother to the spiritual heights of that home which contains "all of life that is life, and all of love that is love"; which is a permanent, endless home!
In a tablet revealed for a Bahai many years ago, Abdul-Baha said: "To the people of adoration, death is the ark of deliverance." Today when the earth is so storm tossed, how doubly true this is!
My memories of my dear spiritual brother, George Lesch, are all very beautiful memories! His was an earthly life of beautiful deeds of the spiritual world, and his record will be written in words which will never die. His firmness in the Covenant is now the key that opens many new paradises to him in that home of purest vision!
Blessed are you in the possession of a brother, so safely housed in the supreme Kingdom; so released from the bodily limitations, and so prepared by his life in this world for the larger service that now is bestowed upon him. From that home, his nearness to you will be an eternal nearness, knowing nothing of separation, and a service, invisible but sure, to you, which will never end; in which no abatement will exist but instead as he progresses an ever augmenting, spiritual service.
How great was his presence in the recent Convention, where "all banners were reversed save that of the Covenant."
In His love, your sister,
I. D. Brittingham.
ARTHUR PILLSBURY DODGE
(Tablet Revealed when learning of his death, at New York City, October 12, 1915.)
To Mrs. Dodge, and William, Wendell and Paul Dodge—May their lives be happy—
O ye afflicted ones!
A most terrible news reached my ears and that was the death of his honor, Mr. Dodge. Truly, this bereavement is unbearable and the hearts are afflicted with the utmost sorrow and grief that that divine personage hid his face from the world, hastened to the universe of God and left the friends in the remorse and regret of separation. In reality that honorable soul served the Cause of God and endured many hardships and vicissitudes. His services are registered in the everlasting book in the Kingdom of God and mentioned by the Supreme Concourse. They shall never be forgotten. Ere long they will yield great results and will become the means of happiness to that household and conducive to the honor of its members. I will never forget him and supplicate for him graces and bounties from his highness the Almighty. Be ye not sorrow-stricken nor do ye lament or bemoan; for that drop joined the ocean, that ray returned to the sun, that thirsty one reached the fountain of eternal life and that fish swam in the sea of God's forgiveness. Although his star set in the horizon of this world yet he dawned with the utmost brilliancy from the horizon of eternity. You will find him in that divine universe. Consequently he is not counted among the lost ones.
Upon ye be greeting and praise!
(Signed) ABDUL-BAHA ABBAS.
Blessing be upon the spirit who departed from the body purified from the doubts and superstitions of the nations. Verily, it moves in the atmosphere of God's desire, and enters into the Supreme Paradise.
All the angels on the Supreme Paradise attend and surround it, and it will have fellowship with all the prophets of God and His saints, and speak with them and tell them what happened to it in the Cause of God, the Lord of the Universe. If any one could realize what hath been assigned for it in the Kingdoms of God, the Lord of the Throne and the dust, he would immediately yearn with a great longing for the Unmovable, Exalted, Holy and Abha station!
—BAHA'O'LLAH.
