Teaching Bulletin of the Nine Year Plan/Issue 2/Text

←Previous

Teaching Bulletin of the Nine Year Plan Issue 2

Next→

Return to PDF view Proofread once

[Page 1] TEACHING BULLETIN Of The Nine Year Plan

EDITED BY: NATIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois

No. 2 — JANUARY 1965

Scholarship Award — Final Call

“The Word of God in the Eighth Leaf of the Exalted Paradise: Schools must first train the children in the principles of religion . . .” —Bahá’í World Faith, p. 182

The Scholarship Award being offered this year to high school or junior high school students who are enrolled Bahá’í youth or whose parents are Bahá’ís affords a unique opportunity for our children to enlighten our schools in the principles of religion. January 31, 1965, is the deadline for entries bidding for the Scholarship Award, so a review of this fascinating teaching approach is in order.

One of the purposes of the contest is to bring to the attention of secondary school teachers throughout the nation authentic information on the Bahá’í World Faith. What better source of such material than a Bahá’í subject dealt with in a class writing assignment. What a profound impression such subject matter can not fail to make on America’s school teachers, whose very lives are dedicated to molding the opinions and the lives of our nation’s youth.

The Scholarship Award will be either of the following choices:

1. A round-trip airline ticket for student and Bahá’í parent to the National Convention in Wilmette in April, 1965.
2. A round-trip airline ticket for student and parent to the Bahá’í Summer School of the winner’s preference.

Contest Rules

The material presented must have been prepared as a class assignment. It can range between 300 and 1,000 words. Entries must be post-marked not later than midnight, January 31, 1965, and be mailed to:

National Teaching Committee

Attention: Scholarship Committee

112 Linden Avenue

Wilmette, Ill. 60091

With the material must be enclosed the following:

1. Name and address of contestant and the Bahá’í Community to which contestant belongs.
2. Name of school to which material was submitted.
3. School grade of contestant.

It is urged that material be submitted on one side of paper only, and if typewritten that it be double-spaced. The contest will be judged by a highly qualified committee whose decisions are final. Contest winner will be notified by mail. It is anticipated that the winning entry will be published in a subsequent National Teaching Committee supplement of the Bahá’í News.

Dedication In Isolation

“By the righteousness of God! Whoso openeth his lips in this Day and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him from the heaven of My name, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. . . . Be not grieved if thou performest it thyself alone.” —Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 280

Great is the tribute due the Isolated Believer, that gallant soul who, without benefit of the fellowship, warmth, aid and inspiration afforded in Bahá’í community life, undertakes to carry the flame of our beloved Cause to some remote, virgin area. His is truly the pioneer spirit.

It was gratifying to note that love, attention and recognition were showered on many isolated believers when the friends gathered for the inspiring Institute meetings of October 31 - November 1.

Appointment of the State Service Representatives will do much to give the isolated believer a more solid link with his fellow Bahá’ís.

But those of us who bask in the radiance that glows forth from every Bahá’í community may encourage the friends who pioneer remote areas through the loving link of correspondence. Let’s let our isolated believers know we recognize the importance of their self-appointed tasks by corresponding with them regularly. Their radiance will be all the more brilliant for our expression of love. [Page 2]

Godliness And Cleanliness

The bounty of being a Bahá’í, and the divine guidance of Bahá’u’lláh will enable us all to strive toward a state of godliness—the selflessness of "living the life." Our greatest responsibility, that of teaching the Faith, demands that the places where we hold our Firesides be clean, neat and inviting. To quote briefly from the "Tablet On Purity":

"Cleanliness and sanctity in all conditions are characteristics of pure beings and necessities of free souls. The first perfection consists in cleanliness and sanctity and in purity from every defect. When man in all conditions is pure and immaculate, he will become the center of the reflection of the manifest Light.

"... External cleanliness, although it is but a physical thing, hath a great influence upon spirituality..."

The beloved Guardian exhorted each Bahá’í to have a fireside in his home at least every nineteen days. A home may be humble but inviting. It is all the more inviting if it beckons with cleanliness, and its resident with radiance.

Food and Fellowship

It is said that an American is a person who will attend any kind of a meeting—where food is served! It may be more expensive, but it may also be much more effective to share the Faith with friends with whom you are also sharing the offerings of your table. Acquaintances who might sidestep an invitation to a religious meeting may be much more amenable to an invitation to dinner. If, at that dinner, they meet an eloquent or inspired Bahá’í, they may discover themselves far more interested in religion than they realized.

Where food is served there seems to be warmth, fellowship, an atmosphere of conviviality and sociability. Some Bahá’í communities are reporting significant teaching successes with potluck dinner affairs to which Bahá’ís are invited to "bring a pot and a person!"

To bring a pot only can result in a pleasurable evening can afford an ideal occasion for deepening in our Teachings—but if teaching others is the real objective it is vital to bring a person as well as a pot.

An equally successful adaptation of this approach is characterized by such an invitation as: "Won't you join us on Saturday night? We are having a few friends over for dinner and then to attend a meeting for United Nations Day (World Religion Day, etc.)." People naturally prefer to think of themselves as invited guests rather than someone selected to be "told about religion," unless they are already interested in the subject. If food and fellowship are the ingredients that set the fireside scene, let's share our loaves and fishes whilst we share our Light and our love.

Only Have Faith

(The following is an article by Steve Sewell, printed in the Bahá’í Bulletin of Montana.)

After moving out of the shadow of the Rockies and into the more protective shelter of the Mother Temple of the West, a complete change was presented immediately, and not without a few moments of dissatisfaction. The one thing that has had a highly sustaining influence is the following quote from the Master: "Only have faith, patience and courage—this is but the beginning, but surely you will succeed, for God is with you."

Three hundred and sixty-five times a year we should come to the end of a perfect day with what has been given to us through Bahá’u’lláh.

In the Bahá’í world which is without borders or barriers, where hearts are united instantly in the love of God and where miles do not impose separation between friends, the rays of Infinite Love are shed so abundantly as to illumine the whole universe.

We are each given a ray of light, a star and a dream. The light is to sustain us, the star to guide us and the dream to inspire us. We also stand with our feet in the dust. This is to remind us of our condition of servitude. We are at peace with the world even though the world is a troubled place. We witness pain and see in it growth and perfection rather than dismay. We see sickness and see in it a source of new strength and humility, not sorrow.

People get hurt and suffer emotionally. In this we see the struggle to surrender to the Will of God, not a negative series of events leading to more confusion.

Even though most of us did not hear His voice, the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá echo in our ears saying: "Be happy! Be happy!"

He also tells us to move forward, never taking a backward step which would lead to stagnation and decay. In moving forward it seems it must be directly ahead and not to the right or the left even a little bit. Those who accomplish this are the steadfast whose faith is firm.

Close your eyes and go back to Bahá’u’lláh’s prison cell in Akka and as horrible as it must have been, recall the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá saying the greatest prison is the prison of self.

Watch the sun rise over the Bay of Haifa and touch the golden dome of the Shrine of the Báb; lay your head on the Sacred Threshold and be re-assured.

When people revile us and speak against us, when separation is imposed and difficulties are encountered, remember the words of the Servant of God: "Only have faith, patience and courage; this is but the beginning, but surely you will succeed, for God is with you..."