The American Bahá’í/Volume 11/Issue 9/Text
| ←Previous | The American Bahá’í September, 1980 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
[Page 1]
DR. ADELBERT MUHLSCHLEGEL
Hand of the Cause Muhlschlegel dies[edit]
WITH SORROWFUL HEARTS ANNOUNCE PASSING BELOVED HAND CAUSE ADELBERT MUHLSCHLEGEL. GRIEVOUS LOSS SUSTAINED ENTIRE BAHÁ’Í WORLD PARTICULARLY FELT EUROPE MAIN ARENA HIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICES CAUSE GOD. SERVING FOR MANY YEARS NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY GERMANY HE BECAME AFTER ELEVATION RANK HAND CAUSE ONE OF CHAMPION BUILDERS EMERGING EUROPEAN BAHÁ’Í COMMUNITY CONSTANTLY TRAVELLING ENCOURAGING RAISING SPIRITS FRIENDS RESIDING WHEREVER SERVICES MOST NEEDED FINALLY PIONEERING GREECE AND SURRENDERING HIS SOUL PIONEER POST. HIS CONSTANT WILLINGNESS SERVE HIS ABILITY ENDEAR HIMSELF BELIEVERS AND OTHERS ALIKE BY HIS LOVING GENTLENESS SERENE HUMILITY RADIANT CHEERFULNESS HIS NEVER CEASING PURSUIT KNOWLEDGE AND TOTAL DEDICATION BLESSED BEAUTY PROVIDE WONDERFUL EXAMPLE BAHÁ’Í LIFE. ADVISE FRIENDS COMMEMORATE HIS PASSING AND REQUEST BEFITTING MEMORIAL SERVICES ALL MOTHER TEMPLES. KINDLY INFORM BOARD COUNSELLORS.
July 29, 1980
Large pow wow reflects great spirit at N. American Bahá’í Native Council[edit]
OVERJOYED TREMENDOUS SUCCESS NATIVE BELIEVERS’ CONFERENCE HELD PRECINCTS MOTHER TEMPLE WEST. KINDLY CONVEY MEMBERS INDIGENOUS COUNCIL ASSURANCE OUR FERVENT PRAYERS SUPPLICATING BLESSED BEAUTY BESTOW HIS UNERRING GUIDANCE ENABLE NATIVE BELIEVERS ATTAIN HEARTS’ DESIRE BLAZE TRAIL LIGHT THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA.
July 15, 1980
By DAVID E. OGRON
A spirited and impressive pow wow on the grounds of the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds near the Mother Temple of the West that was attended by an estimated 1,000 Native American believers and their guests was the centerpiece of the historic second North American Bahá’í Native Council July 11–13.
The unprecedented conference of believers representing more than 50 Indian tribes from Alaska, Canada, the U.S. and Greenland was honored by the presence of the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem and Amoz Gibson, member of the Universal House of Justice.
OTHER participants in this remarkable gathering of native believers and others involved in teaching indigenous peoples on Reservations and in cities and villages in North America included Continental Counsellors for North America Angus Cowan, Lloyd Gardner and Edna M. True; nine members of National Spiritual Assemblies in the three countries—four from Alaska, two from Canada and three from the U.S.—and seven Auxiliary Board members.
This second North American Native Council (the first was held in October 1978 in Yakima, Washington) was sponsored by the National Spiritual Assemblies of Alaska, Canada and the U.S. in cooperation with the Continental Board of Counsellors and the Continental Indigenous Council.
The Continental Indigenous Council is composed of three native believers from each of the North American countries who are appointed by their respective National Spiritual Assemblies.
The U.S. representatives on the Council are Mrs. Cathy Cook, Phil Lane and Wayne Steffes.
“I have a great love for all of you,” the Hand of the Cause Mr. Khadem told the 380 participants in the Native Council.
“I LOVE YOU dearly. I am so grateful to the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, who sent me to this part of the world, to the West. He told me, ‘I am sending you to the West to witness the glory, mysteries and light of the Faith here on earth.’
|
What’s inside LOS ANGELES Bahá’ís play key role in UN regional conference. Page 6 SPECIAL program at the Bahá’í National Center reunites former Youth Work/Study projecteers. Page 7 A COMPLETE LIST of Bahá’í Groups not yet chosen as extension teaching goals. Page 11 A TWO-PAGE photographic record of the historic second North American Bahá’í Native Council. Pages 12–13 TWO NEW FILMS based on the laying of the cornerstone of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Samoa are available for rental. Page 14 |
“Today is one of the happiest days of my life. I see the promises of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the expectations of the beloved Shoghi Effendi, and the bounties of Bahá’u’lláh manifested before me,” said Mr. Khadem.
Mr. Gibson directed the friends toward “that beautiful compilation, Selections from the Writings of the Báb,” in which, he said, “you will read so many truths that ‘the old ones’ of the indigenous people of this continent have known about ...
“The old ones always talked about the ‘in-gathering of the tribes,’ the coming together of the tribes. This is what the Message of Bahá’u’lláh is about,” Mr. Gibson added. “It is the bringing together of all the peoples of the earth.”
Among the many special aspects of the Native Council were separate sessions for indigenous believers and non-Native American believers, a children’s program, films about the many contributions to society made by the native peoples of North America, and a display of ancient and modern native artifacts, photos and art work.
Native American dancers perform during the pow wow at the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds that climaxed the second North American Bahá’í Native Council held July 11–13 in Wilmette, Illinois.
Native Council gives birth to 3 ‘Trail of Light’ teaching teams[edit]
As a result of the historic second North American Bahá’í Native Council held July 11–13 at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, three “Trail of Light” teaching teams were formed to visit native communities on Indian Reservations, and in cities and villages in Alaska, Canada and the U.S.
The Trail of Light, a symbolic and hopefully inspirational teaching effort conducted from July 18 to August 1, resulted from consultation among the National Spiritual Assemblies of Alaska, Canada and the U.S.
A FURTHER inspiration for the
New plans look to build on vast Louhelen legacy[edit]
Fifty years of effort and development in Bahá’í education forms the legacy of the Louhelen Bahá’í School near Davison, Michigan.
With the recent adoption of the Louhelen project by the National Spiritual Assembly, this priceless history will form the foundation of the next phase of growth in the field of Bahá’í education.
NEARLY HALF a century ago, during the Great Depression, Lou and Helen Eggleston, having recently enrolled in the Faith and recently married, prepared a newly purchased farm outside of Davison, Michigan, for use as a Bahá’í summer school.
They consulted the Guardian and the National Spiritual Assembly, remodeled some of the facilities, and invited people to attend.
Louhelen’s first Bahá’í study classes began modestly on August 31, 1931, but carried with them the potential for growing into what Shoghi Effendi described as a “cultural center,” a “seat of Bahá’í education,” and an “ideal Bahá’í university.”
Contributions of time, talents and resources on the part of many of our spiritual forebears in the
[Page 2]
VIEWPOINT
Editorial
District Conventions slated in October[edit]
Throughout the United States, the fervor of an impending presidential election commands the attention of the media and the public.
By contrast, with little notice the Bahá’ís of the U.S. will convene Sunday, October 5, in more than 90 District Conventions to elect delegates who will in turn cast their ballots at the National Convention next April for the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
THE BAHÁ’Í electoral system differs in almost every respect from the system now used to select America’s political leaders. There are no nominations, no campaigning, no electioneering, no campaign funds, no speeches, no political parties, no defamation or inflation of character.
The beauty and simplicity of silently writing, in a prayerful atmosphere, the names of those whom one feels, according to his conscience, are most qualified to be delegates is in itself a confirmation that Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation is the remedy for the manifold ills afflicting humanity.
However, in spite of our having the perfect means of selecting the members of Bahá’í governing institutions, participation in the District Conventions continues to be surprisingly and disappointingly low.
Last year, for example, 27 per cent of the total number of eligible voters in the American Bahá’í community, including those casting absentee ballots, participated in the District elections: 41 per cent voted in the Northeastern states, 17 per cent in the Southern states, 36 per cent in the Central states, and 35 per cent in the Western states.
Only four Districts in the entire country had more than half their eligible voters participating: Vermont (61 per cent), Southern Nevada (57 per cent), Rhode Island (56 per cent), and New Hampshire (52 per cent).
SOME COMPLAIN that the District Conventions are dull. This may well be so in many instances, but need not continue to be the case if all concerned will do their utmost to understand the purpose of the District Conventions and attend them in the proper spirit.
The District Convention is business, and the business is important. Just as there are many things we do in life that are necessary but not especially exciting, so there are those aspects of Bahá’í life that are necessary but not always pleasurable.
While Conventions no doubt could be improved, we cannot justify our lack of interest or participation on the grounds that they are not enjoyable.
Might this not be the year for the American Bahá’í community to take a meaningful step forward in its ability to demonstrate a distinctive characteristic of Bahá’í life by showing how much we value the electoral process that Bahá’u’lláh has given us?
Let us resolve to attend the District Convention, to stimulate others to participate, and to provide transportation for those who need it. Let us strive to help our own District rank among those who have attained at least 50 per cent participation.
The world is hungering for an alternative to the anachronistic and divisive methods of selecting its leaders. Is it right that we, who have been so privileged to learn of the magnificent System God has prescribed as the remedy, should fail to use it?
Festival of Cultures keys L.A. Race Unity meeting[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Los Angeles celebrated Race Unity Day with a “Festival of Cultures” June 1 at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles.
|
The American Bahá’í
(USPS 042-430) Published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. Second class postage paid at Wilmette, IL. Editor: Jack Bowers The American Bahá’í welcomes news, letters and other articles of interest from individuals and the various institutions of the Faith. Articles should be written in a clear and concise manner; black and white glossy photos should be included whenever possible. Please address all materials to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. Copyright © 1980 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. |
Food and entertainment at the celebration represented the diverse cultural backgrounds of those in the Bahá’í community.
THE SITE, a popular city park close to the Golden State and San Bernardino freeways, was chosen to reinforce ongoing teaching activities there by the Spanish Teaching Council of Los Angeles.
Before the observance began at noon, an American Bahá’í who had recently returned from pioneering in Argentina strolled through the park with a guitar, singing traditional Spanish folk songs with new “Bahá’í lyrics” to stimulate interest in the event.
It was estimated that Bahá’ís talked to—or played with—nearly 1,000 non-Bahá’ís during the course of the afternoon.
Bahá’ís had set up two booths in the park, both laden with brochures about the Faith in English and Spanish.
At one booth, the friends gave away helium-filled balloons that read: “One Planet, One People ... Please.” At the other, they gave away roses donated by a Bahá’í who works in a flower shop.
Comment
Worldly preoccupation leading mankind to ‘paths of delusion’
By LOUIS J. ALAIMA
|
This month’s article was written by Dr. Louis J. Alaima, a psychiatrist who is in his fourth and final year of post-graduate training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Alaima is recording secretary of the Spiritual Assembly of Philadelphia. His previous published works include two poems, Sonnet XV (in The Distant Drummer) and Dawn:1844 (in Daedalus). |
Recently, in an article about the conflict of authority and belief in Christianity with current materialistic and hedonistic trends, George F. Will of Newsweek magazine commented that “...a diluted Faith cannot compete with the distractions of the modern world.”
Expanding on this theme, he quoted a 50-year-old observation of Ronald Knox, then Catholic chaplain at Oxford University: “...the modern facilities for pleasurable enjoyment have killed, in great part, the relish for eternity ... And the same causes which have multiplied pleasure have multiplied preoccupation. A rush age cannot be a reflective age.”
AS BAHA’U’LLAH describes it, “...the people are wandering in the paths of delusion, bereft of discernment to see God with their own eyes or hear His melody with their own ears...”
What is it but these “dilutions of faith,” the “distractions” and “preoccupations” of materialism and pleasure-seeking that have caused so many to wander in the “paths of delusion”?
“It is the waywardness of the human heart,” Bahá’u’lláh asserts, “that removeth it far from God, and condemneth it to remoteness from Him.” (Gleanings, p. 186)
Bahá’ís are not immune to the siren song of worldly preoccupation. We must honestly and forthrightly face this fact to deal with it.
In our “rush age,” it is indeed difficult to be “reflective.” But if we are not reflective, meditative, detached, we cannot deepen, we cannot teach, we will find it hard to pray, and, sadly, we may find ourselves wandering in the perilous “paths of delusion.”
How could this happen? How could the recipients and champions of Bahá’u’lláh’s incomparable soul-enkindling Revelation grow distant, cool, apathetic, even inactive or estranged?
TWO GENERAL trends, reinforcing each other, contribute to an individual’s increased vulnerability to being caught up in the rushing to and fro of our distracted age.
The first is compromise of Bahá’í principles and the commitment to virtuous conduct and thought.
In the non-Bahá’í world, the temptation to “hide one’s light under a bushel” is sometimes strong. No one wants to be thought of as odd or overly pious.
The materialistic and ungodly are often full of angry, defensive contempt for those who quietly but publicly live the principles of their Faith.
This was brought home forcefully to me when a kind and radiant Catholic co-worker became the brunt of contemptuous backbiting.
“Being around her,” someone said, “is like being a lion in a den of Daniels.” How sorry I was that no one made that remark about me.
A second pitfall, especially, it seems, for Americans, is rationalization or excuse-making, and its corollary, “It’s always someone else’s fault.”
THUS OUR excessive preoccupation with the world is rationalized by such excuses as “I’ll ‘get my head together’ first, then I’ll teach.” Or, “I’d be more active but I have so little in common with the local Bahá’ís.” Or even, “I’m just too busy!” Or “I’m too poor and uneducated to really contribute.” And so it goes.
Underlying both of these trends are lack of courage or a realistic sense of mission and destiny as elucidated in our Writings.
We are told by the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, that we must usher in the promised World Order not by physical martyrdom, but “through living sacrifice.”
We have, he says, a “staggering responsibility ... to weed out faults ... and to cultivate patiently and prayerfully distinctive qualities...” and it is this rectitude of conduct, our Bahá’í ideals, that are “the chief propelling forces that can most effectively accelerate the march of... (our) plans and enterprises...”
I’m certainly not saying that our beloved community is inattentive to these issues. But in the face of mounting world upheaval, we must cling more tenaciously than ever to the bedrock of our Faith, the Word of God, and encourage and support one another as never before to develop “pure, kindly and radiant hearts.”
We must face and climb the mountaintop together to let our light shine before men, the Light of Bahá’u’lláh and His holy, powerful, life-giving Covenant.
•
The American Bahá’í welcomes columns of commentary from Bahá’ís throughout the country. If you have something you’d like to say, we would be happy to consider it for publication in this space. Simply address typewritten manuscripts (no more than four pages double-spaced, please) to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, Wilmette, IL 60091. All articles are subject to editing, and none can be returned.
[Page 3]
LETTERS
Bahá’í community phone listing helpful to seekers[edit]
To the Editor:
The Spiritual Assembly of Santa Cruz would like to share some information about Bahá’í telephone listings that might be helpful in proclamation efforts.
Since the National Spiritual Assembly directs that Bahá’í phone listings in the yellow pages be placed under “Religious Organizations,” and people often look for the Faith under “Churches,” our Assembly investigated the possibility of placing a “refer to” listing under “Churches.”
The listing could be considered a cross-reference by the phone company and may be free. If not, it is still inexpensive ($1.25 a month in Santa Cruz) and is yet another way of making the Faith more easily accessible to those who are seeking information about it.
The listing would consist of a line under “Churches” saying simply, “Bahá’í Faith— See Religious Organizations.”
To the Editor:
I am surprised at your having made a page of The American Bahá’í a gladiatorial arena.
I refer to Mr. Moldenhamer’s unfounded criticism of my scholarship (regarding my book, Buddha Maitrya-Amitabha Has Appeared) in your May 1980 issue.
The intelligent and fair thing for you to have done—prior to printing his letter—would have been to show the criticism to me, invite my comments, and print his letter and my response side-by-side, leaving the reader to form his own opinion.
IT WOULD BE far easier to respond to Mr. Moldenhamer had he been more specific on the exact points of his criticism.
But this he has not done, and, except for his failure to apprehend the meaning of the initials SDR (Sanskrit Dhammapada), he levels unwarranted accusations that my research (despite innumerable source references for the hundreds of quotations in the book) is limited mainly to Paul Carus’ book, The Gospel of Buddha.
Without accusing me of any specific error, either of interpretation or reference, he simply has passed judgment that I am wrong!
Please allow me to set the record straight:
SDP indeed stands for Sanskrit Dhammapada (also known as the Udanavarga), while DP stands for Dhammapada—in this case, the standard Pali text.
Besides the Pali and Sanskrit versions of the Dhammapada, there are Tibetan and Chinese versions. English translations of all these versions can be found in any good library, as well as in the Sacred Books of the East (e.g., Vol. XXI, pp. 90–172) by Max Muller.
MOREOVER, by referring to the glossary of my book, it would have been simple for Mr. Moldenhamer to have located SDP or the Udanavarga.
With respect to his allegation that I have quoted mainly from only one book, which Mr. Moldenhamer either has, or has read, any perusal of my book will show quickly that it is replete with references to the Pali Canon of the Theravadins and the texts of the Sarvastivadins and the Mahasanghikas, all of which represent the words of the Buddha.
Quotations from Mr. Carus’ book also are included, but these are few. Of the more than 250 pages of quotations in my book (the rest being text), quotations from Mr. Carus’ book consist of less than two per cent, and even these, contrary to Mr. Moldenhamer’s allegation, are not EA’s (explanatory analyses), but are cross-referenced to other Buddhist scriptures.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
To the Editor:
|
The American Bahá’í welcomes letters to the editor on any subject of general interest. Letters should be as brief as possible, and are subject to editing for length and style. Please address letters to The Editor, The American Bahá’í, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. |
How the friends treat, or fail to treat, a handicapped, ill or elderly Bahá’í is noticed by those who care for that person, and therefore is part of “teaching.”
I have had various experiences, good and bad, in this respect. On one occasion I was taken, in my wheelchair, to hear the Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum speak. After she finished, the friends lined up to greet her.
She came over and spoke to me. I couldn’t utter a word. As she sat down beside me, I thought, “What would she think if I kissed her?”
As if reading my mind, she leaned over and kissed me. Not only was her understanding noticed at the time by others, it continues to help me in my teaching efforts.
Roxbury, Massachusetts
To the Editor:
I am a librarian working in a small town in West Texas. Recently, several ideas for teaching and proclamation through libraries have occurred to me, and I would like to share them with the friends elsewhere.
In the last 10 years, libraries have tried to expand their services to include films, slides, filmstrips, photo files, pamphlets, paperbacks, records and cassette tapes.
BAHÁ’Í communities might consider exploiting some of these areas when making presentations of materials to public libraries.
Some of the materials that I feel would be well-suited for a library are the record album, Flight; the filmstrip, Bahá’ís and the Holy Land; the film, Paso a Paso (Step by Step), which is especially appropriate in Spanish-speaking areas; and a large number of Bahá’í paperbacks.
When donating paperbacks to a library, be sure to ask that they be placed in the paperback section; otherwise, they may be sent for vinabinding, a special process for hardbacking a paperback. Then the book is put in the regular collection and won’t be in circulation for at least six months after it is donated.
Many libraries now have paperback trade sections where people can bring in their books and trade them. Others have paperback book racks, and both areas have a high circulation.
Most libraries share films over a wide geographical area. Spanish-language films are usually hard to obtain, so libraries are quite pleased to get high quality films of that nature.
In addition to expanding the range of materials offered, many public libraries are trying to offer interesting speakers, story hours, plays, puppet shows, and so forth.
ALSO, many libraries have bulletin boards where community groups can display items and objects of general interest.
Often there are rules governing religious displays, so Bahá’ís should become familiar with local policy before offering items.
Some kinds of activities libraries would generally welcome are puppet shows and displays of materials from other countries, perhaps by a Bahá’í with special talent who is a visiting or returning pioneer.
All of these activities would demonstrate the principle of unity in diversity. Libraries are trying hard to do this themselves, and would appreciate the help.
One Bahá’í children’s book that could be dramatized and used in public libraries is Clementine and the Cage (distributed by Images International, 615 Truman Circle S.W., Vienna, VA 22180).
Most librarians want to get the materials the community needs most. They read reviews of the best books available and listen to patrons when they ask for certain kinds of books.
If you plan to place books in a library, encourage seekers and Bahá’ís to use them. It’s also important to maintain contact with the library once it has been established.
GO TO your library often. Say hello to the person to whom you gave the books. Use his or her services for all your information needs.
Also, be sure to point out that Bahá’í books and the U.S. Bahá’í Publishing Trust are listed in Books in Print, a standard library reference that lists all books in print.
Perhaps Bahá’í communities could give different materials to their library each year. Perhaps the library doesn’t need more books, but it could use a record or two.
This would expose the average library visitor to the word “Bahá’í” in several areas: the book shelf, paperback section, record section, film catalog, and library bulletin, and would let the library know that the Bahá’ís are “still around.”
Van Horn, Texas
The Bahá’í communities of Middlesboro, Kentucky, and Rose Hill, Virginia, celebrated Naw-Rúz by placing displays in public libraries in Middlesboro and Pineville, Kentucky, from March 18 through April 4. The displays included a Bahá’í calendar, photos of Bahá’í Houses of Worship and Holy Places, and Bahá’í pamphlets. Here Ron Day (center), assistant librarian in Middlesboro, accepts three books for the library from Koorosh Khorram (left) and Joe Baker, representing the Bahá’í Group of Middlesboro.
|
Now available in a paper edition!
A Traveler’s Narrative is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s engrossing account of the rise of the Bábí and Bahá’í Faiths. It is essential reading for students of the origins and history of these Faiths. Catalog No. 7-06-27 Cloth $9.00 |
[Page 4]
TEACHING COMMITTEE
Dedicated few make Indian teaching big success[edit]
The remarkable progress in raising Spiritual Assemblies on U.S. Indian Reservations has been made through the power of Bahá’u’lláh reflected in the quiet, behind-the-scenes efforts of a fairly small group of dedicated believers living on or near the Reservations.
These individuals have the welcome assistance of the American Indian Teaching Committee.
THE AITC is a committee of the National Spiritual Assembly that reports to the National Teaching Committee.
Its members are Cathy Cook, a Choctaw-Seminole from St. David, Arizona, who serves as its full-time office manager; her husband, John Cook, who served on the American Indian Service Committee, the forerunner of the AITC; and committee chairman Wayne Steffes, an Oneida from Fontana, California, who is the son of the first Native American Bahá’í in this country.
The present committee, formed at the start of the Five Year Plan, has as its mandate the accomplishment of teaching goals on Indian Reservations assigned by the Universal House of Justice and National Spiritual Assembly, and the encouragement of teaching among Native Americans in urban areas.
Working with District Teaching Committees and Local Spiritual Assemblies, the committee coordinates and inspires believers who are working on specific goals in the field.
The committee also recruits homefront pioneers and traveling teachers for Reservations and other areas.
RECENT teaching successes, says Mrs. Cook, are the result of a collaborative effort based on close communication.
“Our committee,” she says, “is in contact with a group of fewer than 50 people who have special skills. They maintain a low profile but accomplish many goals and carry out many projects.”
This front-line group of believers, in turn, receives help from other Bahá’ís, says Mrs. Cook, who assist them in carrying out specific Indian teaching goals.
“We love the people who work with us,” says Mr. Cook. “They meet, consult, plan and sometimes even cry with us. It’s a truly loving relationship between the committee and its resource people.”
The committee maintains many file drawers of information on various Indian Reservations.
“Each Reservation is treated differently,” says Mrs. Cook, “because each one has certain needs and exists in a distinct situation.”
“THE EFFICIENCY of our office manager should be noted,” says Mr. Steffes. “That’s one reason we’ve been able to operate so successfully.”
Its members agree that the community has reached a high level of unity. That unity, communicated to believers in the field, is another reason for its continued success.
Indian teaching and consolidation, says Mrs. Cook, is still sometimes a process of taking one step forward and two backward.
“Then later,” she adds, “it’s perhaps two steps forward and only one backward.”
In a message in 1978, the Universal House of Justice stressed the importance of maintaining the uninterrupted status of Local Spiritual Assemblies. That is a primary concern of the AITC, says Mrs. Cook.
“Deepening these Reservation Assemblies is the key, and self-sufficiency is the goal,” adds Mr. Steffes. “We’re still telling the pioneers to first make a friend, to make the Nineteen Day Feast a focal point of activity in the community, and to become interested in non-Bahá’í community life.
“THAT’S HOW Bahá’ís in a goal area can obtain information about the needs of that community. Then the committee can do a better job of helping them,” he explains. “This is the starting point of a simple, consistent plan for teaching and consolidation.”
It was the AITC that originated an approach to consolidation that later was incorporated into the consolidation plan for mass-taught areas in the Deep South.
The committee’s primary goal, says Mr. Cook, remains building strong, self-sufficient indigenous Assemblies.
“We really hope someday to work ourselves out of a job,” adds Mrs. Cook.
With only three members, the committee must be constantly aware of momentum, says Mr. Cook, never allowing it to flag for a moment.
The Guardian said it is the duty of non-Indian Bahá’ís to teach the Faith to the Indian people, Mrs. Cook explains.
“Non-Indian believers with a true love for Indian people and a desire to teach among them are always encouraged,” she says.
“No previous Indian teaching experience is needed, but your desire to teach the Indians must burn in your eyes like a fire.”
Members of the American Indian Teaching Committee are (left to right) Wayne Steffes, Mrs. Cathy Cook, John Cook.
Bahá’í musicians entertain during a weekend teaching institute June 6–8 sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
|
JEOPARDIZED ASSEMBLIES |
|
N. Jersey Bahá’í school completes second year
About 40 children received certificates for regular attendance during 1979–80 at the second annual commencement ceremony June 22 at the Evergreen Bahá’í Children’s School in Englewood, New Jersey.
The school is directed by the Child Education Committee of the Wilhelm Bahá’í Council.
In addition to the presentation of attendance certificates, the commencement observance included the presentation of gifts to the teachers, a musical interlude, and plays or readings performed by the children.
Among the activities sponsored by the school during the past year were a trip to the United Nations during the International Year of the Child; an IYC celebration in December in which each class prepared and performed a presentation; a Naw-Rúz celebration; and a commemoration of Riḍván.
Dr. Janet Khan visits 10 Bahá’í localities in West[edit]
Dr. Janet Khan, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia, visited 10 U.S. Bahá’í communities during the last week of June and the first week of July on behalf of the National Teaching Committee.
The teaching trip took her to Walla Walla, Washington; Pendleton, Bend and Klamath Falls, Oregon; and Redding, Chico, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Fresno, San Jose and San Francisco, California.
Dr. Khan’s visits began following the Regional Bahá’í Youth Conference June 20–22 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at which she was a featured speaker.
Fifty non-Bahá’ís attended a public meeting arranged for Dr. Khan in Fresno. Pendleton, Oregon, reported a declaration as a result of her visit there.
Forty people including six seekers attended the Pendleton meeting at which Dr. Khan was accompanied by her friend Tracy Maurer, a journalist for the Brisbane, Australia, Courier Mail.
Dr. Khan, who has traveled extensively in the Pacific, Europe, and Central and South America, is a former member of the U.S. International Goals Committee.
She and her husband, Dr. Peter Khan, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia, left the U.S. in 1976 to return to their native Australia.
Dr. Janet Khan, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia, visited Bahá’í communities in three western states in June and July at the request of the U.S. National Teaching Committee.
[Page 5]
THE FUNDS
Fund is ‘lifeblood’ of Bahá’í Cause—Shoghi Effendi[edit]
This is the fourth in a series of articles prepared by the Office of the Treasurer on the basic principles of the Bahá’í Fund.
•
The “Life-Blood” of the Cause ...
The Fund was called the “lifeblood” of the Bahá’í Faith by the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi.
The money we contribute comes from our heart—from our love for Bahá’u’lláh—and moves throughout the Faith, bringing strength and support to its institutions.
Just as our hearts pump blood regularly, it is important that every Bahá’í make regular contributions to the Bahá’í Fund.
BECAUSE OUR community life is organized around the 19-day cycle of the Bahá’í calendar, many Bahá’ís find it convenient to make their contributions to the Fund at the Nineteen Day Feasts.
Such a regular and sustained outpouring of love is considered by the Guardian to be the secret of right giving:
“We must be like the fountain or spring that is continually emptying itself of all that it has and is continually being refilled from an invisible source. To be continually giving out for the good of our fellows undeterred by the fear of poverty and reliant on the unfailing bounty of the Source of all wealth and all good—this is the secret of right living.” (Bahá’í Procedure, 1942 edition, pp. 8–9)
The Four Bahá’í Funds
There are four major Bahá’í Funds. Shoghi Effendi has encouraged every believer to participate in supporting each Fund.
In this way every Bahá’í can play a direct role in the development of the Faith at every level: local, national, continental, and international.
The Funds are:
Bahá’í International Fund (P.O. Box 155, Haifa 31 000, Israel); Continental Bahá’í Fund (418 Forest Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091); National Bahá’í Fund (112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091); local Bahá’í Fund (local address).
No institution or individual will ever single you out to solicit a contribution to any of these Funds, or suggest that you increase the level of your contributions.
Your relationship to these Funds must be developed by following the promptings of your own heart and conscience.
The institutions of the Faith, however, are free to make their needs known to the community at large, which they do through reports at the Nineteen Day Feast and occasional letters to the friends.
The important distinction is that these are general appeals addressed to the community as a whole, rather than specific appeals directed toward particular individuals.
Fund facing potentially severe shortage[edit]
Dear Bahá’í Friends:
We are grateful for your continuing generosity in support of the National Fund. We wish it were possible to state that all is well with the National Fund, but the truth of the matter is that we are facing a potentially debilitating shortage of funds.
As you may know, the National Spiritual Assembly received several unusually large estate bequests during the last two years. A portion of this money was used to support our ongoing operations, making it possible to carry out planned activities even when contributions fell short of the goal. This money was also used to finance the purchase of a new administrative office building.
NO LARGE estates are anticipated this year. You are also aware that we are now sending $1 million annually to the Universal House of Justice, as compared to $400,000 only two years ago. These occurrences, combined with the fact that our costs are increasing due to inflation, have created the present shortage.
Our outflow of cash is greatest during the summer months. This is probably true for most of you as well, but something must be done now to improve our financial condition.
The following words of the beloved Master place our challenge in its proper perspective. May they stir us to action.
“The holy ones of past ages and centuries have, each and all, yearned with tearful eyes to live, though for one moment, in the Day of God.” “How thankful must we be for having been made in this Day the recipients of so overwhelming a favor! Would that we had ten thousand lives that we might lay them down in thanksgiving for so rare a privilege, so high an attainment, so priceless a bounty!”
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
the Bahá’ís of the United States
Dorothy W. Nelson, treasurer
Dr. Ridvan Moqbel, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United Kingdom, talks with Rose Lopez, secretary of the National Teaching Committee, during his visit July 22–24 to various offices at the Bahá’í National Center. Dr. Moqbel, an immunoparasitologist at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, was in the U.S. from July 21 to August 10 to participate in a Washington, D.C., seminar sponsored by the Animal Parasitology Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, attend a meeting of doctors at the U.S. National Institute of Health, present a seminar at Tufts University in Boston, and present a professional paper at the annual meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists in San Francisco.
Fourth training institute is held for Treasurer’s Representatives[edit]
For the fourth time in five years, the Office of the Treasurer held a training institute for National Treasurer’s Representatives over the Labor Day weekend.
About 25 new recruits joined veteran NTRs for four days of training sessions, instructions, and inspirational talks.
The featured speaker was the Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts who spoke on “The Spirit of Sacrifice” and “The Bahá’í Fund—A Spiritual Institution.”
Other speakers were Glenford E. Mitchell, secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly; Dr. John S. Hatcher; Mrs. Carol Allen; and Mrs. Maureen Haghighi.
Joining the NTRs at the institute were about 15 Bahá’ís who will be serving the Office of the Treasurer as agents selling promissory notes to build the Louhelen Bahá’í School near Davison, Michigan.
The agents received special training for their task while sharing the inspiring talks offered to the NTRs.
The NTR program began five years ago. At that time, about 85 Bahá’ís were trained to act as representatives of the Treasurer’s Office, helping local treasurers learn how to perform their functions.
There are now more than 105 NTRs across the country who can be called on by local Bahá’í communities for help with any Fund-related problem.
IN ADDITION to offering Treasurer’s Workshops to train treasurers in accounting procedures, presentation of Feast reports, and other duties, NTRs provide deepening courses to aid Bahá’í communities and summer schools in their area.
These courses include “The Secret of Wealth”, which covers family finances and budgeting procedures as well as the Bahá’í principles relating to the use of material resources.
Another course, “The Surest Way,” deals with materialism in America and the Bahá’í Fund.
A new course, “The Mystery of Sacrifice,” was presented at this most recent training institute. It will be made available to all local communities through their NTR.
The new deepening course was introduced at the Green Acre School in July, and at the Minnesota Bahá’í Summer School in August.
Notes... from the Treasurer[edit]
Communications ...
At its June meeting the National Spiritual Assembly reached a decision about its communications with Local Assemblies and Bahá’í Groups concerning the distribution of the National Treasurer’s Letter.
The National Assembly decided to make the local secretary the sole channel for all communications. This means that the two Feast letters (which have been mailed separately up to this time) and all other National Center communications will now be mailed in one envelope addressed to the local secretary. This will result in a substantial savings in postage.
By now, communities or Assemblies should have consulted about the best way in which to handle this change of procedure.
Any community that finds it difficult to get the Treasurer’s letter to the local treasurer before the Feast may wish to have the secretary make the National Fund presentation. Local treasurers can then concentrate on the local report and on preparing an inspirational presentation.
This change is a good opportunity to evaluate the manner in which information from the National Spiritual Assembly is disseminated and coordinated with local topics at Feast. We encourage every community to be creative and flexible during this period of transition.
New Course on Sacrifice ...
“The Mystery of Sacrifice,” the latest deepening course from the Office of the Treasurer, traces the theme of sacrifice through references in Bahá’í literature and examples of sacrifice in the development of the Faith.
The five-hour course begins with a recorded “man-on-the-street” interview of Chicagoans who were asked what the word “sacrifice” means to them.
After listening to the interview, the Bahá’í students compare these ideas to their own concept of sacrifice before turning to the Bahá’í Writings for guidance and illumination.
The course also offers stories of Bahá’í heroes and heroines, as well as a new filmstrip, The Day of God.
For information about how to have the course presented in your community, please contact your nearest National Treasurer’s Representative.
Heroes of God ...
Along with a regular Fund contribution, we received the following letter from Roy and Bernice Williams, long-time Bahá’ís from North Carolina:
“Roy is now 92 years old and is ill and feeble from a recent illness, but when there is a chance to propagate the Cause of God and tell of the many illustrious Bahá’ís whom he knew personally—such as Louis Gregory, Agnes Alexander, Juliet Thompson, Dr. Ali-Kuli Khan, and others—his frail body becomes energized with felicity, fervor and spiritual outpourings about these wonderful souls.
“Though limited in material resources, we are rich in our love and devotion to Bahá’u’lláh.”
Mr. and Mrs. Sears visit friends in N.Y. state[edit]
More than 150 Bahá’ís in western New York State and nearby areas attended a special meeting June 27 in Rochester with the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and his wife, Marguerite.
Mr. and Mrs. Sears, who were scheduled to leave soon for their new home in Africa, spoke warmly of their early days in the Faith, of the shining example of Lua Getsinger, and of the great need for Bahá’ís to arise and teach the Cause.
[Page 6]
PROCLAMATION
Bahá’ís play key role in UN conference in L.A.[edit]
By SHERNA HOUGH
The Bahá’ís of Los Angeles were given a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the Faith May 30 and 31 and June 1 during a United Nations conference entitled “New Strategies for Peace: A Working Conference on UN Reform.”
The Bahá’ís were asked to provide ushers for the event, an invitation that was quickly accepted as an opportunity for indirect teaching.
AND EARLY in the planning for the conference, the Bahá’ís were asked if the singing group, the Children of Bahá, would sing during the Saturday luncheon. This was arranged through the choir’s director, Mary Zemke.
The conference was one of a series of regional gatherings being held across the country to discuss a 1978 proposal by President Carter, the “Report on Reforming and Restructuring the UN System.”
The Los Angeles conference was sponsored by a coalition of organizations including the Los Angeles chapters of the World Federalists Association, the United Nations Association, the League of Women Voters, and the Mankind Center.
Bahá’í participation was organized by the Public Relations Committee of the Bahá’ís of Los Angeles.
Twenty-five Bahá’ís volunteered to serve as ushers for minimum four-hour shifts during the conference. At the request of the finance manager, three Bahá’ís who are accountants volunteered to help handle money during the conference.
The finance manager hadn’t known anything about the Faith before the conference, but was told by people on its steering committee to ask Bahá’ís to help because they are scrupulously honest.
THREE WEEKS before the conference, the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles suggested that the Public Relations Committee contact Nancy Mondschein, the National Spiritual Assembly’s representative to the UN, to see if she could attend the event.
Mrs. Mondschein accepted the invitation, saying she would be happy to serve in any way that would be helpful.
When the conference steering committee heard she would be coming, they asked if she would be the main speaker on Saturday evening. The committee wasn’t especially interested in the Faith, but was quite concerned about getting a woman speaker.
Two weeks before the conference, the Bahá’ís were asked if there were any Bahá’í photographers who could document the conference.
The Bahá’ís of Los Angeles had this booth in the display area during the Conference on UN Reform held May 30–31 and June 1 in Los Angeles.
Rezvan Darparbar, a professionally trained photographer, offered his services, and the official photos of the event were taken by a Bahá’í.
Finally, four days before the conference, the steering committee asked if there were any Bahá’í sound technicians who could record the conference.
ALL OF THE qualified Bahá’ís were involved that same weekend in the Race Unity Day celebration, but a good friend of the Faith volunteered on behalf of the Bahá’ís to tape the proceedings.
The pre-conference process was amazing: the steering committee was thrilled that the Bahá’ís could solve so many of its problems, while the Bahá’ís were thrilled by the opportunity to serve.
The attitude of service continued throughout the weekend. If someone was needed to answer the phone, a Bahá’í volunteered; if someone was needed to run an errand, a Bahá’í would appear.
The Bahá’ís were exemplary in their promptness, neatness, courtesy, and good humor, prompting many people to inquire about the Faith during the course of the weekend.
Saturday seemed especially like a Bahá’í proclamation event. There was a Bahá’í booth in the display area, and Bahá’ís were listed as “resource experts” in several of the morning workshops.
A Bahá’í read a prayer for mankind at the beginning of the Saturday luncheon, and the Children of Bahá sang to close the luncheon.
AT 5:30 that afternoon the Bahá’ís held a reception for Mrs. Mondschein, and an hour later presented the first of three showings of a new multi-media presentation, “Tomorrow Belongs to the Children,” as part of a film festival held in conjunction with the conference.
A highlight of the conference for Bahá’ís was the speech given after the banquet Saturday night by Mrs. Mondschein.
As requested by the steering committee, she spoke about the role of women in world peace, handling the subject brilliantly and quoting extensively from the Bahá’í Writings.
About 350 people attended the conference, people who are sympathetic toward such principles as a world government and other social teachings of the Faith.
These are the kind of people the Universal House of Justice specifically asked the Bahá’ís to befriend as a goal of the Seven Year Plan.
The Bahá’ís in Los Angeles have been attending meetings with such people for years, patiently planting seeds of friendship. During this conference, it seemed, the Bahá’ís began to see the fruits of their labor in the enthusiasm with which their participation was sought after and received.
Mrs. Nancy Mondschein, the National Spiritual Assembly’s representative to the United Nations, speaks about the role of women in world peace at a Conference on UN Reform May 31 at the University Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
A section of the concrete apron at the foot of the steps leading into the auditorium of the Bahá’í House of Worship is shown after it was broken up by construction workers in July prior to its removal. The major construction project now under way at the House of Worship calls for the replacement of the apron and the redesign of the entrance to Foundation Hall along with the redesign of the rear service entrance to the Temple. The House of Worship has remained open to visitors during the present construction work.
[Page 7]
YOUTH NEWS
Audrey Morris of West Lafayette, Indiana, pauses during the ‘Youth Reunion’ July 10-13 at the Bahá’í National Center to enjoy a ‘Native Heritage’ exhibit, part of the Bahá’í Native Council held that same weekend. Miss Morris’ first Work/Study Project experience was in August 1979.
Gathering at National Center reunion for 10 Bahá’í youth[edit]
The Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, was the gathering place the weekend of July 10-13 for a group of former Work/Study Projecteers.
The “Reunion Project,” especially for youth who had participated in Work/Study Projects during the past two years, was sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
TEN YOUTH attended the reunion, and 10 others wrote to the Youth Office to relate what they had been doing since their project ended.
The 10 who came to Wilmette, representing four Work/Study Projects, were Rama Ayman (Illinois), Stacy Carson (Colorado), Shohreh Farahani (Oklahoma), Dawn Haghighi (Ohio), Dawn Harvey (Indiana), Robin Kelley (California), Audrey Morris (Indiana), Mike Nazerian (Michigan), James Qualls (Indiana), and Robert Stockman (Rhode Island).
The reunion coincided with the second North American Bahá’í Native Council held that same weekend.
All of the youth had an opportunity to hear a presentation by Amoz Gibson, a member of the Universal House of Justice, assist with the conference, and attend an Indian powwow.
In addition to the Native Council, the youth attended a special class on “Employment Opportunities at the National Center” given by Dr. Floyd Tucker, the National Center’s personnel affairs officer. Social events also were planned.
ALTHOUGH the reunion was arranged to give the youth a chance to see one another again, the National Youth Committee also was interested in the effect the Work/Study Project had had on their lives.
Some of the youth reported on activities they had become involved in since their project. One youth had gone pioneering to Colombia; one had started a statewide Youth Club; another reported that her project helped her to decide on a career in law.
Other youth mentioned that the effects of the project were more internal: “I got more excited about the Bahá’í Faith,” said one.
Added another: “The project put me in touch with my spiritual nature. I began reading and deepening more when I got home.”
All of the youth agreed that the projects had helped them understand more clearly the resources at the National Center. And they agreed that their unity as a group was stronger.
One of them summed up his feelings this way: “I highly recommend the Work/Study Projects to all the Bahá’í youth I meet.”
Villaseñors are guests at Newport Beach fireside[edit]
Mr. and Mrs. David Villaseñor were the speakers at the fifth in a series of monthly firesides sponsored by the Bahá’í youth of Newport Beach, California.
More than 50 people including nine or 10 seekers were present at the fireside.
Each of these gatherings, begun following the successful Touchstone Conference in October 1979, is preceded by a potluck supper and followed by musical entertainment.
So far, the firesides in Newport Beach have led to three declarations.
Speakers are requested to address themselves to specific topics within the Bahá’í Faith.
The Villaseñors spoke about the spiritual evolution of mankind, accompanying the presentation with a display of Mr. Villaseñor’s Indian sand paintings.
Other speakers at the monthly Newport Beach firesides have included Mark Sisson, David Langness, Russ and Gina Garcia, and Elizabeth Rodriguez.
In addition to the firesides, the Newport Beach youth are planning their second Touchstone Conference, to be held this month.
David Villaseñor displays one of his Indian sand paintings during a fireside sponsored by the Bahá’í youth of Newport Beach, California.
About 60 youth attend Florida’s second conference[edit]
Approximately 60 Bahá’í youth and pre-youth from many localities in Florida participated July 18-20 in the second annual Florida Youth Conference in Lakeland.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Becoming Your True Self.” It included informal discussions of topics such as dealing with peer pressure and living a Bahá’í life.
THE CONFERENCE, sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Central Florida, also included a discussion of how to draw on the power of the Covenant to combat the dark forces in the world.
The discussion was led by William Massey, a member of the District Teaching Committee of South Florida, who buttressed his presentation with many quotations from the Writings.
Participants enjoyed a new game entitled “Well-Known Wise One” that featured questions related to the Faith. The game is based on the format of some TV quiz shows.
Other activities included an evening song session, a dance, and a water balloon battle.
Conference participants hosted a birthday party for one-year-old Juliette Wing, who was born on the first night of last year’s youth conference.
Juliette’s parents, John and Ruth Wing, who helped organize each of the conferences, asked those at last year’s gathering to offer prayers prior to Juliette’s birth when Mrs. Wing experienced labor complications.
Fourteen-year-old violinist Deborah Jackson of Deerfield, Illinois, performs during the 1980 Bahá’í National Convention at the House of Worship in Wilmette.
Chicago Youth Symphony taps Bahá’í[edit]
Deborah Jackson, a 14-year-old member of the Deerfield, Illinois, Bahá’í community, has been selected to perform with the prestigious Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.
The Youth Symphony, composed of more than 100 high school musicians in the metropolitan Chicago area, plays in the same hall used by the renowned Chicago Symphony.
THE YOUNG VIOLINIST is the daughter of Stephen Jackson, assistant to the National Treasurer, and Mrs. Patricia Jackson, an assistant to Auxiliary Board member Stephen Ader.
“I’ve wished that I could join the Youth Symphony since I was in sixth grade,” says Debby, who played for delegates and guests last April during the Bahá’í National Convention at the House of Worship in Wilmette.
The young virtuoso has been studying the violin for more than five years.
Debby has no strong preferences within the field of classical music, but says her violin teacher feels she is especially well-suited to playing the music of Mozart.
Her favorite music, she says, is the “soft rock and disco” offered by a favorite Chicago radio station.
Debby’s Bahá’í activities include regular attendance at the annual Green Lake Bahá’í Conference in Wisconsin.
SHE ALSO participated in the Regional Bahá’í Youth Conference June 28-29 in Evanston, Illinois.
Debby spent the month of August in Belize, Central America, as a participant in a month-long international teaching trip to that country sponsored by the International Goals Committee.
Debby participates in a gymnastics club during the school year. That hobby, along with tennis and, of course, the violin, occupies much of her spare time during the summer months.
Racine, Wisconsin, host to teaching[edit]
One declaration and 10 signed interest cards were among the results of a day-long teaching effort June 14 in Racine, Wisconsin.
The event, sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Southern Wisconsin, was assisted by believers from Twin Lakes, Milwaukee, Shorewood and Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and South Beloit, Illinois.
The District Teaching Committee plans to continue weekend teaching in Racine until the community’s Assembly status is well-established.
Devoted Bahá’ís built Louhelen legacy[edit]
Continued From Page 1
Cause helped give birth to Louhelen.
Primarily responsible for organizing and conducting those first classes were Mabel and Howard Colby Ives, and Grace and Harlan Ober. Also participating in that first historic session were Fanny Knobloch, Mary Collison, and many other friends.
THE PASSING years witnessed a lavish outpouring of talents and abilities at Louhelen by such persons as Corinne True, Horace Holley, Amelia Collins, Leroy Ioas, Agnes Alexander, Curtis Kelsey, Mary Maxwell, and a host of others.
Their vision, and now ours, was constantly lifted from the classes and buildings that existed at any one point in time, toward the future—to the potential that the Guardian had seen.
Shoghi Effendi urged the believers on, reminding them again and again of what the embryo was capable of becoming, of what the believers should do to help it become better and stronger each year.
The Guardian continued to speak of the early Davison school as an “educational center,” and to say to the friends that they must “widen the scope of their activities” and “extend the range and enhance the quality of (their) accomplishments.”
Contributions of many among the present generation of Bahá’ís helped bring the school to its present stage of development.
And now, every believer has an exciting opportunity to help Louhelen grow into its next phase.
The current move forward in the development of the Louhelen Bahá’í School is designed to bring us one step closer to realizing the beloved Guardian’s vision for the school.
THE PLAN, initiated by the National Education Committee, consists of constructing new facilities that will include a classroom building, dormitories, and a school center with cafeteria, auditorium, registration area, bookstore and library.
These will replace facilities that have not been used for eight years because of maintenance and safety problems.
A non-Bahá’í architect with a fine understanding of the goals and purposes of the school is working on plans that are in harmony with the legacy of Louhelen.
He will restore and preserve a few of the buildings of importance to our Bahá’í heritage, and will establish new buildings that can serve the present and future needs of the community by expanding and developing as the Faith grows.
Today we can help advance the cause of Bahá’í education, so dear to the beloved Guardian, by helping to finance the physical expansion of Louhelen with direct contributions or long-term loans.
In a new venture for the American Bahá’í community, the National Spiritual Assembly is offering promissory notes that will allow Bahá’í investors to help with construction of the school while earning interest on their investment.
THE NOTES will be purchased back from investors in 10, 15 or 20 years, depending on the series.
Information about the promissory notes is provided in an Offering Circular available from the National Spiritual Assembly, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, or from Bahá’ís who are agents for the National Spiritual Assembly in 26 states.
All aspects of the project require a major effort to raise $1.2 million in one year, the amount necessary to have on hand to initiate the project and complete certain preliminary phases.
The dormitory building at the Louhelen Bahá’í School as it appeared in the early 1930s.
Such contributions and investments work in a reciprocal manner, for the educational development of Louhelen will aid the knowledge and practice of teacher education and child training that will pour back its beneficent influence on training programs in our local communities.
As it enters its second half-century, the Louhelen Bahá’í School has the potential to become a prototype of Bahá’í education—a model for community programs throughout the country.
The Guardian’s words continue to direct the present generation of Bahá’ís toward the expansion of this “Bahá’í university” of the future.
FOR INSTANCE, concerning methodology at the “teaching center,” Shoghi Effendi noted that courses should be offered “in a manner that will stimulate” the students “to proceed in their studies ... once they return home,” emphasizing that “they have to be taught the habit of studying the Cause constantly.”
Concerning the impact that the Louhelen school is to have not only on ourselves but also on the public, the Guardian noted that we must raise “the standard, both intellectually and spiritually, of the school, and make it an attractive center, not only to believers but especially to non-Bahá’ís.”
So important is its development that Shoghi Effendi wrote that it “should be maintained at all costs ... through the united, sustained, and self-sacrificing efforts of each and every member ... Every believer, no matter what his gifts and position, has something to contribute to the growth of the school, and it is only by means of such collective support that Louhelen can
This group of Native American believers from Alaska, Canada and the U.S., one of three ‘Trail of Light’ teaching teams, visited Indian Reservations in Idaho and Washington state July 18–August 1 following the second North American Bahá’í Native Council in Wilmette, Illinois. Team members are (left to right) Jones Wongittilin, a Siberian Yupik Eskimo from Savoonga, Alaska; Linda Proulx, a Cree-Métis from Stratford, Ontario, Canada; Doris Eckroth, a Cherokee from Malone, New York; team captain Hazel Lovelace, a Tlingit from Anchorage, Alaska; Joanne Langan, a Saulteaux from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada; Barbara Healy, a Blood Indian from Blue Sky, Alberta, Canada; Laurie King, a Tlingit from Eagle River, Alaska; George Schinkel, a Tlingit from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. This ‘Trail of Light’ team visited the Umatilla, Makah and Lummi Indian Reservations in Washington and the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho.
Light[edit]
Continued From Page 1
effort was the “Pacific Rim” teaching concept for indigenous peoples described two years ago by the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir.
A teaching team composed of three indigenous believers from Alaska, four from Canada, and one American Indian believer, visited four Indian Reservations in Washington State and one in Idaho.
Meanwhile, a six-member team visited six native villages in Alaska while a third eight-member team traveled to three cities and Indian Reserves in Canada’s northern Saskatchewan province.
This was the second Trail of Light teaching effort. The first, a spontaneous undertaking, was organized following the first North American Bahá’í Native Council on the Yakima Indian Reservation in Washington State in October 1978.
That first teaching effort benefited communities in British Columbia, Canada.
These most recent Trail of Light visits were more carefully planned, and followed a three-day training and deepening program at the House of Worship.
The coordinator was Hazel Lovelace, a Tlingit Indian from Alaska who is a member of the Continental Indigenous Council (CIC).
The CIC, whose membership includes believers from Alaska, Canada and the U.S., sponsored the Bahá’í Native Council in cooperation with the Continental Board of Counsellors for North America and the National Spiritual Assemblies of the three countries.
The Council attracted nearly 400 participants from Alaska, Canada, the U.S. and Greenland, the vast majority of whom were indigenous Bahá’ís. More than 50 Indian tribes were represented.
An artist’s conception of the proposed Louhelen Bahá’í School showing the concept of the “arc” formed by the new buildings soon to be constructed.
[Page 9]
IGC: Pioneering
Every Bahá’í a ‘seed’ ripe for foreign soil[edit]
“The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.”—Bahá’u’lláh
To be a Bahá’í is to be a citizen of the world, to be familiar with the lands and the seas, the islands and the meadows, to be able to travel and move like a seed in the wind where we might implant the glorious Teachings and standards of the New Age as revealed by Bahá’u’lláh.
The goals of the Seven Year Plan have provided the direction for the friends. Every Bahá’í is a potential pioneer, a “seed” to settle in new and foreign soil where it will give nourishment and beauty to barren lands.
As “the Prophets of God are the gardeners of humanity,” many Bahá’ís have already been moved to serve at distant posts while many others are waiting to be filled.
|
INTERNATIONAL PIONEER GOALS
Assigned to the United States by: Updated: 14 July 1980
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unlike a seed in the wind, however, the Bahá’í pioneer must, by an act of will, make certain decisions—when to go and where to settle.
IT IS HELPFUL to become aware of conditions in other places in the world and the opportunities to live and serve successfully elsewhere, just as a gardener must know the requirements of different seeds for their best growth and development.
It also is important to know ourselves and our needs in order to find the spot where we can best “take root” in our efforts.
Some seeds sprout in dark, moist conditions; others lie dormant for long periods of time on the hard, dry earth until a few drops of water appear.
Wherever we decide to be carried by the winds of Will, we must be prepared to respond to the call when it begins to stir in our hearts.
What education do we have? How will we occupy our time? What needs can we meet with our talents and skills? What possibilities are there in the pioneering posts that remain to be filled? What must we do to get ready?
SOME QUESTIONS can be answered only by you, but other helpful information can be supplied by the International Goals Committee to help open the doors: career opportunities, job markets, cost of living, transportation, climate, culture, and so on.
| Goal | Filled | Open | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WINDWARD ISLANDS | 6 | 2 | 4 |
The Windward Islands are in the Caribbean Sea just above the northern coast of South America. They include Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados, and Dominica. The islands attract the tourist industry, but daily life there can be rugged.
The Windward Islands are relatively small, with St. Lucia being 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, with lovely beaches and lush green mountains that reach heights of 3,000 feet.
English is spoken throughout the islands. British currency is used; clothing is simple, informal, and washable.
Temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees the year ’round. Rains are mostly brief showers, with hurricanes a rare occurrence.
Bananas are the chief crop. Drinking water and milk should be boiled; netting may be used at night over one’s bed.
Dentists, doctors, surgeons, teachers, mechanics, plumbers and carpenters would find employment opportunities. The present job market includes needs for:
St. Lucia: psychiatrists, forestry officers, agriculturists, investors in small businesses.
St. Vincent: teachers at the Technical College (electronics and industrial arts), dentist, agriculturists.
Dominica: psychiatrist, nursing instructors, dentist, agriculturists, professors of epidemiology and microbiology at the Medical School.
Immigration to the islands requires a thorough medical examination and a clear police record for the past 10 years.
Auxiliary Board member Elizabeth Martin (not shown) was a guest speaker during the Pioneer Training Institute held July 18–20 at the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina. The 25 participants are making plans to pioneer to Sierra Leone, Japan, Mexico, Bermuda, Central and South America, Lesotho, Ecuador, Africa, and the Windward Islands.
Deputization: Another Way to Serve the Cause[edit]
“Center your energies in the propagation of the Faith of God. Whoso is worthy of so high a calling, let him arise and promote it. Whoso is unable, it is his duty to appoint him who will, in his stead, proclaim this Revelation ...” (Gleanings, p. 196)
“I would particularly direct my appeal to those American believers ... who may find it possible, whatever be their calling or employment ... to establish permanently their residence in such countries as may offer them a reasonable prospect of earning the means of livelihood ... Should they find it impossible to take advantage of so rare and sacred a privilege, let them, mindful of the words of Bahá’u’lláh, determine, each according to the means at his or her disposal, to appoint a deputy who, on that believer’s behalf, will arise and carry out so noble an enterprise.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, pp. 55–56)
“Through all the resources at their disposal, they (the administrators) are promoting the growth and consolidation of that pioneer movement for which the entire machinery of their Administrative Order has been primarily designed and erected ...” (Shoghi Effendi, Messages to America, p. 22; emphasis added)
•
Deputization of a pioneer may be undertaken by an individual believer or a group of Bahá’ís, or even by a community.
A specific pioneer may be designated for deputizing or a contribution may be sent to the National Fund, earmarked for deputization of U.S. pioneers. In either case, the International Goals Committee should be notified of whatever action is taken.
As the world situation worsens and nations are turning to nationalism as a fortress for their identity, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Americans to obtain work permits in many countries.
The only way, then, for many pioneers to survive at their posts is to have an independent income (social security, etc.) or to be assisted by the Fund. Deputization by the friends helps to alleviate the burden this creates on our already overtaxed National Fund, and also provides an opportunity to fulfill the injunction of Bahá’u’lláh to appoint one to carry His banner to the most remote corners of the earth.
Mailing Reminder[edit]
Whenever an Assembly or Group does not receive mail from the Bahá’í National Center for more than a few weeks, there is most likely a mailing problem. If this happens, please contact the Office of Membership and Records, Wilmette, IL 60091.
[Page 10]
PROCLAMATION
Va. Bahá’ís in ceremony to honor Hawaiian king[edit]
The Bahá’í Group of Dumfries, Virginia, participated June 8 in a special program at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Hawaii State Society in honor of King Kamehameha, the first king to unite Hawaii’s eight islands.
Appearing on the program was the Kaimila Polynesian Dance Group, directed by Mrs. Nancy Pilkinton, a Bahá’í in Dumfries.
The group was chosen because of its emphasis on authentic and traditional dances and chants of the islands.
Despite its relatively small size, the Bahá’í Group of Dumfries includes members from white, black, American Indian, Polynesian, Chinese and Japanese backgrounds.
Members of the Kaimila Polynesian Dance Group of Dumfries, Virginia, participate in a program honoring King Kamehameha of Hawaii at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Alice Dudley holds young Anne Morgan Zinke during a farewell party for Mrs. Dudley held May 18 in Omaha, Nebraska. The 78-year-old Mrs. Dudley left Omaha June 1 to become a homefront pioneer in King City, California.
78-year-old Nebraska believer becomes a homefront pioneer[edit]
On May 18, the Bahá’í community of Omaha, Nebraska, held a farewell party for Alice Dudley, who was leaving to become a homefront pioneer in King City, California, and for Ed and Suni Jacobs and their sons, Philip and Darius, who were to become homefront pioneers to Lummi Island, near Bellingham, Washington.
The 78-year-old Mrs. Dudley, a Bahá’í for more than 40 years, left Omaha on June 1. Her two-week trip to California included teaching stops in Hastings and North Platte, Nebraska; Cheyenne and Rock Springs, Wyoming; Logan, Utah; and Sun Valley, Sparks and Fallon, Nevada.
During the fireside in Sun Valley, a 16-year-old girl declared her belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
Bahá’í mime Chogollah Maroufikhah was among the entertainers who performed at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles during that community’s Race Unity Day celebration June 1.
Los Angeles[edit]
Continued From Page 2
The food, a gift to visitors, was donated by many Bahá’ís and included steak, tacos, Persian rice and chicken.
LEMONADE and cake also were given away, along with homemade ice cream made by the children during the celebration.
A number of singers and musicians, Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í, provided entertainment.
Between each performance, the master of ceremonies offered a brief explanation of the Faith in English and Spanish.
One of the day’s biggest “hits” was a Persian Bahá’í mime who charmed the children watching his delightful antics.
After the entertainment, two candy-filled piñatas were provided—one for younger children, the other for older ones.
During the afternoon, three city buses were seen going by the park with “One Planet...” posters on them, and by the end of the day, about 750 “One Planet...” balloons were seen floating through the neighborhood.
Two candy-laden piñatas were provided for children to break during the Race Unity Day celebration June 1 in Lincoln Park, Los Angeles.
Race Unity picnic draws 45 seekers in Ponca City[edit]
Forty-five non-Bahá’ís were among the 61 adults and children who attended the third annual Race Unity Day picnic in Ponca City, Oklahoma.
In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a Race Unity Day ice cream social was attended by 30 adult Bahá’ís, 20 children and six non-Bahá’ís.
|
The Fund Is the Life-Blood of the Faith 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 |
Also attending were two Bahá’í visitors, Michael Fanning of Kermit, West Virginia, and Lynette Johns of Adelaide, Australia.
|
Been waiting for the perfect introduction to the Faith for your public library?
Catalog No. 7-31-04 Cloth $12.00 |
[Page 11]
TEACHING COMMITTEE
Bahá’í Groups viewed as extension teaching goals[edit]
| CENTRAL REGION | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY | ADULTS | ||
| ILLINOIS, NORTHERN 1 | |||
| * | Andalusia | 8 | |
| * | DeKalb | 4 | |
| * | Elmhurst | 7 | |
| * | Freeport | 7 | |
| Galena | 5 | ||
| * | Highland Park | 8 | |
| * | Highwood | 6 | |
| Lake Forest | 5 | ||
| Naperville | 5 | ||
| Oakbrook | 8 | ||
| Rockford Township | 4 | ||
| * | South Beloit | 10 | |
| Warren Township | 5 | ||
| * | Wood Dale | 6 | |
| ILLINOIS, NORTHERN 2 | |||
| Barrington | 3 | ||
| * | Blue Island | 4 | |
| * | Cicero | 8 | |
| Elmwood Park | 4 | ||
| * | Hanover Park | 8 | |
| * | Harvey | 7 | |
| * | Hoffman Estates | 7 | |
| * | Northbrook | 7 | |
| * | Northfield | 7 | |
| * | Prospect Heights | 5 | |
| * | Rolling Meadows | 5 | |
| ILLINOIS, SOUTHERN | |||
| Centralia | 4 | ||
| Charleston | 7 | ||
| Colp | 7 | ||
| East St. Louis | 6 | ||
| Morton | 6 | ||
| South Olmstead | 3 | ||
| * | Ullin | 10 | |
| * | Wood River | 6 | |
| INDIANA | |||
| * | Gary | 7 | |
| Michigan City | 6 | ||
| * | Mishawaka | 8 | |
| Nashville | 5 | ||
| * | Warsaw | 9 | |
| IOWA | |||
| * | Boone | 7 | |
| Burlington | 6 | ||
| * | Garrison | 6 | |
| Lamoni | 5 | ||
| KANSAS | |||
| Garden City | 5 | ||
| Hays | 7 | ||
| Newton | 6 | ||
| Prairie Village | 10 | ||
| MICHIGAN, MAINLAND | |||
| * | Alpena | 8 | |
| * | Bay City | 5 | |
| Bloomfield Township | 6 | ||
| Chelsea | 6 | ||
| Croton Township | 4 | ||
| Dearborn | 6 | ||
| Grand Blanc Township | 5 | ||
| Huntington Woods | 6 | ||
| Inkster | 5 | ||
| Madison Heights | 5 | ||
| * | Meridian Township | 4 | |
| * | Midland | 7 | |
| Monroe | 6 | ||
| Niles | 9 | ||
| * | Pittsfield Township | 4 | |
| Port Huron | 5 | ||
| Romulus | 11 | ||
| Scio Township | 4 | ||
| Southgate | 5 | ||
| Traverse City | 10 | ||
| West Bloomfield Township | 8 | ||
| MINNESOTA, NORTHERN | |||
| Beltrami County | 4 | ||
| Ponemah | 12 | ||
| * | Virginia | 3 | |
| White Earth Reservation | 0 | ||
| MINNESOTA, SOUTHERN | |||
| Brooklyn Park | 5 | ||
| Coon Rapids | 6 | ||
| Hopkins | 4 | ||
| Isanti County | 5 | ||
| * | Winona | 7 | |
| Wright County | 7 | ||
| MISSOURI | |||
| Arnold | 6 | ||
| Brentwood | 4 | ||
| Cape Girardeau | 6 | ||
| * | Clayton | 6 | |
| Ferguson | 3 | ||
| Independence | 6 | ||
| Joplin | 5 | ||
| Maplewood | 4 | ||
| Ozark County | 3 | ||
| Wellston | 6 | ||
| NEBRASKA | |||
| Alliance | 3 | ||
| Kearney | 7 | ||
| NORTH DAKOTA | |||
| Bismarck | 3 | ||
| Mandaree | 8 | ||
| New Town | 5 | ||
| OHIO, NORTHERN | |||
| Austintown Township | 6 | ||
| Cuyahoga Falls | 7 | ||
| East Cleveland | 8 | ||
| * | Euclid | 8 | |
| Springfield Township | 5 | ||
| Stow | 8 | ||
| * | Youngstown | 4 | |
| OHIO, SOUTHERN | |||
| Centerville | 6 | ||
| Fairborn | 8 | ||
| Oakwood | 6 | ||
| Wayne Township | 4 | ||
| * | Urbana | 7 | |
| * | Yellow Springs | 6 | |
| SOUTH DAKOTA | |||
| Bullhead District | 5 | ||
| * | Crow Creek Reservation | 9 | |
| La Plant | 5 | ||
| Pine Ridge Res. West | 13 | ||
| WISCONSIN/MICHIGAN | |||
| Chippewa County | 7 | ||
| Marathon County | 6 | ||
| * | Menomonie | 7 | |
| Oneida County | 8 | ||
| WISCONSIN, SOUTHERN | |||
| * | Brookfield | 6 | |
| Burke Township | 6 | ||
| * | Burlington | 8 | |
| Delafield | 5 | ||
| Delafield Township | 5 | ||
| La Crosse | 6 | ||
| * | Sheboygan | 7 | |
| Sun Prairie | 5 | ||
| Wilson Township | 8 | ||
| NORTHEASTERN REGION | |||
| CONNECTICUT | |||
| East Hartford | 7 | ||
| * | Ellington | 7 | |
| Enfield | 5 | ||
| Groton | 3 | ||
| * | Hamden | 8 | |
| * | Milford | 8 | |
| North Haven | 5 | ||
| * | Norwich | 4 | |
| Ridgefield | 8 | ||
| Westport | 3 | ||
| MAINE | |||
| * | Eastport | 6 | |
| * | Kittery | 5 | |
| Orono | 5 | ||
| Yarmouth | 8 | ||
| MASSACHUSETTS | |||
| Attleboro | 9 | ||
| Bourne | 6 | ||
| * | Greenfield | 8 | |
| * | Marlborough | 6 | |
| * | Nantucket | 6 | |
| * | Pittsfield | 8 | |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE | |||
| * | Claremont | 1 | |
| Conway | 5 | ||
| Epping | 5 | ||
| * | Hinsdale | 5 | |
| Hudson | 5 | ||
| * | Lebanon | 8 | |
| * | Woodstock | 7 | |
| NEW JERSEY | |||
| Bloomfield | 4 | ||
| Camden | 10 | ||
| Cedar Grove | 4 | ||
| * | Cherry Hill Township | 8 | |
| Cliffside Park | 5 | ||
| * | East Orange | 10 | |
| Egg Harbor Township | 6 | ||
| Elizabeth | 6 | ||
| * | Glassboro | 5 | |
| * | Hopewell Township | 4 | |
| Irvington | 5 | ||
| * | Morristown | 6 | |
| * | North Plainfield | 7 | |
| Ocean City | 5 | ||
| * | Pleasantville | 7 | |
| Summit | 4 | ||
| Westwood | 7 | ||
| NEW YORK, EASTERN | |||
| * | Cortlandt | 6 | |
| Glens Falls | 4 | ||
| Monticello | 6 | |
| Mount Kisco | 4 | |
| Mount Pleasant | 8 | |
| Plattsburgh | 7 | |
| Poughkeepsie Township | 6 | |
| Ramapo Township | 6 | |
| * | Scarsdale | 4 |
| Tarrytown | 3 | |
| NEW YORK, WESTERN | ||
|---|---|---|
| * | Brighton Town | 7 |
| * | Cheektowaga | 4 |
| Dunkirk | 6 | |
| * | Endicott | 5 |
| * | Hamburg | 8 |
| Hilton | 8 | |
| * | Jamestown | 9 |
| Lancaster | 5 | |
| * | Lyons | 10 |
| * | Newfane | 11 |
| North Tonawanda | 5 | |
| Olean | 8 | |
| Oswego | 7 | |
| Pittsford | 5 | |
| Potsdam | 6 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA, EASTERN | ||
| † | Bethlehem | 9 |
| Haverford Township | 3 | |
| † | Middleton Township | 6 |
| Pottstown Borough | 5 | |
| * | West Chester | 4 |
| * | West Goshen | 5 |
| Williamsport | 5 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA, WESTERN | ||
| Huntingdon | 2 | |
| Millcreek Township | 3 | |
| Wilkinsburg Township | 4 | |
| RHODE ISLAND | ||
| * | East Providence | 6 |
| * | Newport | 6 |
| * | South Kingstown | 7 |
| Warren | 5 | |
| Warwick | 3 | |
| West Greenwich | 4 | |
| VERMONT | ||
| Hartford | 6 | |
| Norwich | 2 | |
| * | Rochester | 7 |
| Shelburne | 7 | |
| SOUTHERN REGION | ||
| ALABAMA, NORTHERN | ||
| Mountain Brook | ||
| ARKANSAS | ||
| * | Arkadelphia | 8 |
| Dumas | 13 | |
| Fort Smith | 6 | |
| Lonoke | 15 | |
| Pulaski County | 20 | |
| * | Stuttgart | 12 |
| * | Sweethome | 30 |
| DELMARVA | ||
| Dover, DE | 2 | |
| Greater Rhodesdale, MD | 3 | |
| Greater Vienna, MD | 7 | |
| * | Newark, DE | 3 |
| Reids Grove, MD | 2 | |
| FLORIDA, CENTRAL | ||
| Auburndale | 6 | |
| FLORIDA, NORTHERN | ||
| Atlantic Beach | 3 | |
| FLORIDA, SOUTHERN | ||
| Coral Gables | 4 | |
| Homestead | 13 | |
| Martin County | 9 | |
| Naples | 8 | |
| * | Pahokee | 7 |
| Riviera Beach | 7 | |
| * | Saint Lucie County | 7 |
| Sunrise | 7 | |
| GEORGIA, NORTHERN | ||
| Alvaton | 0 | |
| Clayton County | 8 | |
| Fairburn | 4 | |
| Fayette County | 2 | |
| Fayetteville | 0 | |
| Greenville | 3 | |
| Lincoln Park | 14 | |
| South Fulton County | 10 | |
| * | Upson County | 7 |
| Woodbury | 4 | |
| GEORGIA, SOUTHERN | ||
| * | Americus | 32 |
| Brunswick | 8 | |
| Darien | 2 | |
| * | Houston County | 20 |
| * | Lee County | 5 |
| * | Montezuma | 21 |
| * | Schley County | 10 |
| Statesboro | 7 | |
| Townsend | 0 | |
| KENTUCKY | ||
| * | Berea | 3 |
| Danville | 2 | |
| LOUISIANA, NORTHERN | ||
| Farmerville | 0 | |
| Gloster | 9 | |
| LOUISIANA, SOUTHERN | ||
| * | Bogalusa | 51 |
| La Place | 8 | |
| MARYLAND/D.C. | ||
| Brunswick | 2 | |
| Greater Frederick | 4 | |
| MISSISSIPPI | ||
| * | Bolton | 10 |
| Starkville | 6 | |
| Warren County | 6 | |
| NORTH CAROLINA, CENTRAL | ||
| Carrboro | 6 | |
| Greater Maxton | 9 | |
| * | Maxton | 8 |
| * | Orrum | 7 |
| Surry County | 4 | |
| * | Tabor City | 7 |
| NORTH CAROLINA, EASTERN | ||
| Farmville | 29 | |
| Rocky Mount | 8 | |
| * | Plymouth | 90 |
| * | Wilmington | 7 |
| * | Zebulon | 8 |
| NORTH CAROLINA, WESTERN | ||
| Boone | 7 | |
| * | Cornelius | 20 |
| Morganton | 8 | |
| Northeast Mecklenburg Co. | 3 | |
| OKLAHOMA, EASTERN | ||
| * | Ada | 7 |
| Adair County | 15 | |
| Boynton | 7 | |
| Chouteau | 6 | |
| Coweta | 5 | |
| * | Delaware County | 16 |
| Haskell | 6 | |
| New Lima | 4 | |
| * | Okmulgee | 6 |
| * | Redbird | 31 |
| Salina | 6 | |
| Seminole County | 12 | |
| * | Stilwell | 5 |
| * | Wagoner | 25 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA, CENTRAL | ||
| Greater Summerton | 28 | |
| South Richland County | 8 | |
| SOUTH CAROLINA, NORTHERN | ||
| * | Blackstock | 11 |
| * | Greater Cowpens | 7 |
| Hickory Grove | 7 | |
| Liberty | 6 | |
| * | Lynchburg | 7 |
| Townville | 7 | |
| York County | 10 | |
| TENNESSEE, EASTERN | ||
| Hamilton County | 5 | |
| Oak Ridge | 7 | |
| TENNESSEE, WESTERN | ||
| * | Arlington | 12 |
| * | Somerville | 27 |
| Williamson County | 5 | |
| TEXAS, CENTRAL 1 | ||
| * | Georgetown | 7 |
| * | Killeen | 8 |
| * | Luling | 8 |
| * | Manor | 8 |
| Marion | 11 | |
| TEXAS, CENTRAL 2 | ||
| Alpine | 5 | |
| Sonora | 20 | |
| Sterling City | 5 | |
| Sweetwater | 5 | |
| TEXAS, EASTERN 1 | ||
| Atlanta | 6 | |
| Avalon | 5 | |
| Benbrook | 5 | |
| * | Cleburne | 11 |
| Dallas County | 5 | |
| * | Denison | 7 |
| Harrison County | 10 | |
| * | Hurst | 8 |
[Page 12]
NATIVE COUNCIL
Native Council[edit]
Continued From Page 1
THAT EXHIBIT, in Foundation Hall at the Bahá’í House of Worship, included examples of native dress from remote areas of Alaska as well as from Canada and the U.S., along with hand-made jewelry and other handicrafts.
Chairs in Foundation Hall were arranged in the circular configuration traditional to Indian consultation so participants could easily see one another and communicate on an informal basis, according to Mr. Lane, who served as master of ceremonies during the Council sessions and the pow wow.
Dawn prayers were offered by Native Council participants at the House of Worship, while the traditional Indian peace pipe was smoked at sunrise.
The Council itself was opened with prayers offered in many native languages as well as in English.
Jens Lyberth, an Inuit Eskimo from Greenland who now lives in Toronto, Canada, and is a member of the Continental Indigenous Council, spoke to the meeting of non-native believers about reaching the indigenous people.
“To understand and to reach them,” he said, “you need to have a dedication, an understanding of the kind of culture ... my brothers are in. Otherwise, the dedication you have shown is inadequate.
“WE ARE Bahá’ís,” he said. “We love one another. That love must never disappear. It must be given freely. Wherever you receive it, you have to give it out; otherwise, you will not be able to reach my brothers and sisters.”
John Kolstoe, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska, told the non-native believers that some of the indigenous Bahá’ís in Alaska did not become “natives” until after they became Bahá’ís.
“Many of these people had almost rejected their heritage,” he said, “for a variety of psychological, sociological and other reasons.
“It was only afterward, through the Message of Bahá’u’lláh, that they discovered the acceptability of their being native.”
Mr. Kolstoe drew a parallel between the Native Council and a baby in an incubator.
Such a child, he said, needs special care and handling before it is strong enough to go out and make its way in the world.
“AND SO there is nothing wrong with the child if he is in an incubator for awhile,” said Mr. Kolstoe. “This is more toward the point of what is going on here. There is a need for people to establish their identity.”
Those attending the session for indigenous believers discussed such topics as “Who are we?” “What are the tasks before us?” and “How can each individual help?”
Ten workshop sessions offered at the conference included topics related to deepening, dealing with native politics, native women and the Faith, native answers to pioneering questions, and combating the use of alcohol and drugs, as well as workshops on Eskimo culture and understanding death and burial.
Mr. Khadem spoke to Council participants about the as-yet unknown significance of the gathering:
“Friends, we do not know the value, the significance of this conference,” he said. “I wish that I could tell you what it is. Pray to Bahá’u’lláh to inspire you to understand the significance of this occasion.”
MR. GIBSON referred in one of his talks to the “suffering and utmost restriction” of the believers in Iran, adding, however, that the spirit of unity and the determination to teach the Cause is stronger there than it has been in many years.
Again and again, Mr. Gibson stressed the great importance of teaching:
“Bahá’u’lláh has told us how to serve,” he said. “Besides living according to His instructions, besides loving all mankind, besides wanting to serve all mankind, He tells us that ‘To assist Me is to teach My Cause.’
“I feel that our time of absolute freedom to teach without opposition on this North American continent won’t last much longer.
“If you have any problems in your community, solve them by making a sincere effort to teach. Invite the one whom you are having the most difficulty with to be the speaker at your fireside.”
Mr. Gibson urged the friends to shower a special love on such an individual, adding that the love “will return to you ten-fold.”
THE MEMBER of the Supreme Body told the believers that there is a great need for pioneers from among the Indians. He suggested that the Indian Bahá’ís would do well to learn Chinese.
“One-third of the world’s population lives in China,” he said, “and one day this door will be open to us.
“In a sense, you will be returning to your origins,” he said, referring to the crossing of the Bering Strait by distant ancestors of the Indian peoples of North and South America. “You have to repay your debt to that land.”
Eugene King, a Tlingit Indian and member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska, requested that Mr. Gibson ask the Universal House of Justice to assign special Seven Year Plan teaching goals to the indigenous believers in North America.
Mr. Gibson replied that he would relay the request from the Bahá’í Native Council to the Supreme Body.
“I feel a special spirit in this gathering,” said Mr. Gibson, “and I will pray that it never leaves you; that the spirit generated by you who are here will always be with you, and that it will sustain you through every trial and inspire you to teach the Cause of God.”
ON FRIDAY, Indian performers presented an evening of entertainment at the National College of Education that ranged from traditional Indian music to contemporary comedy and impersonations.
Among the performers were five-year-old Michalee Bainbridge and her two-year-old sister, Henrietta, from Red Mesa, Arizona, who sang a Navajo song.
Kevin Locke of Wakpala, South Dakota, played a traditional Lakota (Sioux) flute.
A group of six young believers representing tribes from Alaska, Canada and the U.S. sang traditional Indian songs, while other performers sang and played the guitar.
The following evening witnessed the gathering for a traditional pow wow of up to 1,000 people on the grounds of the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds within sight of the House of Worship.
Bahá’í Native Council participants were joined by guests that included believers and non-Bahá’ís from the Wilmette area, their families and friends, along with a number of non-Bahá’í Native Americans from the Chicago Indian Center, many of them in colorful native regalia.
IN FACT, one of the two groups of singers providing music for the pow wow was composed of non-Bahá’í guests from the Chicago
[Page 13]
NATIVE COUNCIL
Indian Center.
The pow wow, which was filmed by a Bahá’í crew from Alaska, opened with traditional honor dances, the display of flags of nations represented, and a special “circle” (unity) dance.
Dances performed at a pow wow are not war dances, the master of ceremonies explained. “They have as their purpose recognizing the kindness of the Great Spirit in causing grass to grow everywhere,” and are performed on grass, he said.
Grass dances, Mr. Lane added, once began with dancers picking up handfuls of grass and tucking them into their belts to wear during the dance.
Some dances at the pow wow were reserved for women wearing large shawls. “The shawls are symbolic of spiritual protection,” said Mr. Lane.
One of the dancers was Mr. Gibson’s wife, Mary, who wore a shawl emblazoned with the logo of the Continental Indigenous Council.
THE SHAWL, made by an Indian believer, was presented to Mr. Gibson to be taken back to Haifa as a gift from the Native Council to the Universal House of Justice.
The Hand of the Cause Mr. Khadem not only danced at the pow wow but also joined the singers who were seated around a large drum in the center of the gathering.
Mr. Gibson was an enthusiastic participant in the dances along with the non-native believers and their guests.
The following day, Mr. Khadem described the unique spirit generated at the pow wow by referring to it as “the pow wow of Bahá’u’lláh.”
Nearly $3,000 was raised through a “silent auction” of donated native art and craft items that were on display during the conference.
The money was used to help defray the cost of the Native Council itself and to help underwrite the cost of the “Trail of Light,” a two-week teaching project in Alaska, Canada and the U.S. that began shortly after the close of the conference.
THE FOUR participants in the Native Council who declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh during the conference were warmly embraced by Mr. Khadem, Mr. Gibson and other special guests during the Council’s closing session Sunday morning.
Miss True spoke at that session about special moments in the growth of the Faith throughout its history.
“I think that this has been one of those very special moments,” she said. “The Faith has taken another mighty step forward, and I know that we all will return to our homes with a deeper confirmation that these wonders can and will happen.”
Mr. Gibson, asked to close the final session of the second Bahá’í Native Council, told his audience he saw no way in which to do so.
Referring to “the spirit generated here by our thoughts and deeds, by our prayers and chants, and by a special gift from Bahá’u’lláh for this gathering of many nations and many tongues,” Mr. Gibson said, “That spirit of unity amongst us can never die. Therefore, my task of closing this conference is clearly impossible.”
TO THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE:
IMMEDIATELY MOVED REGARD HISTORICALLY UNIQUE, PROCEDURALLY UNUSUAL, SPIRITUALLY DYNAMIC CONFERENCE NATIVE BELIEVERS NORTH AMERICA ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES MORE THAN 50 TRIBES HELD LAST WEEKEND WITHIN PRECINCTS MOST HOLY HOUSE WORSHIP AS SUMMING UP RESULTS OF PAST EFFORTS AMONG NATIVE AMERICANS, AS TURNING POINT, AS INVESTING PROCESS INCORPORATION THESE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S WORLD-REDEEMING ORDER WITH NEW VISION, NEW CHALLENGES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES FAR BEYOND WHAT WAS APPARENT HERETOFORE. MOREOVER EVENT MANIFESTED DYNAMIC POTENTIAL COLLABORATIVE ENDEAVORS THREE NORTH AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS SHARPENED AWARENESS ALL PARTICIPANTS, NATIVE OR NOT, NEEDS PRESENT HOUR, PRODUCED IMPETUS FOR TEACHING PROJECTS KNOWN COLLECTIVELY AS TRAIL OF LIGHT EMANATING IMMEDIATELY FROM CONFERENCE. IN DIGNIFIED UPLIFTING CEREMONY WITNESSED BY HAND CAUSE KHADEM, HOUSE OF JUSTICE MEMBER AMOZ GIBSON, COUNSELLORS COWAN, GARDNER, TRUE, REPRESENTATIVES NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES ALASKA, CANADA AND UNITED STATES AND NUMBER AUXILIARY BOARD MEMBERS, NATIVE COUNCIL ENTRUSTED SPECIAL GIFT FOR MIGHTY HOUSE OF JUSTICE TO MRS. MARY GIBSON IN HOPE SHE CAN PRESENT IT TO SUPREME INSTITUTION IN SPIRIT IN WHICH IT WAS GIVEN. ONE FEATURE CONFERENCE, A POW WOW, HELD ON LAKESIDE PROPERTY UNDER SHADOW MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR DREW ATTENDANCE NUMBERING APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND SCINTILLATING THE MINDS AND SPIRITS FOR ITS AESTHETIC EXECUTION BUT, MORE IMPORTANT, POWERFULLY IMPRESSING UPON THEM BAHÁ’Í IDEAL ONENESS MANKIND. ALL INVOLVED, BAHÁ’Í OR NOT, WERE AMAZED BY MELANGE OF CULTURES, TOUCHED BY UNITY OF FRIENDS. LATER ON THROUGH AUDIO-VISUAL REPORTS WE HOPE THERE WILL BE CONVEYED TO YOU SOMETHING OF THE WONDER OF THIS UNIQUE OCCASION. AWARENESS SUFFERING OUR PERSIAN BRETHREN SUFFUSED CONFERENCE LENT SPECIAL QUALITY DELIBERATIONS. MEMORABLE GATHERING WITH ITS FAINT TRACES OF SPIRIT OF BADASHT BECAME IN DEEPEST SENSE RESPONSE OF NATIVE AMERICAN BELIEVERS TO CHALLENGE ISSUING FROM CRADLE FAITH AT THIS MOMENT.
July 14, 1980
[Page 14]
PUBLICATIONS
2 films about Samoa Temple dedication available for rental[edit]
Two new films based on the laying of the cornerstone of the first Bahá’í House of Worship in the Pacific Islands have just been released and are available for rental, according to Gil Muro, special materials manager at the Bahá’í Publishing Trust.
Both films were produced by Ciné Bahá’í for the Audio-Visual Department of the Universal House of Justice.
THE FIRST is Blessed Is the Spot, a half-hour 16mm film, in color, highlighting the laying of the cornerstone of the Bahá’í Temple in Samoa.
Officiating at the ceremony were the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum and His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II.
The film, designed for deepening classes and proclamation, offers a charming glimpse of village life and breathtaking scenery.
It provides an opportunity to become acquainted with the Samoan Bahá’í community while making evident the rapid progress of the Faith in the Pacific in recent years.
In the film, Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum gives a brief and lucid presentation of the central themes of the Faith. In his address, also in the film, the Malietoa says:
“Humanity today is in desperate need of a unifying spirit, a spirit that will engender in the hearts and minds of every member of the human family the belief that we all belong to the same household.
“THE LAYING of the foundation-stone of this House of Worship in the Pacific is the visible sign of such unity in our midst, and hopefully, this building will rise and become the emblem of the greatest spirit of unity in our islands and in the whole of the Pacific.”
The second new film is Bahá’í Jubilee Samoa, a half-hour 16mm documentary, in color, also based on the laying of the cornerstone of the Samoan House of Worship. It is intended for television and public meetings.
To rent Blessed Is the Spot or Bahá’í Jubilee Samoa, send a letter to the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 523 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, IL 60091, with the following information:
(1) THE NAME of the film; (2) your first, second and third choices of dates desired; and (3) the number of showings planned up to a maximum of six.
Letters concerning film rentals should not be mailed with other orders to the Publishing Trust. They should be mailed at least one month in advance of the first chosen date.
Full payment, plus 10 per cent for postage and handling on orders under $100, must accompany your rental order.
The rental price for Blessed Is the Spot or Bahá’í Jubilee Samoa is $50.
For immediate film rental information phone the Bahá’í Book Store at 312-256-4400, extension 166, any working day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (CDT).
Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum and Malietoa Tanumafili II at the laying of the cornerstone of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Samoa. Two films about that historic event are now available for rental.
‘Stories From the Delight of Hearts’ offers personal glimpse of Faith’s early years[edit]
|
Stories From the Delight of Hearts: The Memoirs of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí, translated from the original Persian and abridged by A.Q. Faizi. Kalimát Press, 1980. Available through the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Catalog No. 7-31-98, $9. Reviewed by Dr. Jalíl Mahmoudi and Fred W. Bruning. |
The recently published book Stories From the Delight of Hearts offers an unusual and thoroughly enjoyable opportunity for Bahá’ís and those interested in the Faith to observe, as if through a window to the past, personal glimpses of the early figures of the Faith as seen through the eyes of Hájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí.
This remarkable man, who embraced the Faith during the Bábí Dispensation, and whose service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh spanned more than half a century, was directed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to write his memoirs as a lesson for posterity.
IN FULFILLING this task, Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí has left us with a document that not only contains numerous anecdotes about his life and the lives of other early giants of the Faith, but also expresses unique observations about the personalities of these immortal figures.
A mirror of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí’s life, the book abounds with stories of devotion, selflessness, humor, sacrifice, and a special, deeply moving understanding of the mystical significance of the events surrounding the birth and early years of the Faith.
One brief example of the beautiful spirit with which the author invests his work is found in the following excerpt:
The spiritual transformation experienced by those who have attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh is so far above limited human experience that it cannot be described. It is that Paradise which is said never to have been seen by mortal eyes, nor experienced by earthly senses.
The experience is like a tempestuous ocean, each wave of which brings forth pearls of beauty. Yet the waters of this ocean are so blissful that one does not even want to swim, but only wishes to be drowned in its ecstasy.
THIS UNBELIEVABLE joy often comes and passes like lightning. It is only granted to a few through a special bounty of the Lord.
New Publishing Trust price list, order form have unique features[edit]
The Bahá’í Publishing Trust wishes to call to the attention of the friends several unique features of its recently published price list and order form.
Copies of the price list and order form were mailed to the American Bahá’í community for the Feast of Asmá’ (August 20). The price list also appeared as an insert in the August issue of The American Bahá’í. Individuals may secure copies of the order form from their local librarian.
THE MOST significant change in the price list is the discounting structure.
Orders under $100 will no longer receive a discount. Orders above $100 will receive larger discounts than the Publishing Trust has been able to offer in the past.
The discounts will be available to everyone—individuals as well as local Bahá’í communities.
By discouraging smaller orders (under $100), the Publishing Trust will be able to process orders faster and serve the friends more economically and efficiently. Details of the new discounting structure appear on the price list.
Another change in the price list is the listing of all items alphabetically rather than by stock number.
New items are highlighted with a bold “NEW.” In addition, new titles, reprints, and items back in stock are listed at the end of the price list for easy reference.
Other special lists include items that are temporarily out of stock; items that are out of print (which may never be reprinted); forthcoming items; and closeouts.
YET ANOTHER change in the new price list and order form is the pricing structure.
The increase in prices reflects not only the increased costs of paper, ink, silver (for film), and labor, but also the policy of the National Spiritual Assembly that the Publishing Trust be self-supporting and yet provide a wide variety of services.
However, in accordance with another policy of the National Assembly, the Publishing Trust will make paper editions of sacred texts and other basic materials available at the lowest possible cost to ensure that everyone has access to them.
The Publishing Trust asks the friends’ continued support, for the greater the volume of sales, the easier it will be to reach the objective of serving the Bahá’í community in the best way possible.
|
Have you always wanted to know more about the companions of Bahá’u’lláh?
Stories from The Delight of Hearts: The Memoirs of Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí tells the fascinating story of one who braved many persecutions and attained the presence of the Blessed Beauty. |
[Page 15]
NATIONAL CENTER
Education Committee helps to develop community life[edit]
In its message of Riḍván 1979 announcing the objectives of the Seven Year Plan, the Universal House of Justice emphasized the importance of developing Bahá’í community life:
“At the heart of all activities, the spiritual, intellectual and community life of the believers must be developed and fostered ...”
THE NATIONAL Education Committee is the administrative arm of the National Spiritual Assembly through which these objectives of the Plan are channeled.
The Education Committee is mandated by the National Assembly to concentrate its efforts in two interrelated fields of activity—“preservation and consolidation of the victories won, and the development of the distinctive character of Bahá’í life, particularly in local communities ...”
In response to that mandate, the committee has developed four programs: the Bahá’í Schools Program, the Child Education Consultant Program, the Personal Transformation Program, and the Assembly Development Program.
Committee Secretary David Smith manages the National Education Committee’s office at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette.
The staff consists of four members at the National Center and a fifth member in California.
THE CALIFORNIAN is Blanche Grant, who has been Bahá’í Schools Coordinator, a full-time position, since February.
Mrs. Grant, who served on the National Bahá’í Schools Committee that preceded the National Education Committee and directed an inter-community Bahá’í school for four years, works from an office in her Hawthorne, California, home.
While the Wilmette office coordinates the administrative and property aspects of the permanent Bahá’í schools, Mrs. Grant is in charge of planning their programs.
She also is responsible for supervising and facilitating the work of the 21 Bahá’í schools committees in the U.S. at the direction of the National Education Committee.
This involves orientation and training in addition to regular communication with the 147 believers who serve on these committees.
Each of the three permanent Bahá’í schools (Green Acre, Bosch, and the Louis Gregory Institute) has a staff, and Mr. Smith consults with their administrators periodically regarding staff and personnel matters as well as upkeep of their physical plants.
Speaking of upkeep, says Mr. Smith, the present $1.6 million Louhelen Bahá’í School building project in Michigan is the largest such undertaking entrusted to the National Education Committee in its seven-year history.
“AT LOUHELEN,” says the secretary, “we are building a Bahá’í school from scratch.
“It will be carefully thought out and carefully designed to meet the human needs of an educational environment. It’s a big project, and an exciting one to be a part of.”
The Louhelen Project Committee, appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly, is working under the direction of the Education Committee to make the new Louhelen School a reality.
In addition to coordinating the work of people in the field, says Mr. Smith, the committee works with offices at the National Center on the financial and property aspects of the Louhelen program.
“The whole style of managing our programs has changed, and for the better, I believe,” he says. “We’re trying to do things in a slower, more controlled and careful fashion so we can be assured that the quality is going to be there.”
Because of the Education Committee’s responsibilities relating to consolidation of the Bahá’í community, it receives many suggestions about how to go about it.
“THERE ARE a multitude of problems and needs that the friends would like to see remedied. We can do many things here at the National Center, but the real answers are to be found in the local communities.”
Mr. Smith sees the refinement of the committee’s programs as a continual challenge.
“We want to make these programs something the Bahá’í community can be proud of,” he says. “We’d like to make them showcase programs.”
The Child Education Consultant Program has two distinct aspects, according to Janice Talamantes, the staff member who works most closely with it.
One aspect involves the use of Educational Consultants who are professionally trained teachers and who serve the Bahá’í community as directors of children’s programs at conventions and conferences, as administrators and teachers for children’s programs at Bahá’í schools, and as consultants to help local communities set forth meaningful experiences for their children.
“THIS IS the structured class approach that has been our focus in the past,” Mrs. Talamantes explains.
The other, newer aspect of the program is the Local Education Adviser Program (LEAP), whose focus is the integration of children into Bahá’í community life.
“This is the more fundamental aspect,” says Mrs. Talamantes, “because it has to do with children’s everyday lives, not just those periods when they attend Bahá’í classes or Bahá’í schools.”
The adviser program, first piloted last year in Indiana, is designed to train representatives of Local Spiritual Assemblies on a district-wide basis.
They serve as education advisers to their local communities, and also help meet the needs of Bahá’í children and youth at the district level.
The program was introduced in April and May of this year in northern Idaho, eastern Washington, southern Minnesota, New Hampshire, Vermont, Mississippi, southern Louisiana, southern Ohio and Nebraska.
ADVISER training involves three one-day sessions—one month apart—during which the Assembly-appointed advisers consult on the needs of children and youth in their districts.
The three initial meetings are followed by twice-a-year training sessions. Eventually, says Mrs. Talamantes, every Bahá’í community will have an Assembly-appointed adviser for children and youth.
“What we are after,” she says, “is a change in attitude among the friends regarding children and youth. The goal is ‘intrinsic education’ in which children learn from experiences in the Bahá’í community and not only by studying about the Bahá’í Faith in a class setting.”
The main purpose of the committee’s Personal Transformation Program, according to staff member Marcia Lample, is to deepen each person’s knowledge of God’s purpose for him, to arouse his or her desire to fulfill that purpose, and to inspire the individual to self-disciplined action to achieve the goal of spiritual transformation.
The committee’s goal, she says, is to make the program available in every one of the continental United States by Riḍván 1981.
During the past Bahá’í year, 100 believers were trained as program facilitators. The goal here, says Mrs. Lample, is to have enough facilitators to make the program available in 24 states by this October.
THE PROGRAM is based on the Comprehensive Deepening Program, she says, and facilitators use the Comprehensive Deepening books as source materials when conducting the 10-week training courses for believers in a community.
“But there’s much more to the program than that,” says Mrs. Lample. “It’s a very personalized, goal-setting program that uses group dynamics to achieve its purposes.”
Each 10-week course consists of weekly one-and-a-half-hour sessions that are limited to no more than 15 participants.
Responsibility for the Assembly Development Program was given to the National Education Committee at the end of the Five Year Plan.
Its mandate to continue was articulated by the Universal House of Justice in its Seven Year Plan message that called for “the prosecution with increased vigor of the development of Local Spiritual Assemblies so that they may exercise their beneficial influence and guidance on the life of Bahá’í communities ...”
David Rouleau joined the Education Committee staff in March to evaluate the program, make recommendations concerning its future, and work toward implementation of the revised program.
“WE FEEL the time may have come to emphasize the unifying functions of Assemblies,” he says. “This concerns unity on the Assemblies themselves as well as in the Bahá’í community as a whole.”
Assembly training, he says, is an ongoing process: “We must get away from the idea that after receiving training, ‘we are trained.’ ”
Among his suggestions is that of a series of mini-courses that address the various developmental levels of Local Spiritual Assemblies.
These programs, says Mr. Smith, provide a skeletal framework of Bahá’í education for local communities.
“It’s a foundation,” he says, “but I believe that many of the small everyday problems must be solved within the local communities themselves.”
Above: Education Committee staff member Janice Talamantes does some work via telephone. Below: Staffers Marcia Lample and David Rouleau discuss problems common to their areas of responsibility.
David Smith, manager of the National Education Committee office at the Bahá’í National Center, talks things over with Blanche Grant, who supervises and coordinates the Bahá’í schools from her office in Hawthorne, California.
[Page 16]
CLASSIFIEDS
CLASSIFIED notices in The American Bahá’í are printed free of charge as a service to the Bahá’í community. Notices are limited to items relating to the Faith; no commercial or personal messages can be accepted for publication.
•
A BIOGRAPHY of Martha Root, commissioned by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, is being written. Any letters, stories, or pilgrims’ notes relating to Miss Root would be deeply appreciated. Gaps must be filled in, especially during the years 1921–24. Even the smallest bit that contributes to the saga of Martha Root’s life or reflects her personality and dedication will be most welcome. Please contact Mabel Garis, 146 Shays St., Amherst, MA 01002, or phone 413-256-6277.
THE NEW ERA Bahá’í School in Panchgani, India, is seeking resource materials for its Primary Level library. The school would be extremely grateful for any contribution of suitable second-hand reading materials—fiction or nonfiction—to the library. Those who are able to help should send materials to the New Era High School, Panchgani 412 805, Maharashtra, India.
HOW WOULD YOU like to live in an area known for its lovely redwood trees, spectacular beaches and unpolluted rivers? The Bahá’ís at Humboldt State University in Arcata, California, need more students to help maintain their college club. Humboldt has excellent programs in forestry and chemistry. There are three Bahá’í communities within a 10-minute drive of the university that have Spiritual Assemblies. Youth are especially needed to help teach in this area! If you are interested, please contact Glenn Simmons, 4076 Williams St., Eureka, CA 95501, or phone 707-445-1202.
WANTED: Personal papers of early Bahá’ís, especially letters, diaries, personal recollections and photos. The National Bahá’í Archives Committee wants to locate and acquire, if possible, the papers of early Bahá’ís of national import. The committee would like to learn the names of descendants of early Bahá’ís, whether they are Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís, so that they may be contacted about these papers. Among the papers being sought are those of Robert Abbott of Chicago, Arthur Agnew, Albert Hall of Minneapolis, Alain Locke, Louise Dixon Boyle of Washington, D.C., Howard MacNutt, El-Freda Spaulding and Chester I. Thatcher. Anyone having information about the personal papers of these or other early Bahá’ís is asked to write to the National Bahá’í Archives Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
EXPERIENCE the warmth and closeness of a small but growing suburb of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Sapulpa, only 14 miles from downtown Tulsa, is away from the big city hustle and bustle but close enough to enjoy the conveniences of one of the country’s fastest growing cities. The economy is stable, the cost of living reasonable, and the people friendly. For more information, please contact Gail Bigler, 2012 S. Scott, Sapulpa, OK 74066, or phone 918-227-0659.
AN INTERNATIONAL Bahá’í Conference for Women, sponsored by the National Spiritual Assembly of Brazil in collaboration with the Continental Board of Counsellors for South America, will be held October 18–20 in Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil. Among the many outstanding Bahá’í women who will attend the conference is the Hand of the Cause of God Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum. If desired, tours within Brazil can be arranged for visiting friends including Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and picturesque Bahia. For further information, please contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
WANTED: Black, Persian, or other minority family or individuals to help a small but active Bahá’í community (15 adults, two youth, 13 children) expand and accomplish teaching goals in nearby localities. We have an active community life including regular deepenings, children’s classes, and firesides. Please contact the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Frankfort, 124 Linden Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601.
PLEASE HELP the Cause grow in Garden City, Kansas, where only one believer presently lives. Garden City, with a total population of more than 20,000, has a large Mexican-American community, so Spanish-speaking Bahá’ís would be especially welcome. The size of the city is expected to double in the next five to 10 years because of the construction of the world’s largest beef processing plant and other incoming industries that will require many workers. Garden City has the world’s largest outdoor free swimming pool, Kansas’ largest zoo, and 52 churches waiting to hear the Message. For more information, contact D. Mark Townsend, Box 1565, Garden City, KS 67846.
HOMEFRONT pioneers needed. The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of La Plata County, Colorado, needs adult believers to help reach its goal of incorporation by Riḍván 1981. Please write to the Spiritual Assembly of La Plata County, P.O. Box 1265, Durango, CO 81301, or phone 303-259-1538 or 303-247-9179.
HOUSE MATE wanted in Arroyo Grande, California. A former pioneer to Puerto Rico will share a two-bedroom Victorian house for $150 a month including utilities. The house is one block from the main street in a pleasant town where the temperature is 50–80 degrees year-round. Four miles to the ocean, 30 minutes to the California Polytechnic Institute and Cuesta College. Agriculture is the main industry. A handicapped person is acceptable if she is able to care for herself. No smoking, sprays or perfumes. Please write to Mrs. Alice Burke, 134 S. Mason, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420, or phone 805-481-6676.
HAIRDRESSERS can obtain work in Finland, provided they are well-qualified and competent. The better the qualifications, the more likely it is that the applicant can secure a work permit. This kind of work is suitable for someone who is single or married with no children. For further information, please contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-256-4400.
IF YOU ARE a musically inclined youth, please send songs about Bahá’í youth to Beau Rafaat, 301 Cortson Road, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523. Am doing a book of songs by, for and about Bahá’í youth. Please send music and lyrics, double-spaced, on an 8x10 sheet of typing paper in a manila envelope.
APPLICATIONS are being accepted for the following positions at the Bahá’í National Center: Benefits and Compensation Representative—Requires experience in benefits administration. Personnel experience desirable, knowledge of salary administration helpful. Cook, Bahá’í School—Requires experience in food planning and preparation for 40–50 people. Job includes some housekeeping and maintenance work. Editorial Assistant—Writes, edits, proofreads copy at all stages. B.A. or B.S. and editorial experience required, typing 45 wpm. Project Inspector—Experienced civil engineer. Licensed construction trade inspector preferred. Will supervise all work performed by outside contractors relating to construction, repair or modification of Bahá’í National Center buildings. Executive Secretary—Superior secretarial skills required, typing 70-plus wpm, shorthand 100-plus. Must have proven ability to work with confidential information, ability to work well under pressure and with limited supervision. Must be mature, discreet, and well organized. Marketing Manager—Requires M.B.A. plus minimum of four years’ experience in sales, advertising, distribution. Supervisory experience necessary. To apply for any of these openings, or to obtain further information about them, please contact the Personnel Office, Bahá’í National Center, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-256-4400.
Assemblies urged to adopt goals, contact committee[edit]
Beginning on page 11 in this issue is a list of Bahá’í Groups of five or more adults that have yet to be adopted by Local Spiritual Assemblies as extension teaching goals.
Assemblies interested in helping to bring any of these Groups to Assembly status are asked to contact the National Teaching Committee office by phoning its toll-free number, 800-323-4390.
Participants in the July 3–6 Special Visit Program for Families at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, were (front row left to right) Jon Gridley, Christian Gridley, Aaron Tucker, Hosein Ighani, Donny Suftko, J.J. Sultko, James Lichtman, Farshad Khadem, Quinn Terentieff, Neda Dabestani, Carmen Tucker, Theresa Lisiecki, Lisa Simon, Lara Ashelman, Veronica Lisiecki; (second row left to right) Kirk Gridley, Nazila Dabestani, Paul Simon, Seth Tucker, Kelly Frazier, Nazi Khadem, Valerie Lisiecki, Tammi Lichtman, Aaron Frazier, Diana Garcia, Robby Lichtman, Nathan Ashelman; (third row left to right) Sina Ighani, Anne Ighani, Parviz Ighani, Jason Ighani, Janice Auth, Naomi Auth, Charlie Auth, Forouz Khadem, Gabriella Suazo, Kasey Frazier, Waldina Rodriguez, Patricia Garcia; (fourth row left to right) Else Fynbo, Gloria Frazier, Alexis Garcia; (fifth row left to right) Rose Ighani, Shohreh Ostovari, Aziz Dabestani, Sara Simon, Susan Kamal, Aqdas Ighani, Lidia Rodriguez; (sixth row left to right) Nategheh Dabestani, Manoochehr Shirzad, Don Suftko, Bernice Lisiecki, Judy Ashelman, Peter Ashelman, Pam Lichtman, Kathy Terentieff, Joy Sylvester (children’s teacher); (back row left to right) Marsha Tucker, Floyd Tucker, Ellen Dixon (children’s teacher), Joe Lisiecki, Joe Lichtman, Janice Talamantes (children’s program director), Ladi Jai (children’s teacher), Donna Gridley, Linda Meccouri, Iraj Khadem, Nick Cardoso, Michael Carr (House of Worship Activities Office coordinator), Parichehre Ostovari, Zabihullah Ostovari, Yadollah Ighani, David Terentieff. The visitors came from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin and Denmark.
Louhelen[edit]
Continued from Page 8
gradually develop into a true cultural and educational Bahá’í center.
From the realization of past and present efforts, all future generations of Bahá’ís will be affected by the development of educational resources at the Louhelen School.
One day, Bahá’ís may come from all parts of the country and the world to study the practical implementation of the unique aspects of Bahá’í education, the means of channeling them into a fitting curriculum through a well-trained faculty, with appropriate methods and materials, adapted to local settings.
SO IMPORTANT will the work become that non-Bahá’ís likewise will participate in the study of educational approaches to the spiritual transformation of human character in utilizing both physical and intellectual capabilities.
By participating in the present enterprise, this new and exciting phase in Louhelen’s evolutionary unfoldment, we are participants in the educational future of all humankind.
As we stand on the threshold of this new expansion, we can call to mind the Guardian’s words concerning Louhelen:
“Your historic work will deservedly be applauded by posterity and will inspire the rising generation.”
[Page 17]
CONFERENCES
Memory, spirit of Master pervade G. Acre reunion[edit]
By MARY TUCKER HATCHER
The mosquitoes still abounded. The mattresses were still lumpy. The majestic Sarah Farmer Inn still stood in her time-worn dress.
The gradings were steeper going up and slipperier going down, but the spirit of the Master still prevailed, and was reflected in the faces of the believers who gathered at the Green Acre Bahá’í School for its “Reunion Weekend” July 4–6.
PEOPLE WHO had been away for a decade or two came, some with their children and children’s children.
Programs were planned, but if none had been it wouldn’t have mattered. Every moment was rich with memories, laughter and tears.
Faded old movies were shown. That they were amateurish at best was of little importance.
A composite tape was played of voices of teachers of past years. No matter that the recording speed was poor, the voices faint—the voices called to memory other talks with gems of wisdom never to be forgotten, merely dimmed by time.
And to bring it back to the present, there were slides of the Temple dedication in Samoa, and friends from Haifa sharing slides of the progress of construction of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice.
Old photos graced tables and walls as youth was recaptured.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS of the memorable weekend included a special award presented for years of service to Green Acre; an afternoon of story telling that should go down in the annals of Bahá’í history; a memorial service for friends who have left us for service in the next world; a tribute to the beloved Hands of the Cause who have given so much of their intellect and spirit; letters from those who could not be present; a program of recollections of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Dublin, New Hampshire; and a joyous party in the old “rec hall” with streamers and balloons and many a stiff leg on the dance floor.
Most of all, there was that unique feeling that only Bahá’ís are privileged to share in their love for the Faith and service at the Holy Threshold.
There is no doubt that Green Acre will enjoy once again the friends of long absence who will return, and the younger believers who witnessed the inspiring reunion.
Of the many comments heard, one from a friend who is not known to display much emotion stands out as the epitome of the spirit that was present:
“It’s here. The Abhá Kingdom. This is the way the Master said it would be in the next world—marvelous reunions—sharing of stories. It’s really right here this weekend!”
Some of the many friends who gathered July 4–6 for a “Reunion Weekend” at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine.
47 children attend first New Jersey Bahá’í weekend overnight conference[edit]
Forty-seven children from New Jersey and Pennsylvania attended the first New Jersey Bahá’í Children’s Weekend Overnight Conference held June 7–8 at the Evergreen Cabin in Teaneck, New Jersey.
The goals of the conference, sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of New Jersey, were to give the children in that state an opportunity to meet one another and develop new friendships, and to provide a foundation on which the children might establish themselves in the Faith.
Workshops on “The Institutions,” “Worship and Prayer,” “The Manifestations,” “What It Means to Be a Bahá’í,” “The Meaning of Service,” and “‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Exemplar” were geared toward children’s participation in the Faith.
Ideas were advanced and suggestions rendered as to how children can be instrumental in teaching.
During the evening program, the children enjoyed movies (complete with popcorn), a sing-along, and stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the early days of the Faith.
The District Teaching Committee hopes to make the conference an annual event.
Communities, committees or individuals who are interested in sponsoring a similar event may obtain information by writing to Sharon Karnik, New Jersey State Coordinator for Children’s Programs, 50 Western Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960.
A workshop group discusses “What It Means to Be a Bahá’í” during the first New Jersey Bahá’í Children’s Weekend Overnight Conference June 7–8 in Teaneck, New Jersey.
N.Y. ‘Family Life’ gathering draws 48[edit]
Forty-eight Bahá’ís and their children from western New York state attended a Family Life Conference on Sunday, May 4, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Webster, New York.
The main speaker, Auxiliary Board member Javidukht Khadem, spoke about unity within ourselves, the nuclear family, stresses facing families in today’s world, the equality of men and women, and the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh relating to family life and preparation for marriage.
In addition, small group discussions were held on such topics as “How should you react if a member of the family is breaking a Bahá’í law?”
The conference ended with questions and answers, reinforcing the need for building loving and unified Bahá’í families.
Some of the participants at the Bahá’í Family Life Conference held May 4 and sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Webster, New York.
|
Now available in a paper edition!
Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is a warm personal account of the early days of the Bahá’í Faith in California by Ramona Allen Brown. Catalog No. 7-32-10 Cloth $10.00 |
[Page 18]
PERSIAN PAGE
[Page 19]
PERSIAN PAGE
[Page 20]
PERSIAN PAGE
| Jacksboro | 7 | |
| * | Longview | 8 |
| * | Lufkin | 15 |
| * | Midlothian | 7 |
| * | Mineral Wells | 11 |
| Seagoville | 6 | |
| TEXAS, EASTERN 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brazos County | 5 | |
| Harris County NE | 6 | |
| Port Arthur | 12 | |
| Texas City | 5 | |
| TEXAS, SOUTH | ||
| Laredo | 7 | |
| Mission | 7 | |
| Robstown | 5 | |
| Weslaco | 4 | |
| VIRGINIA, SOUTHERN | ||
| Big Stone Gap | 2 | |
| Chesapeake | 8 | |
| Hampton | 7 | |
| Montgomery County | 4 | |
| Williamsburg | 4 | |
| WESTERN REGION | ||
| ARIZONA, NORTHERN | ||
| * | Maricopa NW | 9 |
| * | San Carlos Reservation | 7 |
| Whiteriver | 6 | |
| Winslow | 6 | |
| Yavapai County | 8 | |
| * | Yuma County | 18 |
| ARIZONA, SOUTHERN | ||
| Coolidge | 5 | |
| * | Douglas | 7 |
| Eloy | 5 | |
| Marana | 6 | |
| Naco | 9 | |
| * | Safford | 8 |
| * | Tombstone | 10 |
| CALIFORNIA, CENTRAL 1 | ||
| * | Albany | 8 |
| * | Antioch | 7 |
| * | Belmont | 6 |
| Boulder Creek | 6 | |
| * | Carmel | 6 |
| Castroville | 8 | |
| * | Menlo Park | 2 |
| * | Millbrae | 7 |
| * | Redwood City | 8 |
| San Pablo | 7 | |
| Seaside | 6 | |
| CALIFORNIA, CENTRAL 2 | ||
| * | Fresno JD | 13 |
| Hanford | 5 | |
| * | Los Banos | 5 |
| * | Modesto | 7 |
| * | Visalia | 6 |
| CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN 1 | ||
| * | Chico JD | 8 |
| El Dorado | 6 | |
| * | Fairfield | 5 |
| Marysville | 4 | |
| Placerville | 8 | |
| Vacaville | 7 | |
| * | Woodland | 4 |
| CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN 2 | ||
| * | Arcata JD | 4 |
| Fort Bragg | 7 | |
| * | Napa | 10 |
| Sausalito | 6 | |
| * | Sebastopol | 5 |
| CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN 1 | ||
| Hawaiian Gardens | 5 | |
| La Verne | 7 | |
| Malibu JD | 5 | |
| Rosemead | 12 | |
| Valinda–Citrus JD | 8 | |
| * | Whittier | 8 |
| CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN 2 | ||
| Colton | 5 | |
| Elsinore JD | 6 | |
| * | Indio | 5 |
| * | La Habra | 7 |
| * | Leucadia | 5 |
| Los Alamitos | 4 | |
| Montclair | 7 | |
| Norco | 9 | |
| * | Pala Reservation | 7 |
| Rancho Cucamonga | 7 | |
| Rancho Mirage | 7 | |
| Rialto | 9 | |
| Upland | 5 | |
| CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN 3 | ||
| * | Pacific Grove | |
| * | San Luis Obispo JD | 5 |
| * | Santa Paula | 7 |
| Adams County | 3 | |
| * | Arapahoe County | 11 |
| COLORADO, EASTERN | ||
| Beulah | 6 | |
| * | Broomfield | 8 |
| * | Englewood | 5 |
| * | Florence | 8 |
| Ramah | 5 | |
| COLORADO, WESTERN | ||
|---|---|---|
| * | Alamosa | 6 |
| * | Clifton | 5 |
| * | Delta | 6 |
| * | Durango | 8 |
| Greater Alamosa | 5 | |
| La Jara | 6 | |
| NORTH IDAHO/EAST WASHINGTON | ||
| * | Ellensburg, WA | 6 |
| * | Franklin CCD 3, WA | 3 |
| Lapwai, ID | 12 | |
| Moses Lake, WA | 5 | |
| * | Moscow, ID | 9 |
| * | Omak, WA | 7 |
| Republic, WA | 6 | |
| * | Richland, WA | 8 |
| Spokane CCD 1, WA | 5 | |
| IDAHO, SOUTHERN | ||
| Bingham County | 6 | |
| Jerome | 5 | |
| MONTANA | ||
| * | Blackfeet Reservation | 7 |
| Browning | 8 | |
| Fort Belknap Reservation | 7 | |
| Gallatin County | 3 | |
| Havre | 7 | |
| * | Miles City | 7 |
| Rocky Boy Reservation | 6 | |
| NAVAJO–HOPI | ||
| Aneth Chapter | 5 | |
| Cornfields Chapter | 5 | |
| Crownpoint Chapter | 3 | |
| Forest Lake Chapter | 5 | |
| Houck Chapter | 6 | |
| * | Kayenta | 12 |
| Klegetoh Chapter | 15 | |
| * | Ramah Chapter | 6 |
| Wide Ruins Chapter | ||
| NEVADA, NORTHERN | ||
| * | Elko | 4 |
| * | Reno–Sparks Colony | 5 |
| Washoe County South | 5 | |
| NEVADA, SOUTHERN | ||
| * | Boulder City | 8 |
| NEW MEXICO, NORTHERN | ||
| Grants | 5 | |
| * | McKinley County | 7 |
| Pojoaque Reservation | 5 | |
| * | San Juan County | 6 |
| * | Santa Fe County | 7 |
| * | Taos County | 7 |
| Zuni | 8 | |
| NEW MEXICO, SOUTH/TEXAS, WEST | ||
| Anapra | 6 | |
| Canutillo | 18 | |
| Lordsburg | 7 | |
| Moon City | 7 | |
| OREGON | ||
| Baker | 10 | |
| Dayville | 5 | |
| Jacksonville | 7 | |
| John Day | 5 | |
| Lincoln County | 6 | |
| * | Marion County North | 8 |
| Newport | 7 | |
| Tillamook | 5 | |
| Wallowa County | 6 | |
| * | Warm Springs Reservation | 14 |
| * | Wasco County | 6 |
| UTAH | ||
| American Fork | 6 | |
| Standing | 5 | |
| San Juan County | 7 | |
| WASHINGTON, NORTHWEST | ||
| Greater Renton | 9 | |
| Island CCD 1 | 5 | |
| Lummi Reservation | 7 | |
| Marysville | 5 | |
| Tahoma | 8 | |
| WASHINGTON, SOUTHWEST | ||
| Clark CCD 2 | 6 | |
| Clark CCD 3 | 3 | |
| * | Mason CCD 3 | 4 |
| WYOMING | ||
| Laramie County | 5 | |
| Wind River Reservation | 5 | |
| * | Denotes Prior LSA | |
| † | Have now formed an Assembly | |
About 80 people including 15 to 20 seekers attended a musical ‘road show’ May 10 at McGuire’s Inn in Roseville, Minnesota, sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Southern Minnesota. The show included songs and dances about world unity and the oneness of mankind; a mime presentation depicting the creation of man; and a slide presentation of the World Centre of the Faith in Haifa, Israel. Most members of the troupe were from communities in southern Minnesota, while two were from Rockford, Illinois.
In memoriam[edit]
- Mrs. Hannah Amundso
- Tumwater, Washington
- June 23, 1980
- Lucius Belin
- Lake City, S. Carolina
- July 3, 1977
- Tomas Brown
- Belle Glade, Florida
- 1980
- Leo Bush
- Effingham, S.C.
- February 5, 1979
- Miss Mary Campbell
- Yonkers, New York
- June 28, 1980
- Raymond E. Champion Jr.
- Lewisville, Texas
- June 27, 1980
- Samuel Felton
- Lyons, New York
- June 30, 1980
- Mrs. Dorothy Gutzki
- Chippewa Lake, Ohio
- June 26, 1980
- Henry H. Halicki
- Hemet, California
- June 28, 1980
- Mrs. Mildred Houck
- Waterloo, Iowa
- June 24, 1980
- Joseph R. Jardine Sr.
- East Lansing, Mich.
- December 31, 1979
- Taleksoon Khademi
- Iran
- May 1980
- George Mayaqe
- Coward, S. Carolina
- 1979
- Mrs. Rosalie Norman
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- November 1979
- C. Myron O’Leary
- Holton, Kansas
- May 1980
- Mrs. Esmat Ostovar
- Colorado Springs, Colo.
- July 9, 1980
- Mrs. Carrie Poole
- Effingham, S.C.
- 1978
- Mrs. Irene B. Reynolds
- Beverly, Mass.
- March 6, 1980
- Mrs. Leslie J. Rovin
- Oahu, Hawaii
- Date Unknown
- Jowand S. Samra
- India
- 1980
- Walter Schauer
- Seattle, Wash.
- June 13, 1980
- Carl W. Schweigin
- Willoughby, Ohio
- January 5, 1980
- Mrs. Bessie Terry
- Little Rock, Ark.
- Date Unknown
- Riley Walker
- N. Little Rock, Ark.
- May 11, 1980
- Clarence Welsh
- El Salvador
- May 1980
- Mrs. Elma Wilson
- Ft. Wayne, Indiana
- Date Unknown
- Jerome S. Winston
- Pasadena, Calif.
- June 25, 1980
|
Revised edition now available in paperback!
The Promised Day Is Come is Shoghi Effendi’s authoritative perspective on current world events. This revised edition of the Guardian’s 1941 letter to Western Bahá’ís is indispensable—an eloquent and forceful analysis of the main trends of the last hundred years. Catalog No. 7-08-17 Cloth $10.00 |
[Page 22]
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST
Fall Festival of Books[edit]
| Sacred Texts | |||
| Spiritual Foundations: Prayer, Meditation, and the Devotional Attitude: NEW Booklet A new compilation that will help us all attain a goal of the Seven Year Plan—nurturing the spiritual life of our community. Contains many passages previously unavailable. Plan a deepening on spiritual foundations. Compiled by the Research Department of The Universal House of Justice. 5½ x 8½ inches. 20 pp. |
Paper | 7-15-66 | $1.50 |
| Centers of Bahá’í Learning: NEW Booklet For those interested in Bahá’í schools and institutes of all kinds—here is a stimulating compilation on Bahá’í summer schools and teaching institutes. Covers importance, purpose, administration, courses, curriculum, teaching the public, attracting ethnic minorities, youth activities, pioneers, pioneering, and prospects for the future. Compiled by The Universal House of Justice. 5½ x 8½ inches. 20 pp. |
Paper | 7-15-58 | $1.50 |
| Consultation: A Compilation: NEW Booklet Designed to help groups, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and committees develop skills of consultation. Contains many previously untranslated passages from the Bahá’í writings that shed light on a subject of vital concern to all. Compiled by the Research Department of The Universal House of Justice. 5½ x 8½ inches. 23 pp. |
Paper | 7-15-64 | $1.50 |
| The Seven Year Plan: NEW Booklet Your road map through 1986! Contains messages from The Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the world and of the United States, Naw-Rúz 1979, announcing the objectives of the fourth global teaching campaign. Also includes guidelines adopted by the National Spiritual Assembly outlining objectives for the execution of the first phase of the Seven Year Plan. 5½ x 8½ inches. 23 pp. |
Paper | 7-15-65 | $1.50 |
| Works on the Bahá’í Faith | |||
| Circle of Unity: NEW Booklet A handsome presentation piece prepared as a tribute to the original inhabitants of America. Contains a brief common history and presentation of the Bahá’í Faith; extracts from the Bahá’í writings; a short discussion of the National Spiritual Assembly and profiles of its members; representative Indian activities; and a list of American Indian tribes represented in the Bahá’í Faith. Illustrated with many photographs. 8½ x 8½ inches. 14 pp. |
Paper | 7-41-09 | $1.00 |
| The Bahá’í Faith teaching booklet: Revised Edition For your teaching and consolidation programs. A newly revised and redesigned edition of the English version of the popular “green teaching booklet.” Contains more text and many new photographs. Let Counselor Aḥmadíyyih and the National Teaching Committee help you and your local community teach the Faith. Each 10 booklets accompanied by guidelines for using the booklet. 24 pp. |
Paper | 7-67-02 | $1.00 |
| The Birth of the Bahá’í Faith: NEW for Consolidation A brief illustrated history of major events in the Heroic Age of the Bahá’í Faith, from the time of the Báb to the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Attractive line drawings and straightforward text provide meaty material for lively discussions at deepening classes and Bahá’í schools. Excellent for teaching and deepening youth and new Bahá’ís of all ages. Text and illustrations by Debbie D. Wittman. 7 x 10 inches. 23 pp. |
Paper | 7-52-55 | $1.25 |
| The Story As Told: Revised Edition Jalil Mahmoudi’s poetic presentation of the concept of progressive revelation including quotations from many of the world’s scriptures. Attractively illustrated by Russell Roberts. Published by Kalimat Press. 64 pp. |
Paper | 7-32-24 | $6.00 |
| In Search of the Supreme Talisman: A Bahá’í Perspective on Education: NEW Pamphlet In a companion piece to the popular Becoming Your True Self Dr. Daniel C. Jordan surveys the forces that have brought a crisis in culture and education. After analyzing the effect of these forces on individuals, he proposes that the education of man—“the supreme talisman”—hinges on the emergence of a culture in which spiritual values dominate. 3⅝ x 8½ inches. 17 pp. |
Paper | 7-40-77 | D |
| Children’s Materials | |||
| Sunflower Books, Set of 4: NEW Includes My Bahá’í Book, My Favorite Prayers and Passages, God and Me, and Our Bahá’í Holy Places. All books are written in the first person from the child’s point of view. Each book invites the child’s participation and encourages interaction between parent and child. Each contains a Message-to-Parents insert containing general comments on the purpose of the series and suggestions about the individual book. Text and design by Deborah Christensen. Illustrations by John Solarz. 8½ x 11 inches. 16–19 pp. |
Paper | 7-53-05 | $7.50 |
| Clementine and the Cage: NEW Children’s Book For 7–9 year olds. A fable of a bird who goes beyond the squabbling and limited vision of other birds. Text by Wendy Heller. Illustrations by Rex J. Irvine. Published by Kalimat Press. 11 x 8½ inches. 32 pp. |
Cloth | 7-52-74 | $8.00 |
| My Baby Book: NEW Book An excellent tool for reinforcing your small child’s sense of Bahá’í identity. My Baby Book provides you with a handy place for keeping records of your child’s physical and spiritual growth. For your child it is a book to which he can return again and again for a personalized account of his first years. 8½ x 11 inches. 32 pp. |
Cloth | 7-52-53 | $14.00 |
| Back in Print | |||
| Bahá’í Administration | Cloth | 7-08-04 | $10.00 |
| The Dawn-Breakers | Cloth | 7-31-53 | $18.00 |
| Becoming Your True Self | Pamphlet | 7-40-15 | D |
| Special Close Out for Universal Children’s Day | |||
| “Love That Child” Balloon: | Close Out | 6-99-00 | 10/$1.00 50/$4.00 100/$7.50 |
| “Love That Child” Bumper Sticker: | Close Out | 6-99-01 | $.35 10/$2.50 |
| “Love That Child” Window Decal: | Close Out | 6-99-02 | $.50 10/$4.00 25/$8.00 |
| “Love That Child” Button: | Close Out | 6-99-03 | $.30 10/$2.00 |
| “Love That Child” Presentation/File Folder: | Close Out | 6-99-04 | $.50 25/$10.00 |
| “Love That Child” Sweatshirt, Adult Small: | Close Out | 6-99-23 | $6.00 |
| “Love That Child” Sweatshirt, Adult Medium: | Close Out | 6-99-24 | $6.00 |
| “Love That Child” Sweatshirt, Adult Large: | Close Out | 6-99-25 | $6.00 |
| “Love That Child” Sweatshirt, Adult X-Large: | Close Out | 6-99-26 | $6.00 |
| “Love That Child” T-Shirt, 6–12 months: | Close Out | 6-99-15 | $2.50 |
| “Love That Child” T-Shirt, 1–2 years: | Close Out | 6-99-16 | $2.50 |
| “Love That Child” T-Shirt, 6–8 years: | Close Out | 6-99-17 | $2.50 |
| “Love That Child” T-Shirt, 10–12 years: | Close Out | 6-99-18 | $2.50 |
| “Love That Child” T-Shirt, 14–16 years: | Close Out | 6-99-19 | $2.50 |
| For 1980–81 Special Event Days | |||
| Children’s Prayers Card: NEW | Card | 7-06-35 | $.15 10/$1.00 |
| The Violence-Free Society: | Booklet | 7-32-56 | $1.50 |
| Bahá’í Declaration of Human Rights and Obligations: | Pamphlet | 7-40-03 | D |
| The Bahá’í Peace Program: | Pamphlet | 7-40-06 | D |
| Building a Unified Community: NEW | Pamphlet | 7-40-98 | A |
| Children: A Bahá’í Perspective: | Pamphlet | 7-40-94 | A |
| Disarming for Universal Peace: | Pamphlet | 7-40-87 | A |
| Divine Law: Source of Human Rights: | Pamphlet | 7-40-60 | A |
| The Ecology Within: | Pamphlet | 7-40-88 | A |
| The Environment and Human Values: | Pamphlet | 7-40-56 | A |
| Equality of Men and Women: A New Reality: | Pamphlet | 7-40-74 | A |
| From Alienation to World Peace: | Pamphlet | 7-40-85 | A |
| Human Rights Are God-Given Rights: | Pamphlet | 7-40-25 | A |
| One World, One People: NEW | Pamphlet | 7-40-99 | A |
| A Pattern for Future Society: | Pamphlet | 7-40-40 | F |
| Universal and Lasting Peace: | Pamphlet | 7-40-46 | D |
| Why Our Cities Burn: | Pamphlet | 7-40-50 | B |
| Women: Attaining Their Birthright: | Pamphlet | 7-40-73 | G |
| Women: Striking the Balance: | Pamphlet | 7-40-89 | A |
| Special Materials | |||
| Celebration Card with envelope: NEW Bright watercolor depicting children of different races and cultures preparing for a party with the message, “The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” A special message for you on this happy occasion. Pack of ten. |
Card | 6-48-82 | $4.50 |
| Wildflower Card with envelope: NEW Full-color photograph, gold-stamped with “Thy name is my healing, O my God.” The prayer of Bahá’u’lláh concludes inside the card. Pack of ten. |
Card | 6-48-80 | $4.50 |
| Waterfall Card with envelope: NEW Full-color reproduction of a waterfall in a forest setting, gold-stamped with “O God, refresh and gladden my spirit.” The prayer of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is concluded inside the card. Pack of ten. |
Card | 6-48-81 | $4.50 |
| Forging an Eternal Bond: Building and Maintaining the Institution of Marriage: NEW Thinking of getting married? Plan an evening with Geoffrey and Amy Marks drawing upon the Bahá’í writings and their own experiences as they share some insights on building and maintaining the institution of marriage. 60 minutes. |
Cassette | 6-31-67 | $6.50 |
| A revised price list and order forms have been mailed to all librarians | |||
|---|---|---|---|
N.Y. panel discusses women, unity, peace[edit]
The Bahá’í community of New York City observed Race Unity Day with a panel discussion on “Women, Unity and Peace” June 8 at the New York City Bahá’í Center.
The theme was chosen in recognition of the United Nations Midpoint Conference for Women and the International Decade for Women.
Participating on the all-Bahá’í panel were the moderator, Mrs. Nancy Mondschein, representative of the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly to the United Nations; Dr. Tahirih Ahdieh from Iran; Mrs. Catherine Betty from the West Indies; Mrs. May Tanaka from Japan; and Mrs. Nadema Agard, a Native American (Cheyenne-Powhatan-Sioux).
Mrs. Josephine Nichols-Holtschue was chairman and organizer of the event.
Mrs. Mondschein, the panel’s moderator, emphasized the importance of the Bahá’í principle of the equality of men and women, which she said should be understood as part of the principle of the abolition of prejudice of every kind.
Dr. Ahdieh surveyed the subject in the context of the Bahá’í Teachings, while Mrs. Betty spoke of equality from the standpoint of a black woman living in our society.
Mrs. Tanaka spoke of the progress of women’s rights in Japan and the stabilizing influence exerted by women in that country.
Mrs. Agard, a talented painter and art teacher, introduced her listeners to the role of women in Indian culture.
A capacity audience filled the Bahá’í Center.
Participants in a Race Unity Day panel discussion of women’s rights June 8 at the New York City Bahá’í Center were (seated left to right) Mrs. Nadema Agard, Mrs. May Tanaka, Mrs. Nancy Mondschein (moderator), Mrs. Catherine Betty, Dr. Tahirih Ahdieh, and (standing) Mrs. Josephine Nichols-Holtschue, chairman and organizer of the event.
‘Hearts’[edit]
Continued From Page 14
and then it will be manifested only as strongly as their spiritual capacity will allow.
Once I requested to be in Bahá’u’lláh’s room when He was revealing Tablets. This request met with His approval.
As I entered His room, I heard streams of words sweeping along in a torrential flow from His lips. It seemed that the atmosphere, the floor, the walls, and every atom in the room was filled with perfume. Only those who have had this indescribable experience can ever imagine what I mean.
The flow of revelation continued for about five minutes. Then Bahá’u’lláh said to me, “You have on several occasions been here when the revelation of Tablets has taken place. Should the people of the whole world wish to be present and hear the words of revelation, We would permit them. But since We have approved courtesy and ordained it upon men, We are reluctant to display this power publicly.”
THIS EXCERPT, more than anything the reviewers could say, illustrates the special character of this individual and the value of his commentary for Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís today.
Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí’s life is a shining example of living firmly within the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh. The humor, courage, love, and devotion with which he met the daily tests of life serve as an extraordinary model for us to follow. His selfless life of service is summed up, in his own words near the end of his work:
All that I have comes from the Cause of God. The believers respected me as a teacher, but I did not deserve such respect. They were all the true teachers of the Faith. They would face the problems of the world and earn a living, and then spend their earnings on those like me who could travel and teach.
Then we were called the promulgators of the Faith. But we made no sacrifices; we only received. In the Name of God, those noble believers sacrificed everything for us. I, and others like me, reached the highest degree of honor and happiness without struggle or sacrifice.
I can only pray that the mercy and generosity of God, which has followed me over thousands of miles, will also accompany me in the future.
As wonderful as the life and story of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí is, no review of his book could be complete without some reference to the individual who translated and abridged the work from the original Persian.
THE HAND of the Cause of God A.Q. Faizí is among those chosen few who have dedicated their lives so completely to the service of their fellow believers that no account could adequately list their achievements.
Aside from his many written works, Mr. Faizí has served the Faith as an exemplary pioneer, scholar, teacher, translator, historian, adviser, and, above all, as a true “man of God.”
In addition to his many works and translations into English, Mr. Faizí has translated many works into Persian, including The Priceless Pearl and Portals to Freedom.
Every path he has traveled has been in the service of his beloved Faith, and everywhere those whom he has met have been enriched and have come away from that meeting with a greater understanding of the spiritual significance and station of such a devout and distinguished Hand of the Cause of God.
In his translation and abridgement of the narrative of Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí, Mr. Faizí has imparted something of his own special love and understanding of the Faith.
THE REVIEWERS, in seeking words to express their sentiments, could only turn to a quotation from one of Mr. Faizí’s earlier works, Meditations on the Eve of November 4th:
How proud, how extremely proud all of us should feel that the Bahá’í community throughout the world has produced such great and brave souls, in such a bitter period of history and in such a short space of time.
Mr. Faizí, in this same work, expresses the inability of mere words to convey adequately the meaning and feeling of events:
How can seas of emotion be poured into chalices of words, though they be of gold? Unlimited in their scope to contain, they are powerless in their capacities to convey.
Notwithstanding the truth of this statement, Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí, through his unique ability to describe the events of his life, and Mr. Faizí, through his love and understanding of the Faith, have together brought the deeper meaning and significance of Stories From the Delight of Hearts to their readers.
•
(To order Stories From the Delight of Hearts see your local Bahá’í community librarian or order directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 523 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, IL 60091. Please include 10 per cent for postage and handling on orders under $100.)
On July 5, Jane Mary Filo of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and Claudius Adebayo of Ile-Ife, Nigeria, were married in the first Bahá’í wedding ever conducted within the Eau Claire city limits. The couple plan to make their home in Kaduna, Nigeria.