The American Bahá’í/Volume 12/Issue 5/Text
Riḍván Message from the House of Justice[edit]
To the Bahá’ís of the World
Dearly-loved Friends.
The successes of the initial phase of the Seven Year Plan are heartening evidence of the Divine care with which the growth of the Cause of God is so lovingly invigorated and sheltered.
This still infant Cause, harassed and buffeted over these two years by relentless enemies, experiencing in swift succession a number of sharply contrasting crises and victories, surrounded by the increasing turmoil of a disintegrating world, has raised its banner, reinforced its foundations, and extended the range of its administrative institutions.
THE RESURGENCE of bitter and barbaric persecution of the Faith in the land of its birth, the passing to the Abhá Kingdom of five Hands of the Cause of God, the darkening of the horizons of the world as the sombre shadows of universal convulsions and chaos extinguish the lights of justice and order, are among the factors which have chiefly affected the conditions and fortunes of the worldwide army of God.
The Bahá’í community in the Cradle of the Faith, having witnessed the destruction of its holiest Shrine, the sequestration of its Holy Places, confiscation of its endowments and even personal properties, the martyrdom of many of its adherents, the imprisonment and holding without trial or news of the members of its National Spiritual Assembly and other leading figures of its community, the deprivation of the means of livelihood, vilification and slander of its cherished tenets, has stood staunch as the Dawn-breakers of old and emerged spiritually united and steadfast, the pride and inspiration of the entire Bahá’í world.
In all continents of the globe, their example and hapless plight has led the friends to proclaim the Name of Bahá’u’lláh as never before, personally, locally, and through all the media of mass communication.
The Bahá’í world community, acting through its representatives at the United Nations and through its National Spiritual Assemblies, has brought to the attention of governments and world leaders in many spheres the tenets and character of the Faith of God.
THE WORLD’S parliaments, its federal councils, its humanitarian agencies have
Response grows, buoys Fireside Playhouse series[edit]
More than two and one-half years have passed since plans for the half-hour Bahá’í radio series, Fireside Playhouse, were approved by the National Spiritual Assembly.
Since that time scripts have been written, programs taped and edited, and brochures designed and printed, all based on the belief that a series of contemporary dramas to be heard on radio stations across the country could be one of the best tools for teaching the Faith through the mass media.
THE SERIES tackles some of the most pressing problems of the 1980s: Infidelity, corruption in high places, racial and sexual prejudices, the viciousness of gossip and backbiting, in strong and compelling dramas designed to appeal to non-Bahá’ís as well as Bahá’ís.
Performers in the series include some of Hollywood’s best known actors: Hans Conried; Ross Martin of “Wild, Wild West”; Mason Adams, who plays managing editor Charlie Hume on “The Lou Grant Show”; and Jared Martin, who was on the cover of the March 2 issue of People magazine and is one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood as a result of his starring role as Dusty in the
| What’s inside
YOUTH Committee slates essay contest in conjunction with Continental Youth Conference. Page 7 INDIANA Bahá’ís publish newsletter for children. Page 12 THE OFFICE of Membership and Records is profiled in series on the Bahá’í National Center. Page 15 SOPHIE Loeding, who in 1940 became the first full-time employee at the Bahá’í National Center, recalls her many years of service there. Page 16 A FULL PAGE in Spanish returns after an absence of several months. Page 24 |
Together
We GROW
The National Spiritual Assembly has selected this logo to represent the overall theme of the second phase of the Seven Year Plan for the American Bahá’í community. The goals for the second phase of the Plan, which began at Riḍván, are listed in an accompanying article on this page.
U.S. goals are announced for second phase of Plan[edit]
To the Bahá’ís of the United States
Dear Bahá’í Friends,
The valorous members of the most veteran, most firmly-rooted Bahá’í community in the Western Hemisphere, the chief trustees and principal executors of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan, stand once again at a critical juncture in the fortunes of the steadily-unfolding and victoriously-advancing Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.
Our hearts are filled with admiration as we contemplate the wide range of activities on which you are embarked, the audacity and resourcefulness with which you discharge your God-given and inescapable obligations, and the heartwarming evidences of the capacities with which a loving Providence has endowed your community.
CONSIDERING the social unrest prevailing in the modern world and the fundamentalist fervour sweeping the United States of America, we urge every member of the American Bahá’í community to pursue with unremitting vigour the objectives of the Seven Year Plan lest forces inimical to the Faith impede the spread of Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Message.
As we enter the three-year second phase of the Plan, we remind ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s favoured community of His admonition, “Be not concerned with the smallness of your numbers, neither be oppressed by the multitude of an unbelieving world ... Exert yourselves; your mission is unspeakably glorious.”
Your past achievements as leading promoters of a triumphant Faith augur well for future unique victories which will undoubtedly be won with high distinction by the eager, dedicated members of your community.
In pursuit of these noble objectives, tenaciously striving to fulfil the glorious destiny ordained for you by a vigilant Master, and following with increasing energy the path traced for you by a loving Guardian, we call upon you to:
• Devise and Implement plans to take maximum advantage of the current favourable atmosphere for proclamation of the Faith through the media and the fostering of cordial relationships with people in authority and leaders of thought throughout the country;
• Pursue a nationwide campaign, with emphasis on the use of the Creative Word, designed to inspire every believer to live the Bahá’í life, thus demonstrating to their fellow-countrymen the beneficent effects of the Bahá’í way of life achieved through adherence to the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh;
• Strive to achieve an unprecedented increase in the number of avowed adherents of the Faith throughout the country and
‘Secret in Garden’ wins Angel Award[edit]
For the second year in a row, the Bahá’í Faith has received a prestigious Angel Award from Los Angeles-based Religion in Media.
This year’s winner is the delightful Bahá’í children’s book, The Secret in the Garden.
Its author, Winifred Barnum Newman of San Antonio, Texas, accepted the award during ceremonies March 26 at the Hollywood Palladium.
Last year, the Bahá’í children’s album Happy Ayyám-i-Há! won an Angel Award as best religious record for children.
The Bahá’í Faith was the only non-Christian entry to receive the coveted Angel Award this year, and was one of only two non-Christian winners a year ago.
This was the sixth annual awards ceremony sponsored by Religion in Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of religious programming on radio and television.
The host and hostess at this year’s awards ceremony were actors Joe Campanella (“The Bold Ones,” “The Defenders,” “One Day at a Time,” “Mannix”) and June Lockhart (“Lassie,” “Petticoat Junction,” “Lost in Space”).
The Secret in the Garden, which tells the story of an old woman who sets out to bring happiness to a troubled village, is Mrs. Newman
Winifred B. Newman of San Antonio, Texas, accepts a 1980 Angel Award for her book, The Secret in the Garden, from Joe Conley (Ike Godsey on ‘The Waltons’) at the Hollywood Palladium.
[Page 2]
VIEWPOINT
Editorial
Teaching: There’s no better time[edit]
Never has the American Bahá’í community faced a period so ripe in opportunities for proclamation and teaching.
More and more Americans are realizing that the institutions, systems and methods of the present order are outworn and hold no hope for the future.
THE MOOD of the nation is shifting, and receptivity to the Faith and to the ideals it enshrines is growing among all segments of the population.
The new receptivity is evidenced by greater interest in the Faith being shown by the media; indeed, the amount of coverage the Faith receives is limited only by our own lack of resources.
A notable development is the influx of Southeast Asian immigrants into the U.S.
Many of these refugees are Bahá’ís, and each week more and more Bahá’ís from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia are becoming known to the Bahá’í community.
The teaching work among Spanish-speaking peoples is equally pregnant with opportunity.
Of special significance is the worsening condition of racial animosity that pervades American life. At a time when few proclaim the need for racial harmony, the voice of the Bahá’í community should ring long, loud and clear.
SHAMEFUL, indeed, would it be were we to remain silent as the storm clouds of racial strife gather, and refrain from broadcasting the remedy to an evil which, Shoghi Effendi wrote, “if allowed to drift, will, in the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, cause the streets of America to run with blood ...”
The backdrop to the golden opportunities that lie before us is the vicious campaign of oppression being waged against the Bahá’ís in Iran.
The suffering they have endured and the sacrifices they have made have infused the world with an enormous outpouring of spiritual power that waits to be tapped.
Is it sheer coincidence that such marvelous opportunities should come to us at a time when our brethren on the other side of the world are under such duress? Hardly. The harvest of victory waiting to be reaped has been sown by the Hand of Providence and watered by the martyrs’ blood.
Let us gather in the harvest and garner yet another victory won in the Name of Bahá’u’lláh.
Using the theme of its recent newspaper ad campaign, ‘Celebrate the Human Spirit,’ the Spiritual Assembly of Roseville, Minnesota, set up a display booth February 13-15 at a local shopping center. The booth was designed by Joan and Ron Matron, Bahá’ís from St. Cloud, and was manned by many of the believers from the metropolitan St. Paul-Minneapolis area. Nearly 300 people accepted Bahá’í literature after stopping to talk with the friends.
Comment
Can return to ‘continuum’ bring peace, happiness?[edit]
Cross-cultural research can teach a lot about society and how social norms are perpetuated.
The Continuum Concept, by Jean Liedloff, an informal study of the Yequana people of Venezuela, is an example of research that provides insight into American culture.
MS. LIEDLOFF visited the Yequana five times, each time with a more specific idea of what she was looking for.
During her first visit, she became aware that the Yequana approach life and their fellow human beings in a way fundamentally different from the way that most Westerners approach life.
The Yequana are happy, relaxed and cooperative, yet they possess few material benefits. They enjoy work and helping others, though they are never coerced, nor even asked, to do anything.
Ms. Liedloff noted, for example, that the Yequana laughed and joked when engaged in heavy, physical labor such as carrying a large dug-out canoe, while the Westerners (including herself) groaned and complained nearly every step of the way.
During subsequent visits, Ms. Liedloff tried to determine what it was about their upbringing and their cultural norms that gave the Yequana such a positive outlook on life.
She hypothesizes that the Yequana are close to the “continuum”—the natural and normal expectations of any human being toward his environment and toward other people.
THE REST of the book is given over to describing the continuum concept and how Western culture has strayed so far from the continuum that it is almost unrecognizable in our society.
Ms. Liedloff’s most salient observations have to do with child rearing practices.
Among the Yequana, infants, from birth until they start crawling, are kept in close, continuous physical contact with an adult or older child, thus fulfilling the infant’s natural expectation that he will be kept safe and secure at all times, just as he was in the womb.
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This month’s article, “The Continuum Concept,” was written by Dr. Susan F. Theroux of Fredonia, New York. Dr. Theroux has a Ph.D. degree in education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. |
When the child is ready to move around on his own, he is given the freedom to go wherever he wants to go, to do whatever he wants to do, and to return to the safety of his mother’s arms whenever he wishes to return.
No demands are placed on the infant, nor is he ever made the center of attention.
Young girls soon begin helping with the cooking and harvesting, and with making clothes. Young boys start helping the men with their work, such as building houses, and they practice hunting with small bows and arrows.
Ms. Liedloff rarely saw a child cry, except when truly hurt or ill. She never saw children fight among themselves or require punishment from adults for any reason.
COOPERATION, she noted, is part of the continuum and is expected from everyone.
The Yequana are happy and contented, even joyful, people. They do hard work with ease and pleasure.
They don’t rush to finish their work so that they can play, or hurry themselves on a trip to get to their destination as quickly as possible. They find pleasure in whatever they are doing at each moment.
This attitude of contentment with the present, so foreign to most of us, is a result of having had one’s expectations fulfilled at every phase of development.
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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. |
If one’s expectations are not realized, he or she passes to the next phase of life with unfulfilled longings that preclude happiness, contentment and cooperation in all succeeding phases.
The phase most crucial to future happiness, according to Ms. Liedloff, is the first one, the in-arms phase of the first nine months or so.
She hypothesizes that most Westerners are not given the experience of being held safe and secure during this period; hence they spend the rest of their lives in search of the happiness they missed.
MOST OF US are familiar with that search. If only I had a car (or house, clothes, money for travel); if only I were beautiful (handsome, thin, blond); if only I were married, had children, the right job, or lived in a certain place, then I would be happy.
As Ms. Liedloff puts it, we are never happy, and continually set short term goals for ourselves that we expect will finally bring us fulfillment.
Of course, none of these material goals or circumstances ever satisfies the longing, and we move from one “if only” to another in a never-ending, deeply disappointing search for happiness.
How can we extricate ourselves from this seemingly inevitable predicament?
Ms. Liedloff suggests that we begin by fulfilling as much as possible the natural expectations of our infants.
If they cry when put in the crib, pick them up, carry them around, or bring them to bed with us.
If they want to crawl around and explore, let them do so, with full confidence that they can take care of themselves. If they are hungry, feed them.
[Page 3]
LETTERS
‘Laubach method’ an easy way to teach English[edit]
To the Editor:
I’d like to tell you about a wonderful way in which Bahá’ís can help serve their fellow-man. It’s called the “Laubach Way to English.”
Through this system, one can teach anyone to speak and write the English language. It is not necessary to know the other person’s language to teach him or her English.
We learned of the program through a volunteer agency here in Santa Cruz. They offered a three-day course (that’s all it takes) to teach people how to teach English.
After three days we received certificates and are now ready to take students on a volunteer basis.
With the recent influx of non-English-speaking persons into the U.S., it is becoming more difficult to find enough volunteers to help these people learn English.
After reading in The American Bahá’í (February 1981) about the large numbers of Asians in Texas and elsewhere and all the Bahá’ís among them, I felt I had to share this opportunity with everyone.
Most cities have a volunteer agency, and you can contact them directly and ask about their ESOL (English as a Second Language) program.
Or you can write directly to Laubach Literacy International, Box 131, Syracuse, NY 13210.
My husband and I will be teaching this method while we’re still in the U.S. We plan to pioneer this summer, and wherever we go, it is comforting to know we’ll have a “marketable skill” and a “service” to offer.
Aptos, California
To the Editor:
I would like to say a few words about the wonderful elderly Bahá’ís who have been in the Faith for many years.
My grandmother became a Bahá’í in 1920, and until her death in 1972 I had the bounty of benefiting from her steadfast and total dedication to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh.
SHE SET an excellent example for me, the extent of which I did not realize until years later.
I have been living for the past eight months with an 84-year-old Bahá’í in Eliot, Maine, serving as her companion.
Soon I’ll be leaving for a pioneer post in Botswana. I feel prepared to go, confident of God’s help in the future. This feeling is due in part to my observance of Emma Rice, the woman with whom I am living.
Mrs. Rice is a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh, having pioneered to Sicily in answer to the Guardian’s call for pioneers there.
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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. |
She is to this day one of the strongest, most steadfast and courageous women I have ever known.
She has shared with me many of her stories about the beloved Guardian and about pioneering. They have inspired and confirmed me.
I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend time with someone who has served Bahá’u’lláh for so long. Mrs. Rice became a Bahá’í in 1944.
I THINK there is much that we could all learn from the older believers if we took the time to listen and watch. The depth of their sacrifice is truly inspirational.
Mrs. Rice has gone out to teach with me every Saturday, rain or shine, even when the temperature dipped into single figures.
I think this is terrific, and I pray that I may have at least one-fourth of her determination during my lifetime. Her courage and patience have been a wonderful example for me.
Gaborone, Botswana
To the Editor:
In the course of a recent cultural exchange tour in Africa, I had the great pleasure of meeting many of the friends in each of the three countries I visited (Senegal, Ghana, the Congo).
Virtually all of the African friends I met made me promise to convey their prayerful greetings to the American Bahá’í community.
It was uplifting for me to find such stalwart believers there, especially in the Congo where I spent every spare moment with the friends.
They were especially interested in my traditional culture and how our Lakota Indian prophecies tie into the Bahá’í Faith.
Vermillion, South Dakota
To the Editor:
This is a sincere inquiry that seems appropriate since 1981 is being recognized as the Year of the Handicapped.
Despite failing health for some years, I have endeavored to remain active as a Bahá’í but must now use a wheelchair.
AS AN Assembly member, I see firsthand the numerous flyers and announcements of meetings that are mailed to all Local Spiritual Assemblies. Not one of these notices has included the recognized insignia indicating that wheelchairs can or cannot get into a given facility.
Would it cost more than it is worth simply to print the insignia with a “yes” or “no” on these notices?
I would not expect special consideration for myself, but I believe there may be other Bahá’ís with limited mobility who would appreciate this.
I use a conventional wheelchair when attending Feasts or firesides, and feel especially blessed to be able to go, closing my eyes to feeling like a “sack of potatoes” while others are kind enough to scuffle up and over steps with me. Public meetings, however, are another matter entirely.
Are there other handicapped Bahá’ís who, like me, do not assume that public meetings are barrier free, and simply don’t go?
Altadena, California
To the Editor:
I was so happy to see the article on “Spiritual Mothering” (February 1981) because it spoke to some of the concerns that I have had as a Bahá’í mother of young children.
In particular, I was happy to read of efforts to find spiritual mothering techniques in non-Bahá’í sources such as The Family Bed, which I also found quite helpful, and by having deepening/discussion groups with other mothers.
AS A MOTHER in a Bahá’í community, I have found it difficult to wade through the nonsense available in this culture on child rearing to find information that will help me raise my children as spiritual beings.
Also, it’s hard to find a Bahá’í framework in which to compare methods of child rearing.
What makes it especially discouraging, however, is that I’ve found so little support from the Bahá’í community at large.
We seem to have come a long way in this country in the areas of individual spiritual advancement and unity, but child education, especially in the family unit and in the child’s relationship to the Bahá’í community in which he lives, seems to have taken a back seat.
It appears to me that most Bahá’ís, whether they have children or not, seem to have accepted the attitudes of our culture toward children, especially the attitude that children should be “seen and not heard.”
This poses a problem for mothers who wish to attend Feasts, serve on Assemblies, or go to Bahá’í schools because they must either (1) leave their children at home, (2) stay home themselves, or (3) suffer the silent (sometimes not-so-silent) criticism of other members of the community.
THE EDUCATIONAL needs of Bahá’í mothers with children too young to be left alone are virtually ignored, both in the local community and at Bahá’í schools, so that the very ones who need to be deepened—the mothers—find endless complications when they try to attend Bahá’í meetings.
The next time you are at a Bahá’í meeting or Bahá’í school, look around for the mothers of children under age three and see how much actual time they spend in class.
Most likely they’ll be found in the nursery, not with a child who is crying, but with one who is active but doesn’t want to be left alone in a strange place.
Some Bahá’ís feel that it’s impossible to be “spiritual” around children, but I’ve found bearing and raising my own to be the most enriching spiritual experience of my life.
Children can teach one a lot about life, and I think that Bahá’ís have much to learn about spirituality from the children in their communities.
What is needed is more openness and flexibility in the way Bahá’í meetings are conducted. This would go a long way toward fostering unity in communities where there are children.
I feel that efforts such as Mrs. Armstrong’s are long past due, and I hope that Assemblies, school committees, and individual Bahá’ís will become more sensitive to the needs of the mothers around them, because they are in truth raising “a new race of men.”
Mobile, Alabama
To the Editor:
In recent months The American Bahá’í has done us a great service. Terrific coverage of events has provided numerous suggestions for teaching and consolidation efforts in our home town.
We’ve been Bahá’ís for more than five years, and at last have begun to invite friends to dinner and visit as our personal firesides, which are as potent as the beloved Guardian stated.
We especially enjoy the features on each of the different arms of our National Spiritual Assembly—the National Teaching Committee, Treasurer’s Office, community administration, periodicals, and so on.
It is exciting to learn the varied facets of the national operation, how our contributions are expended, and what could be done with increased financial help.
In the years that we have been Bahá’ís The American Bahá’í has become exceedingly impressive and noteworthy.
Exeter, New Hampshire
National Center has new phone number[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly wishes to advise the friends that the new telephone number for the Bahá’í National Center and Bahá’í House of Worship is 312-869-9039. Please address correspondence to the Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
House: ‘Mankind is dying for lack of true religion’[edit]
Continued From Page 1
considered the Bahá’í Cause and in many instances have extended their support and expressed their sympathy.
In the midst of this time- and energy-consuming activity on behalf of our beloved Persian brethren, the community of the Most Great Name, far from lessening its pursuit of the objectives of the initial phase of the Seven Year Plan, has promoted them with increasing vigour.
Added to the burning desire of the friends everywhere to show their love for their brethren in Persia by teaching the Cause with redoubled fervour, has been the further inspiration to teach derived from the loss of the beloved Hands of the Cause, an inspiration which has been fostered by the travels of those dear Hands still able to extend this loving service to the believers.
The broadening, during this opening phase of the Seven Year Plan, of the foundations of the Boards of Counsellors and the consolidation of the thirteen zonal Boards to five continental ones have greatly reinforced this vital institution of the Faith.
It has been further developed by the setting of a specified term of office for Continental Counsellors, as was envisaged in the original appointments.
Progress on the Seat of the Universal House of Justice and on the Temples of India and Samoa has continued. Six new National Spiritual Assemblies will be formed during this Riḍván: two in Africa, that of South West Africa/Namibia with its seat in Windhoek and that of Bophuthatswana with its seat in Mmabatho; three in the Americas, Bermuda with its seat in Hamilton, the Leeward Islands with its seat in St. John’s, Antigua, and the Windward Islands with its seat in Kingstown, St. Vincent; one in the Pacific, namely that of Tuvalu with its seat in Funafuti; and the National Spiritual Assembly of Uganda will be reconstituted.
TO THOSE to be formed during the remainder of the Seven Year Plan, the following have been added: two in Africa, Equatorial Guinea with its seat in Malabo, Somalia with its seat in Mogadishu, and one in Asia, that of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with its seat in Port Blair.
Increases in the total number of Local Spiritual Assemblies and localities have been registered during the opening phase, and Bahá’í communities in all parts of the world have demonstrated greater unity and maturity in their collective activities.
The second phase of the Seven Year Plan, now opening, will last for three years and will be followed by the final phase of two years, ending at Riḍván 1986.
The 25th anniversary of the passing of our beloved Guardian will occur during the second year of the second phase of the Plan and that same year will also witness the 50th anniversary of the passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf. The House of Justice plans to issue a compilation of letters to her and of statements about her by Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the beloved Guardian, and of her own letters.
All National Spiritual Assemblies have been sent the goals assigned to their communities for the second phase, for the prosecution of which the Bahá’í world community now stands poised and ready. Among the major developments envisioned during this phase are:
• Occupation by the Universal House of Justice of its permanent Seat on the slopes of Mount Carmel above the Arc;
• COMPLETION of the Temple in Samoa and continued progress on the work of the Temple in India;
• Further development of the functions of the International Teaching Centre and the Boards of Counsellors, with special reference to the promotion of the spiritual, intellectual, and social life of the Bahá’í community;
• The holding, during the first nine months of 1982, of five international conferences, in Lagos, Nigeria; Montreal, Canada; Quito, Ecuador; Dublin, Ireland; and Manila, the Philippines, this last one taking place at the mid-point of an axis, referred to by the beloved Guardian, whose poles are Japan and Australia;
• Preparation of architect’s plans for the first dependency of the European Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, namely, a Home for the Aged, and an increase in the number of national and local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds; the latter, which will be particularly in rural areas, are to be acquired or built through the efforts of the local friends;
• Acquisition of six new Temple sites, five in Africa and one in Australasia; and of five new national endowments, four in Africa and one in the Americas;
• Formation of two Publishing Trusts, one in the Ivory Coast and one in Nigeria;
• A great increase in the production of Bahá’í literature in an increasing number of languages, the ultimate aim being to enable every believer to have some portion of the Sacred Text available in his native tongue;
• Completion of three more radio stations in South America;
• GREAT ATTENTION to the development and consolidation of Local Spiritual Assemblies throughout the world;
• Development of Bahá’í community life with special attention to the Bahá’í education of children and the spiritual enrichment of communities;
• The settlement of 279 pioneers in 80 countries during the first year of the second phase.
Liberal and increased contributions to the various Funds of the Faith will be essential if the above-mentioned tasks are to be successfully pursued.
Furthermore, the now observable emergence from obscurity of our beloved Faith will impose the necessity of new undertakings involving large calls on the Funds.
The growing awareness of the friends throughout the world in the past few years that the Funds of the Faith are indeed the life-blood of its activities is a heartening augury for the future.
We are confident that this awareness will increase, that more National Spiritual Assemblies will make great strides towards financial independence, that national budgets will be met, and the Bahá’í International Fund will receive an ever-increasing outpouring of contributions enabling that Fund to keep pace with the ever-increasing international needs of the Faith.
Beloved friends, the world moves deeper into the heart of darkness as its old order is rolled up. Pursuing our objectives with confidence, optimism, and an unshakeable resolve, we must never forget that our service is a spiritual one.
Mankind is dying for lack of true religion and this is what we have to offer humanity. It is the love of God, manifest in the appearance of Bahá’u’lláh, which will feed the hungry souls of the world and eventually lead the peoples out of the present morass into the orderly, uplifting, and soul-inspiring task of establishing God’s Kingdom on earth.
March 1981
Fred Hall (left) and Allen Rosman of the Bahá’í community of Orange County, North Carolina, were among the participants last November in a Bahá’í-sponsored outdoor beautification project at a nursing home in the county.
N.C. nursing home beautified[edit]
Early last November, members of the Bahá’í community of Orange County, North Carolina, including 10 of its children, spent a weekend afternoon planting bulbs, shrubs and a tree at the county’s Hillhaven Nursing Center.
The service project, planned by the Spiritual Assembly’s Community Life Committee specifically with the participation of the children in mind, brought special joy to Wiley Allison, a member of the community who is a resident of the nursing home.
Although confined to a wheelchair, Mr. Allison helped by planting some bulbs himself.
The event was covered by the local newspaper, which printed a photo of the participants and a brief explanation of the project.
Plan[edit]
Continued From Page 1
from all levels of society;
• Endeavour to increase the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies and localities in those states where their number is relatively small, thus achieving a more balanced distribution;
• Continue the special teaching plans and consolidation activities already under way in the states of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York, and in the District of Columbia designed to attract great numbers to the Faith;
• Raise the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies to at least 1,750, including 50 on Indian reservations;
• Encourage the adoption and pursuit of extension teaching goals by all Local Spiritual Assemblies;
• Raise up Spanish- and Chinese-speaking Bahá’í teachers;
• Intensify teaching activities among significant minorities, and provide effective means for the integration of all believers into the life of the Bahá’í community;
• Greatly intensify teaching activities among and by American Indians and ensure their participation in the promotion and development of the Faith, thus hastening the fulfilment of the high destiny envisioned for them by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá;
• Construct and develop a teaching institute on the Navajo Reservation;
• Develop Bahá’í lesson plans suitable for children’s classes, and ensure the holding of regular classes wherever possible;
• Enrich Bahá’í literature for children;
• Give support to the vigorous activities of Bahá’í youth in promotion of the Faith;
• Hold at least five regional youth conferences annually;
• Develop in consultation with the National Spiritual Assemblies of Alaska and Canada cross border projects giving special attention to Indian reservations;
• Assist the National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico in re-establishing teaching projects in Northern Mexico;
• Open Middle (Grand) Caicos and North Caicos Islands; and establish a group in Providenciales Island;
• Continue efforts to consolidate the Faith in the Falkland Islands;
• Develop the teaching work in Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.
May the Beloved shower upon you His confirmations and crown your efforts with the palm of victory.
With loving Bahá’í greetings.
January 1981
[Page 5]
THE FUNDS
Childhood amusement taught lesson in detachment[edit]
“O Friends,” Bahá’u’lláh wrote, “abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.”
With these words Bahá’u’lláh teaches the essence of detachment. Our struggle to be a true Bahá’í in all aspects of service to the Faith depends upon the degree to which we can look beyond the illusion of the physical world and turn to the eternal realities revealed in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
ONE ASPECT of the principle of detachment is illustrated in the following story that Bahá’u’lláh told about His childhood:
“When I was a child and had not yet reached the age of maturity one of my brothers intended to marry in Teheran and according to the custom of that country for seven days and nights they were engaged in feasting and banqueting.
“The program for the last day of the entertainment for the guests was the play of Sultan Salim. The ministers, the grandees and officials of the city were there in a great throng, and I was sitting in one of the galleries of the building, observing the scenes.
“They raised a great tent in the middle of the court. Representations of human forms only a few inches in height would come out of the tent and cry: ‘The king is coming, arrange the seats in order.’
“Then other figures came out, sweeping the ground while a number were sprinkling the streets with water. Then another figure was presented who was supposed to be the herald bidding the people be ready for review before His Majesty, the Sultan.
“Then the ministers came, with hat and shawl, according to the Persian custom. Others were present with clubs while a number of others were gathered as chamberlains, aides-de-camp, ferrashes and executioners with instruments of punishment. All these lined up according to their station and class.
“AT LAST the king appeared with sovereign power and shining diadem upon his head and with splendor and glory walked slowly and majestically, and with perfect calmness, tranquility and composure seated himself upon the throne.
“At that moment the noise of the guns and the music of the national anthem was raised and the smoke surrounded the tent and king. When the air was cleared it was seen that the king was on his throne and the ministers, the magistrates and secretaries had taken their places according to their rank.
“Immediately a thief, captured by the police, was brought before the king and a royal order was issued to behead him. Then the chief of the executioners took the captive and decapitated him and a red fluid which was like blood was seen by all the spectators.
“While the Sultan was consulting with some of his ministers the news was brought in that a certain person had become a rebel. The Sultan issued orders that several regiments of soldiers and artillerymen be sent to the scene to quell the disturbance.
“After a few minutes the thunderous noise of guns and artillery was heard behind the tent and we were told they were engaged in battle. I became astonished and bewildered at these affairs. Then the review ended and the curtain descended.
“After twenty minutes a man came out from behind the tent with a box under his arm. I asked him, ‘What is this box? Where are the king, and all the men?’
“HE ANSWERED that all these great things and manifest objects, such as kings, princes and ministers, glory, majesty, power and sovereignty which we beheld were enclosed in this box.
“I declare by the Lord who has created all things through His Word that from that day all the conditions of this world and its greatness have been like that play before my eyes. It has not nor will ever have the weight of a mustard seed.
“I wondered greatly that the people should glorify themselves in these affairs. Notwithstanding this, the people of insight will discern with the eye of certainty the end of the glory of every great one before beholding it.”
|
Splendor—Bahá
138 B.E.
Fund
Annual Goal
...WON!
|
As a result of the overwhelmingly positive response to the coupons provided by the National Spiritual Assembly with its November Fund appeal, new materials will soon be released by the Office of the Treasurer for the friends to use during the new fiscal year.
Many believers found the coupons to be a handy reminder to contribute to the National Fund. More than 75 per cent of the contributions received from the time the campaign began until Riḍván included a coupon.
The new materials will consist of a packet of 20 pre-addressed National Fund envelopes. The packet will be provided for the convenience of the believers, and its use is left strictly to the preference of each Bahá’í.
The regular participation of every believer in giving to the National Fund is the fundamental principle upon which the strength of that Fund rests.
The National Spiritual Assembly hopes that these new materials will help the friends to establish a pattern of giving that will fulfill their spiritual responsibility and make it easier to take advantage of the precious opportunity to contribute to the National Fund.
This reinforced concrete block house in Burrell Boom, Belize, Central America—20 miles from Belize City—is being offered for sale. It includes a carport, guest room and bath on the ground floor, louvered windows on all sides, and two full-length glass doors that lead to a large screened-in porch. Situated on a 1/3-acre lot with citrus, mango, cashew nut and other tropical trees and flowering shrubs, the house is designed to take advantage of prevailing tropical winds. Its estimated market value is $17,500. For more information please contact Stephen O. Jackson, assistant to the Treasurer, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or telephone him at
[Page 6]
YOUTH NEWS
Entertainers are sought for K.C. Youth Conference[edit]
| “Goin’ to Kansas City...Kansas City, Here We Come!” |
A final call is being issued by the National Youth Committee for all entertainment acts that are interested in performing at the Continental Youth Conference this summer.
The Youth Committee hopes to hear from a variety of talent including singers, dancers, musicians, actors, magicians, and mimes.
To audition for the program, please send a photo with a cassette tape of your work, or description of your act, to the National Youth Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Materials must be received by June 1 ...
•
The program for the Continental Youth Conference is starting to take shape.
Among the many features of the conference will be a comprehensive workshop schedule. Participants will be able to choose from more than 20 workshops to be offered.
Among the subjects to be covered in these small group sessions will be “Developing Effective Communication Skills,” “Bahá’í Scholarship,” “Youth: An Example to Society,” “Developing Creative Talent and Ability,” and “Teaching on the College Campus.”
In addition, special workshops are being planned for the pre-youth age group, as well as for the “young parents” group.
A fireside will be held during each of the four workshop periods so that non-Bahá’ís at the conference will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss basic concepts of the Faith in an informal atmosphere.
A special workshop is being scheduled that should be of great value to members of District Youth Committees.
The session will feature a panel discussion to outline the role of the District Youth Committees in teaching on the homefront, uniting the youth in a district, and coordinating the activities of youth.
Members of District Youth Committees who attend the conference should plan to attend one of these special sessions ...
San Marcos, Texas, hosts Touchstone Conference[edit]
Seventy-four youth from 22 localities in Texas and their non-Bahá’í guests participated March 13-15 in the second annual Touchstone Youth Conference near San Marcos, Texas.
Speakers included Lynn Richards, an assistant to the Auxiliary Board; Edward White of Boston, Massachusetts, a member of the National Youth Committee; and Vahid Hedayati, a member of the Spiritual Assembly of Graham, Texas.
THE CONFERENCE, co-sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of San Marcos and the Central Texas No. 1 District Youth Committee, included workshops on dealing with special situations confronting Bahá’í youth on a daily basis, as well as the formation and evaluation of District Youth Committees.
Mr. White shared ideas about how youth can teach the Faith by participating in service projects in their local communities.
The informal camp-out conference was planned to help isolated Bahá’í youth in Texas to increase their collective consciousness regarding who they are, what their purpose as Bahá’ís is, and what they can do to realize that purpose.
The flexible program allowed ample time for recreation and a campfire as well as music, singing and dancing.
Among the participants were black and white youth and others from Southeast Asia.
The conference led to the formation of two new District Youth Committees in North Texas and a third in the East Texas No. 2 district.
Most of the 74 Bahá’í youth and their guests who participated in the second annual Touchstone Youth Conference at San Marcos, Texas, March 13-15 gathered for this group photo.
Lynn Richards (standing center), an assistant to the Auxiliary Board, conducts a workshop entitled ‘Focus: District Youth Committees in Texas’ during the 2nd annual Touchstone Conference in San Marcos, Texas.
‘World Citizen’ revamped, moving forward[edit]
Following a reorganization of its staff, World Citizen magazine will soon mail its delayed issues to all subscribers.
Because of the heavy demands on its all-volunteer staff, correspondence is often difficult to answer.
The staff of World Citizen wishes to assure its subscribers that they are working hard to update its records and to fill all of its subscription demands.
Bristol, Virginia, sets conference to aid teaching[edit]
“Presenting the Proofs” is the theme of a Bahá’í conference to be held May 22-24 at Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia.
The conference will focus on the special needs and requirements of teaching in largely fundamentalist Christian communities.
The idea arose from a desire to expand the Faith into extreme southwestern Virginia near its borders with Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia.
The few believers in these areas have found teaching the Faith to be difficult since a sound knowledge of the Bible is indispensable.
For more details and information about the conference, please contact the Spiritual Assembly of Roanoke, c/o Mrs. Anita Williams, secretary, 1055 Forest Park Blvd., Roanoke, VA 24017, or phone 703-982-6984.
Varqa, Bahá’í children’s magazine, now published in 3 languages[edit]
Varqa, a children’s magazine that was published for eight years in Iran, is now being produced on a bi-monthly basis in India in three languages: Persian, English and Hindi.
By subscribing to Varqa, you will not only be receiving a magazine that has more than proved its worth by winning the love and affection of children; your subscription will also enable a child in India who is unable to pay for it to receive the magazine.
The republication of Varqa is dedicated to the memory of the Hand of the Cause of God Abu’l-Qásim Faizí who loved children and did much to encourage their Bahá’í education.
[Page 7]
YOUTH NEWS
... A WONDERFUL SUMMER-FULL![edit]
Youth teaching caravans are beginning to be organized around the country in connection with the Continental Youth Conference, to be held July 2-5 in Kansas City, Missouri.
What is a youth teaching caravan? In several districts, youth are arranging to travel from their home district to Kansas City in caravans of cars or in a chartered bus.
THESE GROUPS are arranging to make side trips along the way to spread the spirit of the Faith by teaching!
The National Youth Committee is asking all such groups to notify the Youth Office of the expected itinerary of the traveling youth so that the trips can be routed to the most receptive areas for teaching.
Several Spiritual Assemblies have already asked that youth caravans be sent to their area, and every effort is being made to accommodate these requests.
To organize a teaching caravan in your area, contact either the District Youth Committee or National Youth Committee. And please inform the Youth Office of your plans!
•
A series of teaching projects is being organized to tap into the unprecedented resource of traveling, energetic Bahá’í youth on their way to and from the Continental Youth Conference.
The projects are being set up around the country and are designed to ensure an early victory for the goals that will be unveiled at the conference.
A LIST of these projects is being compiled and will be announced by the National Youth Committee before the conference.
Youth who are able to offer their time and talents to travel and teach should immediately contact the National Youth Committee to discuss the various possibilities, expenses, etc.
The major thrust of the summer’s teaching activities will take place directly after the conference, with most projects scheduled from July 10 through early August.
The National Youth Committee has organized a Teaching Task Force to help channel volunteers to the summer projects.
The Task Force is presently busy setting up the teaching projects, which will include both domestic and border efforts.
All interested youth are invited to contact the National Youth Committee at once, c/o the Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
District Youth Committees serve as focal point for youth teaching[edit]
In the past few months, the National Youth Committee has placed special emphasis on the formation of District Youth Committees in the U.S.
These important committees, which are sponsored by Local Spiritual Assemblies, serve as a focal point for youth teaching activities.
“WHILE THE COMMITTEE is eager to have a functioning Youth Committee in every district,” says Edward White, a member of the National Youth Committee, “we are pleased that, as of Naw-Rúz, 42 District Youth Committees had been formed in the American Bahá’í community.”
Among the various activities sponsored by District Youth Committees:
Oregon has started an effective youth bulletin that discusses news of the district and suggests teaching ideas that youth can easily put into practice—for example, decorate your room with prayers and quotes; in a discussion, give Bahá’u’lláh’s viewpoint instead of agreeing with everyone else’s; memorize the basic principles of the Faith so you can tell others about them; and ask your Assembly about its enrollment policy so you’ll be ready when your friends want to declare!
In Southern Minnesota, the District Youth Committee has organized a series of teaching trips around the district.
The youth visit each Bahá’í college club and help with information booths on the Faith, and provide entertainers and speakers for campus firesides. They mix these trips with social activities that attract both seekers and Bahá’ís.
In Central Florida, the District Youth Committee hosted a weekend Youth Institute that attracted Bahá’í youth and pre-youth from three districts.
Two weeks later, they had three new youth enrollments in their area!
These are but a few examples of the special events planned and sponsored by District Youth Committees.
“These committees serve a vital function in organizing and channeling the energies of Bahá’í youth into successful teaching activities,” says Mr. White, “and the National Youth Committee looks forward to having a functioning Youth Committee in every district.”
To begin a District Youth Committee in a district that does not yet have one, youth should write to the National Youth Committee for a “DYC Formation Packet.”
The National Youth Committee is also eager to hear from Spiritual Assemblies that are willing to serve as sponsors for these committees.
Bahá’ís and seekers watch as Nanette and Colette Graves play the Ojibway drum during a District Youth Committee-sponsored fireside and social event near Byron, Minnesota.
Bahá’í youth from the Central Missouri area gathered February 13-15 for a Youth Deepening Weekend at the home of Bob and Carol Almony in Columbia. Class sessions explored topics that included the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Advent of Divine Justice, clarification of values, and the concepts covered in The Dynamic Force of Example. In addition, the youth had a Spiritual Assembly ‘practice session’ in which a hypothetical personal problem was consulted upon. Classes were separated by periods for recreation, games, and socializing.
Youth Committee slates essay contest[edit]
The Bahá’í National Youth Committee has announced that an essay contest will be held this summer in conjunction with the Continental Youth Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
All youth between the ages of 10 and 21 are encouraged to enter.
The subject of the contest is “The Force of the New Age.” Essays will be judged on the basis of content, thoughtfulness, style and originality.
Entries should meet the following guidelines and criteria:
- They should be typewritten and should not exceed 750 words (two typewritten pages, double-spaced).
- Quotes from the Bahá’í Writings must be authentic text and accompanied by footnotes.
- Essays should include the sender’s name, address and age.
- All entries must be received no later than June 15, 1981.
- Essays should be mailed to the National Youth Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Judging will be based on the ages of contestants: 10 to 14 years, 15 to 18 years, and 19 to 21 years, with three prizes to be awarded in each age group.
First prize is a $50 scholarship to a Bahá’í school; second prize is a $30 scholarship, and third prize is a $20 scholarship.
Winners will be announced at the Continental Youth Conference, with prizes awarded when the winners’ names are announced.
“The Youth Committee was encouraged by the response to the essay contest held last summer,” said Charles Cornwell, secretary of the committee, “so it was decided to hold another one in conjunction with the Continental Youth Conference.
“We felt that the contest would be an important exercise in Bahá’í scholarship, as it encourages youth to look into the Writings and to express in writing their commitment to the Faith.”
Mr. Cornwell added that the subject of the contest, “The Force of the New Age,” was chosen “because a youth can project himself by using the special force that was released by Bahá’u’lláh—a force that unites the hearts, wins the victories, and motivates our sacrifice and service to the Cause.”
Registration[edit]
Complete information on registering for the Bahá’í Continental Youth Conference July 2-5 in Kansas City, Missouri, can be found on Page 25.
Continental YOUTH Conference ’81
Kansas City, Missouri ❃ July 2-5
[Page 8]
IGC: PIONEERING
World News[edit]
Three Local Spiritual Assemblies were formed, 10 localities were opened to the Faith, and 72 residents of the Central African Republic became Bahá’ís as the result of a three-week teaching effort last October by a group of eight believers ...
Nine hundred fifty-one people were enrolled in the Faith last August in Andhra Pradesh State, India, following a visit to 74 localities in that area by three assistants to the Auxiliary Board ...
More than 120 children from 18 communities in Trinidad and Tobago, along with 30 adults and six youth, attended the National Bahá’í Children’s Conference last November 23 at the Bahá’í Center in Palmyra Village, Trinidad. It was the largest attendance in the history of the event ...
Bahá’ís figured prominently in an interfaith service last October 12 marking the 10th anniversary of Fiji’s independence. The National Spiritual Assembly of Fiji was invited to help plan the event and was given time on the program that included readings and prayers by Bahá’ís, Christians, Hindus and Muslims ...
One hundred-thirty people including 55 non-Bahá’ís prominent in business and the professions attended a public program last November 8 in Managua, Nicaragua, that was designed to convey the Bahá’í message to influential residents of the country’s capital city ...
More than 100 Bahá’ís from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin, Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Upper Volta participated last September 4–7 in an inter-regional conference in Ouagadougou, Upper Volta ...
Sixty-five prominent residents of Taiwan including government dignitaries, artists and educators were among those who attended the first Bahá’í Humanitarian Service Award program last October 21. The event was planned under the guidance of the National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan ...
Several teachers and students at the Sodbury School near Salisbury, Zimbabwe, became Bahá’ís following a proclamation at the school last October 4–5 ...
Fund-raiser held[edit]
About 90 Bahá’ís from the Atlanta area attended an Intercalary Days dinner and fund-raiser sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of South Cobb County, Georgia.
Some $500 was raised at the dinner for the National Bahá’í Fund.
The program included games and music provided by the South Cobb Youth Committee.
Also included was a short play about the Teachings of the Faith that the children in the community had learned during children’s classes.
[edit]
“ ‘Light as the spirit,’ ‘pure as air,’ ‘blazing as fire,’ ‘unrestrained as the wind’—for such is Bahá’u’lláh’s own admonition to His loved ones in His Tablets, and directed not to a select few but to the entire congregation of the faithful—let them scatter far and wide, proclaim the glory of God’s Revelation in this Day, quicken the souls of men and ignite in their hearts the love of the One Who alone is their omnipotent and divinely appointed Redeemer.” (Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 120)
To help you catch the spirit of pioneering we would like to share some extracts from the “Pioneer Post,” a newsletter written for and by our pioneers scattered around the globe. The “Pioneer Post” is sent to them four times a year by the International Goals Committee.
•
FRED BASTIAN, Madagascar—What are the basic tools and needs to be a pioneer? Better yet, what are pioneers? I think they are people who have:
- the Patience to recognize the guidance and confirmation;
- the Intention, always pure, to serve and do His Will;
- the Outlook always kept happy and positive;
- the Nerve to not give up but try different ways and means;
- the Energy to persevere no matter what;
- the Eagerness to love all mankind and show it through actions;
- the Reverence for Him and all His servants;
- the Strength to conquer self, our worst enemy.
A pioneer may give up everything, but if he has kept Bahá’u’lláh, he has everything of importance and has given up nothing, only those things that pass with time anyway.
We all have our “down moments” when we wonder why we’re here, and then the light in a child’s eyes tells us. We have “problems,” but we’d have them wherever we were.
The big difference comes in “bounties” received. Here, there is no comparison ...
KENNETH INGERSON, Macao—With all my love, I must say that, like being on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the beauty of pioneering can never be expressed unless experienced.
I feel this experience is important enough to be taught at local firesides and should certainly be taught to new Bahá’ís.
It’s a shame I wasted most of the first 10 years of my Bahá’í life not knowing what a commitment to Bahá’u’lláh is. Yet, I’m happy that it took the move to Hong Kong to ignite the spark that will become the light of total commitment.
RUTH BLACKWELL, Zaire—The position of the pioneer within a given community is at once very important and at the same time very subtle.
One of the secrets of this subtlety is that of our individual sustained effort in our Bahá’í work wherever we are; and let us double underline the word “sustained.”
I feel that the pioneer should always be conscious within himself of this effort, and that he should not allow such effort on his part ever to flag. This is something we ourselves can control because it is something that we ourselves have wished to do.
The matter of making an effort in the path of God is terribly important to all of us because it is possible that without such effort there would be little effective action.
We also know, of course, that when we put forth action in our Faith the confirmations from the Supreme Concourse fall upon us and come to our assistance.
ANTHONY LEWIS, Jamaica—How shall I ever forget the guilt I felt when at the Pioneer Institute in Wilmette in August 1975 we stood and named the posts we were to settle in.
Oh, the places, the countries in Africa, the cities in the South Pacific I had never heard of and whose names I could hardly pronounce. Oh, how exciting and challenging, I thought. I felt so guilty!
I didn’t feel I was really pioneering because I was only going to that well-known paradise only 200 miles off the U.S. coast ...
I must admit that sometimes the going is tough and the road is weary, but always, the Writings support and encourage us, and I don’t feel guilty anymore.
Everyone won’t be able to share the joys of pioneering, but the prayers of those who can’t are what sustain us day by day.
Bahá’u’lláh protects and blesses you every day for those prayers, so please don’t stop.
New pioneers arise in every community, and they will meet the challenges of the countries they settle in and will be supported, and the blessings will continue to flow always.
Eighteen people participated in a Pioneer Training Institute held March 26–29 at the Bahá’í National Center’s new administrative office building in Evanston, Illinois. Special guests were the Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem (holding a rendering of the Greatest Name) and Charles Hornby, an Auxiliary Board member from Ecuador. Participants were making plans to pioneer to the Windward Islands, Nigeria, South Africa, Peru, Chile, Swaziland, Bophuthatswana, Zaire, and Botswana.
More than 65,000 people had an opportunity last October to see this Bahá’í booth at the Burke County fair in Morganton, North Carolina. Nearly 100 pieces of Bahá’í literature were taken by visitors to the booth.
THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS
OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
announces
SELF, PSYCHOLOGY, AND THE SPIRITUAL BEING II
A Seminar on Mental Health and the Bahá’ís
A weekend of learning
- • therapeutic
- • experiential
- • participatory
Workshops and panel discussions conducted by Mrs Unda Jones, Dr. Hoda Mahmoudi, Dr. Richard DaEtell, Dr. Dan Popov and others
PLUS dialogue with Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í professionals.
Dates: June 5–7, 1981
Cost: $10 Registration Fee (for Bahá’ís only)
For more information and materials please write to the Spiritual Assembly of Grand Junction, P.O. Box 2805, Grand Junction, CO 81502. The seminar is open to anyone who is interested.
[Page 9]
IGC: PIONEERING
Universal House of Justice stresses urgent need for pioneers to Finland[edit]
The Universal House of Justice is stressing the urgent need for pioneers to Finland. Although the Finnish Bahá’í community is small, it is working with great devotion, unity and energy to win its goals of the Seven Year Plan.
Picture yourself in a beautiful country the size of New England, New York and New Jersey combined, but with a population of less than five million.
SUMMER in Finland is warm, bright and exhilarating. Winter is not as bad as one would imagine; the coldest month in Finland is no colder than it is in the states of the Great Lakes area.
Finland invites you to enjoy its forests and more than 6,000 lakes, for the lake labyrinth of central Finland is unrivaled for its beauty.
Reports indicate that no pioneer has ever returned from Finland for lack of work. While jobs are not plentiful, employment opportunities exist in these areas: teaching English at all levels, especially pre-school; health care; and au pairs (mother’s helpers). There is no charge for public education in Finland from kindergarten through university level.
Food is plentiful, though somewhat different from the American diet. France, Sweden and eastern Russia have had a strong influence on Finnish cooking.
In a country with so many lakes, one can always count on excellent fish. A real specialty is reindeer meat. When was the last time you had such a dish? Various kinds of thick soups are also available.
The favorite sport seems to be the sauna bath, which is both refreshing and an important social custom.
Other sports and avocations include boating, canoeing, water skiing, riding, golf, tennis, bowling and panning for gold.
Whatever your favorite sport, the “land of the midnight sun” offers something for you.
If Finland sounds like the pioneering post you’ve been waiting for, more information is available from the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091. Phone 312-869-9039.
A pioneer recalls moments of love, joy, sacrifice[edit]
By MANUCHEHR AGAHI
If I were to relate all that I have seen and heard during my 14 years as a pioneer in various parts of the world, the result would be a thick and heavy volume.
Also, being personal experiences, they are difficult to put into words; however, I will try to write briefly about the patience and steadfastness of the pioneers I have met throughout the world.
I WAS 22 years old and, like other people, continually engaged in the material aspects of life. My days were spent in comfort, yet I was never happy and always felt a certain hopelessness inside.
I had a desire to serve the Cause, and when I saw how others were successful in this path I would become sad or envious.
I think every individual has within him a spiritual spark—that is, the desire to serve the Cause of God. It depends, however, on the audacity, selflessness and capacity of the individual.
Although I felt that I lacked those qualities, I came to understand something about pioneering and its aims, and so I chose that path.
I first spent six years in Arabia, then several years in South and Central America and in Africa, traveling from town to town to help with the goals.
I remember those days clearly, especially the pioneers who possessed such deep faith, notwithstanding their lack of material comforts.
IN MANY of the countries I visited, especially Arabia, there were Bahá’ís who had been serving the Faith in that way since the Ten Year Crusade—numerous years filled with self-sacrifice, far from their homes and in inhospitable and undesirable conditions, in obedience to the beloved Guardian.
Forgetting wealth or position, they were living simple lives, engaged in ordinary occupations, paying not the slightest attention to the attractions of life.
They were so loyal and sincere that each one can be said to have been the example of love and kindness.
I well remember that these friends never felt fear, or disappointment in their jobs, or in their service to the Cause, and their hearts were always illumined with the light of faith and the assurance of confirmations from above.
The strange thing was that the more these friends were tested, the more ardent and sincere they became in service to their beloved Faith.
There were, for example, people who had been in prison and yet had taught the Faith with the utmost happiness from behind the bars.
Others there were who had been publicly ridiculed and persecuted for their belief. But when one listened to them as they recounted their stories with such deep feelings, the hearer could not but wish that he had been in their place.
I THINK that these people must be the true lovers, willing to sacrifice their all for the Beloved.
The reader will realize that it is difficult to describe the experiences of pioneering to someone who has not experienced it himself.
Only then can one really understand how the pioneers, through their courage, perseverance and faith, not only influence others but also attract people to the Cause of God through their love, fulfilling in this way the many important goals and establishing strong local communities.
I knew nothing about spiritual love, sacrifice or service until I went pioneering and had the bounty of working alongside the Hand of the Cause of God Abu’l-Qásim Faizí. It was he who taught me these virtues.
Mr. Faizí had been a pioneer to Arabia, and through his wonderful qualities he was a constant source of light to all the friends in that area. He was like a brother and a friend, giving calm confidence to all of us.
The memories I have of the hours spent with this dear friend would surely fill a book. How lucky were those who were with him, enjoying his company. It would be wonderful if the memory could retain all these recollections.
WHENEVER there are tests and difficulties in pioneering, one must bear in mind the guidance of the beloved Guardian who assured the friends of the Divine Bounties and assistance from God Who is the Provider, the Help in Peril.
Many times during difficulties we would pray, and the answer would become manifest in the most surprising and amazing way. Often the answer would be quite different from what we had expected.
Of course, one usually sees the wisdom of things afterward. For this very reason, pioneers know that they must not expect every wish, short-sighted and unwise as wishes sometimes are, to be fulfilled exactly as they would have it.
How is it that these friends, living in foreign countries far from their homeland, are so successful? Indefatigability and uprightness are the keys.
Many Bahá’ís who pioneered for the love of God did not acquire much from the material world, yet they gained such spiritual qualities that they will always be remembered. They helped lay the foundations for the oneness of humanity.
The Bahá’í Writings say that man must become completely detached from the world of nature, because the material world is the world of corruption and death, the world of darkness and evil, the world of savagery and animalism, the world of bloodshed, lust and passions, the world of selfishness and ambition. Man must keep away from these passions, because these qualities do not belong to the world of man. They belong to the low material plane.
The duty of man is to endeavor to acquire heavenly attributes and divine perfections. He must become the image and example of God; the manifestation of the love of God; the lamp of guidance; the tree of life; the center of divine attractions.
That is to say, man must sacrifice the pleasures of the material world in order to acquire divine perfections. If he sacrifices these ephemeral pleasures, he will possess the attributes of the Kingdom of God.
These are the feelings and aspirations of a pioneer.
Pioneer honored[edit]
The Bahá’í communities of Thornton and Lakewood, Colorado, were the hosts last November 2 at a reception honoring Mrs. Kay Zinky, a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh.
Responding to a call from the beloved Guardian, Mrs. Zinky pioneered for two years to the Magdalen Islands, for which service she was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh in 1954.
Since then, she has traveled widely teaching the Faith, and also has taught at many seminars and summer schools.
Mrs. Zinky has done extensive research on Bahá’í materials and has compiled several books on Bahá’í-related subjects.
Following songs and skits by Bahá’í children from the four communities in the metropolitan Denver area, Mrs. Zinky spoke at the ceremony given in her honor.
Afterward, she was given a plaque and bouquet of nine red roses in recognition of her long service to the Cause.
Mrs. Zinky then gave each of the children a replica of the stamp-sized booklet that Martha Root presented to people during her travels.
Dr. Ingo Hofmann, an Auxiliary Board member from Munich, Germany; his wife, Pari, and their daughter, Nura, were warmly welcomed by the Bahá’í community of Berkeley, California, last November when they returned for a brief visit. The Hofmanns lived in Berkeley in 1978-79 while Dr. Hofmann was a visiting scholar at the University of California.
Continental YOUTH Conference ’81
Kansas City, Missouri ❃ July 2-5
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
• keynote speakers include: Hands of the Cause of God, Members of the Continental Board of Counsellors and the NSA of the USA.
• a diverse entertainment program. (It’s not too late for you or your group to audition!)
• an Art auction and a Jog-a-thon to be held. (It’s not too late to submit your art for the competition!)
• a full program of workshops and seminars.
• an evening concert for the public with a special fireside featuring well-known Bahá’í musicians.
• a model pre-school program for children 5 years old and under will be held coupled with a parent-training workshop for youth and young adults.
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO:
• Canadian, Alaskan, Hawaiian and Mexican Bahá’í youth.
• pre-youth, ages 12-14 ... a special program is being designed for this age group.
• seekers, who are hosted by their Bahá’í friends and have a good understanding of the Teachings of the Faith.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
• Bahá’í youth who need financial assistance should contact their local Spiritual Assembly NOW to ask for scholarship funds. Special scholarship cases may be referred to the National Youth Committee, which has limited funds for that purpose.
TEACHING PROJECTS:
• a variety of summer teaching projects have been planned in conjunction with the Continental Youth Conference.
• border projects are being organized along the Canadian/US border and the Mexican/US border. Anyone interested in working with this effort should contact the National Youth Committee.
• international projects have been planned for Norway, Belize, Guatemala, Leeward and Virgin Islands, Windward Islands, and Jamaica. If you are interested, contact the International Goals Committee.
• domestic projects are being organized throughout the country ... for more information, contact the National Teaching Committee.
| YOUTH | The |
| Bahá’í | |
| Faith | |
| Something | |
| To | |
| Believe | |
| In. |
buildings left to right: Radisson-Muehlebach Hotel, City Center Holiday Inn and Convention Center.
GUIDELINES FOR BRINGING NON-BAHÁ’Í FRIENDS
- The non-Bahá’í youth must be invited by a Bahá’í who is attending the conference.
- The non-Bahá’í youth must be a close friend or relative of the Bahá’í issuing the invitation.
- The non-Bahá’í must be close to the Bahá’í Faith and thereby have a good understanding of its Teachings.
- The non-Bahá’í youth must have a clear understanding of the necessity for strict adherence to Bahá’í standards of behavior during the conference.
- The non-Bahá’í must not under any circumstances be a Muslim.
APPROPRIATE DRESS AND BEHAVIOR A MUST
In selecting dress for the Youth Conference, bear in mind that you are representing the Bahá’í Faith. Your dress and manners should reflect the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. Avoid wearing halter tops, shorts, ragged cut-offs, see-through clothing, etc. Please remember to observe local laws.
Hitchhiking and jaywalking are against Missouri state laws. When dealing with local residents, please remember you are guests in their town. The impression of the Bahá’í Faith which Kansas City residents glean may depend on your deportment and appearance.
seating registration and hotel reservation coupons are located on Page 25
[Page 11]
TEACHING
S. Illinois effort focuses on Assemblies, expansion[edit]
Soo Fouts, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, and Bob James, a member of the National Teaching Committee staff, helped the Spiritual Assembly of Carbondale, Illinois, and the Southern Illinois District Teaching Committee launch a teaching campaign February 13-15 in Pulaski and Alexander counties.
Its purposes were to accelerate expansion and consolidation work that has continued since more than 100 people became Bahá’ís in Southern Illinois toward the close of the Five Year Plan, and to prepare for Assembly formations at Riḍván.
THE PROJECT began with a Friday evening potluck dinner. The 25 Bahá’ís who attended heard talks by Mrs. Fouts and Mr. James concerning the significance of the weekend’s activities and the need to make this at least a monthly effort.
About 50 Bahá’ís took part in the campaign, some of whom were participating for the first time in street teaching.
Two declarations resulted from the teaching effort, which was centered mainly in Cairo, Mounds, and Mounds City, while several other people expressed an interest in the Faith.
In addition, sites were found for forming the Assemblies at Riḍván.
The film “Have You Heard the News, My Friend?” was shown to two seekers at a fireside Saturday evening in Cairo.
Fourteen Bahá’ís participated in a second teaching project in that area March 6-8 that resulted in two declarations.
Bob James represented the National Teaching Committee at the teaching project that was launched February 13-15 in southern Illinois.
Soo Fouts, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, offers encouragement to the friends during the teaching campaign that was begun in February in Alexander and Pulaski counties, Illinois.
The Bahá’í community of Duluth, Minnesota, sponsored this display at the annual International Folk Festival in Duluth at which many ethnic groups and nationalities participated in folk dancing, singing, and selling native handicrafts, musical instruments and baked goods. The Bahá’ís also were asked to give the opening prayer at the festival, and nearly 3,000 people were present as a prayer for unity was read by Scott Hakala, a Bahá’í youth from Duluth.
Wisconsin believers win hearts in Cedarburg Winter Festival[edit]
In an effort to become better acquainted with their neighbors, the Bahá’ís of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, entered the nation’s only “bed race,” a part of the city’s annual Winter Festival.
Each year, the race is held on a frozen creek behind the downtown area, with teams of four skaters and one rider pushing their bed, decorated in a theme of their choice, around a circular course.
Since the Bahá’ís were novices at bed racing, they decided that instead of trying to win, they would try instead to win the hearts of the crowd.
As it turned out, it wasn’t hard for the Bahá’ís and their “bionic bed” to lose the race; it took them nearly twice as long to negotiate the course as it did the 10 other more experienced teams in the race.
However, the name “Bahá’í” was mentioned over loudspeakers and was stenciled on the back of the bed; the Bahá’ís were loudly cheered by onlookers, and the judges unanimously awarded the Bahá’ís the prize for the best decorated bed.
Bahá’í featured[edit]
Claire Kuhnle, a Bahá’í who has lived since 1915 in Marysville, Washington, was profiled in February in a series of three articles in the local newspaper, the Marysville Globe.
The third article in the series, which was entitled “Profile of a Pioneer” (referring to her many years in that city), mentioned Mrs. Kuhnle’s association with the Faith.
Wapato theatre’s play a success[edit]
The Tablets Repertory Theatre Company, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Wapato, Washington, on the Yakima Indian Reservation, recently completed its ninth performance of “Circles in a Glass,” a three-act drama about the problems of alcoholism.
The play, written and directed by the company’s artistic director, Joseph Galata, received such excellent publicity and favorable reviews that extra performances had to be scheduled.
PUBLICITY included six appearances on television and six on radio in a two-week period by members of the cast who spoke about the theatre and the Faith.
Newspapers printed several feature articles about the play while schools announced the performances to their students.
The theatre company was invited by the Washington State Arts Council to perform excerpts from its first production, “Ladder of Love,” at the opening of an art show.
The casts of both plays were invited to appear April 17-18 at a Bahá’í-sponsored arts festival in Sacramento, California.
As an Intercalary Days service project, the company designed a mini-musical for 150 mentally handicapped residents at an institution for the disabled.
Negotiations have begun to film and videotape the theatre company’s productions for public television stations in the U.S. and Canada.
|
Teaching Fever Is CONTAGIOUS! — |
Also under way is pre-production work on the company’s next production, a musical drama with a country and western flavor whose theme will be the elimination of prejudice.
Singer Donna Kime Barbre (second from right) and her musical group performed during a proclamation last November 15 planned by the Spiritual Assembly of Roseville, Minnesota. Seventy-one non-Bahá’ís were among those who attended a concert whose highlights included a slide presentation accompanied by Mrs. Barbre’s rendition of ‘The Queen of Carmel.’ It was the last performance in this country by Mrs. Barbre before she and her husband, Jack Barbre, left for a pioneering post in Western Samoa.
[Page 12]
EDUCATION
Indiana marks notable achievements in Local Education Adviser Program[edit]
In 1978 Indiana became the first Bahá’í district in the U.S. to have Local Education Advisers in each community.
The Local Education Adviser serves as an advocate for children, youth and families, not only at the local level, but also districtwide.
A TEAM of qualified persons is thus made available to help meet the needs of children, youth and families.
In the two years since that team was formed in Indiana, some notable achievements have been made, including:
• the organization of a children’s conference at the District Convention, planned and coordinated by representatives from most of the Bahá’í communities in Indiana;
• the appointment of a District Coordinator to represent the National Education Committee in the state;
• the sponsorship of a youth retreat that led to the formation of the present District Youth Committee.
Turning once more to its original goal, the systematic training of teachers, the LEAP program is concentrating on identifying other community needs and helping to fill them.
Last September the first issue of The Magnet, a quarterly newsletter on early childhood development sponsored by LEAP, was published.
THE SOURCE of its title is the following statement by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:
“Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms.” (Selections From the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 27)
It is hoped that the articles in the newsletter will act as a “magnet” to everyone, attracting each soul to a greater understanding of the importance of the earliest years of life.
Financial support for the first year of publication was provided by every Spiritual Assembly in Indiana, who together provided the funds necessary to establish the newsletter.
In a letter to the editors, the National Spiritual Assembly said in part: “What a marvelous publication! You have made us very happy by the initiative you have taken to render a special service to our beloved Cause. This newsletter will be a welcome support to parents and non-parents alike.”
Because of its excellent reception in Indiana, it has been decided to offer subscriptions to The Magnet nationwide.
Beginning with the issue of September 1981, Bahá’ís across the U.S. may receive the newsletter for $4 a year. Local Spiritual Assemblies also are encouraged to subscribe.
ALTHOUGH the newsletter is presently four pages long, the editors anticipate an increase with the September issue to six to eight pages, and plan to make other changes consistent with the size of its readership.
Topics in the first few issues have included “Fostering Spiritual Development,” “Expressing Love in Tangible Ways,” “Family Devotions,” “Manners,” and a special issue on physically challenged children for the UN Year of the Disabled.
Book reviews are another regular feature of the newsletter.
The aim of editors Rhonda Palmer and Sandra Dapoz, both members of the Indiana LEAP team, is to produce an attractive and reasonably priced newsletter that offers practical applications of the Bahá’í Writings to parents and community members on early childhood development and training.
Subscriptions may be sent to Rhonda Palmer, 504 S. Indiana, Greencastle, IN 46135.
Pictured are representatives of the Minnesota, Colorado East, Conifer Hill and Great Plains Bahá’í School Committees who attended a training conference January 17–18 in Omaha, Nebraska. The conference was sponsored by the National Education Committee to review the newly revised Bahá’í Schools Manual and to discuss ways of improving further Bahá’í school services.
G. Acre to offer teacher aid course[edit]
The Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine, will offer a seven-day teacher aid practicum during the weeks of August 16–23 and August 24–30.
The program is designed for those who are interested in creative approaches to Bahá’í children’s classes. It will help participants to develop their skills in designing lesson plans, developing resources, and teaching children’s classes, using a variety of classroom structures.
Those who attend will have an opportunity to practice these and other skills by serving as teachers and assistants within the children’s program during their training.
This program must be applied for in advance. For more information please contact the Green Acre Bahá’í School, P.O. Box 17, Eliot, ME 03903.
Expanded Personal Transformation Program shows significant increase in participation[edit]
The number of people participating in the Personal Transformation Program has increased significantly in the last year, according to facilitator reports received by the National Education Committee.
It is apparent from evaluations from participants themselves that people are enjoying this method of deepening.
DURING 1980 the program was greatly expanded. Prior to that time the course was offered only in California, Illinois and New York state.
In the first half of the year four states were added, and by the end of the year 10 new states had access to the program, bringing the total to 17 states in which the Personal Transformation Program is presently available.
As a result, the number of people who participated in this 10-week study of the Comprehensive Deepening Program materials tripled during the second half of 1980.
The National Education Committee reports that 200 people had gone through the deepening program by June with another 600 participating through December.
A review of evaluations submitted by participants sheds some light on why people are taking the program. The evaluation form asks the friends to rate the program, the facilitators, and their own progress.
Most people who responded felt that the program provided an excellent way to deepen or increase their knowledge of the Faith.
“To be a better Bahá’í” was a reason frequently cited for taking the course. Some expressed a desire for personal transformation as a reason for enrolling, while others participated at the recommendation of students who had already completed the program.
NON-BAHÁ’ÍS also had an opportunity to participate in the program last year. Some explained that they took it because they were interested in learning more about the Faith. As a result, several even enrolled!
A majority of the participants reported some type of positive change in their lives as a result of the Personal Transformation Program. These changes ranged from declaring one’s belief in Bahá’u’lláh to becoming more neat and clean.
In some cases the changes not only involved the individuals themselves, but members of their families, co-workers and fellow Bahá’ís.
Other significant results reported included an increased feeling of closeness to God, a greater awareness of the importance of the Faith, a desire to pray and meditate more, and a general spiritual upliftment.
Several people said they felt that after taking the course they could teach the Faith more easily, and many who had not done so before began arranging monthly firesides.
Some participants expressed a feeling of greater appreciation and love for the Institutions of the Faith.
No matter what form the changes took, every participant expressed joy over the process of transformation.
The Personal Transformation Program has proved to those completing the course that transformation is possible for every individual through the spiritual guidance of Bahá’u’lláh’s Teachings.
Information on handicapped children sought[edit]
The National Education Committee is interested in identifying the special needs of any handicapped children who will be attending the Continental Youth Conference July 2–5 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Parents are asked to provide the Education Committee with the following information:
1. Medication needs; 2. nature of the handicap; and 3. whether the child can be in a regular classroom environment or whether special services should be provided.
Parents of handicapped children are asked to write to the National Education Committee office at the Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or to phone 312-869-9039 by June 15 so that the best possible services can be provided for all the children at the conference children’s program.
[Page 13]
EDUCATION
Consultation a vital element in Assembly meetings[edit]
This is the third in a series of articles on the development of Local Spiritual Assemblies prepared by the National Education Committee. This month’s subject is Bahá’í consultation and the Local Spiritual Assembly.
•
1. Why is consultation so vital to the proper functioning of Local Spiritual Assemblies?
Bahá’u’lláh has revealed, “Consultation bestoweth greater awareness and transmuteth conjecture into certitude. It is a shining light which, in a dark world, leadeth the way and guideth. For everything there is and will continue to be a station of perfection and maturity. The maturity of the gift of understanding is made manifest through consultation.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 3)
2. What is the purpose of Bahá’í consultation?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá has explained, “The purpose of consultation is to show that the views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man, even as the power of a number of men is of course greater than the power of one man.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 8)
3. How does the Assembly’s use of consultation differ from many of the problem solving methods used by various non-Bahá’í groups?
“Bahá’í consultation differs from the consultation of most political, social and religious groups because Bahá’ís not only seek to apply the Teachings of God’s latest Manifestation but also strive to be the embodiments of the very teachings they seek to apply during consultation.” (The Development of Local Spiritual Assemblies, pp. 277–278)
4. What are some of the teachings that Assembly members strive to embody when they are consulting?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá has revealed, “The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrances, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and long-suffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 21)
5. How should the Assembly initially approach its consultation?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá has stated, “They must when coming together turn their faces to the Kingdom on High and ask aid from the Realm of Glory. They must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and moderation to express their views.” (Bahá’í Administration, p. 22)
6. Is there a particular discussion method individual Assembly members should follow when consulting?
The Master revealed, “ ...consultation must have for its object the investigation of truth. He who expresses an opinion should not voice it as correct and right but set it forth as a contribution to the consensus of opinion; for the light of reality becomes apparent when two opinions coincide ...Before expressing his own views he should carefully consider the views already advanced by others. If he finds that a previously expressed opinion is more true and worthy, he should accept it immediately and not willfully hold to an opinion of his own. By this excellent method he endeavors to arrive at unity and truth.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 10)
7. Is each member of the Assembly obligated to express his views on the subject under consultation?
Shoghi Effendi, through his secretary, wrote, “ ...before the majority of the Assembly comes to a decision, it is not only the right but the sacred obligation of every member to express freely and openly his views, without being afraid of displeasing or alienating any of his fellow-members.” (The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 18)
8. If a conflict starts to develop during the Assembly’s consultation, how should the members respond?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed, “The honored members of the Spiritual Assembly should exert their efforts so that no differences may occur, and if such differences do occur, they should not reach the point of causing conflict, hatred and antagonism, which leads to threats. When you notice that a stage has been reached when enmity and threats are about to occur, you should immediately postpone discussion of the subject, until wranglings, disputations, and loud talk vanish, and a propitious time is at hand.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 9)
9. What should be done if the Assembly’s consultation fails to produce a unanimous decision?
The Universal House of Justice has written, “The ideal of Bahá’í consultation is to arrive at a unanimous decision. When this is not possible a vote must be taken. In the words of the beloved Guardian: ‘ ...when they are called upon to arrive at a certain decision they should, after dispassionate, anxious and cordial consultation, turn to God in prayer, and with earnestness and conviction and courage record their vote and abide by the voice of the majority, which we are told by the Master to be the voice of truth, never to be challenged, and always to be wholeheartedly enforced.’ ” (Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, p. 52)
10. Can the Assembly vote on a matter if one of its members feels that full consultation has not taken place?
The Universal House of Justice writes, “When it is proposed to put a matter to the vote, a member of the Assembly may feel that there are additional facts or views which must be sought before he can make up his mind and intelligently vote on the proposition. He should express this feeling to the Assembly, and it is for the Assembly to decide whether or not further consultation is needed before voting.” (Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, p. 52)
11. Is an Assembly member required to vote on a decision even if he conscientiously does not wish to do so?
The Guardian, through his secretary, wrote: “Bahá’ís are not required to vote on an assembly against their conscience. It is better if they submit to the majority view and make it unanimous. But they are not forced to. What they must do, however, is to abide by the majority decision, as this is what becomes effective. They must not go around undermining the assembly by saying they disagreed with the majority. In other words, they must put the Cause first and not their own opinions.” (Consultation: A Compilation, p. 19)
•
(Additional references on Bahá’í consultation can be found in Consultation: A Compilation, prepared by the Universal House of Justice and available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust; Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies, and The Development of Local Spiritual Assemblies.)
The intercommunity Bahá’í school sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of South Broward County, Florida, held an ‘Inspirational Sunday’ last November 30 with all events centered around giving to the National Fund. Each person brought a lunch that was auctioned off. Children were given cookies with which to buy their lunches. They couldn’t eat them, but had to sacrifice them to the ‘cookie monster’ for the Fund. When the day was over, $111 had been collected for the Fund.
Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute’s summer sessions stress service[edit]
“Rise! and Serve the Power of God” is the theme of this summer’s program at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina.
The over-all purpose of the summer sessions is “preparation for service.”
In keeping with the theme and purpose, everyone attending the Institute will be given an opportunity to receive training and experience in teaching and consolidation in communities surrounding the Institute.
Sessions scheduled to date include:
- May
- 29-31—Prelude to the Lesser Peace (Kathy Reimer, instructor).
- June
- 7-12—Senior Citizens Week. “Retirement; More Time to Serve,” “Preparing for the Journey” (Auxiliary Board member Elizabeth Martin, instructor); “Sharing Our Inner Resources” (Trudy White, instructor).
- 12-14—Special meeting of Auxiliary Board member Elizabeth Martin and her assistants. By invitation only.
- 19-21—Children’s classes, teacher training.
- 21-26—Junior Youth class (ages 10–14).
- 28-July 3—Children’s class (ages 5–9).
- July
- 10-24—Teaching Project, sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
- 24-29—General Session, “Personal Transformation” (Marcia Lample, National Education Committee office, instructor).
- August
- 1-6—Senior Youth class (ages 15–20).
- 7-12—General Session, “Knowing and Loving Bahá’u’lláh, the Source of Power and Wisdom” (instructor to be named).
- 14-19—General Session, “Drawing Closer to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: An Example of Servitude” (instructor to be named).
Courses begin the evening of the first date. Children’s classes for ages 4 years and older will be held during adult programs. Day students are encouraged.
Rates: Adults, $9 per day; youth (13–15), $8 per day; children (2–12), $7 per day.
There is a $2 rental fee for linens and towels. Participants are encouraged to bring their own.
Please register at least two weeks in advance. Write to the Registrar, Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute, Route 2, Box 71, Hemingway, SC 29554.
1st Bahá’í Continental Youth Conference
Kansas City, Missouri
July 2–5, 1981[edit]
There is an urgent need for children’s teachers and teacher-assistants for the children’s program at the 1981 Continental Youth Conference July 2–5 in Kansas City, Missouri.
The National Education Committee, which is responsible for planning and carrying out the children’s program, intends to provide a high quality Bahá’í experience for children who attend the conference with their parents.
To do so, the committee requests that any of the friends who have experience in Bahá’í child education and are able to attend the Kansas City conference contact the National Education Office at their earliest convenience. The telephone number is 312-869-9039.
Limited financial assistance will be available to help teacher staff members who would be unable to participate in the program without such assistance.
[Page 14]
RACE UNITY
“When the racial elements of the American nation unite in actual fellowship and accord, the lights of the oneness of humanity will shine, the day of eternal glory and bliss will dawn, the spirit of God encompass and the divine favours descend.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 54)
Master’s quote on race draws further responses[edit]
|
Your Turn |
Here are more responses from Bahá’ís to the Master’s statement on race relations quoted in The Advent of Divine Justice.
The Race Unity Committee welcomes your response too. Send it to Ernest Lopez, corresponding secretary, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
“Strive earnestly,” He (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) exhorts both races, “and put forth your greatest endeavor toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and effort on the part of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and appreciation; from the other, kindliness and recognition of equality. Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement ...”
•
It is hard to recall after some 27 years exactly how I felt on first reading the above passage from The Advent of Divine Justice, but I know I found it astonishing and difficult to accept.
The expression “ ...kindliness and recognition of equality” as the attitude that I, as a white person, was called on to display toward blacks made me particularly uncomfortable, as it felt to me at the time to be too patronizing.
I FELT that much more should have been asked of us white people and in firmer, even harsh, terms.
As to expressions of gratitude and appreciation, my thought was that this was not a passage to show any black seekers for they would (properly, I felt) doubtless be indignant and contemptuous at such a suggestion.
I think I asked myself the question, “What could ‘Abdu’l-Bahá have in mind the whites have done for blacks to deserve expressions of gratitude and appreciation?”
My feelings about the passage have changed greatly since my initial encounter, mainly, I think, because I have lost the sense of guilt that I had because of my identification with “white oppressors.”
I also see and understand, now, that prejudice is almost by nature a two-way street—at least after it becomes established in a society—so that it is a mutual problem to be solved from both sides.
To the extent that white Bahá’ís succeed in ridding themselves of racial prejudice, and act accordingly, I can now accept that blacks have a reason to feel grateful and appreciative.
And, of course, no one, I now see, should identify too strongly with his parents, grandparents or ancestors.—Sam G. McClellan
Reading the passage caused me to think of what I have done to enhance the development of brotherhood among Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís.
It became apparent to me that I have contributed more to the development of brotherhood in non-Bahá’í settings than among Bahá’ís. I feel I have not adequately exercised my responsibilities to my Bahá’í friends.
AS A BAHÁ’Í I must be fully committed to the ideal of brotherhood. This commitment carries with it a two-fold responsibility.
First, I must guard against my own racism by continually striving to live my life according to the principles of the Faith.
Second, I must not avoid the opportunity to enhance (in a non-threatening manner) the racial awareness of fellow Bahá’ís.
Like saplings in the forest of tomorrow, we are still in the infant stages of development. Our growth and maturity is in part dependent on helpful feedback ... gentle reminders of what it means to be a Bahá’í.—Gene Andrews
It requires will to remain in a social/work situation when it is obviously or subtly made known to you that you are not welcome.
It takes effort to believe as a Bahá’í—being polite and showing kindness toward those who are hateful or spiteful to you.
But you must, for if your reaction changes the attitude of just one person, it reduces by one the sickness of prejudice.
The adjustment of whites who come from a strongly prejudiced background must be traumatic. So you have to recognize this seemingly unworthy creature as equal to you, and then show kindness.
To associate with him and help him calls for great strength of character and obedience to the Faith.
The only way the Kingdom of God on earth can be realized is if we all strive to be as the Master, inspiring everyone we meet to recognize their own value.—Jean Daley
Introducing ...[edit]
“The Champion-Builders,” brief sketches of some of the Bahá’ís who helped lay the foundation of the Administrative Order in this country.
Watch for it soon in The American Bahá’í!
Bahá’ís played a leading role in 1st U.S. race amity meeting[edit]
The following essay on the first Bahá’í race amity conference in America is based on Gayle Morrison’s “To Move the World: Promoting Racial Amity, 1920-27,” published in World Order magazine, Volume 14, No. 2 (Winter 1980), pp. 9-31. Copyright 1980 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.
•
“I want you to arrange a convention in Washington for amity between the colored and white.”
With these words ‘Abdu’l-Bahá directed Mrs. Agnes Parsons, one of the early American believers, to carry out a very special task leading to the first meeting for race amity ever held in America.
MRS. PARSONS, given this task at the dinner table while she was on pilgrimage in 1920, was overwhelmed by the idea.
Awaiting further instructions from the beloved Master, she was told simply: “You must have people to help you.” That was the extent of her guidance.
Upon her return to the States Mrs. Parsons gathered a handful of assistants and began making plans for the conference that was eventually held May 19-21, 1921, in Washington, D.C.
One of the most important aspects of planning this historic event was generating the proper positive spirit for the conference.
Mrs. Parsons wanted to avoid a controversial approach, or to be political or extreme.
The planners decided to try to create a spiritual atmosphere for the conference that would transcend material or political limitations.
This view was supported wholeheartedly by the Hand of the Cause of God Louis Gregory who actively participated in the conference plans.
HE TOLD Mrs. Parsons: “Nothing short of a change of hearts will do ...Unless the speakers are able to make the power of love felt, the occasion will lose its chief value.”
Rather than dictating this idea to the many non-Bahá’í speakers who were part of the conference, the Bahá’ís planned to set the tone for the meeting in a special way.
Bahá’ís would serve as keynote speakers and as chairmen of the sessions, and would work to create a harmonious atmosphere by dealing with the basic spiritual theme. Other speakers were thus encouraged to follow that lead.
The plan proved so successful that often the non-Bahá’í speakers came to the conference with a pre-planned speech, only to change their topic when they heard the chairman, to support the spirit that pervaded the convention.
Washington, D.C., had been torn by racial strife less than two years earlier. But convention organizers found a surprisingly positive response from the residents to plans and publicity for the event.
On May 19, about 2,000 persons attended the first session. Attendance remained at about 1,500 during the next two days.
THE SIGNIFICANCE of this gathering was clearly established by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in a message to the convention in which He said:
“ ...never since the beginning of time has a convention of more importance been held. This convention stands for the oneness of humanity ... it will, if wisely managed and continued, check the deadly struggle between the races ...”
The first amity conference was a great success. Not only were those who attended uplifted by the spirit of race unity, but the conference had other positive results for the Faith.
Many people were able to hear the Bahá’í message, including important black leaders and organizations.
The idea of race amity conferences spread among the Bahá’ís, and for many years this was a tool for teaching the Faith as well as another way to share the healing message that could soothe the wounds of racial prejudice.
In the months following the first convention, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote to Mrs. Parsons, praising her for her work.
LOUIS G. GREGORY
In these messages He unequivocally stated the importance of the theme of race unity and the imperative need to eradicate race prejudice.
In one letter the Master wrote: “The Convention of the colored and white was in reality a great work. Because if the question of the colored and the white should not be solved, it would be productive of great dangers in future for America. Therefore... confirmation ... shall constantly reach any person who strives after the conciliation of the colored and white.”
Race amity commemoration set[edit]
Inspired by the account in World Order magazine (Winter 1980) of the first Race Amity Conference held in Washington, D.C., in 1921, four neighboring Bahá’í communities in central Illinois have planned a commemoration of the 60th anniversary of that conference.
That gathering seemed to the friends in Champaign, Champaign Township, Mahomet Township and Urbana, Illinois, to offer a pattern for an event that would relate both to the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears’ call for “Operation Befriend” and Auxiliary Board member Stephen Ader’s challenge to them to plan a major proclamation.
THE CONFERENCE, to begin Friday evening, June 5, and run through the following day, is entitled “One Human Family: Promoting Unity.” It will be held at the Ramada Inn in Champaign.
Participants at Friday’s session will include the mayor of Champaign and a state representative who will speak about programs designed to help lessen racial injustice.
A Bahá’í, Dr. Khalil Khavari of Bayside, Wisconsin, will delineate the Bahá’í purpose for the meeting and discuss, from a Bahá’í perspective, what must be done to overcome prejudices of all kinds.
The Saturday morning session will stress the contributions made to our country by those who have come from other lands, and the need to promote unity among them all with the faith that recent immigrants will also enrich our land.
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The Fund Is the Life-Blood of the Faith 112 Linden Avenue, |
Saturday afternoon presentations will be directed toward finding the spiritual basis for interracial harmony.
[Page 15]
NATIONAL CENTER
Membership & Records compiles, keeps vital data[edit]
Somewhere between 100 and 200 letters, forms and other documents arrive each day at the Bahá’í National Center for recording, processing and retention by the Office of Membership and Records.
“Years ago, or so I’ve been told, some membership records were kept in shoe boxes,” says Janet Murphy, manager of the Office of Membership and Records.
BUT WITH the tremendous growth and development of the American Bahá’í community and the National Center itself, that method of record keeping obviously had to change.
Today the records are kept in a relatively sophisticated system of metal drawer and shelf files and on magnetic computer tapes, all in one location in the Bahá’í National Center’s new administrative office building in Evanston, Illinois.
And whether you became a Bahá’í last year or 25 years ago, your signed enrollment card is carefully preserved by the National Spiritual Assembly.
Miss Murphy is in charge of both the Membership Records Office that processes the day-to-day changes reported by individuals and communities such as enrollments, changes of name and/or address, marriages, births and deaths, and the Records Office that serves as the National Spiritual Assembly’s reference library of correspondence with individuals, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and other institutions of the Faith.
Current name and address information for American believers is kept on the National Spiritual Assembly’s own computer. Receiving copies of The American Bahá’í and other Bahá’í mail confirms for the believers that their addresses on file at the National Center are correct.
That’s because name and address information for the mailing labels comes from the same computer data that is used by the National Spiritual Assembly.
IF SOMEONE stops receiving The American Bahá’í, but has not specifically requested that it be stopped, it means there may be something wrong with his or her address on file at the National Center, or at the local post office, says Miss Murphy.
In such cases, she adds, the Office of Membership and Records should be contacted as soon as possible, so that the source of the error can be found and it can be corrected.
This is especially important in view of the fact that each time the post office returns the label from an undeliverable copy of The American Bahá’í, it costs the National Fund 25 cents, in addition to the original mailing cost.
Also, says Miss Murphy, all mail from the National Spiritual Assembly to an individual believer is stopped when undeliverable copies of The American Bahá’í indicate that a problem exists with a particular address.
A previous survey, she says, showed that change of address information tunneled through a post office is unreliable, and because of this, addresses are not changed based on postal notices attached to returned labels of The American Bahá’í.
The friends should know, too, that the post office will generally not forward copies of The American Bahá’í because it is not sent by first-class mail.
WHEN A BELIEVER moves, says Miss Murphy, he or she should either communicate the change directly to the Office of Membership and Records or make certain that his or her previous or present Local Spiritual Assembly or District Teaching Committee sends an address change. Be sure to indicate if the change is only temporary.
“We would much rather receive two reports of a believer’s change of address and have the information correct,” says Miss Murphy, “than not receive the information at all.”
Miss Murphy is assisted in the Membership Office by Leanne Jackson, supervisor, and records clerks Craig Holman, Rose Wendel and Antonia Williams, and in the Records Office by supervisor Mary Warren and records clerk Patricia Smith.
“The Membership Office acts as a liaison with the computer center while the Records Office retains hard-copy records for reference by the National Assembly,” she says.
When an enrollment card is received in the Membership Office it is checked by Mrs. Williams to see that it is legible and complete and that it is not a duplication.
As long as the card presents no problems, a Bahá’í identification number is assigned, the enrollment is entered into the computer, and a new believer’s packet and identification card can be sent to the newly enrolled Bahá’í.
IN THE NEW believer’s packet are an embossed card from the National Spiritual Assembly and a letter of welcome, along with the booklet “On Becoming a Bahá’í” and some other pamphlets.
Previously it took two to three weeks for enrollments and other changes to be processed on the computer, says Miss Murphy.
After the changes were entered into the computer, the first printout of new information, called the first edit, was sent back to the Membership Office to be checked, corrected and returned to Data Processing.
This procedure was repeated for a second and third edit to assure accuracy before the new information was actually updated on the final computer records.
This time should be reduced considerably, says Miss Murphy, now that the Membership Office is going “on-line” with the computer.
With the new system, she says, “we’re able to input information directly into the computer, check it immediately, and update the computer records.
“Presently we’ll be making the changes in the Data Processing Office, but within a year or a year and a half we should have our own computer terminal in the Membership Office.”
BAHÁ’Í identification numbers have no special significance, says Miss Murphy. They simply provide a more efficient way of recordkeeping.
“Because of the size of the American Bahá’í community we must have some way of identifying believers other than by name alone,” adds Miss Jackson. “There are too many names that are similar or the same.
“But no one should be concerned about becoming a ‘number.’ We work with people, not numbers. Numbers just help us keep the records.”
The National Spiritual Assembly’s records are confidential and are open only to those offices or Bahá’í institutions designated by the National Assembly, and even then only a part of the record may be made available.
“In the non-Bahá’í world,” says Miss Murphy, “a person’s address is generally considered common knowledge. But the National Assembly considers this private and confidential information. The same applies to any records we have.”
As Membership Office supervisor, Miss Jackson spends much of her time handling address changes for individuals and researching questions of locality boundaries for Bahá’í communities. She also answers general inquiries.
Mrs. Williams works on address and other individual changes, as well as processing enrollments and responding to general inquiries received by phone.
MISS WENDEL secures verification of Bahá’í credentials for believers who are entering the country, while Mr. Holman spends much of his time updating records of Spiritual Assemblies and District Teaching Committees.
The Membership and Records Offices also have responsibility for checking Bahá’í credentials at National Conventions and National Assembly-sponsored conferences and institutes.
The Membership Office is compiling a membership handbook for Spiritual Assemblies and District Teaching Committees.
These guidelines, says Miss Murphy, “are designed to help communities better understand what we are doing and to help them provide us with the information we need, so that we can serve them better.”
The handbook, to be updated by regular bulletins and reprinted periodically, will include information on filling out Bahá’í Membership Data Reports and other forms, completing a marriage report, and handling believers who are transferring into the U.S. from other countries.
“Aside from our efforts to examine our own operation and make it more efficient,” says Miss Murphy, “the friends should be aware of how important it is that the Membership Office receives legible and complete information.”
AN EXAMPLE, she says, is the report of a name change. In many cases the Membership Office is not told why a name has been changed.
“We don’t know if it’s a marriage, divorce, or legal name change based on preference,” says Miss Murphy, and that information is needed to complete the record.
Likewise, she says, if an individual wants to keep a maiden name when the marriage is reported, “but we are not told this, we will automatically change the name.”
Another problem, says Miss Murphy, is that, from time to time, the Membership Office receives reports that new believers have not received their identification cards in a reasonable amount of time.
“If individuals or Assemblies would write as soon as the problem is known, giving us specific information about the person’s date of declaration and the date on which the Assembly processed the enrollment and sent it to us, we could track down the problem and find out what happened.
“In too many cases we get word of problems without the information needed to find the error and correct it.”
By now the friends should have received their new blue and white plastic identification cards. If anyone has not yet received it, the
Staff member Mary Warren verifies membership information before filing it away.
Janet Murphy (second from right), manager of the Office of Membership and Records, meets with staff members (left to right) Antonia Williams, Craig Holman, Patricia Smith, Rose Wendel, and Leanne Jackson.
Sophie Loeding: Memories of a rich life of service[edit]
On November 1, 1940 (“a warm, beautiful day”), Sophie Loeding, who was then 50 years old, began work as the first paid employee of the National Spiritual Assembly in its Secretariat.
Since there was no national Bahá’í office at that time, Miss Loeding went to the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds at 536 Sheridan Road in Wilmette, where her knock was answered by a somewhat surprised Horace Holley, then secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly.
WHEN SHE EXPLAINED that she was reporting for work and asked what she should do, Mr. Holley replied, “Well, I suppose you’ll have to go and buy a typewriter.”
That was the beginning of an association that lasted until Miss Loeding’s retirement at the age of 78 and beyond that for two years as a part-time employee at the bookstore in the Bahá’í House of Worship.
Miss Loeding, who is now 90 years old and living at the Bahá’í Home in Wilmette, a few blocks from the House of Worship, recalls that it was the Hand of the Cause of God Louis Gregory, then assistant secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, who had asked her on behalf of the Assembly to come to work fulltime at the National Center.
When an office was established for the Secretariat at 110 Linden Avenue in Wilmette, next door to the House of Worship, it included a single telephone that was shared by Miss Loeding and Thomas and Clara Wood, the two employees of the Bahá’í Publishing Committee.
One of her tasks in those early days, says Miss Loeding, was to type 14 copies of each set of minutes of National Assembly meetings, after the minutes were approved by Mr. Gregory.
“We had no duplicating machinery,” she says. “I used a typewriter and carbon paper.”
ONE OF THE FIRST dictating machines used in the Secretariat, she remembers, featured a wax cylinder. Later, it was replaced by a wire recorder (the forerunner of the modern tape recorder).
“Once, while I was transcribing the minutes of a National Assembly meeting, the wire popped off the spool,” she says. “There was no way to get it back on.”
Facing the problem head-on, Miss Loeding helped arrange a telephone call that included herself, the Hand of the Cause Paul Haney (who was then a member of the National Spiritual Assembly living in Washington, D.C.), Mr. Holley, and another member of the National Assembly, Edna True.
Working together and using those parts of the minutes that had already been transcribed, the group was able to reconstruct the missing parts.
Despite such occasional problems, says Miss Loeding, working at the National Center was a wonderful experience, and she has warm memories of many of the people with whom she worked.
“Louis Gregory,” she says, “was an extremely popular man, and very undemanding. By that I mean he asked little for himself.
“He was a serious person, quite spiritual, and devoted to his teaching work. He was a person whom everyone loved because of the marvelous teaching he did, and the quiet and selfless way he went about it.”
MR. HOLLEY, she says, was “a most remarkable person with a wonderful memory. Although he was rather reserved, he had quite a good sense of humor.
“He also had the faculty of never pressing anyone. He might want something in a hurry, but you never felt under pressure.
“There was always a word of thanks and appreciation from Horace, as there was from all the members of the National Assembly.”
The Hand of the Cause Dorothy Baker, who died in a plane crash in 1954, was another of the National Assembly members with whom Miss Loeding worked.
“Dorothy was an extremely attractive woman, with great charm,” says Miss Loeding. “She was an inspired speaker who could take an audience with her anywhere. And she also had a fine sense of humor.”
Of Charlotte Linfoot, a member of the National Assembly for many years, she says: “What I remember most about Charlotte was her absolute dedication to her work, and her great sense of responsibility.
“But you could have a good time with Charlotte too. She was very friendly, and I enjoyed being with her. I was quite fond of her.”
MISS LOEDING remembers Charles Wolcott, who is now a member of the Universal House of Justice, as “a thoroughly charming man who gave up a wonderful position as music director at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios in Hollywood to succeed Horace Holley as secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly.
“He was a composer, a fine musician who played the piano beautifully. In fact, he took his piano with him from Wilmette to Haifa when he was elected to the Universal House of Justice.
“He was a delightful person to work for, as was Horace Holley.”
Two other members of the Universal House of Justice whom Miss Loeding remembers well from their days in Wilmette are Hugh Chance and David Ruhe.
“Mr. Chance, like Mr. Gregory, was a lawyer,” she says. “He was reserved, but was a man you could like very much—gentle, kind, and quiet.
“His wife, Margaret, and Harriet Wolcott were the most delightful hostesses, exuding charm and a warm welcome for everyone. Even today, in Haifa, you think you are wrapped in a warm blanket when they’re around. The warmth of their hospitality is most unbelievable.
“Dr. Ruhe,” she continues, “has a fantastic memory, and is an absolute mine of information about the Holy Land. He’s a talented artist, a painter, and was a research physician in Kansas before he was elected to the House of Justice.”
MISS LOEDING, who embraced the Faith in 1898 as an eight-year-old child living in Chicago, recalls that there were about 50 employees at the National Center when she was given a farewell party on the occasion of her retirement in 1968.
“I retired,” she says with typical candor, “because I no longer felt I could give them a day’s work for a day’s pay.”
At that time, she says, “the Secretariat was pretty much composed of myself, Charlotte Linfoot and Myrtle Wendler.
“We handled the correspondence more or less between the three of us. Charlotte would dictate to Myrtle, and Mr. Holley would dictate to me.”
In January, Miss Loeding was among a large group of Bahá’ís from the Chicago area and elsewhere who attended an open house at the new Bahá’í administrative office building in Evanston.
“My first impression,” she says, “was how wonderful it was to think of the little hole in the wall we started in, and now to see this lovely, spacious building with its many offices.
“I think it reflects, perhaps better than anything, the growth of the Cause during that period of time.”
Among the spiritual bounties she has received, Miss Loeding includes having lived for two years during the lifetime of Bahá’u’lláh and during the Guardian’s entire lifetime, as well as having seen ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His historic visit to the U.S. in 1912.
“I saw the Master on many occasions,” she says. “Once, as I was entering the Plaza Hotel in Chicago, He was leaving, and He shook my hand.”
Miss Loeding was wearing gloves. Afterward, she carefully removed the glove that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had touched, and has kept it ever since as a personal souvenir of His Presence.
Sophie Loeding, who in 1940 became the first full-time employee at the Bahá’í National Center, shares a laugh with Dr. Geoffrey Marks, manager of the Office of Community Administration, during a recent open house at the new Bahá’í administrative office building in Evanston, Illinois.
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SPECIAL
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s much-loved series of table talks on a wide variety of subjects, including the Manifestations of God, Christian doctrines, and the origin and conditions of man. AVAILABLE NOW!
To order your copy, see your community librarian, or use the handy order form on page 4 of the Mini Catalog. |
Chicago media group names director[edit]
The Greater Chicago Bahá’í Media Committee, sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Evanston, Illinois, has appointed Stacey Ann Rubenstein of Evanston as its director for 1981.
Miss Rubenstein, an account executive with the advertising firm of Hackenberg, Normann, Krivkovich/IC-K, will guide the committee’s efforts to utilize the media in proclaiming the activities of 78 Bahá’í communities in the greater Chicago area.
The committee is developing plans for publicizing special events focusing on 20 communities within a 50-mile radius of downtown Chicago, and for a conference of Bahá’í media committees in the Midwest.
[Page 17]
PUBLICATIONS
Davie Harris demonstrates the Bahá’í Publishing Trust’s new IBM microcomputer that will help facilitate orders for books and other materials.
Publishing Trust’s new microcomputer helps improve billing, orders, payment[edit]
Orders for books and other materials from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust can now be processed more quickly and efficiently thanks to a new IBM microcomputer, according to Keith Cornelison, operations manager of the Trust.
The computer has been added to cope with the large increase in the number of orders in the last few years, not only from Bahá’ís in the U.S. but from communities and Publishing Trusts throughout the world.
THE NEW SYSTEM, which went into operation May 1, enables the Publishing Trust to maintain better inventory control, stay up-to-date on account information, improve billing operations and payment procedures, and generally facilitate the processing of orders.
“Our goal is to ship orders within five days after receiving them,” says Mr. Cornelison.
The new system will not, however, affect the length of time required for shipping, which varies from two weeks via United Parcel Service to up to five to eight weeks through the regular mail.
The computerized system has required the development of new eight-digit stock numbers that will be used in all subsequent price lists and catalogs.
The reorganization of the order fulfillment process also has involved various policy revisions.
Because of the great expense of shipping and handling, discounts on personal orders were discontinued as of May 1.
To save time and money, individuals are encouraged to order Bahá’í materials through their community librarian whenever possible.
IN THE INTEREST of fairness to those who plan ahead and order materials in time for Holy Days, conventions, and so on, RUSH orders will no longer be accepted.
Dr. John Bustard, general manager of the Publishing Trust, says the Trust is trying to place more books with retail trade outlets.
To do this, the Trust must maintain standards of efficiency comparable to commercial publishing houses.
“Our long-range goal,” says Dr. Bustard, “is not only to increase our sales volume, but to reduce substantially our error rate and provide far better service than we have in the past.”
The new computer system, he says, marks a significant advance toward that goal.
‘Bahá’í World’ mirrors Faith’s growth[edit]
What was it like to be a Bahá’í in America in 1930? What did scholars, writers and political leaders of the time think about the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh?
You’ll find the answers to these and other questions in Volumes 4, 5 and 6 of The Bahá’í World. These books record the growth of the Faith from 1930 through 1936.
ONE EARLY assessment of the Faith is found in Comparative Religions and the Religion of the Future:
“Who shall say but that just as the little company of the Mayflower ... proved to be the small beginning of a mighty nation ... so this little company of Bahá’ís exiled from their Persian home may prove to be the small beginning of... the Universal Church of Mankind?”
We can appreciate the magnitude of the tasks set before the American Bahá’í community from Louis G. Gregory’s report of a “racial amity” conference held in 1931 at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Maine.
That report includes a photo of the “First Inter-Racial Amity Dinner” and records the struggle of Bahá’ís to teach and live by the principle of the oneness of humanity “even when it runs counter to all the traditional passions and prejudices of earth.”
The inspiring effect the Faith had on the Bahá’ís of that era is reflected in poems about the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, pageants expressing Bahá’í principles, and songs such as “The Making of the Temple.”
Mrs. Basil Hall has recorded ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s idea for a play entitled “The Drama of the Kingdom” that He Himself enacted for the friends one evening in London in 1913.
AMONG the illustrations in these volumes are genealogies of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb and a photo of Bahá’ís taken in Adrianople, circa 1863-68, that includes ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Mírzá Mihdí (“the Purest Branch”), and Bahá’u’lláh’s half-brother, Mírzá Muḥammad-Qulí.
These and other articles make The Bahá’í World a unique and exciting chronicle of the growth and development of the Faith.
Now The Bahá’í World is being offered through a special payment plan that is sure to suit one’s budget. For details please see the ad for The Bahá’í World elsewhere in this issue of The American Bahá’í.
Award[edit]
Continued From Page 1
man’s first published work for children.
An artist and designer as well as a writer, she has been a guest instructor in a program for the gifted at Trinity University in San Antonio.
Her drawings, paintings, sculptures and murals can be found in private collections throughout the U.S. and Mexico.
The Secret in the Garden, priced at $5, is available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust (Catalog No. 353-013-10).
It is also available on a cassette tape (Catalog No. 832-005-10, $5), and the book and cassette may be purchased together at a special price of $9 (Catalog No. 352-054-10).
Trust to release wide variety of exciting, informative materials[edit]
A wide variety of new materials will be available in the next few months from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Here is a brief look at some of the forthcoming items:
The Continental Boards of Counsellors is a chronological compilation of letters, extracts of letters, and cables from the Universal House of Justice, beginning in June 1968, when the Universal House of Justice, unable to appoint more of the Hands of the Cause of God, established the Continental Boards of Counsellors to “reinforce and supplement the work of the Hands of the Cause” and to extend their “appointed functions of protection and propagation” into the future.
These historic documents trace the development of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and the Auxiliary Boards, delineate their duties and responsibilities, and clarify their relationships to the other institutions of the Administrative Order.
This compilation is designed to help one understand and appreciate an institution that “has already demonstrated its indispensability to the progress of the Bahá’í world community.”
Along with this compilation, two cassette presentations on the Continental Boards of Counsellors will also be available.
A Moment With the Continental Boards of Counsellors is a series of excerpts from talks given by Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members.
The Continental Board of Counsellors: Its Role and Station enables one to participate in a study class with the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears on this all-important subject.
Several favorite record albums by and for Bahá’ís will soon be available on stereo cassettes.
They include The Hidden Words, Flight, The Lote Tree, Come and Sing, and Happy Ayyám-i-Há! These cassettes are ideal for turning long drives into pleasure trips, or for carrying inspiring music to places that stereo players can’t reach.
In Memory of the Martyrs is a cassette tape recording of the chanting and singing of renowned Persian artist Shokouh Rezai Davis, recorded at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette.
Her selections include Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, odes by Bahá’u’lláh, a poem by Ṭáhirih, and much more.
The cassette provides a lovely devotional background for personal
‘Some Answered Questions’ available in revised edition[edit]
Have you ever wished you could have a discussion with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá?
That’s what Laura Clifford Barney did in ‘Akká over a three-year period between 1904 and 1906.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s replies to her questions were eventually published as Some Answered Questions, a monumental work that is once again available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust (Catalog No. 106-037-10, $11).
THE DISCUSSIONS with Miss Barney were held during ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “tired moments,” as He later remarked, during a time when He was under the constant threat of exile by the Turkish government.
Miss Barney has written that “between the hours of work,” the Master’s “fatigue would find relief in renewed activity: occasionally, He was able to speak at length; but often He would be called away after a few moments; again, days and even weeks would pass, in which He had no opportunity of instructing me.”
Miss Barney’s questions concerned metaphysical subjects, such as proofs of the existence of God and the human and spiritual stations of the Manifestations; Christian doctrines, such as baptism, miracles, and the symbolism of the bread and wine; theological and scientific controversies, such as the evolution of man, man’s knowledge of God, and the existence of the soul after death; and miscellaneous topics, such as the nonexistence of evil, and pantheism.
The clarity and directness of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s answers arose out of Miss Barney’s own needs.
As she said, “The teachings were made simple, to correspond to my rudimentary knowledge,” for “in these lessons, He is the teacher adapting Himself to His pupil, and not the orator or poet.”
Originally, the answers were written down as He spoke, not for publication but because Miss Barney desired to have them for future study.
IT IS ESPECIALLY significant that this is one of the few compilations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s utterances in which He Himself read the transcripts, “sometimes changing a word or a line with His reed pen.”
Ultimately, Miss Barney asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s permission to publish His replies because she believed that “what has been so valuable to me may be of some use to others, since all men, notwithstanding their differences, are united in their search for reality.”
This new edition of Some Answered Questions contains revisions and corrections approved by the Universal House of Justice. It also includes a revised and expanded index to make it easier for one to locate subjects or phrases.
The “publisher’s foreword” to the 1981 edition includes a brief introduction to the Faith, making the edition especially suitable for placement in public libraries.
Its attractive bronze-green cover and gold foil stamping make it an ideal gift, a cherished addition to one’s Bahá’í library, and an invaluable source of Bahá’í answers to seekers’ questions.
To order, see your local Bahá’í librarian or order directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 523 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, IL 60091.
[Page 18]
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.
•
APPLICATIONS are being accepted for the following positions at the Bahá’í National Center: Associate editor, Bahá’í Publishing Trust—Under the supervision of the general editor, works with authors in conceiving, evaluating, developing and refining literature projects for production. B.A. or B.S. required, M.A. or higher degree preferred. Must have one or more years experience as a copy editor and additional experience as a substantive editor. Data Processing Manager—Supervises programmers and analysts, prepares budgets, evaluates software packages, oversees equipment service and maintenance. Requires B.S. in data processing or related field and working knowledge of COBOL and RPG. Executive secretary—Requires superior secretarial skills, 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. General Office Support—Receptionist, records clerk, clerk-typist needed. Previous office experience necessary. To apply for any of these positions, or to obtain more information, please contact the Office of Personnel Affairs, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
MEXICO needs an architect for the proposed Amelia Collins Institute. The National Spiritual Assembly of Mexico will provide room and board and possibly a small salary. A complete evaluation of the institute is needed, as well as suggestions and designs for new features. Supervision of the actual work also would be appreciated. If you are qualified and have some time to devote to this project, please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
IF YOU HAVE any black and white photos relating to the theme of “The Most Challenging Issue,” and would like them to be considered for a book on the Bahá’í perspective toward racial unity, please send them to Marika Csapo, c/o Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. All photos must have an existing negative and must be clearly marked with a name and address on the back.
COUPLES or families interested in adopting a child are advised of an orphanage/adoption agency in Ecuador of which pioneers there have a personal knowledge. Children at the agency are infants given up at birth, orphans, or abandoned children. A few have physical problems, some have suffered from malnutrition. All have received the best medical care available in Ecuador. There is a long waiting list for infants, but those who are interested in an older child (up to about age 10), one with medical problems, or one who is slightly retarded may be able to have one much sooner, as there is a continual influx of children for whom it is more difficult to find adoptive parents. The adoption fee of $3,000 includes attorney’s fees, court costs, translation and certification of documents, medical expenses, child maintenance, Ecuadorean social services report, and passport. Other expenses would be transportation for parents and child between countries, accommodations in Ecuador, and American consular fees. Applicants must be over 30 and married for at least seven years. All requirements for adoption in the U.S. must be met, and prospective parents must be able to produce birth certificates, marriage certificate, bank references, tax and police reports, two personal references, and a medical certificate. If interested, write to Sra. Judy Walker, Amparo y Hogar, P.O. Box 2407, Quito, Ecuador, South America.
PIONEER in Alaska! Bahá’ís are needed in many rural village communities. The National Spiritual Assembly of Alaska has designated 19 of these localities for pioneer goals for this year. Those that need pioneers most urgently include Valdez, Hoonah, Fort Yukon, Nome and Unalaska. Some housing and jobs are available. If you would like to pioneer to the “last frontier,” please write to the National Teaching Committee for Alaska, Star Route Box 500-E, Anchorage, AK 99507, or phone 907-345-3740 for more information.
DID YOU SEE the ad placed by the Bahá’ís of Moscow, Idaho, on Page 18 of the February 1981 issue of The American Bahá’í? They need families and individuals to help them restore their Assembly. We, the Bahá’ís of Pullman, Washington, would like to add our voices to those of our dear friends in Idaho. Moscow is a lovely place, nestled in wheat fields and surrounded by mountains. It is the home of the University of Idaho and close to Washington State University—an ideal place to raise a family and teach the Faith. Homefront pioneers will find a warm welcome there. Please contact Meredith Bethune, P.O. Box 3068, University Station, Moscow, ID 83843.
THE RACE UNITY Committee is compiling a history of the U.S. Bahá’í community’s efforts to promote race unity. Such a history will be an invaluable source of creative ideas for future activities, as well as an excellent proclamation tool—providing information, stories and statistics about the Bahá’í Faith’s commitment to the principle of the oneness of mankind. If you have records of any interracial activities in your community, either past or present, please send the committee a description of them. Copies of articles, programs or documents are especially helpful. Also, if you have a personal interest in race unity, its history, or in research and would like to help organize these materials, please contact the Race Unity Committee, c/o Ernie Lopez, secretary, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
WANTED: Mature individuals to participate in an outstanding experience working at High Rise, an international intercultural children’s summer camp based on Bahá’í principles. Children come from Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í families from the U.S. and other countries. The basic goal of the camp is to provide an active living and learning experience that demonstrates that the oneness of mankind is a reality, and to help children discover their potential. There are openings for head unit counselors, water safety instructors, trip leader and a natural foods cook and assistant. In addition, supporting staff are needed with combinations of the following skills: knowledge of nature and ecology, arts and crafts, music, creative writing, photography, construction, physical fitness, first aid, and organic gardening. Prerequisites to employment: male or female, age 20 or older; must like working with children and have enough experience with groups that would allow you to fill in wherever needed; must have the stamina to be involved in a residential “24-hour a day, seven days a week” program; must be fluent in English (knowledge of Spanish and/or French helpful); must be able to adapt to new situations; must have some wilderness camp-related skills; must be committed to Bahá’í laws, principles and ordinances. High Rise offers a unique opportunity to college students to participate in an internship for college credit. Because of the broad scope of the camp, it is able to offer internships to students of widely divergent interests—and as a non-profit organization, High Rise is qualified to participate in summer work/study programs offered by many colleges. This can be an excellent pioneer training experience and an opportunity to let “deeds be your adorning.” For more information please contact Carolyn Cruikshank, Institute for Human Understanding, High Rise, Rochester, VT 05767, or phone 802-767-3303.
A PERSIAN woman who is a Bahá’í is willing to move to a pioneering goal area where she can live with an American family to learn English and teach them Persian. She would prefer Tennessee or California. If you are interested, please contact the Persian Affairs Office, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
MUSICIANS, performers—If you are traveling to or from the Continental Youth Conference in Kansas City this summer (July 2-5) and could perform in Greenville, Tennessee (70 miles from Knoxville) July 10-11-12, please write to Laura Howland, Greene County Bahá’í Group, Route 2, Box 439B, Afton, TN 37616, or phone ______
THE NATIONAL Bahá’í Archives Committee is planning to hold its 1981 Archives Institute August 12-16 at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette, Illinois. Those who are interested in attending the program should submit to the Archives Committee by May 31 a brief statement of their background and why they would like to attend. The institute is designed to introduce believers interested in the archival field to the nature and functions of a Bahá’í archives. Attendance will be limited to eight persons, and each participant will be responsible for his or her own expenses and housing. Please address requests to the National Bahá’í Archives Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
THE JEFFERSON County, Kentucky, Media Committee has applied for public access air time on cable TV. As cable has only recently come to the area, the committee would like information from communities that have had more experience in public access TV, such as: What (if anything) has worked, and what hasn’t worked, in attracting seekers. We get our free air time in 30-minute segments, and anticipate doing this every 1 to 2 weeks. Please send information to Michael Tabor, 221 N. Madison Avenue, Middletown, KY 40243.
WANTED: A versatile, enthusiastic person to work part-time (25 to 30 hours a week) at the Bahá’í Periodicals Office (which produces The American Bahá’í and Bahá’í News). Must be able to type (at least 35-40 wpm) and to work well with little supervision, and should be willing to learn new skills such as keylining (paste-up) and electronic typesetting. Much of the work is routine: filing, typing, and so forth, with the chance to grow into other areas more directly related to the newspaper and magazine. If interested, please contact the Office of Personnel Affairs, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
BAHÁ’Í FAMILY of three in Lakeside, California (in east San Diego County), part of a Bahá’í Group of five adults and three children, is willing to rent a private bedroom in its home to a Bahá’í non-smoker for $200 a month ($300 with meals provided). Male or female, student, working person, or one who is retired. Please phone Leonard Peterson (______) or Sandra Peterson (______) during working hours, or evenings and weekends at (_____).
TEACHERS: Guatemala, designated by the Universal House of Justice as a high priority pioneer post, has an opening for a seventh grade science teacher at an American school starting in June. San Salvador, El Salvador, also has an American school where a number of Bahá’ís work. There will be many openings for the next school year starting in the fall. A knowledge of Spanish is not absolutely necessary to work at either school. For more information contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
A PIONEER couple is needed in St. John, Virgin Islands. An older couple with independent means is preferred, as employment opportunities are limited to tourism on the island and a person needing an income would most likely have to commute to the island of St. Thomas. Generally, however, it is not difficult to find teaching positions on St. Thomas. For more information please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
FOLLOWING a reorganization of its staff, World Citizen magazine will soon mail its delayed issues to all subscribers. Because of the heavy demands on its all-volunteer staff, correspondence is often difficult to answer. The staff of World Citizen wishes to assure its subscribers that they are working hard to update its records and to fill all of its subscription demands.
AN AUTHOR who is researching the life of Lydia Zamenhof wishes to locate Bahá’ís who met Miss Zamenhof during her visit to the U.S. in 1937-38 as well as letters of Miss Zamenhof and articles about her in local papers in New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey and elsewhere. Please contact Wendy Heller, P.O. Box 100, Temple City, CA 91780.
AN AUCTION to raise money for the National Bahá’í Fund is planned July 10-12 in Greenville, Tennessee (70 miles east of Knoxville). Help make it a “Fundtastic weekend.” Let us hear what you have to donate and let’s decide how to get it here. Please write to Laura Howland, Greene County Bahá’í Group, Route 2, Box 439B, Afton, TN 37616, or telephone ______ or ______.
ISOLATED believer wishes to correspond with someone in a similar situation. Please write to Vicky Hansford, ______.
PIONEERS who are interested in going to Venezuela and who hold teaching certificates may apply to the Southern Teaching Association, which hires for all American schools in Venezuela. For more information please write to the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
WHO COULD ask for more? A dynamic Bahá’í Group in a quaint 17th century sailing center built on rocky coast and sandy beaches. Homefront pioneers are needed in beautiful Marblehead, Massachusetts, 17 miles north of Boston with access to public transportation. Our newly formed Group of three is actively
Playhouse[edit]
Continued From Page 1
television series, “Dallas.”
These and other actors worked for a fraction of their usual television fees because they liked the scripts and wanted to see the series succeed.
Brochures offering the Fireside Playhouse series to radio stations were sent in late February, and the initial response was far beyond expectations.
As of April 6, confirmations had been received from stations in 50 cities that planned to broadcast Fireside Playhouse.
INCLUDED ON the list are stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Fresno, California; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Little Rock, Arkansas; Highland Park and Oak Park, Illinois; Columbus, Georgia; Falls Church, Virginia; Annapolis, Maryland, and Utica, New York.
Others who had received a Fireside Playhouse demonstration record included stations in Boston, Massachusetts; Syracuse, New York; Washington, D.C.; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Nashville, Tennessee; Long Island, New York, and Atlanta, Georgia.
In Fresno, California, station manager Allan Richmond of NBC affiliate KMJ heard the demo record on a Tuesday, and phoned Betty Deborah Ulius, the series’ writer-producer, on Thursday to let her know he planned to put Fireside Playhouse on the air that Sunday.
“The 13-record sets were still being pressed,” Ms. Ulius says. “He was starting the series two months early! But Mr. Richmond was giving us a Sunday 9 p.m. time slot, the best time of the week for our kind of program, and we weren’t about to turn him down.”
Six reel-to-reel tapes were specially made for KMJ and flown to Fresno. The first program in the series was aired March 8.
Another early starter was KLEM in Emporium, Pennsylvania. It too offered an especially favorable time, Mondays at 7 p.m., if it could broadcast the series starting April 6. Again, permission was given to go ahead.
IN LATE MARCH, the station manager at 50,000-watt WCRG in Columbus, Georgia, phoned Ms. Ulius to let her know his station had started the series at 10 p.m. the previous Sunday and to request that she send a second program in time for the following Sunday’s show.
WCCO in Minneapolis, a 50,000-watt clear channel station that can be heard in most areas of the country at night, has committed for the series at a time not yet decided.
KSDO, a 10,000-watt CBS affiliate in San Diego, has decided to air Fireside Playhouse at a later date—beginning July 25 on Saturdays just before its baseball broadcasts.
Ms. Ulius has been receiving cards and letters each day, confirming that stations plan to use the series.
Most of these are asking that they be allowed to broadcast the series twice, giving them 26 weeks of Fireside Playhouse instead of 13, and this has been agreed to.
Since it will be several weeks before definite times and dates are decided upon by most stations, Local Spiritual Assemblies will receive letters from the Office of Public Affairs before the May start-up dates (or whenever the series begins in a particular area) giving them that information.
SINCE PUBLIC service time is being requested in most areas, the series may start later than May on many stations.
If the series is broadcast in your area, you can help assure its success by phoning the station manager and expressing your appreciation for his carrying it.
You might also ask if the station would consider using a 15-second live tag at the end of each program giving the local Bahá’í phone number.
The live tag is already written and included in the record package sent to the station; all you need do is supply the phone number.
And please, have someone standing by to answer the phone immediately after each broadcast. People will often phone on impulse, and in most cases they won’t call a second time if there is no answer.
Arrange to have a definite time and place for a fireside that they can attend, planned not too far after the broadcast.
If your community would like to place a weekly ad for the series in your local newspaper (rates for religious ads are quite reasonable), the Office of Public Affairs has a press kit that includes press releases and 12 photos of the actors in the series. The cost of the kit is $6.
ADDRESS requests to Parks Scott, Office of Public Affairs, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Fireside Playhouse has been created for your use. The series is designed to acquaint non-Bahá’ís, in a low-key manner, with the principles of the Faith.
Those involved in producing the series have taken it as far as they can. The final steps—holding firesides, inviting seekers, and deepening them to the point at which they want to become Bahá’ís—must be taken on a personal level by the friends themselves.
Jared Martin and Ross Martin (left to right) rehearse their parts before appearing together in a half-hour segment of the Bahá’í radio series, ‘Fireside Playhouse.’
The second annual Family Special Visit Program to the Bahá’í National Center has again been scheduled for the Independence Day weekend, July 2-5.
The program differs somewhat from the other Special Visit Programs held each summer in that it includes more family oriented activities such as classes for children, evening family events, a picnic, and fireworks at a nearby park.
Last year 33 children and 36 adults participated in the Family Program. They came from 14 states, from as far east as Massachusetts and as far west as California.
One of last year’s delighted participants declared that the program helped establish a Bahá’í identity for her children and a rebirth of spirituality for herself.
Plan now to attend! Register early!
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PERSIAN PAGE
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PERSIAN PAGE
Ten years ago...[edit]
in the American Bahá’í
The National Spiritual Assembly reports to the 62nd Bahá’í National Convention that the American Bahá’í community has never before witnessed a year of such spectacular victories as 127 B.E. produced.
All of the expansion goals on the homefront are won in excess of the expectations of the Nine Year Plan—and this is accomplished two years ahead of schedule.
Three hundred forty-six new and restored Spiritual Assemblies are formed, surpassing the number required at the outset of the Plan and bringing the total number of Assemblies to 839.
It is further reported that the size of the American Bahá’í community has more than doubled with most of the 20,000 new believers in the Deep South. The number of localities where Bahá’ís reside in the U.S. reaches 4,000, surpassing the goal of the Nine Year Plan by 1,000 ...
The Universal House of Justice writes about the process of expansion and consolidation: “A proper balance between these two essential aspects of its development must, from now on, as we enter the era of large-scale conversion, be maintained by the Bahá’í community ...” ...
The National Teaching Committee reports that the 56 victorious State Goals Committees are to evolve into some 70 District Teaching Committees that will assume an even greater responsibility for the progress of the Faith in the U.S. ...
A team of six believers from the Deep South travels to Jamaica in response to a request from the Universal House of Justice that the National Spiritual Assemblies of Jamaica and the U.S. initiate direct teaching to bring in at least 1,000 new believers before the forthcoming Caribbean Oceanic Conference in Kingston, Jamaica.
As a result of their efforts, 1,009 Jamaicans embrace the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh ...
Fifty-five declarations in eight Connecticut localities are reported at the end of a four-week teaching effort involving more than 60 Bahá’ís in that state including members of the State Goals Committee and Auxiliary Board member Adrienne Reeves ...
A two-day “cultural happening” at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, results from an idea generated at a Bahá’í College Club meeting there.
The event includes art exhibits, concerts, and talks, and is followed by a two-day deepening conference with guest speaker Dr. Daniel C. Jordan, vice-chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly ...
Seals and Crofts together again for L.A. concert[edit]
In their first California appearance since pioneering last year to Central America, Seals & Crofts entertained some 400 people March 21 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
Proceeds from the benefit concert will go to the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles to help pay for its new Bahá’í Center.
Jim Seals and his family left San Fernando, California, last May 20 to take up residence in Santa Ana, Costa Rica.
Dash Crofts and his family moved in mid-June from Northridge, California, to Cuernavaca, Mexico.
The well-known recording artists continue to perform together on occasion, most recently in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Los Angeles concert was one of a series of events planned by the Spiritual Assembly of Los Angeles to raise funds for its new Bahá’í Center.
Jim Seals (right) and Dash Crofts entertain during a Naw-Rúz benefit concert at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
RITA LEYDON
Book profiles ‘Child’s Way’ art director[edit]
Rita Leydon of Lahaska, Pennsylvania, the art director of Child’s Way magazine, is among a number of authors and illustrators of books for young people profiled in Volume 21 of Something About the Author, published by the Gale Research Company of Detroit, Michigan.
Mrs. Leydon, who has been with Child’s Way since 1978, has illustrated a number of books including Slapdash Sewing, Slapdash Cooking, Slapdash Alterations, Slapdash Decorations, How to Recycle Your Wardrobe, Playground Sports: A Book of Ball Games, Babysitter’s Handbook, and Dollars From Dandelions: 101 Ways to Earn Money.
The article in Something About the Author mentions Mrs. Leydon’s Bahá’í affiliation and the teaching of the Faith concerning the unity of mankind.
Education Committee offers materials for sale[edit]
The National Education Committee is pleased to make available certain materials that have been developed for use by the American Bahá’í community over the past several years.
When ordering, please indicate the title of the item you desire and the address to which it should be sent.
Please make your check payable to the Bahá’í Services Fund.
• A Life of Service ($1.25). A verbatim transcript of the popular study session tape featuring the Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga.
• The Application of Love and Harmony in the Local Bahá’í Community and The Most Challenging Issue ($3). A two-part study session tape created to promote harmonious relations between the Local Spiritual Assembly and its Bahá’í community and to awaken the awareness that racial prejudice and its elimination are still issues of utmost concern to Bahá’í communities. Instructions for holding the study session are included with the tape.
• Assembly Development Program Deepening Tapes ($6). Six tapes of talks given by Continental Counsellors and members of the National Spiritual Assembly. Subjects discussed include the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly in the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, the functions of an Assembly, the Bahá’í Funds, consultation, delegation and supervision, communication and self-evaluation. The tapes provide an excellent instructional resource for studying Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies and The Development of Local Spiritual Assemblies.
• Bahá’í Parent Program ($20). A group program that is practical in nature, allowing parents the opportunity to translate guidance from the Bahá’í Writings on specific parent topics into action within the home. Topics addressed include expressing love in tangible ways, attracting your child to spiritual ideals, building a sense of Bahá’í tradition in the home, communication and consultation in the home, discipline, nutrition, developmental levels, and literature in the home. Materials include a “Coordinator’s Guide” for organizing and conducting parent meetings.
• Child Education Teacher Training Handbook ($9). Topics include “Educational Principles and Methods,” “Materials and Resources,” “Curricular Samples,” and miscellaneous subjects ranging from “Recreation” to “Activities for Youth.”
• Children’s Programs for Bahá’í Schools: Director’s Resource Guide ($1). Although prepared for use by directors of children’s programs for Bahá’í schools, this guide can be useful in the planning of children’s programs for weekends or special events.
• Objectives for a Bahá’í Child Education Program (50 cents). Specific educational objectives that are intended to serve as a curriculum base for a Bahá’í education program. Each stated objective is followed by quotes from Bahá’í Writings that support the acquisition of the particular teaching or virtue expressed by the objective.
• Once Around the Bahá’í Year ($2). A filmstrip program that emphasizes the celebration and observance of Bahá’í calendar events from the standpoint of participation by children and youth. Prepared by Bahá’ís in Southern California in the early 1970s, this program is informative and entertaining.
Records[edit]
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Membership Office should be contacted as soon as possible, says Miss Murphy.
“IN SUCH CASES,” she says, “we’ll need the person’s name and address, and the ID number from the old card, if possible. Then we’ll check the records to verify the information and issue a card.”
Instead of being worried or annoyed because you aren’t receiving The American Bahá’í or other Bahá’í mail, says Miss Murphy, “call us. We’d be delighted to talk with you and help figure out what went wrong so that we can get the records straight and you can receive your mail.”
The friends should also check with their Assembly, she adds, to make certain there is no hold-up at that end.
Individuals and Assemblies should allow a minimum of seven to 10 days for a response to a letter, Miss Murphy advises.
“And if there is a long delay,” she says, “call us and ask if your letter has been misplaced. We’ll tell you if we received it, and we’ll try to answer your question.
“We should all remember,” she says, “that a computer is no better than the information put into it. Given the correct information, we have an efficient system for getting information onto the computer and keeping it.
“And we’re continuing our efforts to make the present system more efficient, with more and better communication and understanding between the National Center and the Bahá’í community.”
N. Ohio Bahá’ís see Queen Marie relics[edit]
Bahá’ís in Northern Ohio commemorated the anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh last November by viewing a display of materials relating to Queen Marie of Rumania from Kent State University’s department of special collections.
Included in the display, most of which was donated to the university by Ray B. Harris of Washington, D.C., a longtime friend of the Queen, are several books given by Bahá’ís: God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi: Volume 2 of The Bahá’í World (1926-28); and Some Early Bahá’ís of the West by O.Z. Whitehead.
The 29 items displayed also include inscribed copies of many of Queen Marie’s books, photos of the royal family, and general works on Rumania.
The Queen’s daughter, Ileana, now known as Rev. Mother Alexandra, is abbess of a community of nuns of the Rumanian Greek Orthodox Church at Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
In a recent interview Mother Alexandra said she remembered Martha Root’s visits to Queen Marie. She recalled Miss Root as a “pleasant, sincere and dedicated” woman.
Bahá’ís from Northern Ohio view the display of memorabilia of Rumania’s Queen Marie at Kent State University.
Service award honors pioneers to Wyoming[edit]
The Spiritual Assembly of Laramie, Wyoming, has begun an annual community service award in honor of Mel and Charlotte Orlick, who pioneered to Laramie from Los Angeles in 1948 and stayed there for the rest of their lives.
The first Orlick Memorial Award was presented in late February to Genevieve Gonzales, a non-Bahá’í in Laramie who shares her friendship, service and kindness with the community’s senior citizens.
The award presentation was reported with a photo in the local newspaper, the Laramie Daily Boomerang.
Some of the books by and about Queen Marie of Rumania that are a part of the collection at Kent State University in Ohio.
Green Acre slates summer schedule[edit]
The 1981 summer program at the Green Acre Bahá’í School in Eliot, Maine, will begin June 27 and run through September 7.
This year’s theme is “Programs That Will Guide and Reinforce the Efforts of the Friends in the Path of Service.”
In recognition of one of the greatest “paths of service” available to Bahá’ís—pioneering—Green Acre will again offer its “Language Preparation for Pioneering” institute.
A five-day, 30-hour course on teaching English as a second language will be held July 20-24. During the following week (July 27-31) intensive 30-hour courses in French and Spanish will be given.
All of these classes are specially geared to help pioneers learn the language of their prospective country, and can be helpful in preparing people for possible employment both in this country and overseas.
The language institutes will run at the same time as regular Green Acre classes and are entirely separate from them. Enrollment is limited and pre-registration is required.
The weekend of July 11-12 will be devoted to traveling teaching with reports and discussions of teaching projects from all over the world.
A program on consultation will be presented separately from regular classes from June 29-July 3.
This course will be centered in the Bahá’í Writings on consultation, and will give participants exercises in practical application through small problem-solving sessions.
The Green Acre School invites everyone to attend this summer, and especially encourages people to bring non-Bahá’ís to experience the love and diversity that are present every year.
The Bahá’í community of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, observed World Religion Day in January with a panel discussion entitled, ‘World Peace Through Religion: Is It Possible?’ The panelists (left to right) were the Rev. Carl Wethers, a retired minister of the United Methodist Church: Father Richard Greene, pastor of Christ the King Parish in Baton Rouge; and Joan Hutchens, a member of the Baton Rouge Bahá’í community.
[edit]
Elbert Young, a member of the Bahá’í community of San Antonio, Texas, shared the Intercalary Days with his co-workers at the Texas Employment Commission by giving them a party.
Mr. Young, who got the idea for the party from Auxiliary Board member Eunice Braun, not only received permission from his supervisor to host the party, the supervisor also typed and distributed an interoffice memo explaining in detail the festival of Ayyám-i-Há and thanking Mr. Young for his thoughtfulness in sharing the occasion with his fellow workers.
In February, Bahá’ís from several Assemblies in North Georgia helped a new believer, Mrs. Marilyn McCowan, redecorate her home by putting up sheetrock on the interior walls. Led by chief carpenter Tom Hand, Bahá’ís Riaz Khadem, Arthur Murphy and Seth Ward, helped by children from the McCowan family and young Nasr Khadem, spent the day happily hammering and, by their deeds, teaching and consolidating the Faith.
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PAGINA HISPANA
Amigos Bahá’ís responde al Fondo con entusiasmo[edit]
La comunidad Bahá’í ha aceptado con gran entusiasmo el reciente llamado de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional sobre la urgente necesidad del Fondo Nacional.
En el espacio de dos meses Bahá’ís—Qudrat y Qawl—el déficit del Fondo fué reducido de $450,000 a unos $85,000.
DURANTE el mes de Qawl se registró el nivel más alto jamás alcanzado con contribuciones de $468,600, con un record de unos 4,187 individuos contribuyendo directamente al Fondo.
Al fin de Qawl (11 de diciembre), la contribución total para el año fué de $2.6 millones, comparada con una meta anual hasta ese punto de $2.6 millones.
Este artículo comienza una série en la cual serán compartidas algunas de las alentadoras respuestas al llamado de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional.
A las preguntas “¿Qué efecto tuvo el mensaje de la Asamblea Nacional en los creyentes en la Fiesta?”, “¿Cuál es la reacción de su Asamblea al mensaje?”; y “¿Qué intenta hacer su Asamblea acerca de ello?” llegaron las siguientes respuestas:
Estados de Nordeste
“Aquellos quienes escucharon la cinta tuvieron sentimientos muy positivos, como que la Asamblea Nacional estaba incluyendo a cada miembro de la comunidad Bahá’í de Estados Unidos en su confianza y consulta sobre esto ...
“El mensaje fué tanto práctico como espiritual. No fué sorprendente, despues de informes anteriores del fracaso en alcanzar las metas mensuales, pero necesitábamos escuchar esto.
“Esto (nos) da una oportunidad de consultar con creyentes menos activos, por cuanto (la Asamblea Nacional) solicitó que tantos creyentes escucharan la cinta como fuera posible....” (Asamblea Espiritual de New Britain, Connecticut)
“En respuesta a esta cinta vamos a patrocinar una profundización sobre el Fondo en la primera semana de diciembre. Nuestro tesorero va a escribir una carta a todos los creyentes individuales para estimular contribuciones directas al Fondo Nacional, además de sus contribuciones locales.
“Se sintió que ... la única solución sería a través de profundización individual, revisando nuestras prioridades y enseñando la Fe.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Derry, New Hampshire)
“Aquellos quienes escucharon la cinta fueron inspirados a aumentar su dedicación al Fondo, a sacrificar más y a aumentar sus esfuerzos en todos los niveles. “Además, la Asamblea ha decidido ayudar en cualquier manera posible para borrar el déficit y para mantener la continuidad de contribuciones.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Dumont, New Jersey)
“El mensaje nos guió a una conversación general con varias sugerencias acerca de maneras de juntar dinero. La reacción de la Asamblea fue de profunda inquietud y llevará en adelante las sugerencias de la comunidad.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Buffalo, New York)
“Nuestra Asamblea estuvo contenta de que la Asamblea Nacional se volviera hacia las comunidades locales para ayuda en resolver este problema espiritual financiero, en vez de reducir las actividades programadas. La Asamblea consideró la cinta poderosa y a tiempo.
“Nuestra Asamblea aumentará sus contribuciones al Fondo Nacional, y dará con más regularidad. Esfuerzos especiales se continuarán para juntar fondos.
“La Asamblea apresurará el proceso de profundizar y de educar a la comunidad en el significado de la divina institución de Fondo.” (Asamblea Espiritual de New York City)
Estados del Sur
“La Asamblea fué profundamente conmovida, y fué nuestra decisión de que cada miembro de la Asamblea se sacrifique y aumente su contribución, y para aquellos que puedan, que doblen sus contribuciones.
“Como una inspiración para el resto de la comunidad, se decidió informarles de esto.
“En la reunión de Asamblea, se dieron muchas sugerencias para lograr este aumento, las cuales fueron transmitidas en la Fiesta ... La respuesta fué arrolladora. En efecto, la juventud se juntó inmediatamente para discutir maneras de juntar dinero.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Orlando, Florida)
“De los presentes, pocos fueron sorprendidos por el mensaje, pero ganaron un gran entendimiento de adónde va el dinero del Fondo y por qué el presupuesto no puede ser rebajado.
“La Asamblea ha decidido enviar el interés que se recibirá en un certificado mercado monetario de $10,000, y en adición el valor en efectivo de dos bonos de ahorros al Fondo Nacional.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Baltimore, Maryland)
“La consulta que siguió fué muy constructiva. Se hicieron dos mociones que fueron respaldadas por todos los presentes: 1) Destinar, de una manera que asagure la privacidad del individuo, sin embargo que el tesorero sepa, cantidades a ser enviadas al Fondo Nacional para ayudar a cubrir su déficit; y 2) una meta de un 1 por ciento del déficit nacional ($3,600) a ser reunido en la ... comunidad (y enviado al Fondo Nacional) en la próxima Fiesta.
“Estamos haciendo lo posible para ayudar a nuestra Asamblea Nacional a cumplir sus metas.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Dallas, Texas)
“La ... Asamblea decidió que cada uno de sus miembros donara $40 extra al Fondo Nacional para ayudar a eliminar su déficit.
“Sugerimos que (otras Asambleas Locales) también establezcan una meta de $40 por persona. Si solamente 10,000 Bahá’ís respondieran a este desafío, el déficit sería eliminado en sólo un mes.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Huntsville, Texas)
Estados Centrales
“Nuestra respuesta a la grabación fué de júbilo y tristeza, estuvimos muy contentos por la oportunidad de insertar y proclamar la Fe, pero entristecidos que las metas del Plan de Siete Años y del Fondo estuvieran en la posición en que están.
“Después de escuchar la cinta, se hicieron sugerencias en cuanto a lo que podríamos hacer, tales como tener una venta de cosas usadas, reevaluar el presupuesto local y hacer más enseñanza ... Se precisa más sacrificio. Se sugirió que nuestra comunidad asistiera a más Fiestas de Unidad, ya que cuando estamos juntos nos profundizamos el uno al otro y compartimos nuestro entendimiento.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Chicago Heights, Illinois)
“La reacción principal... al mensaje fué de profunda preocupación. La Asamblea ... hará una colecta especial (solamente para Bahá’ís) en la conmemoración del Nacimiento de Bahá’u’lláh, yendo el dinero al Fondo Nacional.
“Tambien planeamos un remate en la comunidad de algunos libros Bahá’ís, y estamos considerando enviar el dinero de nuestro fondo para un Centro Bahá’í (alrededor de $3,000) después de verificar las condiciones que originalmente colocamos en el gasto de estos fondos.
“Finalmente, la Asamblea ha designado un equipo para desarrollar ideas acerca de juntar fondos.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Indianapolis, Indiana)
“El tono y la dignidad de la grabación y las cartas constituyeron la mejor presentación que esta Asamblea (Asamblea por 10 años) ha escuchado acerca del Fondo.
“La Asamblea ha decidido enviar $125 extras al Fondo este mes. También la mitad de los fondos excedentes a la meta local de $250 que se reúnan cada mes, será enviado al Fondo Nacional.
“También hemos tomado metas de extensión, de abrir Clawson y ayudar a formar el Grupo de Madison Heights.” (Asamblea Espiritual de Troy, Michigan)
Tarjeta credencial Bahá’í nueva lista para su distribución[edit]
Pronto Ud. estará recibiendo nueva tarjeta de identificación Bahá’í. Porque pensamos que le gustaría saber cómo es, el facsímil es mostrado más abajo.
La tarjeta será de plástico, ligeramente más delgada que una tarjeta de crédito. Será azul y blanca con el encabezamiento BAHÁ’Í FAITH por el frente. También impreso en el frente de la tarjeta estará su nombre y su número de Identificación Bahá’í.
Al reverso mostrará una declaración expresando su deseo de que se cumplan las leyes de entierro Bahá’í en caso de su muerte, y la fecha de vencimiento de la tarjeta.
Las tarjetas están fijadas para su distribución a la comunidad Bahá’í Norteamericana hacia el fin de Febrero y vendrán con instrucciones en Inglés y Español).
La Asamblea Nacional desea recordarle que debido al atraso en distribuir la nueva tarjeta de Identificación, Ud. debería mantener su actual tarjeta de Identificación hasta que reciba la nueva.
Se enfatiza importancia de la inscripción niños[edit]
En una carta a todas las Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales, fechada el 10 de Abril de 1980, la Casa Universal de Justicia expresó el deseo de saber el número de niños Bahá’ís (menores de 15 años) en cada paíis y enfatizó la importancia de la inscripción de los niños Bahá’ís.
En respuesta a esta petición, la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional ha decidido emprender los primeros pasos a la registración de niños Bahá’ís en Estados Unidos. Inscripción a nivel local, bajo el auspicio de las Asambleas Espirituales Locales, será necesario para asegurar el buen éxito del programa.
El término niñBaipueser nidomo os, ores 15 años, donde por lo menos uno de los padres es Bahá’í, como también aquellos niños cuyos padres no Bahá’ís están de acuerdo a que acepten la Fe, cuando esa aceptación es respaldada por la Asamblea Espiritual Local.
Aunque la inscripción de los niños Bahá’ís en los Estados Unidos requerirá considerable organización y esfuerzo, la comunidad Bahá’í entera se beneficiará de los resultados.
La registración ayudará a determinar el número de pre-jóvenes que se registran o no como Bahá’ís, cuando llegan a la edad (es decir, 15 años).
También ayudará al Comité Nacional de Juventud y al Comité Nacional de Educación a desarrollar programas de acuerdo a las necesidades específicas de los niños y prejóvenes Bahá’ís.
En una charla dada en Latinoamérica varios años atrás, la Mano de la Causa de Dios Abu’l-Qásim Faizí dijo, “Hay almas listas en todas partes, y eso es lo que nosotros descubrimos: por lo tanto ganamos por un lado. Pero si no educamos a nuestros niños, perdemos por este lado. Debemos mantener el equilibrio, educando adentro y enseñando afuera.”
Determinando el número de niños Bahá’ís en este paíis, podemos tomar los pasos para fortificar su educación Bahá’í e inspirar su lealtad a la Causa de Bahá’u’lláh.
Para hacer la registración de niños Bahá’ís tanto eficaz como posible, se necesita el apoyo y cooperación de toda la comunidad Bahá’í, tanto de individuos como de las Asambleas Locales y Grupos.
La Asamblea Espiritual Nacional está desarrollando los métodos para la registración de los niños Bahá’ís y serían bienvenidos comentarios y sugerencias de los amigos sobre esta materia.
Por favor envíe sus comentarios y sugerencias a: Office of Planning and Coordination, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Continental YOUTH Conference ’81
Kansas City, Missouri ❃ July 2-5
[Page 26]
CLASSIFIEDS
Continued From Page 18
teaching, but needs help. Excellent employment opportunities exist in the many electronics and computer companies in the area and in most professional, business and medical fields. There are many colleges and universities in the area too. We will help you find housing and jobs. Write to Mrs. Trudy Mesbah, 59 Orne St., Marblehead, MA 01945, or phone 617-631-1458 or 617-745-2430.
BLIND Bahá’í wishes to relocate to a goal area or to help a jeopardized Spiritual Assembly. She has a degree in German and linguistics, a certificate in massage therapy, and is musically talented. For more information please contact Jan McIver, 227 Horton, Lansing, MI 48912, or phone 517-487-3050 evenings after 8 p.m. Eastern time.
TEMPLE CITY, California, with a longtime incorporated Assembly (formed in 1948) is down to nine adult believers, three of whom will soon be leaving. Temple City is a small family-oriented suburban community in the San Gabriel Valley near Pasadena. Children’s activities abound year-round, and there are good schools and nearby colleges. Most homes are owned, but there are some home and apartment rentals. If you are planning to relocate in the Los Angeles area, please consider Temple City. For information write to P.O. Box 100, Temple City, CA 91780, or phone 213-286-6860.
STUDENT of Farsi and Arabic wishes to acquire out-of-print original language Bahá’í scriptures (e.g., Kitáb-i-Íqán, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, prayer books, etc.) for personal study. If you have extra copies you do not need, please write to Dean Churchill, P.O. Box 5772, Seattle, WA 98105, or phone 206-527-4644.
RETIRING? Become a home-front pioneer in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Purchase your home in the lovely clean air of Door County. All the outdoor activities you can desire ... year-round sports. A complete change from the big city and a chance to help save an Assembly! It is imperative, however, that one have his own car, as there are no public transportation facilities. Write to the Bahá’í Center, Route 1, Box 132, Fish Creek, WI 54212, or phone Herbert Hardt at 414-854-4686.
DRAMA wanted for a collection of drama, both one-act and full-length plays, on Bahá’í-oriented themes. If copying and/or mailing costs are a problem, please don’t hesitate to request either full or partial defrayment of the cost. Mail to Deborah Chicurel, 151 Stratford Road, Asheville, NC 28804.
THE BAHÁ’ÍS of Murray, Utah, are a small new Assembly community in the gorgeous mountains of the Salt Lake Valley. We’re eager to grow and incorporate, and would love to have homefront pioneers to help. There are colleges and a technical school nearby, and the possibility of an exchange of room and board in a Bahá’í-owned home for regular help with child care for a student or individual with a flexible schedule. Please contact Bob and Diane Findlay, 883 Potomac, Murray, UT 84107, or phone 801-263-2039.
THE BEAUTIFUL Emerald Valley—that’s the home of Creswell, Oregon, whose Assembly is in dire need of homefront pioneers. Creswell is near Eugene, the University of Oregon, and Lane Community College, but has a small town atmosphere. Employment opportunities are available in nearby cities, with housing available in Creswell. Please help! Contact the Spiritual Assembly of Creswell, P.O. Box 578, Creswell, OR 97426, or phone Pat Jones, secretary, at 503-895-4038.
SIGNAL HILL, population 6,500 and growing, centered in Long Beach only minutes from Los Angeles, needs four adult Bahá’ís to reach Assembly status. Come and enjoy cool ocean breezes and a fantastic view of the city from above. New apartments and condos available. Contact Cherlynn A. Rush, 1006 E. 32nd St., Apt. D, Signal Hill, CA 90807, or phone 213-595-1380.
OLYMPIA, the lovely capital of Washington state, a city of 48,000 situated at the southernmost tip of Puget Sound, and her sister cities of Tumwater (population about 6,100) and Lacey (about 12,000), as well as Thurston County Commissioner’s District No. 2 are praying for well-deepened husband and wife teams or single Bahá’í homefront pioneers to settle in each of the four areas. With a mild year-round climate and annual rainfall of 35 inches, Olympia and its surrounding area are considered very desirable places to live, and the metropolitan area is the second fastest-growing in the U.S. Jobs are available in timber (the largest industry), government, education, agriculture, clerical work, medicine, nursing, social work, and other services. Georgia-Pacific and Weyerhaeuser have local plants and offices, as do smaller independent lumber and building supply firms. Cheesemaking, metal fabricating, fiberglass manufacturing and mushroom growing are other important businesses. Hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational facilities abound. The large metropolitan areas of Seattle and Portland are within easy driving distance. There is a private college, the Evergreen State College, and several vocational schools; three large school districts support excellent public schools. For more information please contact the Washington Southwest District Teaching Committee, c/o Irma Nyby, secretary, 19005 Nutmeg, Rochester, WA 98579, or phone 206-273-5319.
FLOWERS of many colors needed. The all-white Bahá’í community of Clatsop, Oregon, on the Pacific Coast, needs Bahá’ís of other races and nationalities to help illustrate the principle of “unity in diversity.” Retired people with an income would love this quiet, scenic area. For students, there is an excellent two-year college. Great sacrifice is required, as few jobs are available. Pluses include the unparalleled beauty of the Oregon coast and Columbia River; mild, pollution-free climate, and a warm, loving Bahá’í community. For information please contact Deborah Larimer, 3 Southshore Drive, Warrenton, OR 97146, or phone 503-861-3789.
PIONEER opportunity in Finland. A non-Bahá’í family near the city of Turku would like to have a Bahá’í governess to work for them for about a year. The post is ideal for a youth or young adult (female 18-30 years) who would like to gain some pioneering and teaching experience in a foreign country. For more information please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
THE SPIRITUAL Assembly of San Luis Obispo, California, is down to five adult members. Bahá’ís are needed to settle in this town of 40,000 with numerous small businesses and a state university, set in the lovely rolling hills of Central California. For information on jobs, housing, or educational opportunities, write to the Spiritual Assembly of San Luis Obispo, P.O. Box 105, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406, or phone Sterling Vaden (evenings) at 805-541-0851.
ONE OF the oldest incorporated Assemblies in the Northeast is in danger of losing its Assembly status. Two or more Bahá’ís are urgently needed for teaching and consolidation in Beverly, Massachusetts, 25 miles north of Boston. Employment opportunities are numerous and varied, especially in high technology, computer science, engineering, and medical care. Write to the Spiritual Assembly of Beverly, c/o Ralph W. Edwards, 4 Sunnyvale St., Beverly, MA 01915, or phone Dan Chadwick (617-745-5636) or Ralph Edwards (617-922-1908).
BAHÁ’ÍS are urgently needed to help save the jeopardized 12-year-old Spiritual Assembly of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a city of more than 100,000 in the upper central region of the state, only a 30-minute drive from the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Educational opportunities are plentiful, with Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, and the North Carolina School of the Arts all located there, as well as Forsyth Technical Institute. Medical employment and training are readily available, as Winston-Salem has three major hospitals, a public health center, and the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Other employment opportunities can be found with such companies as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Western Electric, and Alcoa having their home offices and main plants in Winston-Salem. The Bahá’í community has only three adult believers, with perhaps three to four others expected by Riḍván. Please address inquiries to Elizabeth Smith, secretary, 217 Westdale Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (phone 919-724-7908) or Mrs. Mamie Johnson, 1325 Dublin Court, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 (phone 919-724-7781).
HELP! The Spiritual Assembly of Maywood, California, is in jeopardy, and is earnestly seeking Spanish-speaking, black, or Persian homefront pioneers. Maywood is a largely Mexican-American community near downtown Los Angeles with an excellent climate, away from most smog, but not near the ocean. Rents are reasonable, and schools, banks, and stores are nearby. Job opportunities are limited, but easy access to Los Angeles expands them somewhat. The Assembly can provide reasonable assistance in house hunting and transportation to any new believers. Please phone Dwight Waiters, chairman (213-583-9385), Paula Wahlstrom (213-581-8426) or Carolyn Burrill (213-771-3082).
BELIZE: The Dangriga Bahá’í Center needs water and an inside toilet for the large number of children who need to attend children’s classes in this swampy, always wet land. The pioneer there asks for $1,000 U.S. and free Bahá’í labor to bring in water pipes and build a simple indoor toilet, using available lumber. If you can participate in this project, please contact the International Goals Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-869-9039.
HELP! Save a jeopardized Assembly in lovely Shasta County, California. Anderson J.D. is in a sportsman’s paradise, surrounded by lakes and mountains in north-central California. Many of those who came to the area to help form Bahá’í communities have been unable to stay because of a tight job market. We would especially welcome any homefront pioneers who have an income or would be able to make a business investment. For more information, please contact Carolyn Herlacher, 185 Whispering Waters Lane, Anderson, CA 96007, or phone 916-365-0961.
This solar greenhouse was constructed last June at the Louis Gregory Bahá’í Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina.
Solar appliances installed at Gregory, Conifer Hill[edit]
Groups of Bahá’ís worked together last summer to install solar heating appliances at the Louis Gregory Institute near Hemingway, South Carolina, and the Conifer Hill Bahá’í School near Boulder, Colorado.
In late June a group of volunteers constructed a solar reliant greenhouse at the Gregory Institute.
THE GREENHOUSE warms an 8- by 10-foot section of wall on the main building and is estimated to save about $1 a day on the Institute’s heating bill (or about $150 a year).
The cost for materials to build the greenhouse was less than $450.
In July another group of Bahá’ís built a 220-gallon direct gain solar water heater at the Conifer Hill school.
The system consists of an insulated box lined with reflective foil and containing four 55-gallon barrels painted black and linked in series.
The collector heats enough water for more than 30 people to shower each day. When used to capacity, it saves about $2 a day on propane gas.
It was built entirely of used materials that cost less than $150.
A workshop held during the Conifer Hill family camp explored in depth the application of simple solar technologies and other renewable energy systems to help improve living conditions and encourage economic advances in the villages of the developing world.
The idea of rural development was discussed as a practical way to promote the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh among the more impoverished peoples of the world.
Honor Kempton, pioneer many years, dies at age 90 at post in Luxembourg[edit]
DEEPLY SADDENED ASCENSION ABHA KINGDOM OUTSTANDING DEARLY LOVED MAIDSERVANT BAHA’U’LLAH HONOR KEMPTON IN HER 90TH YEAR AND AT FINAL PIONEER POST KOPSTAL LUXEMBOURG, TERMINATING FORTY FIVE YEARS DEDICATED SERVICE CAUSE GOD. RESPONDING IMMEDIATELY BELOVED GUARDIAN’S CALL IN 1939 FOR NINE HOLY SOULS TO OPEN REMAINING VIRGIN AREAS NORTH AMERICA SHE PIONEERED TO ALASKA BECAME MOTHER THAT FLOURISHING COMMUNITY. IN 1947 SHE BECAME FIRST PIONEER TO GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG AND FOR REST OF HER LIFE SERVED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION IN EUROPEAN CONTINENT, ULTIMATELY SETTLING LUXEMBOURG AND RECOGNIZED MOTHER THAT COMMUNITY. HER LIFE STEADFAST DEDICATION CONSTITUTES BRILLIANT EPISODE EARLY YEARS FORMATIVE AGE FAITH. ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL SERVICE MOTHER TEMPLE WEST BEFITTING TRIBUTE SERVANT BLESSED BEAUTY WHOSE SHINING RECORD EMBLAZONED ANNALS AMERICAN BAHA’I COMMUNITY. OFFERING ARDENT PRAYERS SACRED THRESHOLD BOUNTIFUL REWARD PROGRESS SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.
February 27, 1981
GREATLY SURPRISED DEEPLY SADDENED PASSING HONOR KEMPTON HIGHLY PRIZED INDEFATIGABLE TEACHER BAHÁ’Í CAUSE. HER DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENTS AS FIRST PIONEER TO ALASKA AND ONE OF FIRST TO ANSWER BELOVED GUARDIAN’S CALL FOR PIONEERS TO EUROPE AFTER LAST WORLD WAR WILL ILLUMINE PAGES HISTORY SET FITTING EXAMPLES FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW. SHE WILL BE WARMLY MEMORIALIZED AT SERVICE HOUSE WORSHIP WILMETTE NEAR FUTURE. MEANWHILE PRAYING PROGRESS HER RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM.
February 27, 1981
Honor Kempton, whose long years of service as a Bahá’í pioneer ended in February when she passed away at the age of 90 in Luxembourg, her final pioneering post, is shown here in front of her first bookstore in Anchorage, Alaska, where she pioneered in 1939 in response to a call from the Guardian for ‘nine holy souls’ to open the remaining virgin areas in North America.
Los Angeles gets building for new Center[edit]
The Bahá’í community of Los Angeles, California, has acquired a new building to be used as its Bahá’í Center.
The new building is six times larger than the present Los Angeles Bahá’í Center. Plans to remodel the interior of the building are under way, with a projected occupancy date in the fall of this year.
The new Center will house a 1,000-seat auditorium, children’s classrooms, a center for youth activities, offices, and a bookstore that will be open to the public on a regular basis.
The Bahá’ís hope that with these expanded facilities, they will be able to be of greater service to all the people of Los Angeles.
Comment[edit]
Continued From Page 2
IN SHORT, do whatever is in our power to make our children feel loved, trusted and cared for, without pampering, overprotecting or calling to attention every move.
Ms. Liedloff illustrates the trust (and lack of overprotection) the Yequana display toward their children with the story of a crawling child who was playing near a hole about five feet deep and never fell in.
No adult said anything to the child, or to any of the other children who were running and playing near the hole.
Each person, no matter how young, was responsible for himself, and Ms. Liedloff says she observed few accidents.
Perhaps some of us will be able to use Ms. Liedloff’s advice about child rearing. Others have already reared their children beyond the crucial phase of which she speaks.
But there is another lesson to be drawn from her study. We are all familiar with the “if only” mentality of Westerners. If we don’t experience it in our own lives, we learn of it from advertising, the media, and from observing the lives of our friends.
I WOULD suggest that we simply transfer our “if onlys,” usually centered on material pursuits, to the spiritual aims to which the prayers and writings of the Faith direct us.
Thus, “if only I were nearer to God” would supplant the limited, short term yearnings of earthly life, and we would begin to do those things that would actually bring us closer to our goal and to the happiness for which we long.
I am speaking of prayer, meditation, reading the writings, sacrificing for the Fund, and all the other ways in which we serve God.
Nothing else can bring us safety, happiness, peace and contentment, whatever our material circumstances.
We know from the writings and from our experience that this is true, yet we continue to pursue material satisfaction as though happiness were just around the corner.
Will it take a crisis, or can one simply decide to take control of one’s life and put first things first?
If only one could follow Bahá’u’lláh’s admonition to “...consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving mention, and with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him.” (Bahá’í World Faith, p. 106)
Materials[edit]
Continued From Page 17
prayer or meditation, and an exhilarating addition to a Feast.
The Felt Lesson Kit helps children learn basic teachings of the Faith as they create designs on felt.
The kits come in sets of four and include the following topics: the oneness of religion, the elimination of prejudice, spiritual growth, and the Station of the Manifestation.
Each set includes an instruction sheet for cutting the felt and assembling the lessons.
The kits also have a script to be read with each lesson, suggested activities for teachers, and pieces of felt (the felt board is not provided with the kits).
Felt Lesson Kits are useful for children’s classes, for story-time sessions for parents and children, and as deepening tools for people of all ages and educational backgrounds.
“Contributing to the Fund is a service which will never cease to be open to all believers; the growth of the Faith and the rise of the Administrative Order require an ever-increasing outpouring of our substance, commensurate in however small a measure with the bounty and liberality of the outpouring confirmations of Bahá’u’lláh.” (Messages from the Universal House of Justice: 1968-1973, p. 118)
In memoriam[edit]
- Henry E. Barrett
- Newsoms, Virginia
- Date Unknown
- B. Richard Carmichael
- Lewisville, Texas
- January 13, 1981
- Mrs. Ina Chunestudy
- Stillwater, Oklahoma
- August 1980
- Ray Didier
- Centerville, Ohio
- February 27, 1981
- Marzine Easterling
- Prentiss, Mississippi
- January 1979
- Freddie Garrison
- Alachua, Florida
- 1981
- William S. Gruendler
- Brentwood, Missouri
- February 12, 1981
- Mrs. Nina Mae Hope
- Chattanooga, Tenn.
- October 13, 1980
- Ardell Jacobs
- Pembroke, N.C.
- January 1981
- Miss Hiawatha Johnson
- Tabor City, N.C.
- April 1980
- Verdie Jones
- Red Bluff, Calif.
- February 28, 1981
- Alice Kerr
- North Bend, Oregon
- November 1980
- Freddie King
- Pine Bluff, Ark.
- December 1980
- Mrs. Velma LaShure
- Kansas City, Mo.
- Date Unknown
- Charlie A. Lewis
- Havana, Florida
- Date Unknown
- Melvin Magee
- Gulfport, Miss.
- September 2, 1980
- Leroy Mills
- Havana, Florida
- Date Unknown
- Governor Mobley
- Saluda, S. Carolina
- January 20, 1981
- George Morgan
- Chula Vista, Calif.
- March 8, 1981
- Mrs. Maggie Owens
- Quincy, Florida
- Date Unknown
- Solly C. Raleigh
- Newsoms, Virginia
- Date Unknown
- Robert Rasmussen
- Marshfield, Wis.
- Date Unknown
- Leonard L. Reid
- Newsoms, Virginia
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Murletta Riegel
- Fair Oaks, Calif.
- February 10, 1981
- Henry Roberson
- Greenwood, S.C.
- December 25, 1980
- Mrs. Julia L. Scott
- Newsoms, Virginia
- Date Unknown
- Roland Smith
- Spokane, Washington
- July 4, 1980
- Bruce Snodgrass
- Elgin, Illinois
- January 13, 1981
- Fred Stephens
- Maxton, N. Carolina
- 1980
- Karl Stettler
- Coos Bay, Oregon
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Willie Lou Stokes
- Bamberg, S. Carolina
- December 27, 1980
- Lewis Stuney
- Pembroke, S. Carolina
- Date Unknown
- John H. Svendsen
- Middleton, Wisconsin
- March 2, 1981
- Mrs. Ella F. Tanner
- Lynnwood, Washington
- January 26, 1981
- Sam Votaw
- DeKalb, Illinois
- 1979
- William Walker Jr.
- Newsoms, Virginia
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Marion Wilson
- Chico, California
- February 18, 1981
|
PUZZLE!PUZZLE Two Puzzles in One! One side makes a calendar with the Arabic and English names for the nineteen Bahá’í months, and the other side a garden filled with children of all races! A unique gift for 5 to 11 year olds. Reversible, 50 pieces.
To order, see your community librarian, or use the handy order form on page 4 of the Mini Catalog. TAB-S-5/81-2 |
Bahá’í archives keeps precious records secure[edit]
This is the first in a four-part series on Bahá’í Archives written by the National Bahá’í Archives Committee.
•
Shoghi Effendi, in God Passes By (p. 339), says that every local and national Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds will have an Archives as one of its component parts.
The purpose of a Bahá’í Archives is to preserve and make available for research Bahá’í records of permanent administrative, historical or religious value.
The Archives, by housing a Spiritual Assembly’s inactive files, frees valuable file space while still allowing the Assembly to research past decisions and correspondence when needed.
Holdings: The Bahá’í Archives houses the official records of a Bahá’í institution, usually a Spiritual Assembly.
In addition, the Archives houses other archival material concerning the Bahá’í community, such as relics, personal papers of believers, photographs, tape recordings, printed matter, and newspaper clippings.
There are no specific guidelines as to which records should be kept or disposed of, as each case must be considered separately.
Enough records should be kept so that the history of both the Assembly and the Bahá’í community can be adequately documented.
This would mean keeping at least all of the Assembly minutes, the important correspondence, basic financial records, newsletters and bulletins, and records of Assembly committees.
Provenance: The most important archival principle is that of provenance, meaning that the records created by a particular institution, individual or family should be kept intact and not interfiled with other collections.
Therefore, the records of an Assembly should not be mixed with the papers of an individual.
For more information on the organization and maintenance of a Bahá’í Archives please write to the National Bahá’í Archives Committee, Bahá’í National Center, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Service for the Blind[edit]
AVAILABLE NOW:
- In Braille or on tape—
- • Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh
- • The Priceless Pearl
- • Selections from the Writings of the Báb
- • The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh (Vols. I and 2)
PLUS more than 80 other titles
For a printed catalog write:
- Bahá’í Service for the Blind
- 3110 East Lester St.
- Tucson, AZ 85716
200-plus attend Georgia ‘Unity’ conference[edit]
“World Unity: Golden Opportunity, Glorious Challenge” was the theme of a regional conference December 12-14 sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Athens, Georgia.
More than 200 people from several Southeastern states, including about 40 seekers, attended the event.
OTHER NON-BAHÁ’ÍS were involved as seminar leaders, panel members, entertainers, and television crew.
There was one declaration at the conference and two others shortly afterward.
Speakers included Dr. Ann Carpenter of Palisades Park, New Jersey (“Establishing Race Unity”), Dr. Jane Faily of Ottawa, Canada (“The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh”), Mary Kay Radpour of Hixon, Tennessee (“The Challenge of World Unity”), and Dr. Allan Ward of Little Rock, Arkansas (“The Example of a World Citizen: The Story of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America”).
Among the seminar leaders was Dr. William Maxwell, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Fiji Islands and dean of the school of education at the University of the South Pacific, whose seminar was on “Educating Children for the Future Society.”
Other Bahá’ís who served as seminar leaders were Dr. Ata Rakesh of Hixon, Tennessee (“Foundations of World Unity”), Dr. Ward (“Developing Communications”), and Henry Weil of St. Louis, Missouri (“Personal Transformation”).
Non-Bahá’í seminar leaders were Dr. Everette Lee of the University of Georgia’s sociology department (“The History of Race Relations in the United States”) and Dr. Ray Macnair and Nancy Macnair (“The Family Unit: Foundation of Race Unity”). The Macnairs were assisted by Terri Earle of the Athens Bahá’í community.
THE CONFERENCE also included a panel discussion in which four distinguished professionals addressed the topic of world unity.
The panelists were Dr. Robert Ayers of the department of philosophy and religion at the University of Georgia; Dr. William Chittick of the university’s department of political science; Dr. Ronald McFadden of the department of special studies at Savannah State College; and Dr. Faily, a clinical psychologist at the University of Ottawa.
Also featured at the conference were the World Unity Singers, composed of Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís from across the state of Georgia.
A play, “The Land of Presence,” written by Thomas Seale, a pioneer to South Africa, and Kevin Schuler of the Athens community was performed, along with a multi-media program produced by the Spiritual Assembly of Charlotte, North Carolina, and its Multi-Media Council.
The entire conference was videotaped by students from the University of Georgia’s school of journalism under the direction of Richard Morgan, a member of the Athens Bahá’í community.
A television documentary on the conference was to be shown by an Athens station in April.
The results of the conference, which was the first such undertaking by the Athens community, have included greater exposure for the Faith and increased teaching opportunities.
Dr. William Maxwell emphasizes a point during a seminar on ‘Educating Children for the Future Society’ at a Bahá’í Regional Conference last December 12-14 in Athens, Georgia.
Part of the more than 200 persons who attended a Bahá’í Regional Conference last December 12-14 sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Athens, Georgia.
Ayyám-i-Há dinner in Vermont[edit]
Twenty-three persons attended an Ayyám-i-Há dinner sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Brattleboro, Vermont.
A special guest was Ron Taylor who received the Presidential Medallion for his “Run for Racial Harmony” last fall.
Mr. Taylor, a black man, ran from Brattleboro to Boston in memory of Michael Doherty, a white man from Boston who lost his life while defending a black man from an attack by a gang of white youths.
Mr. Taylor was so moved by accounts of Mr. Doherty’s death that he organized the “Run for Racial Harmony” in his memory, and also helped to establish the Michael Doherty Scholarship Fund at Northeastern University in Boston.
In addition to the medallion, Mr. Taylor was given a check from the Brattleboro Bahá’í community for the scholarship fund.
Mr. Taylor, who grew up in Boston and now lives with his family in Brattleboro, already is making plans for a second run next fall.
The dinner was covered by the local newspaper which ran a long article about Mr. Taylor that included a photo of the presentation.
Bahá’í Publishing Trust[edit]
MINI CATALOG[edit]
Some Answered Questions: NEW Edition!
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s much-loved series of table talks in which He offers traditional and rational proofs for the validity of the Faith, explains some of its fundamental aspects, examines a great variety of Christian doctrines and Biblical prophecies, and discusses the origin and conditions of man and many other topics. Includes new foreword suitable for introducing the Faith to seekers and libraries. Also includes new index. 305 pp.
- Cloth 106-037-10 $11.00
Mothers, Fathers, and Children: Practical Advice to Parents: NEW for parents
A practical and encouraging guide for parents and teachers by the Hand of the Cause of God A. Furútan on how to train a child according to Bahá’í principles—while dealing with day-to-day family and classroom situations. Contains chapters on respect for children, children and freedom, moral and social training, and training children in the spirit of religion. A must!
- Cloth 332-070-10 $9.00
- Paper 332-071-10 $4.50
Remember My Days: The Life Story of Bahá’u’lláh: NEW for youth
By Lowell Johnson. A compact, easily-readable version of the life of Bahá’u’lláh, which includes incidents from His childhood and many touching details about His wife and children. Perfect for youth and non-Bahá’ís as a brief but personal look at Bahá’u’lláh’s life story. 41 pp.
- Paper 352-083-10 $2.50
The Bahá’í Faith: NEW introduction
By Mary Perkins and Philip Hainsworth. Have you been looking for an introduction to the Faith with slightly more information than the Faizí book but still less than Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era—and with photographs? The Bahá’í Faith is your book! It has three chapters on how the Faith began, what Bahá’ís believe, and how Bahá’ís live. 87 pp.
- Paper 332-065-10 $4.00
Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era: Revised Cloth, Paper Editions
By J.E. Esslemont. Called by Shoghi Effendi “that splendid, authoritative and comprehensive introduction to Bahá’í history and teachings,” Dr. Esslemont’s book continues to be one of the most widely used of all Bahá’í books. Cloth edition features attractive new jacket and cover design. Pocket edition features photograph of Wilmette House of Worship. An essential book for every Bahá’í library and an excellent choice for donations to public libraries.
- Cloth 331-004-10 $13.00
- Paper 231-005-10 $2.00
Quickeners of Mankind: NEW on pioneering
A new compilation essential for all pioneers and all prospective pioneers. Includes extracts from the Bahá’í writings and The Universal House of Justice on topics such as the purpose and urgency of pioneering, and the qualities of a pioneer. Also includes guidance from the Hands of the Cause of God and the Continental Boards of Counsellors, as well as information on Marion Jack, the “shining example to pioneers.”
- Paper 315-068-10 $4.00
Coming Soon
New compilation on the Continental Boards of Counsellors
New for Children
Puzzle Puzzle: NEW for Children
One side makes a calendar. The other side makes a garden! This reversible, 50-piece puzzle teaches children the Arabic and English names for the nineteen Bahá’í months and also lets them put together a garden filled with children of all races. A unique and challenging gift. 5-11 years.
- Puzzle 840-025-10 $5.00
New Cassettes
Role of Bahá’í Youth in Today’s World: Back in Stock!
A talk by Hand of the Cause of God Rúḥíyyih Khánum in which she discusses how youth can best relate to the political movements, social changes, and morality of this age according to the standards of Bahá’u’lláh. Includes a question and answer session on a variety of important issues.
- Cassette 831-001-10 $8.50
The Significance of Covenant-Breaking: Back in Stock!
Hand of the Cause of God William Sears is featured in a study and deepening session on Bahá’í teachings regarding Covenant-breaking. Conversational in tone, this tape is well suited for both individual and group use.
- Cassette 830-091-10 $7.00
More Cassettes for Deepening
“Legacies of Service” is an ongoing series of cassettes featuring Hands of the Cause of God. Five are now available. Buy one, or buy the set at a savings.
Use for:
- □ Gifts for new believers
- □ Deepening classes
- □ Personal library
- □ Summer schools
- □ Youth classes
“Are You Happy?” Hand of the Cause of God Enoch Olinga talks of the spiritual quality of happiness and the joy of teaching.
60 minutes: NEW Catalog No. 6-31-52 $6.50
“My only desire ... was to serve His Cause.” Hand of the Cause of God Agnes Alexander shares the story of her introduction to and acceptance of the Faith, her pioneering experiences, and her dedicated service to the Faith.
70 minutes: NEW Catalog No. 6-31-51 $6.50
“The Triumph of the Cause.” Hand of the Cause of God Hasan M. Balyúzí, in a recording made at the 1963 World Congress in London, gives a historical perspective of the Ten Year Crusade and leaves us with Shoghi Effendi’s guidelines for winning the goals of the plans generated from the administrative centers of the Faith.
30 minutes: NEW Catalog No. 6-31-53 $5.00
“In the Days of the Guardian.” Hand of the Cause of God Leroy Ioas shares moments spent with the Guardian that reveal his power, wit, and compassion.
60 minutes: Reissue Catalog No. 6-31-50 $6.50
“In His Presence.” His meeting with Bahá’u’lláh is the focus of Hand of the Cause of God Ṭaráẓ’u’lláh Samandarí’s talk. Marzieh Gail translates.
60 minutes: Reissue
- Catalog No. 6-30-99 $6.50
“Legacies of Service,” set of 5 cassettes
- Catalog No. 6-31-54 $28.00
New Jewelry
Nine-Sided Greatest Name Pendant: NEW
This gold-plated, nine-pointed pendant features the Greatest Name embossed on an enamel background that comes in three colors. Includes 18-inch chain. A great conversation piece.
- Gold 862-058-10 $14.00
- Gold w/red 862-059-10 $20.00
- Gold w/green 862-060-10 $20.00
Greatest Name Filigree Pendant: NEW
A delicate filigree border surrounds the Greatest Name embossed on an enamel background that comes in three colors. Includes 18-inch chain. An elegant way to proclaim the Faith.
- Gold 862-055-10 $14.00
- Gold w/green 862-056-10 $20.00
- Gold w/red 862-057-10 $20.00
Ringstone Lapel Pins: NEW
The Bahá’í ringstone symbol in gold color is featured on an attractive enamel background. Five different colors to choose from. Sold in sets of five only.
- Lapel Pins Sets of Five Only 861-096-10 $18.00
New Calendars
Bahá’í Calendar Scrolls: NEW
A beautiful way to go through the Bahá’í year! The calendar for 138 B.E. is printed on silk-like material that is wrinkle-resistant and colorfast. Comes in two colorful designs. Mountain scene features quotation by Bahá’u’lláh: “If it be Thy pleasure ... stir me up and bend me into conformity with Thy pleasure....” Scene of birds and flowers features prayer by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: “O God! Educate these children....” Bahá’í months include Gregorian dates for easy reference.
- Mountain Scene 869-071-10 $8.00
- Birds Design 869-072-10 $8.00
Works on the Bahá’í Faith
A Concordance to The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh: NEW
By Jalíl Mahmoudi. An excellent aid to help you find passages in The Hidden Words. Almost every word in the book is listed in alphabetical order. Every phrase in which the word appears is listed under that word’s entry. Use it to select readings for Feast or to plan an unusual deepening. Foreword by Hand of the Cause of God A. Q. Faizí.
- Paper 368-052-10 $6.00
The Bahá’í Faith teaching booklet: Revised Edition
For your teaching and consolidation plans. 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 A. Q. Faizi and the National Teaching Committee help you and your local community teach the Faith. 24 pp.
- Paper 267-002-10 12/$15.00
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. Cover design by Pepper Peterson. 3⅝ x 8½ inches. 17 pp.
- Paper 340-077-10 10/$5.00
Becoming Your True Self: Revised Pamphlet
An old favorite back in a revised format. Dr. Daniel C. Jordan discusses the nature of human potential and explains how the Bahá’í Faith enables the individual to release his potential. Cover design by Pepper Peterson. 19 pp.
- Pamphlet 340-015-10 10/$5.00
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; representative Indian activities; and much more.
- Paper 441-009-10 $1.00
Stories from the Delight of Hearts: The Memoirs of Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí’: NEW Book
Learn about the fascinating life story of one who braved the persecutions of family, friends, and fellow-countrymen to embrace the Bábí Faith. Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥaydar-‘Alí’s commitment to the new religion finally took him to the Holy Land, where he attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated and abridged by the Hand of the Cause of God A. Q. Faizí. 163 pp., notes.
- Cloth 331-098-10 $9.00
Messages to the Bahá’í World: 1950-1957
To better understand the current Seven Year Plan, read about the unfolding of the Ten Year World Crusade, the first global plan, and the development of the administrative order in preparation for the election of The Universal House of Justice.
- Cloth 108-015-10 $10.00
Selected Writings of Shoghi Effendi
A compact, yet thorough summary of the history and aims of the Faith that includes expositions on the difference between the Bahá’í Faith and ecclesiastical organizations, the stations of The Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the new world order, the principle of oneness, the goal of human evolution, and the radiant future. Excellent for teaching and deepening.
- Paper 308-043-10 $1.50
A Fortress for Well-Being: Bahá’í Teachings on Marriage
An examination of Bahá’í marriage, including its foundation and purpose, parental consent, interracial marriage, conditions which maintain unity, seeking assistance from the Local Spiritual Assembly, and remarriage. Cloth edition features gold-stamped cover and attractive border design. Paper edition comes in an 8½ x 11 inch format.
- Cloth 364-010-10 $12.00
- Paper 364-004-10 $5.00
Principles of Bahá’í Administration
Compilation concerning the relations and functions of individuals and of local and national Bahá’í institutions. From passages written by and on behalf of Shoghi Effendi. A handy book for reference.
- Cloth 315-028-10 $7.00
- Paper 315-029-10 $4.00
The God Who Walks with Men
Horace Holley’s warm commentary on the individual’s relationship to God and the fulfillment of His Covenant through the ages and in our time. Useful as a short but thorough discussion of progressive revelation.
- Pamphlet 340-024-10 10/$3.50
The Reality of Christ
Presents the Bahá’í perspective on the traditional controversy over the divinity versus the humanity of Christ, which is resolved through the Writings in the concept of manifestation—not incarnation.
- Pamphlet 340-033-10 10/$5.00
The Environment and Human Values: A Bahá’í View
A statement by the Bahá’í International Community that outlines the Bahá’í principles concerning the human environment and explains that the root cause of environmental problems is social structures and value systems which cannot meet new human needs.
- Pamphlet 340-056-10 10/$2.50
Why Bahá’u’lláh?
A simple presentation of man’s need for a spiritual “sun,” this colorful accordion-fold brochure states that Bahá’u’lláh is the “Spiritual Sun” for today, with quotations from the Bahá’í Writings.
- Pamphlet 340-049-10 10/$2.00
For Children and Youth
The Secret in the Garden: NEW
A charming new book for 5-10 year olds. An old woman brings a special gift to a lovely but not very peaceful village. A small, observant girl finally helps the villagers see that unity in diversity is the secret in the garden. Excellent for gifts to non-Bahá’í friends and to public libraries. Written and illustrated by Winifred Barnum Newman. Now available in a Secret in the Garden cassette narrated by Susan Engle, who composed a song especially for the book. 32 pp.
Angel Award Winner!
- Cloth 353-013-10 $5.50
- Cassette 832-005-10 $3.00
- Book/Cassette 353-015-10 $8.00
Fly through the Bahá’í Year’: NEW for 5-10 year olds
A red bird and a yellow butterfly introduce children, in rhymed verse, to the Wilmette House of Worship and to the Bahá’í year filled with Holy Days and other observances. Written and colorfully illustrated by Terry Ostovar.
- Paper 352-075-10 $5.00
Ali’s Dream: The Story of Bahá’u’lláh: NEW for youth
By John Hatcher. For 11-15 year olds: a fictional story of 11-year-old Ali, whose life becomes a quest for the meaning of a dream that leads him to an understanding of his Bahá’í heritage and his spiritual destiny. Into the story of the search the author weaves scenes from Bahá’í history, drawing from them truths about the acquisition of spiritual qualities.
- Cloth 352-080-10 $9.95
- Paper 352-081-10 $4.95
The Birth of the Bahá’í Faith: New Book for Youth
A brief illustrated history of major events in the Heroic Age of the Bahá’í Faith, from 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 352-055-10 $1.00
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 352-074-10 $8.00
O God, Guide Me!: NEW Paper Edition
The prayer-book favorite for young children is now available in a paper edition. Features large, easy-to-read type and interracial line drawings by Gordon Laite. Easier to hold open than the cloth edition. 39 pp.
- Paper 352-048-10 $3.00
Children’s Prayers Card: NEW Card
Excellent teaching aid and gift for children, friends, and family. Attractively illustrated card featuring two of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s prayers for children: “O God, guide me” and “O God! Educate these children” (Bahá’í Prayers, Nos. 5, 8). A useful item for Universal Children’s Day. Easy to mail.
- 306-035-10 10/$1.00
Come and Sing: NEW Stereo Cassette/Album
For putting the children to bed, for trips, and for children’s classes! Come and Sing is now available as an LP album and as a stereo cassette, the first produced by the Publishing Trust. This appealing collection of songs was created to assist children to understand and develop the attributes of God. Ideal for children of any age or faith. Produced by Warren Kime and Susan Engle.
- LP Album 835-021-10 $8.50
- Stereo Cassette 832-020-10 $8.50
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 352-053-10 $16.00
The Black Rose: A Story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America
An illustrated story of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s encounter with a group of boys, including a black boy, in New York City in 1912. Helpful for teaching young children about unity in diversity. 24 pp.
- Paper 352-070-10 $2.50
The Proud Helper: A Story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land
A picture-story book for young children relating Lua Getsinger’s efforts to help ‘Abdu’l-Bahá serve the poor in ‘Akká. Adapted from story in Portals to Freedom. 22 pp.
- Paper 352-072-10 $2.50
Sunflower Books, Set of 4
Simple first-person text and suitable activities help children learn simple Bahá’í concepts and gain a sense of Bahá’í identity. Includes My Bahá’í Book, My Favorite Prayers and Passages, God and Me, and Our Bahá’í Holy Places. 3-7 years.
- Paper 353-005-10 $7.50
Bahá’í Prayers and Tablets for the Young
Features 28 prayers revealed by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and 10 Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for children and youth. For younger children, older children, and youth.
- Cloth 315-054-10 $5.00
Blessed Is the Spot
This illustrated book will help your young child learn a passage from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and understand that he can talk about God almost anyplace. Easy-to-read type. 1-3 years.
- Cloth 352-040-10 $4.50
The Cornerstone: A Story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America
A story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s laying the cornerstone of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette introduces your child to the building and its significance. 3-7 years.
- Paper 352-071-10 $2.50
The Unfriendly Governor: A Story About ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land
A governor plotting against the Bahá’ís and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s unexpected response helps young children understand courage, assurance, forgiveness, integrity, and obedience. 3-7 years.
- Paper 352-073-10 $2.50
Happy Ayyám-i-Há!
Between musical selections Hand of the Cause of God William Sears shares “grandfatherly” talk with a group of children, explaining the songs and the Bahá’í Faith. Produced by Joyce and Danny Deardorff.
- Stereo LP 835-019-10 $8.50
New Non-English Titles
The New Garden: NEW Laotian edition
Now available for the Laotian teaching work, a simple introduction to the Bahá’í Faith by Hushmand Fathea’zam. 5½ x 7½ inches.
Fulfillment of Buddhist Prophecies: NEW Laotian Edition
For the Laotian teaching work: a small 84-page booklet that discusses Buddhist prophecies fulfilled in the Bahá’í Faith. 5 1/4 x 7 7/16 inches.
- Paper 497-004-97 $1.50
Kinh Bahá’í (Bahá’í Prayers): NEW Vietnamese edition
For Vietnamese Bahá’ís and seekers: a small collection of Bahá’í prayers in Vietnamese. 80 pp. 3¾ x 5¼ inches.
- Paper 496-055-96 $1.50
The Oneness of God: NEW Laotian pamphlet
An inexpensive introductory pamphlet on the oneness of God. French-fold; contains photograph of Wilmette Bahá’í House of Worship.
- Paper 496-002-96 10/$2.50
Prayers and The Hidden Words: NEW Laotian Edition
For the Laotian teaching work: a small 54-page compilation of Bahá’í prayers and Hidden Words in Lao. Attractively printed with mustard-color cover. Handy for purse and pocket. Inexpensively priced. 5¼ x 4¼ inches.
- Paper 497-001-97 $1.00
For Summer Teaching
Bahá’í Answers
This pamphlet contains clear, concise answers to many of the basic questions frequently asked about the Faith.
- Pamphlet 340-002-10 10/$3.50
Bahá’í Teachings for a World Faith
An introductory pamphlet which begins with an outline of the basic principles of the Faith, presents the Bahá’í teachings through quotations from Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi, and concludes with a brief history of the Faith.
- Pamphlet 340-007-10 10/$3.50
Basic Facts of the Bahá’í Faith
A leaflet on the Bahá’í teachings. Also includes its historical background and its pattern for the future. Available in Spanish as La Fe Bahá’í: Datos y Principios Básicos.
- English 340-014-10 10/$1.00
- Spanish 393-070-08 10/$1.00
God’s New Age
An illustrated booklet that explains the basic beliefs, laws, and administration of the Bahá’í Faith in clear, simple language. Includes several prayers by Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, and the Bahá’í calendar. Useful for teaching and deepening new believers. Also available in Spanish as La Nueva Era de Dios.
- English 340-057-10 10/$3.50
- Spanish 440-051-93 $3.00
I Am a Bahá’í
Illustrated article reprinted from the Chicago Sunday Tribune in which writer Guy Murchie explains how he investigated and accepted the Bahá’í Faith. Includes a summary of the Bahá’í teachings and a moving account of the Heroic Age of the Faith.
- Pamphlet 340-026-10 10/$3.50
One World, One Family
A brief statement by the National Spiritual Assembly that explains how the Bahá’í world community strives to live by the principle of the oneness of humanity established by Bahá’u’lláh more than a century ago. Self-mailer. Useful in connection with Race Unity Day observances.
- Pamphlet 340-038-10 10/$1.00
Why Our Cities Burn
Presents views on the racial crisis in the United States and the Bahá’í solution through excerpts from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi. A valuable teaching tool for Race Unity Day observances.
- Pamphlet 340-050-10 10/$3.50
Human Rights Are God-Given Rights
Bahá’í statement on human rights by the National Spiritual Assembly, which declares that equal opportunity is the right of all and that variety, rather than conformity, is a basic characteristic of a progressive society. Appropriate for proclamation and special mailings in relation with Race Unity Day and Human Rights Day.
- Pamphlet 340-025-10 10/$2.50
Building a Unified Community: New Pamphlet
A popular, new proclamation pamphlet essential for UN and Human Rights Day observances. Unified communities emerge, the pamphlet says, when every individual develops characteristics that enable him to interact successfully in his family, in his marriage, and in his local, national, and international communities. An indirect presentation of Bahá’í principles prepared by the Bahá’í International Community. French folds to 3⅝ x 8½ inches. 6 pp.
- Paper 340-098-10 10/$2.50
One World, One People: New Pamphlet
Another popular, new proclamation pamphlet for UN and Human Rights Day observances prepared by the Bahá’í International Community. Drawing on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s remarks on the “seven candles of unity,” One World discusses the spiritual standards needed to resolve the economic and social problems of our day. It also discusses the contributions Bahá’ís are making to the process. French folds to 3⅝ x 8½ inches. 6 pp.
- Paper 340-099-10 10/$2.50
Divine Law: Source of Human Rights
A statement prepared by the Bahá’í International Community outlining the Bahá’í views on human rights and explaining the importance of the spiritual law of unity in the destiny of mankind. Concludes with an explanation of how the Bahá’í International Community cooperates with the United Nations. For UN and Human Rights Day observances.
- Pamphlet 340-060-10 10/$2.50
Equality of Men and Women: A New Reality
A statement by the Bahá’í International Community discussing Bahá’í teachings on the equality of men and women and summarizing its work with the United Nations in improving the status of women.
- Pamphlet 340-074-10 10/$2.50
Women: Striking the Balance
Reprint of a World Order editorial examining the role women will eventually play in bringing about world order. Includes quotations from the Bahá’í Writings. Can be used as a poster or folded for mailing.
- Pamphlet 340-089-10 10/$2.50
Universal and Lasting Peace
Commentary by Firuz Kazemzadeh on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablet to the Hague, in which He explained the divine principles which would enable man to transcend his human limitations and achieve everlasting peace. An important teaching tool for World Peace Day observances.
- Pamphlet 340-046-10 10/$5.00
From Alienation to World Peace
Reprint of a World Order editorial explaining that the first step toward the unity of mankind is the conviction that mankind is an organic whole, each component of which is of incalculable worth. Useful in connection with World Peace Day observances.
- Pamphlet 340-085-10 10/$2.50
[Page 33]
The Louhelen Bahá’í School PULL-OUT SECTION
Community Faces August Deadline for Louhelen[edit]
- “... this institution ... is fair to develop into one of the leading and most promising cultural centers of the Cause throughout the United States.”
- From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi,
June 24, 1937.
- From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi,
Faizí Endowment Established to Aid Louhelen Bahá’í School[edit]
IN NOVEMBER 1980, the Bahá’í world was saddened by the death of the Hand of the Cause of God Abu’l-Qásim Faizí.
With his passing, the Bahá’í Faith not only lost one of the most beloved and colorful of its modern heroes, but was also deprived of the counsel and wisdom of a giant in the field of education. Those close to Mr. Faizí often described him as a “pioneer for education,” and cited his many contributions to the spiritual, intellectual, and physical development of children and youth.
Now, in loving memory of Mr. Faizí’s outstanding services in education, the National Spiritual Assembly has decided to name the classroom building of the new Louhelen Bahá’í School in his honor, and has established a special “Faizí Endowment for Education” to hasten the construction and provide for the maintenance of the school.
These decisions have been made by the National Assembly in recognition of the spirit that so powerfully and consistently animated all aspects of Mr. Faizí’s life.
Born in 1906 and raised in Qum, Iran, Mr. Faizí graduated from the American University in Beirut, Lebanon with a degree in English and Education.
A TOTAL OF $1.8 MILLION is required to complete the reconstruction of the Louhelen Bahá’í School. The National Spiritual Assembly will not initiate construction until $1.25 million is received to insure completion of the first phase. At this time, $350,000 has been raised. If an additional $900,000 is not received by August 31, 1981, all monies raised through the sale of Promissory Notes will have to be returned and completion of the project will be delayed.
Shoghi Effendi: Louhelen to Become ‘Seat of Bahá’í Education’[edit]
FOR FORTY-THREE YEARS (from 1931 to 1974) the Louhelen Bahá’í School functioned vigorously as one of three permanent Bahá’í Schools in the United States. The other two permanent Schools were at Geyserville, California (which has since been replaced by the Bosch Bahá’í School) and at Green Acre in Eliot, Maine—a School blessed by the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
During the early years of Louhelen’s operation, reports of its lively and inspiring sessions captured the heart of Shoghi Effendi, moving him to write through his secretary: “He has every hope that the Louhelen Ranch will be truly outstanding and will come to excel and actually surpass its two sister institutions in Green Acre and Geyserville.”
The School closed its doors in 1974 because extensive structural renovations were required. Since that time it has been unable to make progress toward meeting the challenge issued by Shoghi Effendi. The beloved Guardian’s hopes that the Louhelen School “... will grow in the future to be a seat of Bahá’í Education,” and that it would “... develop into one of the leading and most promising cultural centers of the Cause throughout the United States” have remained unfulfilled.
Recognizing the importance placed upon the future development of the School by Shoghi Effendi, the National Spiritual Assembly has chosen the present time to build a new Louhelen School facility, retaining some of the original buildings.
World events, attacks on the Faith in Iran, the universally apparent decline of moral standards with its devastating effect upon family life—all of these factors indicate that now is the time to take a bold step to demonstrate our concern for the future of mankind. Therefore, the National Spiritual Assembly has given this task priority over all other pending capital projects.
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The Louhelen Bahá’í School
FAIZÍ ENDOWMENT Continued from Page 1
When the Bahá’í schools were closed by the Shah in the mid-1930’s, the Guardian appealed for believers to serve as educators for the children. Mr. Faizí responded immediately, forsaking a promising executive position with a major oil company.
Traveling to the small town of Najafabad, he found the friends existing under difficult circumstances. With his own hands Mr. Faizí helped them to construct a school, in which he taught both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í children for several years.
Later, he moved to Qazvin where he performed similar educational services for youth. An avid sportsman, Mr. Faizí was instrumental in establishing a variety of sports programs for youth in many villages. To this day, Bahá’ís traveling to a village and seeing a volleyball net in a playground know that Mr. Faizí, or one of his many students, probably visited there.
In the 1940’s, Mr. Faizí pioneered to Iraq, and then to Bahrain, where he was of assistance and support to his fellow pioneers. His friends recall that, though financially able, he never wished to have any conveniences that his fellow pioneers could not also have. At one difficult time in Bahrain the pioneers had very little drinking water. Mr. Faizí took it upon himself to get a small amount delivered to pioneers living at some distance, and this proved to be their only source of water for many days.
Shoghi Effendi saw in him the qualities of spirit and service that made him worthy of elevation to the rank of Hand of the Cause of God. Appointed in October 1957, he was among the last group of Hands of the Cause named by the beloved Guardian.
Wherever he traveled, Mr. Faizí would call the believers’ attention to the importance of educating children and youth.
“Educational Institutions,” he stated, “must first instill divine laws and precepts in the hearts and minds of children. Thus the children grow to worship God and to love one another as His sons and daughters.”
A scholar himself, with a wide variety of interests in literature, music, art, linguistics, and public speaking, he was often heard to remark, “It is time to train Bahá’í scholars.”
He was pleased to learn of the development of the Louhelen Bahá’í School and of The Universal House of Justice’s directive that it be made a center specializing in the Bahá’í teachings on parenthood, family life, the upbringing of children, and the education of youth.
To know Mr. Faizí personally was to know him as a friend, for his love for each person was sincere, faithful and continuous. Now the believers, through their support of the Louhelen Bahá’í School, have a tangible way of continuing their love and friendship for Mr. Faizí into history, and assisting the progress of his soul throughout eternity.
LOUHELEN Continued from Page 1
In making this decision, the National Spiritual Assembly acted on the following guidance from The Universal House of Justice about the type of school to be built and the areas in which its classes should be focused:
“Redevelop the Louhelen properties at a reasonable cost ... so that the School can be an effective and attractive but simple and unluxurious centre in which can be given courses specializing in:
- ■ the Bahá’í teachings on parenthood, family life and the upbringing of children;
- ■ courses to train believers how to organize and conduct Bahá’í classes for children;
- ■ courses for youth to deepen their understanding of the Faith and their devotion to Bahá’u’lláh;
- ■ seminars and courses in which many of the questions that trouble and interest youth can be discussed and answered from the Bahá’í point of view;
- ■ and courses that will prepare believers for pioneering and travel-teaching;
- ■ as well as any other courses for adults, youth and children suitable for a Bahá’í Summer or Winter school’s sessions and weekend activities.”
To fulfill this mandate, the Louhelen Bahá’í School will hold traditional summer and winter school sessions, but will also function throughout the year as a training center for teachers of parents, children and youth. Methods of Bahá’í education developed at this School will have a beneficial effect throughout the American Bahá’í community.
In the years immediately ahead, the National Spiritual Assembly hopes that the system of Bahá’í Schools serving the United States will be expanded until each electoral district is associated with a specific Bahá’í School. Louhelen will serve as a focal point of this gradually emerging system of Bahá’í Schools. It will perform the vital function of research and development of national curricula, and provide training for the personnel who will staff the schools.
Thus, we can see that the Louhelen Reconstruction Project is significant for many reasons: First and foremost, the future of the School was dear to the heart of the beloved Guardian; second, it will provide a lasting memorial to the work of the Hand of the Cause Abu’l-Qásim Faizí; third, it will have nationwide impact through the development of courses and methods to improve parenting skills and upgrade child education; and, finally, as the first permanent School that the American Bahá’í community will have built from the ground up, it will demonstrate to the world the strength and vitality of the Faith at a time of perilous world conditions.
Counsellor Khan Outlines Reasons for Building Louhelen Now[edit]
Excerpts from a talk by Dr. Peter Khan, member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia, given at the Louhelen Bahá’í School on September 1, 1980.
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO I had the privilege to walk on the slopes of Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land and to see rising majestically the Seat of The Universal House of Justice. To see its beautiful marble columns, its symmetry, its dignity, the way it dominates the mountain overlooking the city of Haifa, is something that is difficult to describe. While I was there it became evident to me how great a change has been wrought on the slopes of that mountain by the establishment of the Bahá’í Gardens. Where the Bahá’ís have not beautified the area, the ground is rocky, stony, and vegetation is stunted. It looks as if nothing could grow there. Yet, adjacent to that area are the Bahá’í Gardens with their beautiful, lush, ordered paths, their trees and green foliage. The contrast is striking and it made me realize that the transformation of the stony, arid soil of Mt. Carmel into beautiful gardens is a symbol of what the Bahá’í Faith is all about. The purpose of a religion is to transform human nature, to change us from the undeveloped state symbolized by the slopes of Mt. Carmel to the beautiful developed condition symbolized by the Bahá’í Gardens.
The purpose of Bahá’í education is to go beyond faith in Bahá’u’lláh to the far more difficult task of applying His teachings and the spiritual power within them to the work of transforming our character, of bringing forth order and beauty, of developing and manifesting the diverse talents which reside within every one of us. This is what the Louhelen Bahá’í School is all about.
In 1944 Shoghi Effendi wrote a letter addressed to the Bahá’ís gathered at the Louhelen Ranch. In that letter the Guardian said through his secretary, “He hopes that you will develop into Bahá’ís of character as well as in belief. The whole purpose of Bahá’u’lláh is that we should become a new kind of people, people who are upright, kind, intelligent, truthful, honest and who live according to His great laws laid down for this new epoch in man’s development. To call ourselves Bahá’ís is not enough, our inmost being must become ennobled and enlightened through living a Bahá’í life.” This was the Guardian’s hope, and he shared this hope with the believers gathered at this very location 36 years ago.
Now, 36 years later, we gather to take the next step in the development of this school so that the Guardian’s hopes might come closer to realization—that we Bahá’ís, and those who are to come after us, will develop in character as well as in belief.
The Writings tell us that Bahá’í schools must aim to develop into great Bahá’í universities. This institution will undoubtedly proceed in that direction and students will flock to it from distant states, perhaps from distant parts of the world, to acquire Bahá’í virtues, to acquire deeper insight into the Bahá’í teachings and to return to other communities. We are initiating a project far beyond our conception, far beyond our comprehension. The dedicated and visionary Bahá’ís who have worked on the development of the school—the architects, the Louhelen Bahá’í School Council, the National Education Committee, the National Spiritual Assembly itself—none of these bodies and institutions, I am sure, have a full understanding of the greatness of what is occurring today in the development and further unfoldment of this school. But we know from the history of the Faith, from the way the House of Worship was raised in Wilmette and from other projects in the past, that when a small group of people gather together with a spirit of dedication and devotion, through their commitment they have completed the project. Why do we say this? Because we who are here think completeness. We think devotion. We have a great love for the Faith and a great desire to see it further developed. And because those qualities are being shown by the friends gathered here and by believers all across the United States, we can say with confidence: “The project is already completed in a spiritual sense.” All that remains is to translate that spiritual completion into a physical realization.
“the Louhelen School ... has been an immense help in training the believers—particularly the youth—in all aspects of the teachings, and it will grow in the future to be a seat of Bahá’í education.”
April 10, 1947.
As you know, we are being subjected to great persecutions in Iran at this time. My observation of Bahá’í history is that whenever the Faith has been subject to persecution It has gone forward. Consider the period when Bahá’u’lláh was in Adrianople. The Faith was subject to external attack and to internal division from Mirza Yahya’s attack upon the Covenant. At that time what did the Faith do? Did It draw in Its wings? Did It bow down and survive the storm before going ahead? No, It went full force ahead. At that time Bahá’u’lláh revealed His great Tablets of proclamation addressed to the mightiest of the world—the kings and religious leaders. And so it is throughout Bahá’í history.
This is why it is so important, so appropriate, that here in Michigan we embark on this project. We must show the enemies of the Faith that they cannot stop us—not in Iran, not in Israel, not in America, not in Australia, not in any part of the world. The Faith will go ahead despite what they do. This is a very important spiritual principle.
Looking at the Fire Tablet recently I found that Bahá’u’lláh makes this lamentation: “The infidels have arisen in tyranny on every hand: Where is the compelling power of Thine ordaining pen, O Conqueror of the worlds? The barking of dogs is loud on every side: Where is the lion of the forest of Thy might, O Chastiser of the worlds?” In the Fire Tablet Bahá’u’lláh appeals to God Almighty in terms of His suffering and He asks God to demonstrate His power. The spirit of God speaks to Bahá’u’lláh and issues this command: “When the swords flash, go forward! When the shafts fly, press onward! O Thou Sacrifice of the worlds.” It is in this sense that the Louhelen Reconstruction project is being carried out. In Iran the swords are flashing, the enemies are massing and at this time the instructions of our Faith, as I have read, are to go forward with renewed and undiminished vigor.
Let me conclude by reading a few words written by the Guardian in 1947 to the Bahá’ís gathered at the August Louhelen session. These were words written in his own hand, with his own pen: “May the spirit of Bahá’u’lláh ever sustain and bless you in your meritorious pursuits and activities. I urge you to contribute continually and by every means in your power to the consolidation of this noble institution and to play, each, an outstanding part in the progressive unfoldment of our glorious Faith.”
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The Louhelen Bahá’í School
Louhelen Reconstruction Requires Universal Support[edit]
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
There are four ways that a believer can help build the Louhelen School:
- ■ Through a contribution earmarked for the Louhelen Bahá’í School.
- ■ Through a contribution to the “Faizí Endowment for Education.”
- ■ Through a capital gift (i.e., stocks, property, etc.).
- ■ Through the purchase of a Promissory Note.
Those who would like more information about how to help build the Louhelen Bahá’í School or about any aspect of the project, are encouraged to return the following coupon to the Office of the Treasurer indicating your interest.
DEADLINE
Continued from Page 1
Every significant Bahá’í undertaking has depended for its successful completion upon the universal and wholehearted support of the body of the believers. Time and time again the Bahá’ís have accomplished seemingly impossible tasks by working together in a spirit of love and unity.
Every Bahá’í can feel a strong commitment to the task of building the Louhelen School, no matter how far removed from the actual facility he may reside. Once completed, this School will proclaim the Faith’s ideals for the education of children, for the strengthening of family life and for developing strong bonds of fellowship amongst the believers—goals which are an integral part of the Seven Year Plan.
Never before has the American Bahá’í community worked to build a Bahá’í School from the ground up. Participating in this historic undertaking is an opportunity that cannot be recaptured once it has slipped away.
Every believer is encouraged to consider how he can best contribute to the Louhelen Reconstruction Project. The amount of one’s contribution is not important. What matters is that our unity in support of this goal will attract spiritual confirmations and ensure its timely completion.
The National Spiritual Assembly recognizes that raising enough money to build the School through contributions alone might take a long time—particularly when the needs of the National Fund remain acute. Therefore, a mechanism has been set in place whereby the necessary capital to build the School can be obtained quickly through means in addition to contributions. This mechanism is the sale of Promissory Notes.
Promissory Notes are simply long-term loans to the National Spiritual Assembly. A believer purchases a Note for a period of 10, 15, or 20 years. He then receives interest on the Note of 6%, 7%, or 8% respectively until it is repaid by the National Assembly. Notes can be purchased in amounts of $500, $1,000 or any multiple of $1,000. The believers are also free to make other forms of loans to the National Spiritual Assembly.
This article is not an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes to which it refers. Such offers are made only with the Offering Circular which should be carefully read prior to subscribing for the Notes. The Notes may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to receipt of the Offering Circular by the prospective purchaser.