The American Bahá’í/Volume 3/Issue 1/Text
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‘Joyously Announce Further Developments World Center’[edit]
The Universal House of Justice, in a recent cable to the National Spiritual Assembly, informs us that, after many years of difficult negotiations for a permit, an obelisk marking the site of the future Mashriqu’l-Adhkár on Mount Carmel has been erected, thus fulfilling a project initiated by the beloved Guardian during the early years of the Ten-Year Crusade (1953-1963). The gardens at Bahjí and Haifa have also been extended by the development of a quadrant lying to the southeast of the Mansion of Bahá’u’lláh, and the establishment of a formal garden at the southwest corner of the property surrounding the Shrine of the Báb.
NEW GARDEN AT BAHJÍ
OBELISK MARKING SITE OF THE FUTURE MASHRIQU’L-ADHKÁR ON MOUNT CARMEL
NEW GARDEN IN VICINITY OF THE SHRINE OF THE BÁB ON MOUNT CARMEL
Can South Carolina Become First All-Bahá’í State?[edit]
(Read OPERATION “GABRIEL” on page 3)
The Bahá’í World Center[edit]
In conjunction with the latest developments at the Bahá’í World Center (see front page), it seems appropriate to reprint the following portions of the very informative article on “The World Center” written by Robert McLaughlin, which was published in the U.S. Supplement to BAHÁ’Í NEWS, No. 118, December 1967.
Any account of the World Center can give only a glimmering of the spiritual potencies of that sanctified spot and only an inkling of the power of the nerve center of the divinely ordained Administrative Order. But, mercifully for us, the Bahá’í World Center is a place with quite definite characteristics of natural environment, and with buildings to be experienced, gardens to be enjoyed, history to be learned, and people to be known. It is through these human experiences that we can sense something of the great spiritual and administrative forces that are at once an unfathomable mystery and a bounty, joy, and satisfaction in this troubled world.
The World Center lies in the Holy Land, on the shore of the Mediterranean. Its shrines and endowments are within two cities. One is the ancient and medieval stronghold of ‘Akká, to which Bahá’u’lláh came when its buildings were decayed, its air putrid, and its streets dank. Haifa was then an Arab village nestled at the foot of Mount Carmel, across the crescent-shaped bay from ‘Akká.
Today ‘Akká is no longer a penal colony of untold misery, but a picturesque town whose medieval character is being preserved to a considerable degree by the government of Israel. Haifa has become a bustling, growing metropolis, climbing up the slopes of Mount Carmel. It is the chief seaport of Israel and the center of its heavy industry. Factories and refineries have been built on the arc of white sands that connects the twin cities, so that ‘Akká and Haifa are growing together as one megalopolis.
In ‘Akká, the cell in the Most Great Prison where Bahá’u’lláh spent the first two years, two months, and five days of His imprisonment in the Holy Land has been set aside by the government as a Bahá’í Holy Place. Of the four houses within the city walls to which Bahá’u’lláh was successively moved, only the House of ‘Abbúd is now Bahá’í property. The Book of Aqdas was revealed here in 1873, where Bahá’u’lláh spent approximately seven years. It was lovingly furnished by the Guardian and is now maintained and offered as one of the rich experiences given to the pilgrims.
Outside the city walls to the west lies the Riḍván Garden, a small island in a river that is now, temporarily at least, dried up because of changes in the drainage system of the area. It was named by the Blessed Beauty in memory of the Riḍván Garden in Baghdád and referred to by Him as “Our Verdant Isle.”
Mazra’ih is the house to which Bahá’u’lláh first went in response to the entreaties of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá when the rigid confinement within the city walls was relaxed. It stands in the open country, and its grounds are still to be restored or developed.
We know Bahjí so well from photographs or from visits as pilgrims, and we know of the peace, the anguish, and the ultimate triumph woven into its Bahá’í history. The beautiful gardens, designed and built by the beloved Guardian, are only the forerunner of the environment of the Qiblih of the Bahá’í world. Shoghi Effendi contemplated an adequate structure to be built, perhaps around or above that delightful and fragrant little apartment where the remains of the Manifestation rest. The architectural development of this most sacred spot lies in the future, whether near or distant, and in whatever form we shall learn from The Universal House of Justice in due time. At this time, we must continue to provide the means for the maintenance and development of the gardens and of the Mansion and Shrine.
Bahá’u’lláh Himself set foot on Mount Carmel four times, once for a period of about three months, and here He revealed the Tablet of Carmel, setting in motion the forces of which the Bahá’í World Center is the visible, spiritual, and administrative expression. The Master built the Shrine of the Báb while He was a prisoner of the Turks. The Guardian acquired the land up the mountain, virtually alone, with funds, we can assume, from the then tiny group of Bahá’ís scattered over the planet. His statesmanlike wisdom in making these acquisitions at a time when only rare foresight could envision their importance is apparent as one now sees the city crowding up around them. He executed the delicate design and intricate structure of the mausoleum over the Shrine of the Báb, in a then technically primitive country, and carried on construction in the midst of civil war. He built the nine terraces leading up to the Shrine of the Báb.
The Guardian built the Monuments to the members of the Holy Family and set them in gardens of mysterious loveliness. He laid out, built, and commenced the landscaping of the Arc in the environs of the Shrine of the Báb, facing Bahjí across the bay. He established the physical as well as the spiritual direction of the World Administrative Center, with its buildings to be erected about the Arc. Of this extensive plan, he brought only the Archives Building into being during his life-time.
In giving us the Nine Year Plan, The Universal House of Justice established as tasks to be accomplished at the World Center: “The preparation of a plan for the befitting development and beautification of the entire area of Bahá’í property surrounding the Holy Shrines” (and) “extension of the existing gardens on Mount Carmel.”
The BAHÁ’Í NEWS, August 1968, refers to the photogrammetric survey which had been prepared for the development of these two specific tasks in consonance with the wishes expressed by the beloved Guardian. Certain steps essential to the development of the plans had already been taken, such as, the fencing of the Bahá’í property at Mount Carmel, including the Temple site; the development of gardens and parking lots adjacent to the Pilgrim House; the paving of the Arc; the building of a wall and the extension of the sidewalk along UNO Avenue adjacent to the Bahá’í gardens, and adding new soil to higher levels of the gardens where erosion had taken place. The Guardian’s plan for the floodlighting of the Shrine of the Báb and the Monument Gardens had been extended, and all of the electrical circuits in the gardens had been rewired. These were in addition to extensive repairs that were made on the various structures in the preceding five years. All of these developments called for protracted negotiations with Haifa and Jerusalem Municipalities and with agencies of the Government of Israel.
One of the first major acquisitions of important property under the Nine Year Plan was adjacent to Bahjí, that of the Master’s tea house announced to the Bahá’í World Community by The Universal House of Justice on November 17, 1969 (see BAHÁ’Í NEWS, January 1970, page 2).
The latest in the series of tasks to have been accomplished at the World Center is that announced on the front page of this issue of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í. In connection with these goals for the development of the World Center, it should be remembered that a specific goal given to the American Bahá’ís in 1964 by The Universal House of Justice is to: “Sharply increase the annual allocation to the International Fund, thereby enabling The Universal House of Justice to meet the expanding needs of the Cause throughout the world, accelerate the embellishment of endowments in the Holy Land, and develop institutions at the World Center.”
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THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í is published monthly by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, 60091. Material must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publication. Black and white glossy prints should be included with material whenever possible. Articles and news written in a clear and concise manner are welcomed from individuals as well as assemblies and committees. Address all mail to: The American Bahá’í Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, 60091. |
Operation “Gabriel”[edit]
The National Teaching Committee has initiated a new, exciting, and ambitious regional teaching program for South Carolina—Operation “Gabriel”—the purpose of which is to build the foundation, based on the dramatic victories of the past year, for even larger-scale growth in the future. The goal is to create divine institutions—Local Spiritual Assemblies—capable of making South Carolina the first all-Bahá’í state in the country!
GOALS[edit]
The specific goals of Operation “Gabriel” are to:
- Form again all the Local Spiritual Assemblies established at Riḍván 1971.
- Establish 100 new Local Spiritual Assemblies.
- Increase the total number of localities where Bahá’ís reside to 250.
OBJECTIVES[edit]
The objectives of Operation “Gabriel” are to:
- Select and train new believers to help teach and administer the Cause.
- Strengthen the administrative institutions and agencies of the Faith in South Carolina.
- Develop various approaches to proclamation, expansion, and consolidation activities.
- Involve Bahá’í children in all levels of Bahá’í activities.
- Significantly strengthen the social fabric and quality of Bahá’í life.
CALENDAR OF SPECIAL EVENTS[edit]
In order to accomplish the above goals and objectives, the following calendar of special events has been set.
| December 11-12, 1971 | Briefing of Regional Teaching Committee, District Teaching Committees, and Deep South Committee to establish plans for achievement of goals and objectives. | |
| December 13, 1971 - January 7, 1972 | Period for Regional Teaching Committee, District Teaching Committees, and Deep South Committee to establish plans for achievement of goals and objectives. | |
| January 10-14, 1972 | Plans reviewed and approved. | |
| January 17-28, 1972 | Each Committee prepares one half-hour presentation of its plans (to be announced at South Carolina Victory Conference). | |
| January 28-30, 1972 | South Carolina Victory Conference—mobilize and train volunteers. | |
| February - March 1972 | Win expansion goals with assistance of Deep South Committee (form Bahá’í Groups and start preparing them for Assembly status). Regional Teaching Committee initiates systematic consolidation program to assure the re-establishment of all Local Spiritual Assemblies. Deep South Committee assists District Teaching Committees (different districts on consecutive weekends). | |
| March 21, 1972 | Naw-Rúz. | |
| March 25-26, 1972 | Dedication of the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute by the National Spiritual Assembly. Retrain and mobilize volunteers to assist with the formation of Local Spiritual Assemblies. | |
| Riḍván 1972 | GOALS - | No lost Assemblies; 100 new Assemblies; 250 localities where Bahá’ís reside; completion of Operation “Gabriel”! Preparation for accelerated teaching plans throughout the state following evaluation of Operation “Gabriel” by the National Spiritual Assembly. |
(continued on page 5)
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Qualities to Live By
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National Spiritual Assembly Convenes First LSA Seminar in Hartford[edit]
Hartford, Connecticut, was the site of the first of 40 Local Spiritual Assembly Seminars to be held through this summer to strengthen the authority and influence of the Local Spiritual Assemblies and equip them to handle the affairs of the rapidly growing numbers of Bahá’ís.
Mr. Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, with the assistance of Mrs. Caterina Kazemzadeh, conducted the meetings and workshops. Local Spiritual Assembly members from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts expressed great enthusiasm for the presentation and felt their Assemblies would benefit greatly from the education they received. (Northeastern Regional Teaching Committee newsletter)
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South Carolina (DETAILS ON BACK PAGE) |
| I’ve written a poem about Ayyám-i-Há. | Preparations for the Fast and ... | Well, it’s also a time to give gifts and have parties ... | |||
| What’s Ayyám-i-Há? | Little kids don’t fast! | That sounds fun! Let’s see your poem. |
Ayyám-i-Há! Ayyám-i-Há![edit]
“The Intercalary Days, February 26 to March 1, inclusive, should be days of preparation for the Fast, days of hospitality, charity and the giving of presents.” (BAHÁ’Í PRAYERS, p. 158.)
Letter to Bahá’í Parents[edit]
Dear friends,
All Bahá’í communities should make plans to celebrate Ayyám-i-Há (February 26–March 1), and each Bahá’í family should make plans of its own too. In this way, parents can create an anticipation in the minds and hearts of their children for the celebration of these joyful days, giving them something to look forward to year after year.
“According to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, the family being a human unit must be educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught in the family.” (PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE, Vol. 1, p. 163.)
All Bahá’ís, especially parents, must strive every day to live according to the Bahá’í teachings and, by example, teach the children all the virtues and attributes of God. The Intercalary Days are a time when many of the virtues can be reinforced by actions of love, kindliness, thoughtfulness, hospitality, giving, sharing, cooperation, and preparations for the Fast.
Even though Bahá’í children under fifteen do not observe the Fast, they do observe the preparations their parents, brothers, and sisters make. In this way, they learn what observing the Fast will mean to them some day.
It’s not too soon to start planning for these special days.
Warmest Bahá’í love, Tabby
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The Office of Child Education has been swamped with questions as a result of the recent questionnaire sent to all Bahá’í Assemblies and Groups. We request your patience. If you have not heard from us, you will soon.
RECOMMENDED READING[edit]
The December 17, 1971 issue of LIFE Magazine on “Children.”
Office of Child Education.
[Page 5]
Operation “Gabriel”
(continued from page 3)
The National Teaching Committee extends a warm invitation to all Bahá’ís to participate in “Gabriel”. You can pray for it, or attend the South Carolina Victory Conference, January 28–30, in Charleston (see last page for details), or “vie ye” in like spirit and help make yours the first all-Bahá’í state!
This is a new project and a new challenge. The Universal House of Justice in its Riḍván 1971 Message stated:
“The twin processes so clearly described by the beloved Guardian in his essay ‘The Unfoldment of World Civilization’—the steady progress and consolidation of the Cause of God on the one hand and the progressive disintegration of a moribund world on the other—will undoubtedly impose upon us new tasks, the obligation of devising new approaches to teaching, of demonstrating more clearly to a disillusioned world the Bahá’í way of life and making more effective the administrative institutions of the Faith. The authority and influence of National and Local Spiritual Assemblies will have to be strengthened in order to deal with larger Bahá’í communities;...”
Operation “Gabriel” is a trumpet call to the entire Bahá’í community of South Carolina, a call which is expected to echo across the nation. It is a call for unified action, heroic discipline, conscientious planning, material sacrifice, and spiritual maturity.
The friends in South Carolina are praying daily.
What Are They Doing?[edit]
As the chill winds sweep off Lake Michigan, the cleaning of the House of Worship continues. Working in a cable-suspended bucket, workmen carefully sandblast the ornate lower portion of the edifice. Years of pollution and wind-driven dirt have encrusted this area of the Temple with a dark color which has to be completely removed from the deep scrollwork.
By the time most of the friends receive this issue of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, the freezing temperatures of a Chicago winter will have forced the work to stop until spring, but by next summer the entire building will be much the same as envisioned by the architect, Louis Bourgeois. After the building has been cleaned, its surface will be sealed to prevent future discoloration.
Rúḥíyyih Khánum during her visit to this country in 1970.
[edit]
“...The news from your part of the world has been thrilling the hearts of the Bahá’ís everywhere and proves that when, far too long ago, Shoghi Effendi told the Americans if they were not meeting with a response in the North, then they should concentrate in the South, he meant what he said; but we so seldom listened.
“Our whole experience at that gathering was so thrilling and I would not have missed it for the world. It was my first time farther South than Charlottesville and a revelation in many ways. Do keep up the momentum, for such waves are not steady but have to be ridden right in to the shore; I think all over the world there are opportunities right now that are priceless and unique, and if we think they are a new and permanent situation we are fools; whatever is going to come will be such an upheaval that the entire picture everywhere will be changed; so now is the time to run ahead like a grass fire and let nothing stop us but some major change, over which we have no control, and not our own folly or a fit of cautiousness, or ‘Let us consolidate before we go any further.’ The Guardian said we must never stop the teaching, and the consolidation must just go along with it. I often wonder what we think consolidation is; surely teaching itself helps to deepen the new Bahá’í who is teaching. And we are all learning all the time—we never finish and graduate as perfect believers!
“Violette (Nakhjavání) joins me in sending you all the most loving greetings and best wishes for ever greater victories,”
(Editor’s note: The gathering referred to above was the Southeastern Summer School.)
NEWS IN BRIEF[edit]
Much More Next Issue!
Maggie Hursey makes Navajo fried bread for Unity Feast held in Montezuma.
Bahá’ís make commemoration pilgrimage to Dublin, New Hampshire to honor ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit there in 1912. From left to right, Marzieh Gail, Elliot Allison, Nancy Bowditch, and Wayne Hoover.
Mayor Moon Landrieu receives THE PROCLAMATION OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH from the Bahá’í Association of Tulane University on behalf of the New Orleans Bahá’í Community.
Friends share understanding of Faith while manning information table during observation of Human Rights Day 1971, sponsored by the Bahá’ís of Greater St. Louis, Missouri.
Children giving program to celebrate Naw-Rúz. They are participants of the Child Education Program of the Bahá’ís of the Greater St. Louis Area, Missouri.
Jeanne Rebstock of Redwood Falls (with guitar) singing to a group of Indian friends from Upper and Lower Sioux Agencies at the Columbus home in Morton, Minnesota.
University of Alabama Bahá’í Club Proclamation. Left to right: Don Youngquist, Harvey Dean, and visitor.
The activity produced an increase in membership on campus.
Bahá’í babies, Maxie Young and Herold Ostovar of Italy, Texas, a new community which sprung from mass teaching in the area.
Panel display at the airport in Minnesota put up by Bahá’ís of Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and Anoka.
Dr. Elsie Austin, center, guest speaker, at a meeting hosted by the Slidell, Louisiana Bahá’í Community last November. Many nationalities, races, and out-of-town guests attended.
Commemoración del Nacimiento de Bahá’u’lláh, in Miami.
Alicia Stahl (10) reading prayers.
Children of Time Captivate Campus Audiences[edit]
Colleges and Universities Ripe for Direct Teaching
[Page 9]
Children of Time (continued from page 8)
Weeks before the CHILDREN OF TIME road show arrives on campus to perform, the sponsoring community has been making preparations. The college club has consulted with the Local Spiritual Assembly, plans have been laid, and task forces appointed. A special force has been busy making every attempt to get as much publicity as possible through the media of radio and newspapers. Another force has been running to and fro placing the yellow and orange CHILDREN OF TIME posters in every available spot—dorms, lecture halls, coffee shops, student unions, and even on trees! The frequent mention of Bahá’u’lláh, the hive of activity, the anticipation and excitement have already generated a certain spirit in the air.
The day of the first performance arrives. The CHILDREN pack, get on the road, and reach campus to receive warm and loving greetings. They see and appreciate the work their brothers and sisters have done in preparation for the two-day event.
Before the performance, the CHILDREN come together to consult and say prayers. Then the show begins. The message is given directly through songs, script-reading, and slides. Verses from THE HIDDEN WORDS are sung; the story of Bahá’u’lláh’s banishment and imprisonment is told; slides of both the new and the old world flash by. The people are then invited to become Bahá’ís. The CHILDREN sing, “We all come from God and unto Him do we return.” The audience is moved to applaud again and again. Everyone starts singing, and a unity circle is formed.
There are tremendous vibrations of love for one’s fellowman, joy, and enthusiasm. Some of the people are declaring and others are saying, “Tell me more! I want to know more!” And they do learn more at the fireside which follows the performance.
The excitement intensifies the next morning as the friends come together to say prayers, sing, and talk a little about the previous evening. Orientation is then given on direct teaching. Consultation reveals that some are reluctant to participate in the teaching because they think it’s too pushy; some don’t think it will work on campus because so many students seem to be apathetic, cynical, and uninterested. Others are ready to try, and some are really eager. More prayers are said; volunteers are called for; teams are organized and then directed to specified areas both on and off campus. Many find, to their surprise, that the people are more receptive than they thought; they do listen, they are not apathetic; they say they will come to the show, and they do! Throughout the day, the teaching pitch gathers momentum. The CHILDREN OF TIME also participate in the teaching and by evening are as excited as anyone else. Everyone who has been out teaching is excited—everyone is happy!
Can you imagine a hall filled to capacity with people who have come as a result of a direct teaching campaign? It’s happening, and it can happen ON YOUR CAMPUS. Try it!
Are you interested in learning how to start building a road show? If so, please contact:
- Office of Youth and Student Activities
- 112 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
BAHÁ’Í NEWS[edit]
And What They Say About It
“The praise and complimentary remarks were so numerous, at Feast, for the last issue of the BAHÁ’Í NEWS that it was the unanimous decision to tell you how much we appreciate such a good issue.
“The old members reveled in reminiscing and the new members were happy and need to learn of our past—the stories and the people. The balance was splendid. It tapped both old and new to relate some of their experiences over the coffee and cake. Thank you.” (Marion County Bahá’í Group, Salem, Oregon)
COMING IN THE FEBRUARY ISSUE: the fifth chapter of the Safari of Hand of the Cause of God Rúḥíyyih Khánum: a story of how music was used to promote the Faith; and the story of the first Bahá’í Club in all of Latin America, and many more articles of interest.
It has been decided that Bahá’í youth under fifteen years of age cannot be subscribers to BAHÁ’Í NEWS. Money will be refunded for those who have already subscribed.
What is Operation Wildfire?[edit]
COME AND FIND OUT!
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS:
Raise the number of Bahá’í college clubs from 250 to 300
Raise the number of Bahá’í high school clubs from 29 to 50
Raise the number of Bahá’í junior high school clubs from 1 to 10!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
BY COMING TO ONE OF THREE REGIONAL CONFERENCES AT WHICH “WILDFIRE” WILL BE EXPLAINED.
THERE, YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO BUILD A BAHÁ’Í ROAD SHOW; OR
HOW TO CONDUCT AN IN-DEPTH WEEKEND (WE) INSTITUTE
BOTH OF WHICH ARE PART OF AN AUDACIOUS PLAN TO PROCLAIM ON ALL SCHOOL CAMPUSES THE COMING OF THE PROMISED ONE, BAHÁ’U’LLÁH.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS:
A PREVIEW OF SOME NEW BAHÁ’Í FILMS
INFORMATION ON SUMMER PROJECTS IN EUROPE AND SOUTH AMERICA (BE PREPARED TO BE RECRUITED)
ALL BAHÁ’Í STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.
ALL LOCAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES, REGIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEES, DISTRICT TEACHING COMMITTEES AND BAHÁ’Í CAMPUS CLUBS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND AT LEAST ONE REPRESENTATIVE.
ALL BAHÁ’ÍS ON CAMPUSES WHO HAVE REQUESTED MATERIALS FROM THE OFFICE OF YOUTH AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE FORMATION OF BAHÁ’Í CLUBS ARE ASKED TO MAKE CONCERTED EFFORTS TO FORM BEFORE THE CONFERENCE IN THEIR REGION SO THAT THEIR VICTORIES CAN BE ANNOUNCED THEN.
LOCATIONS[edit]
- FEBRUARY 5-6 CENTRAL REGION
- (Sponsored by the Beloit Community and College Club.)
- For further information, contact:
- Mrs. Margaret Clayton
- 617 Bluff, Beloit, Wisconsin 53511
- Phone: (608) 362-9070
- FEBRUARY 12-13 WESTERN REGION
- (Sponsored by the Hayward Community and California State College.)
- For further information, contact:
- Miss Anne Sharrar
- 1733 “D” Street, Hayward, California 94541
- Phone: (415) 537-0625
- FEBRUARY 19-20 NORTHEASTERN REGION (Sponsored by the Mansfield Community and University of Connecticut Bahá’í Club.)
- For further information, contact:
- Mr. David Clayborne, Jr.
- 78 Northwood Apartments, Storrs, Connecticut 06268
- Phone: (203) 429-4977
A Call For Reinforcements[edit]
Auxiliary Board Member Jane McCants on behalf of Continental Board of Counsellors of North America.
Last year, heroic efforts in mass teaching won thousands of new recruits to the Faith among the black people of the South. Our jubilation soared when these newly-born Bahá’ís formed hundreds of Local Spiritual Assemblies at Riḍván, pushing well past our Nine Year Plan goal for new Assemblies....
Great excitement and enthusiasm was generated as a result of these heroic mass teaching efforts. Songs were sung; through rain and snow, troops of Bahá’ís marched in remote villages to bring tidings of His Cause; the flame of mass teaching spread to new territories every weekend; persecution was encountered and overcome; thousands of blacks enrolled under the unfurled banner of Bahá’u’lláh; and news of our victories spread like wildfire. All of this was accomplished by a relatively small number of dedicated Bahá’ís.
Now we face the challenge of maintaining the rate of expansion and of consolidating victories already won. The number of active participants who won those early battles is too small to enlarge and safeguard that triumph. WE NEED YOUR HELP!
From the main body of the American Bahá’í community we need pioneers, traveling teachers, and funds. In the few areas where pioneers have settled, consolidation is under way and expansion continues. Elsewhere, this is not so. It is almost impossible to consolidate without a pioneer as an organizing nucleus for the new community. TWO HUNDRED PIONEERS could secure our twofold goal in these new outposts of Bahá’í civilization.
Without these reinforcements, a promise is broken, a trust betrayed. The black people of the South who accepted Bahá’u’lláh will be left with words, not deeds.
We appeal to you to prayerfully consider your ability to pioneer in the South and help us secure a victory which may, lacking reinforcements, be snatched from our hands. Let us not fail... when the hour of sacrifice presents itself. This is the moment when the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in America must distinguish themselves.... Shedding all traces of timidity, apathy, and complacency, they must arise to perform deeds of sacrifice worthy of the trust ‘Abdu’l-Bahá bequeathed to them; and to accomplish their civilization-building goals of the Formative Age in the spiritually fertile black areas of the South. Bahá’u’lláh has claimed to have the power to transform hearts; let our deeds portray... the world-redeeming love His Revelation instills in the hearts of His followers.
If interested, please contact:
- SOUTHERN REGIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE
- Miss Magdalene Carney, Secretary
- 424 Johnson Street
- Canton, Mississippi 39046
- Phone: (601) 859-1875
- SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE
- Mrs. Alberta Williford, Secretary
- 140 Clarine Drive
- Goose Creek, South Carolina 29445
- Phone: (803) 797-1024
How Much Must We Give?[edit]
Regarding the spiritual significance of making contributions to Bahá’í Funds, we would like very much to share with the friends the following talk given by Mr. Horace Holley on April 24, 1952, from the Convention floor at the National Bahá’í Convention in Wilmette, Illinois.
“We must get away from the psychology of raising funds. The greatest souls who lived in this age were, perhaps, the Letters of the Living; they who recognized the Báb before He was recognized by the world. Now the price of their recognition was the complete dedication of their souls to the Cause of God. They did not say ‘how much must we give’ because they gave their all, and the blessed Báb, Himself, set the seal of acceptance upon them when they were thrown to the dogs, when they were butchered, and cut down, and tortured by the people of their land. We see what the Cause required to become established and there were souls enough to respond to assure the victory of the Faith in that age.
“Now we come to the time when, in the expansion of the Faith, and in the dire condition of mankind, the Guardian in his vision, acting under the spirit that flows through him, has set a time and a goal; and as far as I can see, friends, the longer we talk about the details either of the teaching plan or of the budget, the more we are inclined to talk ourselves out of the point of decision. The thing that we need here is a new sense of personal consecration, and when that is attained, that spirit is unifying, and you will be able to see how all of the picture blends into a marvellous whole — there will be harmony in your life; and until that point is attained, the methods are only human expedients.
“We do not determine the amount of sacrifice needed to establish ourselves in the Cause of God, but God determines it for us collectively. There is something to be done and we must do it. We are all part of this one redeeming spirit.
“My friends, the life of humanity hangs in the balance. We are not building shrines and temples — we are redeeming humanity and bringing it into the Light, and so my appeal to myself first, and to you only second, is that we do not get beyond the point of the sense of consecration, and let the methods and the amounts, and the means be absolutely secondary and unimportant, because the heart that is filled with love will find ways to sacrifice and the heart that rejects love — it can write a check but it is not doing service to the Cause of God!”
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation[edit]
The Bahá’í Community of Lincoln, Nebraska, staged a gigantic proclamation in an effort to emancipate everyone from the bonds of hatred, prejudice, injustice, and moral confusion. “BAHÁ’Í WEEK”, as it was officially proclaimed, began on Monday, November 8 and continued, without the slightest break in enthusiasm, until November 13.
So great was the spirit, that Bahá’ís and their guests from as far away as Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, and the distant corners of Nebraska attended. These travels were certainly not without reward, and the satisfaction which served as the proof was plainly written on everyone’s face. But a bountiful week was only natural since the City of Lincoln has always held a special regard for the Bahá’í Faith. It was during His visit to the United States in 1912 that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá graced Lincoln by scheduling a special stop-over there to visit the William Jennings Bryans who had attempted in vain to see Him while they were traveling in the Middle East.
During the festivities of BAHÁ’Í WEEK, many special events were scheduled in addition to a mammoth teaching campaign. Among the highlights of the special activities were presentations of THE PROCLAMATION OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH to the Governor at the state capitol and to the Mayor and Lieutenant Governor at City Hall, a puppet show by the Bahá’í children at a nearby orphanage, and a concert performance by Seals and Crofts at The University of Nebraska.
By Gary J. Brenz
Do You Have the Time to Help Change the World?[edit]
“The paramount goal of the teaching work at the present time is to carry the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to every stratum of human society and every walk of life....”(WELLSPRING OF GUIDANCE, p. 124.)
During SUMMER PROJECTS ’71, a milestone in this teaching process was reached. We went to Europe and South America to work hand in hand with our Bahá’í family there; to reach out beyond where we had been before.
For example, how was Switzerland able to almost double its Bahá’í population in just one summer? Ask a friend who was there!
“The friends must now take the Message to the rest of humanity. The time is ripe and the opportunities illimitable. We are not alone nor helpless. Sustained by our love for each other and given power through the Administrative Order—so laboriously erected by our beloved Guardian—the army of Light can achieve such victories as will astonish posterity.” (WELLSPRING OF GUIDANCE, p. 120.)
WHERE WILL YOU BE THIS SUMMER?
Can you speak French, German, Italian or Spanish? If not, are you willing to learn? (If you can speak English, we need you too!)
Can you save enough money to support yourself this summer?
Summer Projects ’72
Interested?
After all, it is we who have been given the task of bringing the New World Order into reality. This is the age, and THE TIME IS NOW!
Job Opportunities Overseas[edit]
Peru[edit]
Machine Shop Foreman. Please do not apply unless you are fluent in Spanish, can work in high altitudes, have an extensive machine shop background, and are single. These are the requirements specified by the contractor. If you fill all of the above qualifications, please write for further information to:
- INTERNATIONAL GOALS COMMITTEE
- 110 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
Finland[edit]
Electronics Engineers are required for the electronics division of a company located in Helsinki. Only those with broad research, development, marketing and management backgrounds should apply. Someone with line experience and responsibility is preferred. The language requirement is not specified, nor is marital status. If you satisfy the above qualifications, please write for further information to:
- INTERNATIONAL GOALS COMMITTEE
- 110 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, the Dawning Place of the Mention of God
Panama House of Worship Dedication
April 29-30, 1972
No,
IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO COME TO PANAMA WITH US ON OUR CHARTERED FLIGHTS.
HOWEVER, WE NEED YOUR $100 DEPOSIT IMMEDIATELY—SO PLEASE SEND IT TO US UPON RECEIPT OF THIS ISSUE OF “THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í”.
- THE PANAMA COMMITTEE
- 110 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
OPERATION Gabriel[edit]
| PURPOSE: | TO LAUNCH OPERATION “GABRIEL” (SEE PAGES 3 AND 5) |
| DATES: | JANUARY 28-30, 1972 |
| PLACE: | FRANCIS MARION HOTEL, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA |
| HIGHLIGHTS: | HAND OF THE CAUSE OF GOD DR. RAḤMATU’LLÁH MUHÁJIR MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY PREVIEW OF NEW BAHÁ’Í PROCLAMATION FILMS DEEP SOUTH COMMITTEE’S ALL NEW MUSIC SHOW THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA—THE STATE WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF BAHÁ’ÍS |
REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN AT 4 P.M. ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, AT THE FRANCIS MARION HOTEL, CORNER OF KING AND CALHOUN STREETS, IN DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON. COME PREPARED TO VOLUNTEER YOUR SERVICES IN OPERATION “GABRIEL”. THE CONFERENCE IS BEING SPONSORED BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA REGIONAL TEACHING COMMITTEE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE SECRETARY OF THAT COMMITTEE, MRS. ALBERTA WILLIFORD, 140 CLARINE AVENUE, GOOSE CREEK, SOUTH CAROLINA 29445 (TELEPHONE 803/797-1024).
ACCOMMODATIONS: ROOMS AT THE RATE OF $9 SINGLE AND $14 DOUBLE ARE AVAILABLE BY WRITING OR CALLING THE FRANCIS MARION HOTEL, CHARLESTON, SC 29402 (TELEPHONE 803/722-8831). SPECIFY “BAHÁ’Í” AND GIVE ARRIVAL DATE AND NUMBER IN PARTY. OTHER LESS EXPENSIVE ACCOMMODATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT REGISTRATION. THERE ARE NEARBY RESTAURANTS FOR MEALS.
PREPARE NOW FOR
AYYÁM-I-HÁ
FEB. 26 - MAR. 1
Inclusive
And NAW-RÚZ
MAR. 21
150 Declarations in Mississippi
MOMENTUM GATHERS IN MISSISSIPPI AS OPERATION “LAZARUS” BEGINS TO AWAKEN MASSES
150 NEAR JACKSON RESPOND TO THE CALL IN TWO WEEKS
The American Bahá’í
112 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS 60091
JANUARY 1972
In This Issue
Further Developments at World Center
Operation “Gabriel”—Exciting New Program for South Carolina
South Carolina Victory Conference, January 28-30
Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum
Regional “Wildfire” Conferences
Summer Projects ’72
