The American Bahá’í/Volume 3/Issue 6/Text
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[Page 1]
In the last issue of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, we shared pictures of the Mother Temple of Latin America located in Panamá, the three Hands of the Cause who were present at the Dedication services and the conference which followed, and the architect who designed the Temple, Mr. Peter Tillotson. We are now happy to share some more pictures and information.
Top left: A night view of the Temple, the glorious Silent Teacher which attracts many, many visitors both day and night.
Center: Sixteen Indian tribes from the Americas were represented at these historic gatherings, some of whom are pictured here.
Bottom left: Mr. Franklin Kahn, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, and its representative at the Dedication, with his wife (center) and a Guaymí Indian from the Chiriquí area of Panamá.
Bottom right: Part of the audience whose colorful diversity enriched the Dedication services.
The approximately 4,000 friends who attended the Dedication had the great spiritual bounty and privilege of viewing the Sacred Portraits of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
A cablegram to The Universal House of Justice from the Conference reported 103 offers to pioneer, contributions of over $7,000, and 2,400 enrollments of new believers during the four weeks prior to the Conference.
Who Built the Panamá Temple?[edit]
Only the National Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Panamá know the whole story of the building of their impressive House of Worship out on Cerro Sonsonate, six miles from the city. Since 1964 when they accepted the challenge of their World Center in Haifa, Israel, to “Build a Temple in Panamá,” theirs has been the burden and privilege of the staggering decisions and administrative labor.
This is the first or Mother Temple of Latin America. Its erection is of international concern. Though locally the membership was few in numbers and resources, it knew that the whole Bahá’í world community of over 3,000,000 in 313 countries would rally to its assistance.
The National Treasurer tells that story:
“The money has all come from Bahá’ís—every cent of the $1,000,000 it will cost after the nine gardens have been landscaped. Funds are never solicited nor accepted from the public for our Institutions. They are a free gift to humanity.
“Generous gifts from our wealthy members and other National Assemblies have come, but the greater portion has been sent by individuals who have sacrificed until it hurt. We are taught that the spiritual reward of giving is in proportion to the sacrifice involved. Some have even taken this literally, and given all.
“Like the Guaymi Indian who walked up to the speakers table when the call went out for funds, emptied his pockets of every cent he had (49 of them) and said, ‘For the Temple’! Or the old lady in Africa who brought an egg to be sold and we received the 28 cents ‘for the Temple.’
“The money has come from the $2 and the $5 saved from the budgets of teachers, housewives, laborers, professionals, farmers. The most regular contributor we had was a man in Texas who has sent a check for $10, sometimes $20, on the first of every month for all these years.”
It has come from Canada and Switzerland, from Brazil and Japan, from Hawaii and Germany and Vietnam. And the San Blas Islands, where the Cuna women sold their beautiful molas and proudly presented $93 “for the Temple.”
Countless services have also been rendered. Three Bahá’í engineers hurried to Panamá to assist. The secretarial load has been tremendous with correspondence going out to so many individuals and 94 National Assemblies; progress reports, letters of acknowledgement, articles for magazines, public relations jobs. One local family has nurtured thousands of saplings and shrubs until they could be transplanted to the gardens. Artists and typists, printers and writers, photographers and carpenters and many, many others have lent their time and talents “to the Temple.”
From the selection of the unique architectural design so beautifully suited to the contour of the mountain setting, to the Dedication-Conference, April 29–May 2, all has been teamwork, freely donated. (BAHÁ’Í NEWS, June 1972, p. 7)
Tapping Sources of Celestial Strength[edit]
(Editor’s note: The following is the last part of a three-part condensation of a talk given by Dr. Daniel Jordan, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, December 5, 1970, in Wilmette, Illinois. The first and second parts were presented in the April and May issues of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, respectively.)
Shoghi Effendi told the American community that we have “untapped sources of celestial strength from which (we) can draw.” The Universal House of Justice told us that ours is not a material problem but a spiritual one, and that as long as we continue to try to find a material solution to that problem we will not be successful.
The spiritual virtues of COMMITMENT, RESPONSIBILITY, and SACRIFICE are of critical importance in the building of the new World Order, and each believer must know how to tap the sources of celestial strength in order to play his part in this process.
We must first make our COMMITMENT, set our goals, clarify our intentions and arrange our priorities; and secondly, we must provide the means to facilitate our checking regularly on how we are doing. This develops the wonderful feelings which support, nurture, and underlie the virtue of RESPONSIBILITY when we achieve our goal, which leads us to the third important virtue of SACRIFICE.
SACRIFICE can be looked at in two ways, the traditional way and the spiritual way.
The traditional way is one in which a sacrifice is something of value which you give up, either something which you would like to have, something which would be inconvenient for you to be without, would be bothersome for you to miss, or would deprive you of something needful.
The spiritual way of looking at sacrifice is more critical for our purpose. The word sacrifice comes from a Latin base meaning “to make sacred.” We have forgotten that giving sacrificially has anything to do with making it sacred. Giving something for a holy purpose turns that act into a spiritual one and has reactive effects upon the giver! We should want to give something that is precious for a holy purpose; and the way we can demonstrate that what we give is precious is that it represents a sacrifice in the traditional sense of the word. This places a spiritual value upon our gift.
Making a sacrifice has a reactive effect upon the giver. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said that we become like the thing to which we give sacrificially. If we give ourselves sacrificially to material pursuits, we become materialistic. If we give sacrificially to spiritual things, we become spiritual.
When we begin to feel the effects of our sacrificial giving for spiritual purposes reflect back upon us, then we will know we have tapped the sources of celestial strength.
In ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement on the two stations of sacrifice, we are told that the first station is one where the lover sacrifices himself to the loved one—wants to be with him, wants to please him, etc.
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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. |
The second station has to do with becoming like the thing to which we give sacrificially. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gives the example of iron. It is cold, blackened, and in the earth. If it will sacrifice itself to the fire what qualities will it take on? It takes on the qualities of the fire. The iron becomes hot, glows red, and is flexible.
If we want to become spiritual beings, we must sacrifice what we have to a spiritual thing. The greatest spiritual thing happening on the planet today is the creation of the new World Order based on spiritual principles.
It is sacrificial giving that taps the sources of celestial strength and gives us the necessary energy, sorts out our lives, and protects us.
Our Summer Schools[edit]
Queen Marie of Rumania described the Bahá’í Faith as “a wide embrace.” Perhaps nowhere else is this as true as in the Bahá’í summer schools. While providing ample time for pleasure and genuine recreation, the main object of the Bahá’í summer schools is serious—to afford an opportunity to draw near to God through study and through association with others, in an atmosphere of devotion.
There is much to study. The Bahá’í Writings are voluminous. Bahá’u’lláh teaches that the purpose of religion in general and of His own revelation in particular is “the establishment of order in the world and of tranquillity amongst its peoples.” The Bahá’í Writings show us the means to the attainment of such order and tranquillity, today so vital to our very existence. To promote serious study is one of the primary functions of the schools.
Another function, contingent upon this but no less important, is the creation of an environment in which one can live as fully as possible the Bahá’í life, a place where one can find relief from the tensions and from the national, racial, and religious animosities with which the world afflicts us. Here we can be trained in the practice of those virtues needed for a civilization where all men can live harmoniously together and each individual can develop his highest spiritual powers.
What are these virtues and how can they be demonstrated at the summer schools?
The first is a world-embracing vision, in which all prejudices, be they those of color, of nationality, or of religious background, will disappear. Students at a Bahá’í school will notice such differences in their companions only because they lend interest and variety to the whole.
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Qualities to Live By
Would that the hearts of men could comprehend it! Wash yourselves thoroughly, O people of Bahá, from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness. The things of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon this most holy and effulgent Vision. That which beseemeth you is the love of God, and the love of Him Who is the Manifestation of His Essence, and the observance of whatsoever He chooseth to prescribe unto you, did ye but know it. Say: Let truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning. Suffer not yourselves to be deprived of the robe of forbearance and justice, that the sweet savours of holiness may be wafted from your hearts upon all created things. Say: Beware, O people of Bahá, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest to the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth His commandments. Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct. It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the whole earth. Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and keepeth the precepts prescribed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH, pp. 303-4. |
A world-embracing vision is not conducive to the formation of cliques and small exclusive groups. Naturally we all make friends according to our individual tastes and we like to be with them as much as possible, but let us devote part of our time at the schools to discovering the special qualities of those whom we do not know so well and to making all our fellow guests feel that they too are included in this wide embrace.
The Bahá’í Faith also demands in us certain other standards of individual conduct. It forbids the use of alcoholic beverages and drugs, and stresses moderation, modesty, and propriety in our daily lives. The reaction in this country against a rigid and bigoted Puritanism, which seemed to frown on all pleasures, brought with it an inordinate emphasis on freedom. Since the first world war, modesty in behavior and dress has been, decade by decade, redefined until it has almost been cast aside entirely as prudish and old-fashioned. But there are many people in the United States who have a feeling for modesty and good taste, and in numerous other countries some of our American customs are offensive. The Bahá’í Faith is for all the world, and in the summer schools visitors from foreign countries are frequent. They should not go away with a false idea of Bahá’í standards of conduct.
These standards have been clearly defined by Shoghi Effendi in THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE and are familiar to all of us. While the “chaste and holy life” we are called upon to live “can tolerate no compromise with the theories, the standards, the habits, and the excesses of a decadent age,” this does not mean that we should not have fun. It means that our pleasures should have a different basis. “It must be remembered,” the Guardian tells us, “that the maintenance of such a high standard of moral conduct is not to be associated or confused with any form of asceticism, or of excessive and bigoted puritanism. The standard inculcated by Bahá’u’lláh seeks, under no circumstances, to deny anyone the legitimate right and privilege to derive the fullest advantage and benefit from the manifold joys, beauties, and pleasures with which the world has been so plentifully enriched by an All-Loving Creator.”
This is a new faith, and some people suppose it to be very strange. The behavior of Bahá’ís is being closely observed. Outsiders looked curiously at the summer schools to see what our teachings are and whether or not we live up to them. Some may even suspect us of practicing nudism and free love. To protect the Faith from misrepresentation and to enable the schools to run smoothly and in an orderly fashion, certain rules have been set up. These are not arbitrary nor unreasonable. They are aids in establishing order in the school so that the Bahá’í ideals can be put into practice.
We look forward to a new world civilization, based on a world order. Order presupposes law and the willingness of the people to obey it. Obedience to law for love of Him was the first lesson Bahá’u’lláh taught the people when He began His mission. The rules of the summer schools have been made as few as possible. They derive their authority from the National Spiritual Assembly, and compliance with them by Bahá’ís is a duty as well as an act of courtesy.
Here we are offered opportunity to attain, in an approximation of the ideal Bahá’í environment, that learning which illuminates all learning. “The Word which is uttered by God,” says Bahá’u’lláh, “shineth and flasheth as the sun amidst the books of men.” As Bahá’ís, we have the privilege of helping to create that environment and on each of us rests the responsibility of representing our faith before the world, for are each of us not one of “the bearers of the name of God in this Day”? (BAHÁ’Í NEWS, June 1958, p. 17)
Bahá’í Child Education and Family Life[edit]
As we have been told many times, the education of Bahá’í children is of prime importance. Beginning with this issue of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í, the Office of Child Education will attempt to provide a simple program for Bahá’í children. Among our suggestions to Bahá’í parents are:
- Work with your child on the various activities; much of his learning will come through his interaction with you.
- Add to or subtract from the activities, as necessary, to make them suitable to your child.
- Let these activities be a springboard for your own creativity, as well as your child’s, in learning about and making the Bahá’í Faith a way of life.
Here is the first of many activities on the quality of Bahá’í life. Try to work on this quality this month. On the lines write one example of how you showed this quality. Begin a book by cutting out this “example” and pasting it on heavier paper or cardboard.
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COURTESY My example of being courteous |
Here is the first in a series of activities on the principles of the Bahá’í Faith. One will appear in each issue. These can be cut out and pasted on heavier paper or cardboard to make a book.
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“All humanity are the children of God; they belong to the same family, to the same original race.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE, p. 293) Activity: Make a collage of faces of people who are of different races. You can use old magazines, postcards, and even this newspaper to find pictures. |
HOLY DAY[edit]
Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Báb
July 9 (Raḥmat 16)
Do you know how the Báb was martyred? Read (or have someone read to you) the story of His martyrdom in GOD PASSES BY, THE DAWN-BREAKERS, or RELEASE THE SUN.
Learn one of the Báb’s prayers in BAHÁ’Í PRAYERS, pages 106 and 107.
This is a Holy Day on which work should be suspended and children excused from school. Please note, however, that July 9 falls on a Sunday this year, in which case most Bahá’ís will not have to make such requests from their employers or from the school authorities. Believers who normally work on Sundays should make every effort to be excused from work on religious grounds.
Use this tree to keep a record of your activities. This can be done in two ways: 1) Color in a leaf each time you finish an activity; 2) Write inside a leaf the name of each activity you finish.
An Appeal for Pioneers[edit]
As we enter the closing months of the Nine Year Plan, we call your attention to the most recent Riḍván Message from The Universal House of Justice in which we are reminded that “It is the teaching goals which must engage our attention and effort.” It also stated that “Although more than 260 territories have achieved their assigned goals of localities where Bahá’ís reside,...there are still some 60 territories where this goal is yet to be won and where its attainment must be given absolute priority between now and Riḍván 1973.”
The beloved Guardian in his appeal for pioneers stated, “I would particularly direct my appeal to those American believers, sore-pressed as they are by the manifold, the urgent, and ever-increasing issues that confront them at the present hour, who may find it possible, whatever be their calling or employment, whether as businessmen, schoolteachers, lawyers, doctors, writers, office workers, and the like, to establish permanently their residence in such countries as may offer them a reasonable prospect of earning the means of livelihood... Should they find it impossible to take advantage of so rare and sacred a privilege, let them, mindful of the words of Bahá’u’lláh, determine, each according to the means at his or her disposal, to appoint a deputy, who, on that believer’s behalf, will arise and carry out so noble an enterprise.... ‘Whoso is unable, it is his duty to appoint him who will, in his stead, proclaim this Revelation,...’ ” (THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE, pp. 55-56)
The following is a listing of the countries in which the United States has unfilled goals which must be completed by Riḍván 1973.
| Europe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Azores | (P) | 3 | |
| Denmark | (SC) | 3 | |
| Finland | (SC) | 3 | |
| Italy | 1 | ||
| Madeira | (P) | 1 | |
| Netherlands | 2 | ||
| Norway | 3 | ||
| Portugal | (P) | 6 | |
| Americas | |||
| Uruguay | (S) | 3 | |
| Venezuela | (S) | 2 | |
| Africa | |||
| Afars and Issas | (F) | 1 | |
| (French Territory) | |||
| Cameroon | (F) | 2 | |
| Dahomey | (F) | 1 | |
| Gabon | (F) | 2 | |
| Malawi | (E) | 1 | |
| St. Helena | (E) | 2 | |
| Tanzania | (E) | 2 | |
| Togo | (F) | 1 |
| Asia | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 2 | ||
| Japan | 1 | ||
| Kazakhstan | (CP) | 1 | |
| Laos | 2 | ||
| Portuguese Timor | (P) (CP) | 1 | |
| Ukraine | (CP) | 1 | |
| Australasia | |||
| Western Samoa | (E) | 1 | |
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| KEY: | |||
| (CP) | Circumstances permitting | ||
| (SC) | Special circumstances | ||
| (E) | English-speaking countries | ||
| (F) | French-speaking countries | ||
| (P) | Portuguese-speaking countries | ||
| (S) | Spanish-speaking countries | ||
| The figures on the right indicate the number of pioneers required. | |||
| If you are interested in pioneering to any of these goals, please contact: INTERNATIONAL GOALS COMMITTEE, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091 | |||
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Pioneer Emphasis Week
Here is your opportunity to ask those questions and find out what the pioneering opportunities are abroad... Spend a week at Davison Bahá’í School attending PIONEER EMPHASIS WEEK, July 24-28, 1972 There will be classes and workshops conducted by members of the International Goals Committee and its staff as well as by those who have experienced pioneering firsthand. Send your registration to:
Rates:
A 15 percent discount is offered for a family of four or more. |
YOUTH CONFERENCE
There is still time to plan to attend the Youth Conference to be held in Hiroshima, Japan, this summer, and to participate in travel-teaching following the Conference. The dates of the Conference are July 28-30, 1972.
This is the first conference of its kind to be held in Northeast Asia and the National Spiritual Assembly of that community hopes for as much international participation as possible.
For further information, please contact:
- International Goals Committee
- 112 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60022
The Dawning Place of the Mention of God[edit]
From Delaware to California, from Michigan to Florida, eighteen of the friends came together at the House of Worship, June 2-4, for the first of a series of special programs planned for the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in this country. Tapping into the spiritual enrichment and the inspiration which emanates from this “holiest House of Worship,” and favored with a perfect spring weekend, the believers, whose ages in Bahá’í years ranged from 6 months to 12 years, participated in a wide range of confirming experiences which culminated with a unity gathering following the Sunday devotional program and public meeting at the House of Worship.
Arriving at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in nearby Skokie on Thursday evening, the friends were welcomed at a Unity Feast and were immediately immersed in the Bahá’í love which was showered upon them by Continental Counsellor Miss Edna M. True.
An intensive and varied deepening program during the weekend’s activities included warm and inspiring talks by Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Assistant Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, and by two Auxiliary Board Members, Miss Thelma Jackson and Mrs. Eunice Braun.
The pictures tell the rest.
If YOU would like to participate in one of these special programs, please read the information on page 8 and fill out the application form and send it to the House of Worship Activities Committee.
Leaving Foundation Hall in the House of Worship after an interesting presentation by the National Teaching Committee Secretary, Mr. Richard D. Betts.
On a tour of the administrative offices. Mrs. Myrtle Wendler, a member of the Secretariat staff, explaining some of her multi-faceted work. Other offices include the Treasurer’s Office and Membership and Records.
En route between the Secretariat and the offices of the International Goals Committee and the National Teaching Committee. Three of the friends volunteered to participate in Summer Projects ’72; one will go to Latin America and two to Europe.
On a tour of the House of Worship, Mr. Caswell Ellis pointing out the exquisite detail on the artist’s model of the Temple.
Room in which the National Spiritual Assembly deliberates. Miss Linfoot extending warm greetings on behalf of that Institution, after which she deepened the friends on its station and functions.
The friends photographed with members of the staff after a lawn luncheon in the gardens of the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, which translated means “The Sacred Fold.” It is the official title designating the headquarters of Bahá’í administrative activity.
Two of the friends welcoming visitors to the Auditorium of the House of Worship. Everyone was given the opportunity to serve as greeters or guides, as part of the deepening program.
“Intone, O My servant, the verses of God...” Each participant in this special program received the bounty of reading a prayer in the Auditorium.
[Page 8]
Visitors Program (continued from centerfold)
THE DATES FOR EACH VISIT ARE:
- July 7, 8 and 9, 1972
- August 18, 19 and 20, 1972
Whichever weekend you select, plan to arrive on Thursday evening, if possible, in time for a Unity Feast.
HOUSING will be arranged at the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge in Skokie, and
TRANSPORTATION will be provided, as follows:
Pick-up at O’Hare International Airport to the Motor Lodge; return trip to O’Hare for departure; one daily trip to the House of Worship each morning; and one return trip to the Lodge each evening.
RATES at the Lodge:
- 1 person $17.00 or $19.00
- 2 persons 20.00 or $24.00
- 3 persons 27.00 (two beds)
- 4 persons 30.00
There is a 5% tax on all accommodations. No extra charge for children under 12. No babysitting facilities are available. All housing and meal costs are to be paid by the visitors.
Pre-registration is mandatory. Reservations will be on a “first come, first served” basis.
THIS PROGRAM IS FOR BAHÁ’ÍS ONLY.
Devotional Programs[edit]
“Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths.” (BAHÁ’Í WORLD FAITH, p. 35)
It is our pleasure to offer you an exciting way to deepen—by inviting you to select the readings for a devotional program at the House of Worship.
Every Sunday afternoon at three o’clock, the House of Worship resounds with the praises of God; every program proclaims the advent of this glorious King of Days.
If you would like to participate, please send us your carefully thought-out program, following these guidelines:
Plan the program on a theme of general interest (unity, love, peace, the fulfillment of God’s Word, etc.)
To project the theme, select readings from each of the following:
- The Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
- The prayers of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
- Excerpts from the Scriptures of earlier religions, such as the Christian, Muhammadan, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Judaic, and Hindu.
Make certain that the Bahá’í Writings dominate the program (they may be used exclusively, if desired).
Give the source of each quotation.
Mail your proposed program to:
- Devotional Programs Committee
- Mrs. Jean Hutchinson, Secretary
- 1245 Shermer Avenue
- Northbrook, Illinois 60062
The committee will determine whether your program is to be used, and it reserves the right to modify a program where necessary. If your selection of readings is accepted for a devotional service, a copy of the program will be sent to you, as a joyful reminder of your active participation in a House of Worship service.
Teaching the Masses At Spring Fairs[edit]
During the Riḍván Festival, the Sacramento Bahá’í Community sponsored its second annual Spring Unity Faire in a downtown park.
There were folk singers, a barbershop quartet, country music, a flamenco guitarist, rock music, and a group of sitar players. The United Nations Chapter of Sacramento, the Esperanto Delegito, the Asian Community, Incorporated, and the Deganawidah-Quetzalcoatl University in Davis responded to an invitation to set up information booths so that they could show and relate their commendable efforts toward the unity of man. The Sacramento Bahá’ís displayed their white, nine-pointed, domed booth where many interested visitors received the glorious Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
Kitemakers, weavers, and a famous Chinese brush painter were among the artists who displayed and demonstrated their work at the fair. There was also a booth where children could color things that made them happy. A large blue and white pavilion was erected which provided some shade. Here, visitors could participate in embroidering a “Mankind Is One” tapestry.
Many Bahá’í communities helped in planning and coordinating the Spring Unity Faire. Almost 2 hours of free publicity was given to the Bahá’í Faith and the Faire, and almost 1,000 posters and 2,000 handbills were distributed. Television stations covered the event and gave air time on several news programs. Over 3,000 visitors from all walks of life came into the park, many of whom heard about the Bahá’í Faith for the first time.
Bahá’ís of Sacramento, California.
(continued on page 11)
The Imperative Need To Deepen[edit]
Bahá’ís often ask, “With so much Bahá’í literature available, where should I begin to study?” “What is meant by ‘deepening’?”
In its Riḍván 1967 message to the Bahá’ís of the world (WELLSPRING OF GUIDANCE, pp. 102-15), The Universal House of Justice stated that the sort of knowledge primarily meant by deepening is “a clearer apprehension of the purpose of God for man, and particularly of His immediate purpose as revealed and directed by Bahá’u’lláh.” The theme to be pursued in our efforts to deepen in the Cause is then suggested by The House of Justice: “What is Bahá’u’lláh’s purpose for the human race? For what ends did He submit to the appalling cruelties and indignities heaped upon Him? What does He mean by ‘a new race of men’? What are the profound changes which He will bring about?”
In that same message, it was also explained why there is such an imperative need for us to deepen in the Cause. The Universal House of Justice told us that, as our proclamation program becomes effective, “more and more attention will be directed to the claims of Bahá’u’lláh and opposition must be expected. ‘How great, how very great is the Cause!’ wrote the Master. ‘How very fierce the onslaught of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Ere long shall the clamor of the multitude throughout Africa, throughout America, the cry of the European and of the Turk, the groaning of India and China, be heard from far and near. One and all, they shall arise with all their power to resist His Cause.’ ”
Friends, as the confusion in the world increases, and the death pangs of the old order are being felt more and more strongly, how can we, as individuals, expect to survive unless we become firmly implanted in the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh? How can we hope to play our part in building the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh if we don’t have a clearer understanding of His stupendous Revelation and a conviction of our belief in His Cause? How can we expect to improve the quality of our Bahá’í lives if we don’t study, pray and meditate?
As a means of assisting the Bahá’ís in their deepening efforts, the National Teaching Committee has prepared materials for use at a specially developed weekend deepening institute (a WE Institute). These materials are comprised of some of the answers to the four questions raised by The Universal House of Justice. They by no means cover all of the answers which are to be found in the Sacred Writings of our Faith and in their interpretation by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi.
The WE Institute provides the opportunity for a serious study of the Writings over a three-day period in a setting as far removed as possible from the distractions and pace of everyday life. It also opens the door to a wider knowledge of the wealth of literature available to us and the enormous amount of study one needs to do on his own and with his fellow believers, whether at home, in his own community, at Bahá’í summer schools, special conferences or institutes, etc. Each WE Institute should be sponsored by a Local Spiritual Assembly or a District Teaching Committee, and should have a coordinator whose role is to conduct the sessions in an orderly way and to draw out the individual believer so that he is given the opportunity to express himself on the subject under discussion. The institute is not a lecture-type program. It is rather a sharing of thoughts, views, and feelings based upon a word, a sentence, or a paragraph from the Sacred Writings which someone has just read from the materials provided. It’s an immersion in the ocean of His words.
Several Local Spiritual Assemblies and District Teaching Committees have already sponsored WE Institutes, and we are happy to share the following expressions from various individuals who have attended such institutes in Arizona, Iowa, Vermont, and Tennessee:
“I came to a deeper comprehension of the inexpressible greatness of this Day, the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, and the bounty and responsibility of being a Bahá’í.”
“The deepening helped me to realize that Bahá’u’lláh suffered in order that I, and all the people in the world, might rise above the puny attractions of this world and turn to and obey God, learn to depend on the gifts of Bahá’u’lláh, suffer with joy the little day-to-day trials, recognize that the hurt and struggle is His love purifying me to become His instrument of aid to others.”
“(There grew) a deeper love for and dependence upon Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, The Universal House of Justice, the Writings of the Faith, and the Spiritual Assemblies.”
“The amount of time we spent together, eating meals, working, talking, playing, greatly intensified my awareness of the need and the joy of working in a group. The principle of universal participation was shown in action.”
“...the direction the group took, as inspired by the questions of The Universal House of Justice,...was towards a fuller realization of the purpose of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh and of our responsibility to strive constantly to exemplify His teachings.”
“The deepening on the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh aided me, and I believe all of us, tremendously in being able to apply the spiritual principles of the Faith in our daily lives.”
“There was a feeling of firmness in our purpose to serve the Cause of God and to understand specifically our responsibilities as Bahá’ís by following the laws of Bahá’u’lláh and the spiritual guidance He left us.”
“I feel that the use of the four questions from The Universal House of Justice is the best deepening guide for new believers, as it gives them a better understanding of the purpose of Bahá’u’lláh’s coming.”
To obtain the guidelines and study materials for a WE Institute, please write to the National Teaching Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
ATTENTION BAHÁ’Í YOUTH![edit]
We encourage all Bahá’í youth to attend a WE Institute. Perhaps at the Nineteen Day Feast during the consultation on teaching and deepening, you might suggest that your community or group consider holding an institute. Perhaps your College or High School Club would like to deepen together so that you can be better prepared for the work ahead (this, too, would have to be sponsored by a Local Spiritual Assembly or a District Teaching Committee). Take advantage of the summer months, the good weather, etc. TEACH! DEEPEN!
Office of Youth and Student Activities.
THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE[edit]
So far, the Office of Youth and Student Activities has received 450 postcards from youth who have completed the goal of reading THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE by Shoghi Effendi; however, there are over 14,000 youth in the United States so we have a long way to go before this goal is universally won.
Make a special effort to complete this goal by the end of the summer, and let this office know by sending in your postcard.
Office of Youth and Student Activities
BAHÁ’Í BOOKS AND MATERIALS[edit]
SPECIAL MATERIALS[edit]
6-28-03 Give Me That New Time Religion
A 21-minute motion picture (16mm, sound, color) featuring Bahá’í musicians Dizzy Gillespie, Geraldine Jones, and Seals and Crofts, and actress Linda Marshall. In an informal discussion, the entertainers present their personal feelings about the Faith. Interspersed throughout the interview are musical highlights from their performances at a public meeting held during the Caribbean Conference in Kingston, Jamaica, in May 1971. The film emphasizes brotherhood and international understanding. The film will be a valuable proclamation tool. Produced by Kiva Films.
$12 THREE-DAY RENTAL FEE
Full payment required with order.
6-28-04 Have You Heard the News My Friend?
A 24-minute motion picture (16mm, sound, color) which documents Bahá’í teaching activities in the Deep South and during the Bahá’í Caribbean Conference held in Jamaica in May 1971. Much of the happiness and enthusiasm of the Bahá’í teachers is shown in the film, which also includes musical interludes recorded in the South and elsewhere. The film will be a valuable aid in teaching and proclamation programs. Produced by Kiva Films.
$12 THREE-DAY RENTAL FEE
Full payment required with order.
TO ORDER: For either purchase or rental, use a Special Materials order blank. Full cash payment (Net—no discounts) must be sent with order to either rent or buy. For rental use, you must pay return postage. PLEASE SPECIFY DATES NEEDED, WITH ALTERNATES IF POSSIBLE. ALLOW AT LEAST 15 DAYS FOR DELIVERY.
6-30-35 Convention Highlights 1972
Highlights of the 1972 National Bahá’í Convention reflecting the spirit of the National Community coming to terms with mass teaching, the positive attitude with which it looks to the future, and the excitement with which it prepares to win the remaining goals of the Nine Year Plan and to present as a gift to The Universal House of Justice the victories it wins in exceeding those goals.
$2.50
Bahá’í Jazzman “Dizzy” Gillespie featured in new motion picture.
BAHÁ’Í LITERATURE[edit]
The Trusted Ones of God: The Local Spiritual Assembly
A study booklet on the Local Spiritual Assembly prepared by the National Teaching Committee. It combines, on facing pages, quotations from The Universal House of Justice Compilation, The Local Spiritual Assembly; short explanations; and drawings of multiracial groups which illustrate the Local Assembly’s role and activities in its community. Illustrations by Dale Robison. Bright gold and orange cover, 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches. 47 pp.
1/$.15; 25/$3.00; 100/$11.00; 500/$50.00
The Message of Bahá’u’lláh
A new fold-out pamphlet designed primarily for mass teaching in the South and elsewhere, but which will be useful in any area when used with discretion. It explains, in simple language, drawings, and pictures, the stations of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as well as progressive revelation and Bahá’í laws. Space is provided for local Bahá’í addresses and phone numbers. The pamphlet folds to pocket size, 6 1/8 x 3 3/8 inches. Not sold in quantities of less than 100.
All prices NET: 100/$3.00; 1,000/$22.50; 2,200/$40.00 (carton price)
Suggested Guidelines for Teaching the Masses
An invaluable new handbook for Assemblies, committees, and individuals involved in teaching the masses. It draws heavily on instructions from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardian, and messages from The Universal House of Justice and the National Spiritual Assembly. Excellent compilation on teaching in general. 8 1/2 x 11 inches. 40 pp.
$0.50
The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh: Selections from the Holy Writings of the Bahá’í Faith
By Bahá’u’lláh
Contains selections from Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh which give a concise view of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. A brief introduction orients the reader to the time and place of the Revelation of God for this new Day. Originally prepared for the 1953 Jubilee, the compilation has now been printed in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch size, with antique gold cover. It enables Bahá’ís to place the Creative Word in the hands of receptive people in an inexpensive but appropriate form.
10/$2.50; 50/$10.00
The Goal of a New World Order
By Shoghi Effendi
The title of this booklet, which is also one of the chapters contained in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, points precisely to the theme. Although written in 1931, its analysis of the causes of the world’s problems is as applicable today as when written. Its presentation of the guiding principles of world order, given in the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, receive their clearest and most challenging expression in this communication originally addressed to Bahá’ís. Printed in 5 1/2 x 8 1/2-inch size, with gold cover, matching in format The Mission of Bahá’u’lláh. Together they form an impressive presentation of the Bahá’í Faith.
10/$2.50; 50/$10.00
HOW TO ORDER
Literature and Special Materials items must be handled separately. Using the order blank below, total each category in the space provided, and add the appropriate postage and handling charges before figuring the amount of your remittance. Personal orders must include full payment.
If possible, always order through a Bahá’í Community Librarian for postpaid handling on Literature orders of $5 or more and Special Materials orders of $10 or more.
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World Order World Order is appropriate for prestige presentations in your community, for friends and relatives expecting gifts, and for gifts to Bahá’ís and near-Bahá’ís. Bahá’í communities will find single issues containing articles on particular themes valuable for special presentations to community leaders. The Spring 1972 issue features a number of articles which you will not want to miss—a landmark article on the ANISA educational model and articles on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the early American believers, the equality of men and women, the use of the arts in education, and Anne Frank. Contributors include Daniel C. Jordan, Donald T. Streets, Cary L. Morrison, Mildred R. Mottahedeh, Dennis W. Shimeld, the late Rosey K. Pool (a teacher of Anne Frank), and Robert Hayden. The Fall 1971 issue, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, is still available and provides an excellent text for studying the life and Writings of the Master. In the near future, it will be available (through the Bahá’í Publishing Trust) in a hardcover edition. Both soft and hardcover editions are essential additions to any Bahá’í library. | ||||||||||||
Fall 1971 issue may be ordered through the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. All other orders should be addressed to:
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If you are wondering about a gift for a friend, perhaps you would like to consider a gift subscription to CHILD’S WAY. There are six issues per year; and it costs $4.50 per year in the United States and $5 (U.S.) per year outside the United States, surface mail. Send your check or money order with your name and address to CHILD’S WAY, Box 551, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002.
Spring Fairs (continued from page 8)
It was a great joy and bounty for the Bahá’ís in the Santa Cruz area of California to give hundreds of visitors the Message of Bahá’u’lláh at a Spring Fair, April 22-23, through the distribution of literature at a well-located booth and the response to many questions asked about the Faith, including how to pronounce Bahá’u’lláh’s Name which was clearly displayed and could be seen from a considerable distance by passersby.
The sponsors of this event were several non-Bahá’í organizations concerned about the environment. Schools, churches, youth groups, industrial firms, private citizens, musicians, artists, and craftsmen had all been invited to set up booths or exhibits to make visible their concern for the environment and to suggest solutions to the problem. The theme of the fair was “How to Love the Earth.”
We take great pleasure in extending our love and best wishes to Mr. James Humphrey from Coffeyville, Kansas, who celebrated his 109th birthday on May 7. Mr. Humphrey is a very active man, we hear, and accepted Bahá’u’lláh into his heart last October after hearing about the Faith while visiting in Oklahoma.
His family came to the Midwest from Georgia. Mr. Humphrey is rightfully proud of his ancestry which is part Indian (Creek and Cherokee) and African.
Bahá’í House of Worship[edit]
Summer schedule beginning May 15
Daily visiting hours
10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Would YOU like to serve God within the shadow of His Divine Edifice? Would YOU be able to serve as a greeter, a tour leader, a teacher, a guide? If so, please contact:
- THE BAHÁ’Í HOUSE OF WORSHIP
- ACTIVITIES OFFICE
- 112 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AT THE NATIONAL BAHÁ’Í CENTER
The National Bahá’í Properties Committee is currently interviewing applicants for the position of Buildings Manager at the National Bahá’í Center. For details regarding this position, or to submit a resume of your qualifications, please contact:
- National Bahá’í Properties
- Mr. Arthur Hampson, Manager
- 112 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
- Tel. No. 312/256-4400, Ext. 54
SUMMER SCHOOLS
We are sorry to report that beloved Hand of the Cause Abú’l-Qásim Faizí is ill. He will therefore be unable to visit this year’s summer schools as planned.
For summer school schedules, please refer to the May issue of THE AMERICAN BAHÁ’Í.
It has been reported that Green Acre Bahá’í School will open July 23, and not July 22 as reported in the last issue of this newspaper. The friends are also lovingly reminded that the campground at Green Acre will be closed to students this year.
We have been asked by the B.C. BAHÁ’Í SUMMER SCHOOLS COMMITTEE to announce the following:
The school will be open July 16-23, inclusive, and it will be held at Silver Star Mountain, near Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. Cabins and improved tenting facilities are available.
We are told that the mountain surroundings are beautiful, the food is excellent, and it promises to be the best summer school yet!
For further information, please write: British Columbia Bahá’í Summer School, c/o Box 1344, Vernon, B.C., Canada.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!
SEPTEMBER 8, 9 and 10, 1972 – Teaching Conference to be held at the War Memorial Auditorium in Trenton, New Jersey. More information next issue!
BAHÁ’Í NEWS[edit]
FOR GIFT-GIVING OCCASIONS, have you thought of a subscription to BAHÁ’Í NEWS? The recipient (who must be a Bahá’í, since it is a publication for Bahá’ís only) will be notified of your gift. The giver will also receive an acknowledgement.
The American Bahá’í
112 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS 60091
JUNE 1972
IN THIS ISSUE
PANAMÁ TEMPLE DEDICATION-CONFERENCE
A PLEA FOR PIONEERS
THE IMPERATIVE NEED TO DEEPEN
BAHÁ’Í CHILD EDUCATION AND FAMILY LIFE
TEACHING THE MASSES AT SPRING FAIRS
HOUSE OF WORSHIP ACTIVITIES
SUMMER SCHOOLS