The American Bahá’í/Volume 4/Issue 6/Text
| ←Previous | The American Bahá’í June, 1973 |
Next→ |
 Proofread onceReturn to PDF view
|
[Page 1]
National Spiritual Assembly elected
100 percent participation[edit]
Every delegate in the United States cast a ballot in the election of the National Spiritual Assembly, Saturday, May 19, on the third day of the 64th National Bahá’í Convention, in Wilmette.
One-hundred-seventy-one delegates were eligible to participate in the election. One-hundred-fifty-four cast ballots in person; seventeen voted by mail. There were no void ballots in this election.
There was no change in the composition of the National Spiritual Assembly. The elected members, in order of the number of votes they received, are: Mrs. Dorothy Nelson, Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Dr. Daniel Jordan, Mr. Glenford Mitchell, Miss Magdalene Carney, Mr. Franklin Kahn, Dr. Dwight Allen, Miss Charlotte Linfoot, Dr. Sarah Pereira.
Delegates to the National Convention are elected directly by the Bahá’ís in State Conventions once a year. The delegates, in turn, elect the members of the National Spiritual Assembly during a yearly National Convention.
The 64th National Bahá’í Convention opened on Thursday, May 17, and adjourned Sunday, May 20. The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, Continental Counsellor Mrs. Florence Mayberry, four Auxiliary Board members, and visitors from various parts of the world, were present at the Convention.
A report outlining the United States teaching and consolidation plan for the current Bahá’í year was presented to the Convention by Dr. Dwight Allen, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly.
The report touched upon plans for further developing the National Office, and upon specific teaching and consolidation goals for individuals, groups, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and the National Spiritual Assembly itself, in the coming year.
“These last months we have been gathering many bouquets of flowers,” Dr. Allen said. “They have been gathered in many parts of the world and we have enjoyed their fragrance.” Now, he said, it was time “to figure out those things that we must do to consolidate the American Bahá’í
(continued on page 2)
Comprehensive Deepening Program to become a nationwide goal[edit]
In his presentation to the delegates, Dr. Dwight Allen mentioned that a goal for communities and individuals in the current year will be to become familiar with, and develop a plan for the use of the Comprehensive Deepening Program prepared by the National Assembly.
“We ask each group and each individual to become familiar with the Comprehensive Deepening Program materials and to develop a plan for their use,” he said. “The nice thing about the Comprehensive Deepening Program is that everyone doesn’t have to start with Lesson One at the same time. We are asking that you figure out for yourselves how you are going to use them, then to tell the National Education Committee (still to be formed) what you are going to do with them.”
The Comprehensive Deepening Program was initiated by the National Spiritual Assembly to assist the Bahá’í community in “accelerating and strengthening its efforts to consolidate.” It is based on the definition of deepening given by The Universal House of Justice in its Riḍván 1967 message—a definition which stresses gaining “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 Program, according to the National Assembly, “is comprehensive in the sense that it provides material for the experienced as well as the inexperienced Bahá’í, for adults, youth, and children, and for different activities and roles associated with Bahá’í community life.”
In a separate presentation on the Comprehensive Deepening Program itself, Dr. Daniel Jordan, also a member of the National Spiritual Assembly, sketched for the delegates the immediate scope and future development of the Program.
(continued on page 2)
[Page 2]
Deepening Program to help strengthen consolidation effort
(continued from page 1)
He said the five volumes of the Program now available are only the first installment in a series of materials that will be prepared and released over a long period of time.
All printed materials will appear in an 8-1/2 x 11 inch format and will be perforated for storage in a three-ring binder. “We took care that there would be wide margins in the material because we expect you to take copious notes,” Dr. Jordan said. Filmstrips, cassettes, wall hangings, and other audiovisual materials are also being produced as a part of the Comprehensive Deepening Program.
The first five volumes are: The Bahá’í Electoral Process; The Supreme Gift of God to Man, selections from the Writings on the value, development and use of the intellect; Knowledge, Volition, and Action, designed, according to Dr. Jordan, “to take away everyone’s excuse for his non-Bahá’í behavior”; The Meaning of Deepening, prepared to see “how understanding God’s purpose for man would have a bearing on different aspects of Bahá’í life and the different roles that we have to play in a Bahá’í community as individuals and as groups,” he said; and A Fortress for Well-Being, an 86-page volume on Bahá’í teachings on marriage. This volume, with all the relevant quotations on marriage, will shortly be available in a gift edition, to make it able to be used in the actual marriage ceremony.
A filmstrip program, Birds of Diverse Feathers Consult Together, showing how many personality characteristics which are reflections of the old world order actually impair consultation, and how those same characteristics can be converted into assets for the Bahá’í community, is also ready for use, Dr. Jordan explained. A brief discussion guide on consultation accompanies the filmstrip program.
A series of additional material designed to complement the existing Program are contemplated. Dr. Jordan gave a brief review of these items, warning, in the process of explaining the methods of review and preparation of materials, that what he said was not a promise, but a hope and an aspiration. Among the forthcoming items mentioned were:
- A volume on family life and child rearing. “It will take some time to prepare,” he said, “but we have done most of the spade work already.”
- Documents on the Feast, the Fund, and Bahá’í Law, and a number of “how-to” books, such as how to be a hostess, and how to chair a meeting.
- Prescriptions from the Divine Physician. “Bahá’u’lláh said He was the Divine Physician and He diagnosed the ills and gave the prescriptions for their cure,” Dr. Jordan said. “We are going to pick out a number of ills (jealousy, rage, impatience, etc.) and see what Bahá’u’lláh’s prescription was.”
- Portals of Light, a collection of all the statements in the Writings on the role of prayer and meditation in personal transformation.
National Assembly chosen at Convention
(continued from page 1)
community so that we can be absolutely sure that future bouquets are even more glorious than the ones we have this time.”
The National Assembly plan covers the interim before the launching of the next international teaching plan by The Universal House of Justice in 1974, and is designed to strengthen the American Bahá’í community for the new international responsibilities it will be called upon to assume. The requirements of the national teaching plan will be communicated shortly in an official statement from the National Assembly. Briefly, however, as outlined by Dr. Allen to the delegates, the goals may include some of the following:
- the creation of two new national committees, the National Education Committee and the National Information Committee.
- the training of field representatives by the National Assembly to help Local Spiritual Assemblies deal with problems they have not dealt with before.
- the preparation of a second round of Local Spiritual Assembly seminars during the coming year, to which the Assemblies will be asked to pledge universal participation.
- all communities will be asked to develop teaching goals and to set Fund contribution goals.
- all communities will be asked to participate in the Comprehensive Deepening Program developed by the National Assembly.
Youth Conference plans progress[edit]
The outlook for a successful Third National Bahá’í Youth Conference, June 20-25, in Oklahoma City, continues to be bright.
More than 2,000 Bahá’ís have preregistered for the event and it is felt that attendance may peak at 5,000. The deadline for reserving dormitory space and food at the conference has been extended to June 15. The National Teaching Committee reports it will take reservations by telephone, but that it will not be possible to sign up for food and lodging at the conference itself.
Advance publicity for the event has been well received in Oklahoma City. Almost two dozen radio stations have agreed to air free announcements of the Seals and Crofts concert and fireside, June 23. Two of Oklahoma City’s four television stations have invited the singers to a half-hour interview during the conference.
The Public Information Office reports that radio and television stations as far away as Tulsa, Oklahoma, are publicizing the Saturday night free concert and fireside.
Among the principal speakers will be The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, Auxiliary Board member Dr. Peter Khan, and members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Four of the featured speakers at the conference will be Bahá’í youth. They are Miss Amy Seidell, Mr. Robert Henderson, Miss Ilham Deloomy, and Mr. Gary Worth. All conference sessions will be chaired by Bahá’í youth.
One-hundred-fifty discussion leaders and one-hundred-fifty assistant discussion leaders have been appointed by the National Teaching Committee to supervise small group sessions at the conference.
|
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 conference chairman will be Mr. Phil Christensen of Northampton, Massachusetts.
The National Spiritual Assembly will meet in Oklahoma City while the conference is in progress. A reception for the National Assembly and leaders of thought in the city will be sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly.
Two distinguished gentlemen ...[edit]
On his way home to California from the Bahá’í World Centre, The Hand of the Cause William Sears stopped at the National Convention in Wilmette, and encouraged the friends gathered there to make this year an exceptional year in teaching the Cause.
He urged the friends to exert themselves in the months ahead to protect and maintain the victories of the Nine Year Plan, and to pave the way for the next global teaching plan to be launched by The Universal House of Justice in 1974.
“Go back and talk about the Convention,” he urged the delegates. “Set them on fire. Ignite their hearts. Wherever you are, don’t stop in the coming year. Don’t let anything go backward. Let’s make it a year where, for once in our lives, we change the face of society. God knows whether we’ll ever have another chance like this.”
Mr. Sears said the Bahá’ís will have to hurry to accomplish their mission because no one knows how much time remains to accomplish the work.
“Let us be reminded of our duty by the misery we see around us and arise for the prosecution of our noble duty,” he said. “Nothing but imbuing the hearts of men with the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh can stop all of these things we see around us and this is our great and wonderful chance.”
He asked the delegates to imagine what might have been done if the power demonstrated by the Bahá’í world in the last year of the Nine Year Plan to win the remaining goals had been employed from the beginning of the Plan. “Imagine what we could have done,” he said, “if you think of what we did in the last six months through the power of the Supreme Concourse.”
To further illustrate this theme he recalled a meeting with Shoghi Effendi in 1954, just eleven months after the dedication of the House of Worship in Wilmette, when the Guardian rolled out and displayed a map showing that 100 nations had been conquered by the Faith since the dedication of the Temple in the United States. “And he told us that he had written in God Passes By that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had said that when this Temple was dedicated the Faith would be carried to all parts of the world,” Mr. Sears recalled. “ ‘Look,’ the Guardian said, ‘it has been carried to 100 countries in eleven months. Why? Because we completed the goal, and with the completion of the goal a potential power was released into the world.’ We conquered a hundred countries, but we could have conquered three hundred,” Mr. Sears continued. “The potential was there. It was conditioned and measured only by our response.”
He hammered home this point with another story, about the late Hand of the Cause of God Roy Wilhelm.
“The beloved Guardian said he was appointed a Hand of the Cause posthumously
...attend National Convention[edit]
Doc Whitesinger was born in a cave on a sacred mountain on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northern Arizona sometime in the last century. The longest journey of his life was to the 64th National Bahá’í Convention in Wilmette, May 17-20, where he accomplished his desire to chant a prayer in “God’s Hogan,” his term for the House of Worship.
The elderly Navajo medicine man chanted a short prayer during the closing session of the Convention on Sunday morning at the House of Worship.
Doc Whitesinger is at least 92 years old and has been a Bahá’í for a year and seven months, according to Mr. Ray Helmick of Phoenix, Arizona, who was one of the interpreters during an interview with a reporter for The American Bahá’í.
He became a Bahá’í at the State convention in Arizona, Mr. Helmick said, and was one of 38 Navajos who came that year from the reservation.
Doc Whitesinger then told the reporter that he “was Bahá’í” and that he thought he had always been.
After he chanted the prayer at the National Convention, one of the delegates, Mrs. Pearl Schuyler, a Navajo Indian, explained that the prayer was for the safe journey home of the friends, “his brothers and sisters.” She said he also asked for God’s blessings on the Convention surroundings.
Doc Whitesinger was deeply impressed with the beauty and harmony at the Convention, according to Miss Mary Mertz of Flagstaff, the other interpreter at the interview. She said, “He likes it very much. All around it’s a pretty area.”
“And this is his son,” she continued, pointing to Mr. Helmick, who has been adopted according to tribal law by Doc Whitesinger, “and his son brought him here, and he takes him places, and we go here, and we go there....”
Mr. Helmick said, “He was telling us earlier today that he was glad to see so many Bahá’ís, and that he didn’t know there were so many. He said, ‘This is very good that people of all kinds and colors come together to pray.’
“You asked about his age,” Mr. Helmick recalled. “The day he signed his Bahá’í card he had a census tag in his pocket and it was dated 1881. The number was very low, not more than 2,000. That means that either he was born in 1881, or the number was issued to him then. His daughters and his grandchildren say he is a lot older than 92.”
Some of the friends travel several hundreds of miles, as often as possible, to visit the reservation, Mr. Helmick said. Both he and Miss Mertz, for example, are there almost every weekend. Miss Mertz is a student at the Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff where she is studying the Navajo language.
Mr. Helmick added that very little of the Bahá’í Writings have been translated into Navajo, which is not a written language. Translations are written phonetically.
64th National Bahá’í Convention[edit]
An expression of the jubilation felt throughout the Convention.
Dr. Daniel Jordan, chairman of Convention, addressing delegates.
Delegate on way to morning devotions
Convention highlights[edit]
- Riḍván Message from The Universal House of Justice
- Reports of the Third International Bahá’í Convention and the Election of The Universal House of Justice
- Presentations by The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and Continental Counsellor Mrs. Florence Mayberry
- Annual Report of the National Spiritual Assembly
- Devotional Program in thanksgiving for the victories of the Nine Year Plan, and in memory of the pioneers and teachers who passed away during this period
- Special banquet in celebration of the successful completion of the Nine Year Plan
- Presentation of A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice
The Hand of the Cause William Sears addressing the non-delegate session at Central High School in Wilmette.
Special commemorative service for pioneers of the Nine Year Plan who have died at their posts.
Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh addressing the friends gathered at a banquet in celebration of the successful completion of the Nine Year Plan.
Convention photographers were Dan Agnew, Ken Jennrich, and David Schlesinger.
Reflections on the Aqdas[edit]
Editor’s Note:
This is an abridged and edited version of a talk given by Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh during the 64th National Bahá’í Convention.
Dr. Kazemzadeh stressed in his talk that his remarks on the Aqdas were personal and did not necessarily reflect the opinions of any institutions of the Faith. “These are the ways that I see the situation,” he said. “I may be just as right or wrong as the next Bahá’í friend. But I would like it to be very clear that this is the way I think of the Book and I am simply sharing some of my observations with you.”
Friends, many of you in this room undoubtedly have been waiting for years to take a look at the Most Holy Book. The Book which you are about to read, to hold in your hands, is not yet the full text of the Aqdas. It is a portion of the text, translated by Shoghi Effendi, and an outline of much of the rest of the Book, with some explanations, taken from the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, from interpretations of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Guardian, and also from a basic text, Questions and Answers, revealed by Bahá’u’lláh to the friends as they inquired into the nature of the Holy Text.
To think that we here, the delegates of the American Bahá’í community and the guests, are about to receive the Law of God into our hands is overwhelming. After all, the Law of God is at the basis of every Divine Dispensation, therefore of every civilization known to man. The text which you are about to see is the Law of God which will remain valid in its entirety for at least a thousand years, and parts, of course, as with the other Books of the Laws of God, will remain valid much beyond that date.
Like any other part of Divine Revelation, the Aqdas has a history. It was revealed a hundred years ago. It was initially requested by the Bábís who recognized Bahá’u’lláh after 1863 and wondered what Law they were now to obey. How were they to live? What constituted being a Bahá’í? At first, Bahá’u’lláh told them it was not yet the proper time for such a Law. But the time came, and in 1873, in the house of ‘Udí Khammár (the house of ‘Abbúd), that Law was revealed.
The Book itself—and this you will not see in the extracts and the Synopsis, because the whole Book is not yet here—is not a systematic legal text. It is composed of a series of exhortations, meditations, prophecies, and Laws, which were dictated in mixed form as the Revelation surged within Bahá’u’lláh. This foundation of the Bahá’í Law can be understood only in the context of amplification. There is in the Faith today, a hundred years later, a literature of explanation and interpretation, which began to be accumulated immediately after the revelation of the Aqdas, without which the text itself is not completely comprehensible.
Even today, with the Synopsis, with the outline, and with the footnotes in the back that refer to other Tablets by Bahá’u’lláh and to Tablets by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, one cannot pretend to have an understanding of the Most Holy Book. We are only at the beginning of an era in which we will study the text, and gradually come to internalize its injunctions, to understand its commandments, and to make them part of our daily life.
Undoubtedly, it will be a serious and very difficult enterprise. It will be difficult because the Laws of the Aqdas will not conform with the desires, with the tastes, or with the fashions, of any particular society on earth. These are not the laws of Persia. These are not the laws of the Japanese, of the Chinese, of the Americans, of the white or of the black. These are, rather, the Laws of a coming civilization, and therefore we have very little in our backgrounds that would help us to understand these Laws, and nothing in our backgrounds by which to judge them. We must not make the mistake of passing judgment on the Law of God, because His Law is the balance, the yardstick. All else will be judged by the standards given in this text. The text itself cannot be subject to our judgment.
You will find in the Synopsis, and in the excerpts from the text,
[Page 7]
certain specific Laws. With some you are familiar; with others you are not. It should be understood clearly at the outset that the friends are responsible now only for those commandments that either Shoghi Effendi or The Universal House of Justice told us we must follow; otherwise we are going to have confusion, difficulties, and questions, questions, questions.
|
“... this Book is the foundation of a new world civilization.” |
As you read this text, you will have five thousand, fifty thousand, other questions, perhaps, but for the time being just remember that you will be responsible in your private behavior and in your institutional behavior for those things that either Shoghi Effendi or The Universal House of Justice told us to obey.
I mentioned at the outset that the Law and the Book of Laws, the Most Holy Book, is by its nature universal; and being universal it is bound to go against the grain of every society on earth. As you read the Aqdas you will see certain things that you will wonder about. Remember, Bahá’ís in other parts of the world will be wondering about other parts that you may read over and not think about twice.
How does one understand the text, and how does one go about reading it? I think one should keep thinking that the Aqdas is comprehensible only as a part of the totality of the Bahá’í Faith. In fact, should somebody who has never heard of the Faith, or does not know the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the interpretations of Shoghi Effendi, look at the text itself, with its frequent and cryptic statements and numerous short paragraphs, he would indeed be baffled. And so again, the Book will present a great challenge for deepening, because every sentence will compel us to go back and learn something about the Faith. For instance, I think that if you are to study this Book seriously, you ought to begin by reading the relevant passages in God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi.
I mentioned that this Book is the foundation of a new world civilization. The shape of that civilization we cannot see now, and probably in the lifetime of no one in this room will there be a possibility to see the shape of that coming civilization. Just the other day in New Haven, at the Nineteen Day Feast, some excerpts were read from Shoghi Effendi’s statements about there not being any Bahá’í music in our time. Bahá’ís make music, but not Bahá’í music. Bahá’ís conduct their affairs, Bahá’ís live, but it is not yet Bahá’í life. There is a society of Bahá’ís—here we are—but it is questionable whether this is a Bahá’í society. Bahá’í society will come into being after the Laws of the Aqdas have become internalized and are acted upon. So the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, in a sense,
|
“It is not just another book ... It is something we should pick up with reverence.” |
is the cornerstone, is the great foundation upon which a future civilization will be built.
I think that while we have no authority to establish manners or forms of behavior toward the Most Holy Book, at least we should remember that this is the Most Sacred Text of the Bahá’í Faith. It is not just another book. It should not be something that we toss on the table. It is something that we should pick up with reverence. Please don’t use it for door stops; don’t put coffee cups on it. Even though we Bahá’ís know perfectly well that the Book is paper, is purely material, still it symbolizes the heart of our Faith. This Book is more important than any photograph, than any picture; it is more important than any material relic. This is the encapsulation of the Bahá’í Faith. This is the Charter of world civilization.
Third International Bahá’í Convention[edit]
HAIFA, ISRAEL—Sixteen Hands of the Cause of God, thirty-eight members of Continental Boards of Counsellors and 412 members of National Spiritual Assemblies from the far corners of the earth gathered in the Holy Land during the Riḍván Festival to attend the Third International Bahá’í Convention. It was a thrilling sight to see the wide diversity of nations and races represented. Many were heard to comment that this was, perhaps, one of the most representative gatherings of believers ever held.
The three days immediately preceding the Ninth Day of Riḍván were set aside to give the friends an opportunity to visit the Shrines, the other Holy Places and the International Archives. They were taken by bus in small groups to the Prison in ‘Akká and then to Bahjí where they visited the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh and the Mansion. The Shrines of the Báb and the Master were kept open during the morning, afternoon and evening of each day so that delegates might have the opportunity to meditate and pray as much as they wished in preparation for the discharge of their most important duty: the casting of their ballots in the election of the members of the Universal House of Justice.
During this same period the Universal House of Justice and the Hands of the Cause of God held important meetings concerning the affairs of the Cause, including consideration of new institutions to deal with the anticipated rapid expansion of the Faith in the years immediately ahead.
The three-day Convention period was officially opened on the morning of the Ninth Day of Riḍván when the delegates assembled at Beit Harofe in Haifa to cast their ballots in the election of the Universal House of Justice. Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum presided. Prayers were recited or chanted in several languages. Silently, deliberately and prayerfully the ballots were marked and sealed in their envelopes. When all had finished, the roll was called by name of National Spiritual Assembly—one hundred and thirteen of them.
Circumstances beyond their control prevented fourteen National Spiritual Assemblies from being represented in person, but there was at least one delegate from each of the remaining ninety-nine, and the entire membership of five National Spiritual Assemblies—Canada, Iceland, Ireland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom—was present. It required approximately one hour and thirty minutes for the chief tellers to call the names of the one thousand seventeen members of National Spiritual Assemblies—a process which was frequently punctuated with spontaneous applause in recognition of some special fact or circumstance attaching to a particular delegation. Ballots sent by mail were cast by the tellers during the roll call. Finally the last ballot was placed in the box and the nineteen tellers retired to the Master’s House to begin the long process of counting the votes—a task which lasted through the night into the early hours of the following morning.
The Feast in observance of the Ninth Day of Riḍván was held in the precincts of the Shrine of the Báb. Seating was provided in the courtyard in front of the Pilgrim House, extending more than half-way up the long drive toward the entrance gate.
In the evening following the Feast the friends reassembled in the Convention hall to hear the Hand of the Cause Enoch Olinga read the Riḍván Message of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World—a Message recounting the victories of the Nine Year Plan which had just been concluded. A slide program entitled “Entry by Troops” produced by the Audio-Visual Department for the Convention visually supplemented the written report on the Nine Year Plan. That same evening copies of “A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas” and of “The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice” were made available to those attending the Convention.
The proceedings for the second day of the Convention were opened by a visit to the site above the Arc on Mount Carmel where the building for the Seat of the Universal House of Justice is to be erected
A delegate from Bolivia casting his ballot for the election of the Universal House of Justice.
The Hands of the Cause of God, led by Rúḥíyyih Khánum, entering the House of ‘Abbúd.
(continued from page 8)
in the near future. Prayers were said on that spot, Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum spoke of the significance of the developments on the Arc, and the Tablet of Carmel was read. Just before the friends departed for Beit Harofe, the official Convention photograph was taken.
Rúḥíyyih Khánum addressed the Convention on the theme of the Convention: “What are the major challenges to the Bahá’í world during the next decade and how are they to be met?” She spoke of the paramount importance of unity in promoting the growth of the Faith, of the need for the feeling of oneness at all levels and in the relationship of the institutions of the Faith to each other. She drew frequently from her experiences in traveling and teaching in Africa, speaking of her meetings with heads of state and other important people, and stating that during the latter part of her trip she had begun to speak much more directly to them about the spiritual aspects of the Cause but at the same time avoiding a direct confrontation in presenting the teachings.
At the conclusion of Rúḥíyyih Khánum’s talk, the chief tellers were called to the platform to announce the results of the election for the members of the Universal House of Justice. One by one, as their names were called, the newly elected members went forward and stood before the huge assembly:
‘Alí Nakhjavání, Hushmand Fatheázam, Amoz Gibson, Ian Semple, David Hofman, Charles Wolcott, Borrah Kavelin, David Ruhe, and Hugh Chance.
During the afternoon and evening hours the delegates were divided into groups to discuss the theme of the Convention: “What are the major challenges to the Bahá’í world during the next decade and how are they to be met?” Reports were assembled, condensed and correlated so that all the friends could be provided with an overview of all the discussions, and during the last day of the Convention two plenary sessions were held, providing the delegates with a further opportunity to consult on the Convention theme.
Opening the final session, the Hand of the Cause Ugo Giachery alluded to the great celebration of the Centenary of the Revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was to be held the following day. He introduced the Hand of the Cause William Sears who closed the Convention with an eloquent and inspiring address on the need for cooperative effort in the advancement of the Cause. He said that frequently he had traveled great distances just to meet with one Continental Board of Counsellors or a National Spiritual Assembly, but that most of them were represented here and he could address them all at once. He spoke of the great need for these two exalted institutions to combine their efforts.
To the strains of “Alláh’u’Abhá” the friends slowly dispersed from the hall, remembering what the Hand of the Cause John Robarts had said earlier, “None of us will ever be the same again. We must take all of the blessings to our own communities. If we do, the Faith will go ahead as never before.”
The Twelfth Day of Riḍván was entirely given over to the celebration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh’s Most Holy Book—the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. The friends visited the very room in the House of ‘Abbúd where it was revealed, and in the afternoon assembled in the Ḥaram-i-Aqdas at Bahjí for the Feast. The Hands of the Cause and the members of the Universal House of Justice were the last to visit the House of ‘Abbúd and to offer prayers in that holy spot, and then they joined the believers at Bahjí. The final act of the observance was the visitation to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh.
WILMETTE—Miss Charlotte Linfoot, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly since 1955, attended her third Bahá’í International Convention during Riḍván.
“It was exciting to meet with people from all over the world that you have heard about,” Miss Linfoot said in a report to the delegates of the National Convention on May 18.
“There were native people present
(continued on page 10)
Site on Mt. Carmel where the future seat of The Universal House of Justice is to be constructed.
from countries that to us, at the beginning of the Ten Year Crusade, were just names in the Tablets of the Divine Plan.”
She said that seeing the progress that has been made makes her feel like “a very proud great-great-great grandmother.” The delighted delegates applauded her observation.
“Everything was perfectly planned,” she said. “Everything went like clockwork. All the staff at the World Centre had their assignments. Everything that needed to be done was done. Everybody was happy and gracious, and on the job.”
An important event on the second day of the Convention, April 30, was a visit by the delegates to the site on the side of Mount Carmel where the future seat of the House of Justice is to be constructed.
It was a steep climb to the place above the Archives Building where the new offices will be established, Miss Linfoot recalled. The ground had not yet been leveled and was still very rocky, she said. “As we stood on that ground and looked back to see the friends from all parts of the world coming up that hill, I was reminded of the passage in chapter 2 of Isaiah, which says: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.’ ”
There was a brief presentation by Hand of the Cause Amatu’l-Bahá Rúḥíyyih Khánum on the significance of the construction of the seat of The Universal House of Justice.
“We could see exactly where the building was to be located and could visualize that perhaps it would be ready in two or three years, depending on the funds,” Miss Linfoot said. “But it was a beautiful sight. We were above the Archives. Up above was the top of the mountain where you could see the obelisk where the House of Worship will eventually be built; and in a semicircle below were the Monument Gardens.”
They went from that ceremony to Beit Harofe where, at noon that day, the results of the election of The Universal House of Justice were announced.
“The same members were elected,” she said. “As their names were announced they came up to the platform. It was an exciting moment. It was difficult to keep back the tears. They are a magnificent group of men, every one of them looked strong and healthy, and you felt a great sense of power permeating the building as they stood there before us.... We know that the Bahá’í world is in good safe hands, and so also will be the entire world when it listens to the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.”
Later that afternoon, the delegates assembled in groups of 25 to 30 to discuss the needs of the Bahá’í world community in the coming decade. A chairman and a reporter for each group had been assigned by The Universal House of Justice. The ideas generated by each of the groups were published and distributed the following morning to every delegate. Then at a plenary session each individual was given an opportunity to make observations and suggestions.
“Our National Assembly was impressed with the tremendous needs there are throughout the world,” Miss Linfoot explained. “We have such an abundance of everything that you feel almost ashamed when you hear that some National Assemblies still don’t have even the basic books of the Faith to teach with. They need translations. They need help with administration, they need help with traveling teachers, consolidators, and pioneers. These were the kinds of things that were brought forth so that each of us could carry home some idea of the needs in the years ahead. We must ourselves feel that we have a great responsibility to help the new and struggling National Assemblies.”
Throughout the Convention a note of victory, a note of happiness for all the things that had been accomplished during the Nine Year Plan, permeated the gathering, she said.
“What we need to do now is be ready to offer a solution to the people of the world, and help them understand, by the way we act in our own communities and towards each other, whether at home or toward the friends across the sea, that there is a solution and that we have the Source,” she concluded.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE[edit]
Ecuador Assembly rents radio station[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador was recently made aware of an opportunity to rent a small radio station which reaches the majority of the many Indian believers. The station, located in Otavalo, has been rented for approximately $150 per month. This sum provides the believers with radio time 24 hours per day and includes the services of three of the station’s employees: two announcers and an electrician.
Two well-deepened believers are presently preparing programs in the Quechua language. The National Assembly has requested that at least five hours daily be devoted to direct Bahá’í teaching and consolidation. Bahá’í programs are to be presented at the hours of 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and again daily at 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The time between these hours will be devoted to commercial, social, and cultural programming in Spanish, with the view of a great deal of indirect teaching being done.
Mrs. Clementina de Pavón, a believer with many years’ experience in teaching in the Indian field in Ecuador, is being assisted in preparing the Bahá’í programs by a Canadian believer, Mr. Ralph Dexter, who gained a profound knowledge and fluency in Quechua since he became a Bahá’í in Ecuador some years ago.
(Based on a report from the National Spiritual Assembly of Ecuador)
Young English lady meets Malawi chief[edit]
A young lady who is travelling throughout Africa recently wrote of her experiences in Malawi: “The funniest and most exciting thing that happened was going to see the Chief of the area...He is translating ‘The New Garden’ and ‘The Pattern of Bahá’í Life’ but apparently is not a Bahá’í himself. So the National Spiritual Assembly asked me to go and see him. We had agreed to go on Sunday; it’s a 6-mile walk through the bush so we planned to start early. But on Saturday night it rained and Sunday they said, ‘You can’t go because we have to cross the river and it’s waist high.’ Sure enough when we got to the river it looked like the Thames in full spate. And then one of the Bahá’ís picked a banana leaf and tied it around his waist, then proceeded to take off his trousers. He wasn’t wearing anything else, but the banana leaf was extremely modest and made him look like a ballerina. He said, ‘I will guide you across.’
“I was wearing a long skirt and a long petticoat so I took off my skirt and shoes and the petticoat was quite decent, and so garbed I approached the muddy incline. And in fact the bottom of the river was sandy, not muddy, and the sweet Bahá’í took my hand and took me across the river, where we all shook the water off, put our clothes back on and marched on! But I did think ‘If mother could see me now.’
“And then we got to the Chief. He was quite charming and had worked as a BBC producer. We spent four long hours with him...I asked him why, after all this, he is not a Bahá’í. He said, ‘But I am a Bahá’í’ and then went on to describe his belief in Bahá’u’lláh...
“Malawi was really quite good; they sent me up North where there is a fairly remote village community of about 100; it’s Karonga...Beautiful attitude to the writings and teachings and administration; their questions were detailed and deep...they meet together every day for prayers and the problems which you find all over Africa seem to be faced here...These people were quite delightful....” (Based on a report received from an individual believer)
The Spring edition of World Order magazine will feature an editorial review of the Nine Year Plan by Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, entitled “Nine Years to World Order.” In this article, Dr. Kazemzadeh recalls the great victories of the period, particularly those of the United States, where the Bahá’í community grew almost six-fold in nine years. During the course of the Plan, the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies elected in the United States surpassed 800, and the number of localities where Bahá’ís reside grew in excess of 4,761. Today, there are more Bahá’ís in South Carolina alone than existed in the entire country in 1937. In this special editorial, Dr. Kazemzadeh treats the Nine Year Plan in detail, placing it in its proper historical context. The Spring edition of World Order can be an effective aid in teaching the Bahá’í Faith. You may order single copies for $1.25, (or lots of ten at $.90 per copy) from Bahá’í Subscriber Service, 415 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Illinois, 60091. Better still, subscribe for a year by filling out the subscription form below and mailing it to the Subscriber Service today. Other articles appearing in the Spring edition include, “Obedience and the Universal Law,” by Judge James F. Nelson, “Nutrition and Educational Planning,” by S.P. Raman, of the ANISA staff (Univ. of Mass.); and “Youth Service and the United Nations,” by James A. Joyce.
[Page 12]
NEWS NOTES
Month-long proclamation activities[edit]
WILMETTE, ILLINOIS—Hundreds of communities in the United States participated in the month-long proclamation of the Bahá’í Faith conducted from April 21 until May 24.
One of the most extensive efforts yet made to teach the Faith in the United States, this proclamation was requested by The Universal House of Justice to celebrate the successful completion of the Nine Year Plan and the holding of the Third International Bahá’í Convention in the Holy Land.
The mass media was used extensively during the month-long campaign, according to reports from Bahá’í communities. Dozens of communities reported using radio, television, and newspapers in their proclamation programs.
Thirty-six communities in different regions of the country approached their municipal governments to request official proclamations of the event in their localities. Many other communities planned street teaching, window displays, public discussions, and service projects during this special period.
Many activities planned by communities were imaginative and unusual. The Bahá’ís of Tacoma, Washington, for example, as part of their effort to respond to the request of The Universal House of Justice, reported sending one pioneer to settle in the Azores, and a travel teacher to Honduras, Central America, for a month of teaching during the Riḍván proclamation period.
Perhaps one of the more colorful proclamation programs was undertaken by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Fort Lauderdale, when, beginning in January, teams of Florida Bahá’ís were flown to the Bahamas to assist with teaching in and around Freeport and Nassau.
The teams were to arrive in the Bahamas around dinnertime Friday, and during the evening, participate in street teaching until almost midnight. They would then return to Florida Sunday afternoon, after three eventful days of street teaching, public meetings, film presentations, music programs, and other activities.
The travelers were well-received by Bahamians. Almost two dozen people joined the Faith as a result of their work. For street teaching, the larger team was broken down into units of two and three people. One French-speaking person was assigned to each unit to communicate with the large French-speaking Bahamian population.
During one successful weekend in March, the team, with five new and inexperienced members and four youth under 21, enrolled fifteen new Bahá’ís in and around Nassau, increasing the city’s Bahá’í population by almost eighty percent.
These weekend teaching trips to the Bahamas were continued until Riḍván, according to the Fort Lauderdale Assembly.
It is interesting to note that the National Treasurer’s Report presented at the National Convention showed that contributions to the National Fund for the month of Jalál reached an all-time high. This is perhaps related to the spirit which prevailed during the month-long proclamation campaign.
Kent State Bahá’í Club success story[edit]
KENT, OHIO—In the last few months the Bahá’í Club of Kent State University has made a concerted effort at teaching and furthering the Cause. We now have a success story that we would like to share.
In January 1973, with six Bahá’ís and a lot of spirit, we began a series of rigorous activities that culminated in the Day-Spring Conference, February 10–11, a gathering that attracted more than 150 Bahá’ís from Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York, and at least 50 non-Bahá’ís from the university area.
Three weeks before the Day-Spring Conference, Seals and Crofts gave a concert here. The fireside afterwards was attended by almost 300 people, many of whom heard of the Bahá’í Faith for the first time. There was a good write-up in the campus newspaper. On the heels of this event, the Bahá’í Club prepared a World Religion Day program that attracted 40 participants.
The weekend before the conference we had a mass-teaching effort. Bahá’ís from Kent and several nearby communities came on Saturday and Sunday afternoons to help distribute invitations to the conference in downtown Kent. We also had a publicity campaign to inform people of the upcoming conference. The local and campus newspapers wrote articles, and we put up posters on campus and on the buses. We prepared spot announcements for the university radio station, and on the first day of the conference, we had two believers attend a twenty-minute talk show to explain the Faith to the audience.
By registration on Saturday morning, we realized attendance would be higher than we expected. Speakers at the conference included Auxiliary Board members Dr. Peter Khan and Mrs. Javidukht Khádem, and Miss Lee Trembath. Nine of the fifty attending non-Bahá’ís declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh within a few days of the conference. Four of them were residents of Kent.
As Riḍván came closer, we continued our efforts by having weekly firesides. It seemed that almost every week there was another declaration. At Riḍván we elected the first Spiritual Assembly of Kent, Ohio.
—Norma Youngworth
Annual Report in July Edition[edit]
WILMETTE, ILLINOIS—The 1972–73 Annual Report of the National Spiritual Assembly will be summarized in the July edition of the National Bahá’í Review. The report was made to the delegates of the National Convention on May 18, after the deadline for the Review which accompanies this edition of The American Bahá’í.
Musicians needed for Mescalero Council Fire[edit]
MESCALERO, NEW MEXICO—The Fourth Annual Mescalero Council Fire to be sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Mescalero will be held July 27–29.
The Council Fire, to be held at Mescalero, will take the form of a camp-out. Those Bahá’ís planning to attend should bring camping equipment and their own food for the weekend. Limited accommodations will be available for those who are unable to camp outside, but who have no objections to sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags.
The aim of this Council Fire is to take the healing Message of Bahá’u’lláh to the Indian people, and to exemplify the teachings in our presentation of this mighty Cause.
The Spiritual Assembly of Mescalero is seeking talented musicians for this occasion, since music will play an important part in the teaching. Any Bahá’í interested should contact: Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Mescalero, Mrs. Margaret Gurinsky, secretary pro tem, Box 148, Mescalero, New Mexico 88340.
AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS—The Bahá’ís of the University of Massachusetts and the surrounding Pioneer Valley presented 16 volumes of Bahá’í literature to the University’s Goodell Library, May 2. Mr. Siegfried Feller (left), head biographer of the library, receives the volumes for the library from Wandra Harmsen (right), a student at the University. In the background are Jan Simonds, another student, and Nat Rutstein, a member and representative of the Spiritual Assembly of Amherst.
AUSTIN, TEXAS—University of Texas students had an opportunity to hear songs about the Bahá’í Faith as a week-long proclamation program climaxed March 16 with a program by the Threadgills, a troupe of Bahá’í singers from Austin. The campus proclamation got another small assist one afternoon when chimes in the Main Building Tower pealed three songs: “God is One”, “Toko Zani”, and “Alláh’u’Abhá”. (Photo by George Miller).
Conifer Hill Work-Study Camp[edit]
BOULDER, COLORADO—According to a report from the committee for the Conifer Hill Work/Study Camp, excitement in anticipation of this annual endeavor is mounting.
The Work/Study program will be held in the Rocky Mountains near Lyons, Colorado, from July 15 to August 11.
Mr. Sam Jackson of Maywood, Illinois, will serve as leader of the study portion of the program, the objective of which is to help the youth gain “a clearer apprehension of God’s purpose for man.”
During the work part of the program, participants will have a chance to complete a tent cabin, panel and otherwise improve the main cabin, clear out dead trees, etc., around the lake, and possibly work on the roads.
Further information will be available at the Youth Conference in Oklahoma City, and can also be obtained by writing Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, 437 Pine, Boulder, Colorado 80302.
WILMETTE, ILLINOIS—Persian music of the kind heard by Bahá’u’lláh will be played at the Third National Bahá’í Youth Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 20–24. The talented musicians will be Mr. Kiu Haghighi (right), who plays the santour, an ancient Persian string instrument; and his brother Syrus (rear), who accompanies him on the zarb.
[Page 14]
Bahá’í Child Education and Family Life
Unity and how to achieve it[edit]
... in society[edit]
“Every human creature is the servant of God. All have been created and reared by the power and favor of God... We must associate with all humanity in gentleness and kindliness.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as quoted in Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 60)
“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 favors descend.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as quoted in Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 110)
“To discriminate against any race, on the ground of its being socially backward, politically immature, and numerically in a minority, is a flagrant violation of the spirit that animates the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh... every differentiation of class, creed, or color must automatically be obliterated, and never be allowed, under any pretext, and however great the pressure of events or of public opinion, to reassert itself.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 29)
... amongst the believers[edit]
“Most important of all is that love and unity should prevail in the Bahá’í Community, as this is what people are most longing for in the present dark state of the world. Words without the living example will never be sufficient to breathe hope into the hearts of a disillusioned and often cynical generation.” (From a letter dated October 20, 1945 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)
“If we Bahá’ís cannot attain to cordial unity among ourselves, then we fail to realise the main purpose for which the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh and the Beloved Master lived and suffered.” (From a letter dated May 12, 1925 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)
... in the family[edit]
“If love and agreement are manifest in a single family, that family will advance, become illumined and spiritual; but if enmity and hatred exist within it destruction and dispersion are inevitable.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as quoted in Bahá’í World Faith, p. 229)
“Thy house is my house. Therefore, it must become adorned with the lights of the Kingdom.” (Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. III, p. 698)
“Let them call to mind, fearlessly and determinedly, the example and conduct of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while in their midst. Let them remember His courage,
- His genuine love,
- His informal and indiscriminating fellowship,
- His contempt for and impatience of criticism, tempered by
- His tact and wisdom.”
(Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 29. Emphasis added)
“Freedom from racial prejudice, in any of its forms, should... be adopted as the watchword of the entire body of the American believers... It should be consistently demonstrated in every phase of their activity and life, whether in the Bahá’í community or outside it, in public or in private, formally as well as informally, individually as well as in their official capacity as organized groups, committees and Assemblies. It should be deliberately cultivated through the various and everyday opportunities, no matter how insignificant, that present themselves, whether in their homes, their business offices, their schools and colleges, their social parties and recreation grounds, their Bahá’í meetings, conferences, conventions, summer schools and Assemblies.” (Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, p. 30)
“In order to achieve this cordial unity one of the first essentials insisted on by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is that we resist the natural tendency to let our attention dwell on the faults and failings of others rather than on our own... the task of perfecting our own life and character is one that requires all our attention, our will-power and energy. If we allow our attention and energy to be taken up in efforts to keep others right and remedy their faults, we are wasting precious time. We are like ploughmen each of whom has his team to manage and his plough to direct, and in order to keep his furrow straight he must keep his eye on his goal and concentrate on his own task. If he looks to this side and that to see how Tom and Harry are getting on and to criticise their ploughing, then his own furrow will assuredly become crooked.” (From a letter dated May 12, 1925 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)
In The Advent of Divine Justice, page 34, the Guardian tells us that the achievement of unity requires:
- genuine love,
- extreme patience,
- true humility,
- consummate tact,
- sound initiative,
- mature wisdom,
- deliberate, persistent, and prayerful effort.
[Page 15]
Bulletin Board
Pioneer Emphasis Weeks[edit]
Green Acre Bahá’í School
July 23-28
(All countries)
Davison Bahá’í School
August 6-10
(Europe and Latin America)
September 4-8
(Africa, Asia and Australasia)
At these special sessions you will:
- Receive information and inspiration on pioneering
- Have an opportunity to consult with International Goals Committee members and staff
- Meet pioneers from other countries
For information and registration, write to one of the following:
- Green Acre Bahá’í School
- Eliot, Maine 03903
- Davison Bahá’í School
- 3208 S. State Road
- Davison, Michigan 48423
- International Goals Committee
- 112 Linden Avenue
- Wilmette, Illinois 60091
|
Parents and Teachers enjoy CHILD’S WAY as much as the CHILDREN whose magazine it is. They use it, and keep it for reference. Six issues a year. Send your check or money order for $4.50 ($5.- outside the U.S.) to Bahá’í Subscribers Service, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. |
BAHÁ’Í SUMMER SCHOOLS 1973[edit]
- ARIZONA/NEW MEXICO
- Location: Arizona Church Conference Center, Prescott, Arizona
- Session: July 8-15
| Cost: | Entire Session |
18 years and over | $49.00 |
12 years to 17 years | 42.00 |
3 years to 11 years | 31.00 |
Children under 3 years | 2.00/day |
- A deposit of $10.00 per person is requested with reservations.
- For those attending one day or part of one day (but not overnight), there will be a facility fee of $1.00 plus meals.
Breakfast | $1.00 |
Lunch | $1.25 |
Supper | 1.50 |
- Registrar: Mrs. Jill Hallock, P.O. Box 124, Gilbert, Arizona 85234.
- Circumstances permitting, Continental Counsellor Mrs. Florence V. Mayberry will be present throughout the session.
- CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN)
- Location: Idyllwild Pines, Idyllwild, California
- Session: June 30-July 7
- Registrar: Mrs. Kathryn Gallegos, P.O. Box 631, Hesperia, California 92345
- Auxiliary Board Member Miss D. Thelma Jackson will be present throughout the session.
- CAROLINAS
- Location: Cheraw State Park, Cheraw, South Carolina (65 miles southeast of Charlotte, North Carolina)
- Session: July 28-August 5
- Registrar: Mr. Philip Dawson, 124 Pineland Circle, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
- COLORADO (EAST)
- Location: Buckhorn Methodist Camp (16 miles west of Fort Collins, Colorado)
- Session: June 10-16
- Registrar: East Colorado Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Marilyn Fisher, Secretary, 437 Pine, Boulder, Colorado 80302
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Eunice Braun will be present throughout the session.
- COLORADO (WEST)
- Location: Telluride, Colorado
- Session: July 28-August 4
- Registrar: West Colorado Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Gloria Winter, Secretary, 139 W. 18th Street, Durango, Colorado 81301
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Velma Sherrill will be present throughout the session.
- DAVISON
- Location: Davison Bahá’í School, 3208 S. State Road, Davison, Michigan
- Session: August 12-September 3 (Homecoming Weekend)
- Registrar: Davison Bahá’í School Council, Mrs. Elizabeth Brogan, Secretary, 870 W. Drayton, Ferndale, Michigan 48220
- FLORIDA
- Location: Marymount College, Boca Raton, Florida
- Session: August 18-25
- Registrar: Florida Bahá’í School Committee, Mr. George Demas, Secretary, 6439 West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida 33144
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Javidukht Khádem will be present throughout the session.
- GEORGIA/ALABAMA
- Location: Camp Sumatanga, Gallant, Alabama
- Session: August 31-September 3
- Registrar: Mr. John Haynes, 1338 Surrey Lane, Building 4-C, Marietta, Georgia 30060
- GEYSERVILLE
- Locations: Corralitos and Monte Toyon Camp, Aptos (both located near Santa Cruz), California
- Session: August 5-11 (Corralitos); August 12-18 (Aptos)
- Registrar: Geyserville Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Eva Bishop, Secretary, 81 Woodland Court, Milpitas, California 95035
- Circumstances permitting, Auxiliary Board Member Paul Pettit will be present for part of the session(s).
- GREEN ACRE
- Location: Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine
- Session: July 22-September 3
- Registrar: c/o Green Acre Bahá’í School, Eliot, Maine 03903
- Hand of the Cause of God Dhikru’lláh Khádem and Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Javidukht Khádem will be present for one week, August 5-11.
- MINNESOTA
- Location: North East Minnesota Environmental Learning Center, near Isabella, Minnesota
- Session: July 21-28
- Registrar: Minnesota Bahá’í School Committee, Mr. Allen Halm, Secretary, P.O. Box 438, Winsted, Minnesota 55395
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Velma Sherrill will be present throughout the session.
- MONTANA
- Location: Lions Club Youth Camp, near Red Lodge, Montana
- Session: August 12-18
| Cost: | Entire Session |
15 years and over | $28.00 |
8 years to 14 years | 20.00 |
2 years to 7 years | 10.00 |
- A deposit of $6.00 is requested with reservations.
- Work scholarships available, if needed. Please inquire.
- Registrar: Mrs. Glennis Erickson, 2309 Sunnyview, Billings, Montana 59102
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Margaret Gallagher will be present throughout the session.
- NEBRASKA
- Location: Doane College, Crete, Nebraska
- Session: June 30-July 7
- Registrar: Nebraska Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Ruth Hansen, Secretary, 5638 Lenox Avenue, Lincoln, Nebraska 68510
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Javidukht Khádem will be present throughout the session.
- NEW YORK
- Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
- Session: July 28-August 12
- Registrar: New York Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Pearl Fleischhacker, Secretary, 2173 Jacqueline Avenue, North Bellmore, New York 11710
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Eunice Braun will be present throughout the session.
- OKLAHOMA/TEXAS
- Location: Methodist Camp, Lake Bridgeport, Texas
- Session: August 6-11
- Registrar: Oklahoma/Texas Bahá’í School Committee, Dr. Virginia Harden, Secretary, 320 East Hurd, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034
- Auxiliary Board Member Miss D. Thelma Jackson will be present throughout the session.
- OREGON
- Location: Silver Creek Falls, near Salem, Oregon
- Session: June 17-22
- Registrar: Oregon Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Doris Miller, Secretary, 153 Kensington Avenue, Astoria, Oregon 97103
- Auxiliary Board Members Mrs. Opal Conner and Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin will be present throughout the session.
- WASHINGTON (EAST)
- Location: YMCA Camp, Lake Wenatchee, Washington
- Session: July 5-8
| Cost: | Entire Session |
15 years and over | $15.00 |
9 years to 14 years | 9.00 |
5 years to 8 years | 4.00 |
1 year to 4 years | 2.00 |
- Registrar: East Washington Bahá’í School Committee, Mr. Keith Brown, P.O. Box 1245, East Wenatchee, Washington 98801
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Opal Conner will be present throughout the session.
- WASHINGTON (WEST)
- Location: Seabeck, Washington
- Session: June 23-29
- Registrar: West Washington Bahá’í School Committee, Mrs. Virginia Martig, Secretary, 409 Oak Street, Shelton, Washington 98584
- Auxiliary Board Member Mrs. Katherine McLaughlin will be present throughout the session.
Manitoba Bahá’í School[edit]
The Manitoba Bahá’í School (Canada) will be open this year from July 28 until August 6. The school is held in the International Peace Gardens, at the border between North Dakota and Manitoba. The nearest town in North Dakota is Dunseith, and in Manitoba, Boissevain. For further information, please contact: Manitoba Bahá’í Summer School Committee, Mrs. Stuart Hanks, Secretary, 190 Elm Street, Winnipeg R3M 3P2, Manitoba, Canada.
Mr. Sears writing several new books[edit]
(continued from page 3)
because he was a saint,” Mr. Sears noted. “Roy Wilhelm said ‘Abdu’l-Bahá once walked in the streets of New York with him and said that if the Bahá’ís loved each other and lived by the principles of the Faith, half of the people of New York would have been Bahá’ís by that time (60 years ago).”
Mr. Sears also urged the audience to attend the Youth Conference in Oklahoma City, June 20-24.
“My wife and I will have the bounty of being there,” he said. “If you planned to go and changed your plans, change them back again and go. Imagine people coming from all directions teaching on the way. It could be unprecedented. Let’s make the Oklahoma Conference unlike any other conference we have ever had.
“You heard how the settlers once raced in their wagons to get land in Oklahoma? We’re going to reverse the process. We’re going to start in the Oklahoma territory and we’re going to race out in all other directions to conquer the soil of human hearts.”
During the youth conference, Mr. Sears said he will spend some time every day just chatting with the friends. “We plan to set aside an hour-and-a-half each day just to sit around and have coffee and talk,” he said.
He said he and his wife, Marguerite, have been traveling in the United States and Canada during the past year, and that they will continue to travel and teach during the current Bahá’í year.
Mr. Sears also spoke a bit about his profession: “making people laugh.” He said he is writing a sequel to God Loves Laughter, which will be the second book of a trilogy, presenting an ever-developing picture of the Bahá’í Faith. The third volume will be called I Was a Spy for God, and is an account of Mr. Sears’s life in Africa.
A Funny Thing Happened to Me on My Way to the Catastrophe, a slim volume (50-60 pages), being co-authored with Robert Quigley, which will be finished sometime this year, deals with recent history in light of the prophecies of Bahá’u’lláh on the rolling up of the present order. It will be mainly for young people, Mr. Sears explained, and will consist primarily of photographs of modern-day disorder and disaster, accompanied with pertinent and explanatory prophetical quotes from the Bahá’í Writings. About three-quarters of the way through people will say they just can’t believe that any religion could have foreseen so many awful developments, Mr. Sears observed.
Another book Mr. Sears is working on with his wife is called Promises. They are searching the Writings for passages that describe promises made by the Central Figures of the Faith about the things that will take place if the friends teach the Cause. “For example, the Guardian said that whoever would arise in the face of materialism, ecclesiasticism, and communism, in a spirit of love would win complete and total victory,” Mr. Sears said. Relating this work to his forthcoming book on catastrophes, he noted: “The real catastrophe is that we Bahá’ís should know all of these things, and not devote our lives to it. The real pollution is not in the waters and the skies. It is in the hearts of men, because of their attitudes, and that is what we have to change.”
Mr. Whitesinger chants in “God’s Hogan”[edit]
(continued from page 3)
He said that some of the friends are now working on tapes in Navajo to aid in teaching and deepening.
Doc Whitesinger has never been very far from home, according to Mr. Helmick. Once he traveled to Tucson years ago when his son was injured in World War II. He also attended the State Convention at which time he declared his faith in Bahá’u’lláh. And last summer he attended a conference at Cave Creek. He also visited his granddaughter when she had a baby.
He was not feeling well during his stay in Wilmette because of the low altitude, but declined a visit to the hospital. The old gentleman said he had “never been in a hospital and was not about to start now.” He said, though, that he might have some tea when they return to Phoenix.
As he was departing at the close of the Convention, he recognized a member of the National Center staff whom he had met earlier. He called, perhaps the only words he knew in English, “Hello, my friend.”
Doc Whitesinger was elated that he had fulfilled his desire to chant a prayer in “God’s Hogan.”
|
A Contest for Artists A contest for Bahá’ís is now under way to select the best simple drawings illustrating different sets of quotations from the Bahá’í Writings which will appear in the March and May through September issues of The American Bahá’í. The first set of quotations is listed below. At the completion of the contest, those artists whose drawings are selected for use will receive a Bahá’í book. Purpose of Drawings: The drawings are needed to illustrate quotations from the Bahá’í Writings which will be used in a series of picture lesson cards. Audience: The lesson cards will be used throughout the world in teaching people of all ages, including those with minimum reading ability. Style of Drawings: Each drawing should explain visually a single quotation and, with its accompanying quotation, form the basis for a single lesson presentation. (The quotations themselves are not meant to have any particular relationship to each other.) In addition, the drawings should not be tied to any specific culture, since the picture lesson cards will be used throughout the world. Above all, each drawing should be simple, one-color line artwork. Format for Submitting Drawings: All drawings should be submitted on 8½ x 11-inch (or larger) paper. Each should be accompanied by the quotation which it illustrates. Deadline: Artwork must be received by October 31, 1973 to be considered. Entries may be sent in anytime between April 1 and October 31. 11. “O ye friends of God! Today is the day of union and this age is the age of harmony in the world of existence. ‘Verily, God loveth those who are working in His path in groups, for they are a solid foundation.’ ” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as quoted in Bahá’í World Faith, p. 401 12. “The vitality of men’s belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it.” —Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 200 13. “Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the unerring balance established amongst men.” —Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 198 14. “Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men.” —Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 295 Send Entries to: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091 |
BAHÁ’Í BOOKS AND MATERIALS[edit]
A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas[edit]
A Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, The Most Holy Book of Bahá’u’lláh, is now available. The volume includes a Preface and Introduction by The Universal House of Justice, passages from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas translated into English by Shoghi Effendi, a synopsis and codification of laws and ordinances found in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and notes and references explaining various laws and ordinances.
In its short but highly significant Introduction, The Universal House of Justice, quoting from God Passes By, describes the occasion of Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation of His Most Holy Book and its importance as the Charter of His New World Order. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is, Bahá’u’lláh has written, “the breath of life unto all created things,” “the mightiest stronghold,” “the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples,” the “heaven which We have adorned with the stars of Our commandments and prohibitions.”
The Universal House of Justice goes on to explain how the friends begged Bahá’u’lláh for a number of years “for the laws of God.” But, Bahá’u’lláh has written, “We held back the Pen ere the appointed time had come.” Thus, it was twenty years from the intimation of His mission in the Siyáh-Chál until the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. And even then, He did not send it immediately to the friends in Persia. Bahá’u’lláh has written concerning the implementation of His laws, that “tact and wisdom” and “prudence” must be exercised. The Universal House of Justice explains that “This divinely-purposed delay in the revelation of the basic laws of God for this age, and the subsequent gradual implementation of their provisions, illustrate the principle of progressive revelation which applies, as Bahá’u’lláh Himself explained, even within the ministry of each Prophet.”
For this reason, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while revealing interpretations which are of fundamental importance in understanding the Aqdas, concentrated on spreading His Father’s Teachings and explaining His principles. Shoghi Effendi, after Him, laid the foundations of the Administrative Order of Bahá’u’lláh, began to implement ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Divine Plan, and only as these forces took hold began gradually to apply and enforce the laws of Bahá’u’lláh’s Most Holy Book.
Shoghi Effendi explained that a synopsis and codification of Bahá’u’lláh’s Laws and Ordinances was a necessary prelude to the publication of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and adopted such a project as one of the goals of the Ten Year Crusade. From the Guardian’s outline and notes, The Universal House of Justice completed the project as part of the Nine Year Plan. That Supreme Institution has written, in its Introduction, that “The number of laws at present binding upon Bahá’ís is not increased by the publication of this work. When The Universal House of Justice deems it advisable it will inform the friends what additional laws are binding upon them, and will provide whatever guidance and supplementary legislation will be necessary for their application. Certain laws, however, as pointed out by the beloved Guardian, ‘have been formulated in anticipation of a state of society destined to emerge from the chaotic conditions that prevail today.’ ” 66 pages.
Cloth/$1.50
BAHÁ’Í LITERATURE[edit]
The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice[edit]
“This historic and highly significant document, the formulation of which was one of the goals and victories of the Nine Year Plan, is now available to the friends. The Constitution is divided into two sections, one a Declaration of Trust and the other a collection of By-Laws. The Declaration of Trust opens with moving statements praising God and glorifying Bahá’u’lláh. Following these statements, the House of Justice traces its authority from Bahá’u’lláh through the Covenant and, after determining the lack of a successor to Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Cause of God, accepts the position of ‘Head of the Faith and its supreme institution.’ The House of Justice then enumerates the powers and duties with which it has been invested, giving the believers a fuller understanding of the station, grandeur, and authority of this body.
The By-laws of The Universal House of Justice provide the definitions and procedures necessary for the smooth functioning of the Administrative Order. In this portion of its constitution, the House of Justice establishes the minimum age for voting and holding office; sets the frequency of elections of Local Spiritual Assemblies; provides for the formation of National Spiritual Assemblies; sets the frequency of elections of The Universal House of Justice; enumerates the obligations of Spiritual Assembly members; establishes the term of office of members of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, as well as members of The Universal House of Justice; delineates the conditions under which a vacancy in the membership of the House of Justice may be declared; and states that The Universal House of Justice shall have no officers. The House of Justice also declares its rights to review any decisions of Local or National Spiritual Assemblies; establishes procedures for appealing decisions of Local or National Spiritual Assemblies; details the appointment, area of jurisdiction, and eligibility for service on administrative bodies of the Continental Boards of Counselors and their Auxiliary Boards; and provides for amendments to this constitution.
The importance and significance of this constitution will perhaps be better appreciated and understood when we remember that it is the undergirding of the “Ark” of God, that House which, Shoghi Effendi has assured us, “posterity will regard as the last refuge of a tottering civilization.” This is a document which all of the believers will surely want to study thoroughly and meditate upon, both individually and in deepening classes. 16 pages.
Paper/$0.50
| TO ORDER: | Order through community Librarians if possible! Personal Orders: Enclose full payment, Plus $.30 handling charge for all Literature orders under $5.00, and 10 percent (minimum $.30) for all Special Materials orders. |
BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST
| 415 LINDEN AVENUE |
| WILMETTE, ILLINOIS 60091 |
The Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly has initiated a Comprehensive Deepening Program to assist the American Bahá’í Community in “accelerating and strengthening its efforts to consolidate.” In its foreword to the five volumes now available in the Program, the National Assembly has stated that “Consolidating the community is one of the greatest challenges facing American Bahá’ís. Ultimately, the emergence of strong and spiritualized communities must rest firmly upon gaining a clearer apprehension of God’s purpose for man and translating that understanding into individual and collective action on a daily basis.” To meet this challenge, a wide variety of materials are being produced as part of the Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program which will “emphasize the practical application of Bahá’í principles in meeting demands, solving problems, facing tests, and seizing opportunities for development.”
This Bahá’í deepening program is based on the definition of deepening given to us by The Universal House of Justice in its Riḍván 1967 message, a definition which stresses gaining 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 National Assembly has explained that “The Deepening Program is comprehensive in the sense that it provides materials for the experienced as well as the inexperienced Bahá’í, adults, youth, and children, and for different activities and roles associated with Bahá’í community life. Materials have been, or are in the process of being, developed to assist in deepening Bahá’í families, Bahá’í children, Bahá’í groups, Bahá’í communities, Local Spiritual Assemblies, and delegates to Bahá’í conventions. The content of the materials includes a wide range of concerns, such as the electoral process, consultation, the Feast, giving to the Fund, prayer and meditation, Bahá’í law, marriage, and rearing children.
“The materials themselves can be used in a variety of ways: in summer schools and weekend institutes, in independent study, community deepening, and family deepening, and in preparation for pioneering.”
At present, five books, one filmstrip program, and three wall hangings are available as part of the Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program. Other items will be announced as they become available.
The Meaning of Deepening
The Meaning of Deepening, by Daniel C. Jordan, introduces the Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program. Its focus is on the purpose of God for man. Subjects discussed include the meaning of life, the acquisition of divine attributes, the dynamics of spiritual education, the significance and handling of tests, our relationship to the Bahá’í Covenant, the struggle toward obedience, and the functions of Bahá’í institutions. Includes bibliography and index. Tan cover. 78 pages.
$2.50
The Supreme Gift of God to Man
This book is a compilation of quotations from the Writings on the intellect—“the supreme gift of God to man.” The quotations offer a clearer understanding of Bahá’í attitudes and values concerning the intellect, its development through education, and its utilization in service to humanity. The need for a balance between material and spiritual education is also stressed. Includes bibliography. Olive green cover. 20 pages.
$1.00
Knowledge, Volition, and Action
Knowledge, Volition, and Action, by Daniel C. Jordan, discusses the need for spiritual transformation and the conditions necessary for its attainment—knowledge of God’s purpose for man, volition, the setting of goals, perseverance, and self-disciplined action. First published as an essay in World Order. Includes bibliography. Gold cover. 16 pages.
$.75
[Page 19]
The Bahá’í Electoral Process
The Bahá’í Electoral Process explores the relationship between the electoral process and the Administrative Order, the pattern for future society. Part I examines the function, the divine origin, and the unique nature of the Administrative Order. Part II focuses on the purpose, spirit, and methods of the electoral process and includes chapters on qualifications for Assembly membership, preparation for voting, voting as both a sacred duty and an administrative right, the spiritual atmosphere of Bahá’í elections, and obedience to elected institutions. Part III is an appendix on election procedures in current practice. This appendix provides information on a variety of topics, such as joint declaration, ties, plurality and majority votes, and election of officers. The appendix also contains a checklist of steps to be used in a Local Spiritual Assembly election. Includes bibliography. Grey cover. 45 pages.
$1.75
A Fortress for Well-Being
A Fortress for Well-Being examines marriage in light of God’s purpose for man. Part I explores the foundations and purpose of marriage. Part II focuses on preparation for marriage and includes chapters on character assessment during the engagement period, parental consent, interracial marriage, and the Bahá’í marriage ceremony. Part III discusses the role of prayer in strengthening and preserving a marriage, conditions which maintain unity, handling marital difficulties, the consultative process, seeking assistance from the Local Spiritual Assembly, divorce, and remarriage. Includes bibliography and index. Royal blue cover. 78 pages.
$2.50
Three-Ring Binder for Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program Materials
An attractive, heavy-duty, three-ring binder is now available for use in storing Comprehensive Deepening Program printed materials. The logo of the Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program, a flame symbolizing the light of knowledge, is silk-screened in white on the front of the rich blue, leather-grained binder. This logo also appears on the covers of all Bahá’í Comprehensive Deepening Program books. All printed materials for the Comprehensive Deepening Program will appear in an 8 1/2 x 11-inch format and will be punched for storage in these three-ring binders. As booklets and leaflets are produced, they can be acquired and stored in this special binder.
$2.50
Complete Package
The above five texts (The Meaning of Deepening; The Supreme Gift of God to Man; Knowledge, Volition, and Action; The Bahá’í Electoral Process; and A Fortress for Well-Being) are available, at a special price, as a complete set packaged in a three-ring binder. These items would cost $11.00 if purchased separately.
$8.00
SPECIAL MATERIALS[edit]
6-00-73 Birds of Diverse Feathers Consult Together
A new color filmstrip program humorously identifies many of the personality traits which tend to impair the consultative process. It also shows how, through an awareness of God’s purpose for man, these traits can be changed into spiritual attributes which facilitate consultation. Douglas Honaker’s colorful cartoon birds are delightful and thought-provoking. This program will be valuable for Bahá’ís of all ages who want to understand more about and be a functioning part of the Administrative Order.
$8.50
6-47-01 Wall Hanging “A”
Wall hanging, hand-lettered by Terese Blanding, with floral border, printed in dark maroon on grey-beige paper. The quotation (“Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom...”) is from Gleanings, No. CLI. 20 1/2 x 25 1/4 inches.
$1.50 NET
6-47-02 Wall Hanging “B”
Wall hanging, hand-lettered by Terese Blanding, printed in black ink on natural-colored parchment. The quotation (“O Son of Being! Thou art My Lamp and My Light is in thee...”) is from The Hidden Words, Arabic No. 11. 11 1/2 x 17 1/2 inches.
$1.00 NET
6-47-03 Wall Hanging “C”
Wall hanging, hand-lettered by Terese Blanding, printed in black ink on natural-colored parchment. The quotation (“Should any man, in this Day, arise, and with absolute detachment...”) is from Gleanings, No. CXLIX. 17 1/2 x 23 inches.
$1.25 NET
6-30-51 A Commentary on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas
A commentary on the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, prepared by Hand of the Cause Mr. A. Q. Faizi, is now available on a cassette. The commentary is followed by fifteen minutes of excerpts from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which already appear in English in various Bahá’í books.
$2.50
|
NATIONAL CONVENTION REPORT NOW AVAILABLE |
6-30-52 1973 National Bahá’í Convention Highlights
A new cassette program consisting of portions of the official recording of the proceedings of the 1973 National Bahá’í Convention in Wilmette is now available.
The 85-minute program features talks by Hand of the Cause of God William Sears and Counsellor Mrs. Florence Mayberry; a report of the recent International Convention by delegates and others attending; and portions of the annual report of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Office of the Treasurer, and other national departments and committees.
Also included is the National Spiritual Assembly’s announcement and description of its program for the consolidation of the American Bahá’í Community during the coming year. That report contains the official announcement of the new Comprehensive Deepening Program, and a description of the initial materials available from it.
$2.50
[Page 20]
Delegates to the Third International
Bahá’í Convention consult on the
theme of “What are the major challenges to the Bahá’í world during
the next decade and how are they
to be met?” The Convention met from
April 29 to May 1 to elect The
Universal House of Justice and to
deliberate on the affairs of the
Bahá’í Cause throughout the world.
Fourth Annual Mescalero Council Fire, page 13
Inside:
|
Reports on the Third International Bahá’í Convention in Haifa, Israel, story page 8 Some reflections on the significance of the Synopsis and Codification of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, story page 6 National Convention attracted some very interesting visitors, including this Navajo believer, story page 3 Month-long proclamation activities held in celebration of the successful completion of the Nine Year Plan, story page 12 |