The American Bahá’í/Volume 6/Issue 2/Text
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House of Justice calls for more pioneers[edit]
A new and urgent call to the Bahá’ís of the world for additional pioneers was made by The Universal House of Justice on January 13.
Citing the “striking progress” made during the first eight months of the Five Year Plan, and the “urgent needs of the work” as disclosed in a survey made by the International Teaching Center, The House of Justice increased the number of pioneers presently required from 557 to 933.
The House of Justice also renewed a plea to individuals, Local Assemblies, and National Assemblies to give generous support to the International Deputization Fund, which, it said, “will not only be an essential factor in the speedy settlement of this urgently needed army of pioneers, but will also stimulate and assist the flow of travelling teachers whose labors will provide strong reinforcement to the work of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in all parts of the world.”
Responsibility for the placement of 305 pioneers out of the total called for has been assigned to the United States. The House of Justice said it ardently hoped to see all 933 posts filled by October 20, 1976, the Anniversary of the Birth of the Báb, and the midway point of the Five Year Plan.
“The eager response of the friends to the initial call has already resulted in 279 pioneers settled or in the process of becoming so,” The Universal House of Justice said. “The remainder are urged to arise as quickly as possible before the confusion and chaos which are engulfing the old order disrupt transportation and communications and cause doors which are now open to be closed in our faces.”
The House of Justice’s request was sent to all Local Spiritual Assemblies and Bahá’í groups by the National Spiritual Assembly. In a covering letter dated January 29, 1975, the National Assembly explained that of 120 goals assigned to this country at the start of the Five Year Plan, 74 had been completed in 38 countries, leaving 231 more to be completed in the next 21 months.
The remaining assignments are distributed as follows: 47 in Africa; 117 in the Americas; 27 in Asia; 15 in Australasia; and 25 in Europe. A list of the specific assignments appears in this issue of National Bahá’í Review.
“The National Spiritual Assembly and the International Goals Committee eagerly anticipate a flood of volunteers and an increase in the International Deputization fund worthy of the confidence placed in the United States Bahá’í community by our beloved Universal House of Justice,” the National Spiritual Assembly said.
Community meets Fund goal for third consecutive month[edit]
The National Bahá’í Fund has obtained its contributions goal for the third consecutive Bahá’í month, the Office of the Treasurer reports.
“It indicates a willingness on the part of the friends to meet the budget goals, which makes it possible to conduct vital teaching projects of the Five Year Plan,” said Stephen Jackson, assistant to the National Treasurer.
The Fund goal of $137,000 was reached during the months of Masá’il, Sharaf, and Sulṭán.
A record 682 Spiritual Assemblies contributed in the month of Sulṭán, the third of the three months. That total came close to the goal of 700 Assemblies contributing monthly, recently set by the National Spiritual Assembly to be achieved before Riḍván.
The Office of the Treasurer also reports an increase in its volume of correspondence from the community. Much of it expresses delight at the progress being made in reaching the Fund goals, Mr. Jackson said.
More details about the improved level of contributions will be published in the February and March issues of National Bahá’í Review.
Bahamas Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds Acquired[edit]
Negotiations for the acquisition of the building which will serve as the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Bahamas were concluded in Nassau during the visit there of Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, at the end of January. Ideally located in downtown Nassau, the spacious structure was built by a former prime minister of the country and is considered a landmark by Bahamian citizens. Its attractiveness will thus enhance the Bahá’í functions to be held there.
Several smaller buildings included in the purchase are suitable for various activities of the Bahá’í community. Much of the original furniture of the house has come with the acquisition.
Extensive proclamation of the Faith took place during Mr. Mitchell’s visit, with a half-hour program taped by Carl Bethel, program director of the Government-owned radio station WZNS, and an hour-long visit with Leon Turnquist, editor of the Nassau Guardian.
Mr. Mitchell also spoke at a gathering of the Bahá’ís of Nassau and spent considerable time consulting with the Teaching Committee of the Bahamas about the laying of the groundwork for the establishment of a National Spiritual Assembly in their country, which is a goal of the Five Year Plan.
Summer projects planned by Youth Committee[edit]
Summer projects for 1975 are being planned by the National Youth Committee. Requests from communities for summer volunteer assistance are being processed, and Committee Secretary Philip Christensen said specifics about these projects will soon be published. Dr. Christensen said the projects this year will be concentrated in the three states selected by the National Assembly for intensive proclamation. They will last a minimum of two weeks, although some will be scheduled for as long as two months. The first projects will begin in June, and the last will end in August, Dr. Christensen said. He recommended that Bahá’í youth interested in becoming part of a summer project begin to plan for it now. Participants must pay their own transportation and must help with their living expenses. The average amount paid for living expenses by 1974 projecteers was $3 per day, he said.
The following report on the 1974 projects prepared by the National Youth Committee describes some of the accomplishments of the summer projects. The work of this year’s projects is expected to be equally significant and interesting. “Summer projects are exciting for youth, and they are a good way to spend the summer,” Dr. Christensen said.
This summer nearly fifty devoted Bahá’ís between the ages of 15 and 80 scattered throughout this country to undertake Bahá’í projects which, without their help, would not have been feasible. District Teaching Committees and Assemblies sponsoring these activities began their planning as far in advance as January 1974, surveying first the potentials of their areas, contacting local agencies to offer volunteers for service to the community, notifying media, arranging accommodations for projecteers, and finally selecting particular teaching and consolidation goals and the means to attain them.
The projects emphasized developing Bahá’í community life and deepening through children’s classes, Feasts, films, etc., as well as widespread teaching and proclamation in Louisiana, Maine, South Dakota, and South Carolina. On the Mescalero Indian Reservation in southern New Mexico, local Bahá’í youth made friends with the projecteers through teaching and social activities, and by traveling together to St. Louis. Daily contact with the projecteers in Fort Yates, North Dakota, as in Mescalero, provided special opportunities for the children and youth to become involved.
In Delaware and West Virginia, young projecteers visited many Bahá’ís who had not been visited for some time because of the lack of sufficient manpower. In Temple, Texas, the believers were inspired to meet together for the first time. As a result of the projecteers’ efforts, although the short project had terminated, approximately 20 children attended a picnic, and three seekers came to a public meeting. Projecteers in Saluda, South Carolina, were able to open the white community, an important step towards allaying suspicion of the Bahá’ís.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was the site of many exciting events. The Ojibwa Indians near Sault Ste. Marie, because of the mutual respect which exists between them and the local Bahá’ís, accepted the help of the projecteers in planning an annual cultural festival. The Bahá’ís were the only guests invited to share in this capacity. The local believers had won the respect of the tribe during the replanting of its sacred tree the year before, after which the special shovel was entrusted to the Bahá’ís for safekeeping. One afternoon the projecteers walked into a planning session for the festival and found many people excitedly reading an article on the Faith which had just appeared in a national Indian newsletter. Teaching in Marquette and other northern towns, the projecteers helped to enlist several new believers and thereby significantly raised the number of Bahá’ís on this beautiful and isolated stretch of land.
In Pierre, South Dakota—a capital city which lacks a Spiritual Assembly—the media gave excellent coverage to the Faith and thus made most residents aware of the Bahá’í Revelation. One projecteer, who became informed of the opportunity to serve in Pierre only a few days before the project, had formerly resided there and with other projecteers she shared the Teachings with her friends, at least one of whom accepted Bahá’u’lláh. Until then, only one Bahá’í was a resident of Pierre. Another projecteer has moved to Pierre to help continue the teaching and now several other Bahá’ís are pioneering there. In Maine and Louisiana, publicity, and personal contact with civic officials and other inhabitants, brought the Bahá’í Message to many for the first time.
Proclamation on women under way[edit]
A year-long campaign to publicize the Bahá’í teachings on the role of women in society has been planned by the National Teaching Committee.
The campaign coincides with International Women’s Year 1975, proclaimed by the United Nations, which has as its themes equality, development, and peace—the central aims of the United Nations Charter.
The National Teaching Committee has urged the entire community to plan major proclamation efforts in March, June, September, and December. The themes for these events will be Women and Education, Women in Family and Society, Women and Peace, and Women in Development, respectively.
The June proclamation will coincide with an international UN conference on women in Mexico City. The Bahá’í International Community will participate in this gathering.
Press materials for Women’s Year will soon be made available by the National Information Office. Stories on the progress of International Women’s Year in the Bahá’í community will appear periodically in The American Bahá’í, as will suggestions for conducting proclamation activities. Scripts for radio spots will also be available.
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the American Bahá’í 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 1st 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 the various institutions of the Cause. Address all mail to: The American Bahá’í Editorial Office, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. Copyright © 1974, National Spiritual assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. World Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. |
A new pamphlet, Women: Attaining Their Birthright, by Constance Conrader, has been issued by the Publishing Trust, and will be useful for seekers.
Other materials from the Publishing Trust will include a deepening program on women, a filmstrip about the role of women in Bahá’í history, and posters on themes related to Women’s Year.
The National Education Committee will develop classes for summer and winter schools on the role of women outlined in the Bahá’í writings.
Although the Teaching Committee urges that Bahá’ís participate in celebrating International Women’s Year, the activities planned should not supplant regular teaching programs. Women’s Year programs, the Committee says, should be incorporated into the community’s regular patterns of proclamation.
The emphasis on Women’s Year is consistent with the Bahá’í principle of the equality of men and women and also with the Faith’s support of United Nations activities, said John Berry, the Committee’s Secretary.
Mr. Berry referred to the following quotation from the Guardian as important to consider during this year’s proclamations:
“If presented properly, the position of women in the Bahá’í teachings will surely attract much attention, for it is not only legal but also spiritual and educational. Our ideals are so high and at the same time so practicable that all other views will fall short if compared to them.” Dawn of a New Day, page 30.
References on the role of women[edit]
Bahá’u’lláh, Synopsis and Codification of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: pp. 15, 16–no. 8; p. 36–no. 3; p. 38–no. 4; pp. 39–40.
Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith: Pages 53, 102, 103, 114, 116, 117, 165, 176, 195, 200, 218, 239, 240, 241, 247, 288, 377, 378, 398, 399, 417, 446.
Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Divine Art of Living: Pages 110, 111.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks: Pages 133, 160, 161, 162, 163, 182, 183, 184.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London: Pages 90, 91, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109.
Shoghi Effendi, Dawn of a New Day: Pages 3, 4, 30, 86, 202.
Shoghi Effendi, Bahá’í Administration: Pages 144, 145, 187–196.
Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice: Pages 27, 57, 58.
Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By: Pages 32, 33, 34, 45, 75, 76, 77, 108, 207, 208, 299, 342, 343, 347, 386, 387, 388, 395, 400.
Rúḥíyyih Rabbani, The Priceless Pearl: Pages 303, 304, 309, 310, 328, 382, 383.
J.E. Esselmont, Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era: Pages 154, 155, 156, 157, 233.
Marzieh Gail, The Sheltering Branch: Pages 33, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, 53.
Visitors must apply for limited convention seats[edit]
The 1975 National Convention, which is scheduled for April 25–27, will be held in Foundation Hall of the House of Worship.
After the seating of the delegates, only 214 seats will remain for the use of observers and visitors. Therefore, any person other than a delegate wishing to attend the convention must apply to the National Spiritual Assembly by letter no later than April 1. Seats will be assigned on that date, and all applicants will be advised of the results.
All 171 delegates are expected to be present at the Convention. Spouses of delegates wishing to attend will be assigned seats provided they make a request in writing by April 1.
Meals will not be served in Foundation Hall for either the delegates or visitors.
Pathways to service[edit]
Guidelines on Firesides[edit]
“The friends must realize their individual responsibility. Each must hold a fireside in his or her home, once in nineteen days, where new people are invited, and where some phase of the Faith is mentioned and discussed. If this is done with the intent of showing Bahá’í hospitality and love, then there will be results. People will become interested in ‘what’ you are interested in, and then be interested in studying. Individual firesides will bring the knowledge of the Faith to more people, under favorable circumstances, and thus constantly enrich its circle of friends, and finally its members. There is no substitute for the teaching work of the individual.”
Excerpt from a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to a Bahá’í couple, dated March 6, 1957.
The Guardian stressed repeatedly during his ministry that it was incumbent upon the individual believers to hold regular firesides in their homes to gain friends and adherents for the Faith. The following questions and answers on firesides were provided by the National Teaching Committee for review by the community:
What is fireside teaching?
Fireside teaching is the simple occasion planned and conducted by an individual Bahá’í or Bahá’í family (perhaps with the assistance of one or two other Bahá’ís), for the purpose of attracting personal friends or acquaintances to the Faith.
There is no standard technique for conducting a fireside. Every Bahá’í teaches in his own home in a way that is most natural for him. For most people, conversation is easier than giving a talk. The informal character of conversation is conducive to discussion and asking questions, and questions open the door to teaching.
Are different approaches necessary?
Since individuals differ in their interests and backgrounds, a different approach to the Faith is necessary with practically every person. Thus a fireside should be small enough to enable the Bahá’í hosts to establish contact with each guest. In the course of conversation, it is possible to discover the particular interests or problems of the individual and to determine how best to introduce the Faith to him.
What is meant by teaching?
There are two ways of teaching. First, there is the logical approach. No matter how we view the affairs of the world, the Bahá’í Faith is the next step. This is the logical approach which is usually employed in public meetings. But an individual is always more impressed by the sense of confidence, serenity, poise, and deep faith expressed by the believer than he is by the number of persons present at the fireside and the eloquence of the talk. Curiosity about the source of that inner peace and confidence usually stimulates questions, and at that point, real teaching begins.
To be confident, full of vitality and enthusiasm, is the basic requirement for teaching. These qualities come only from the believer’s own understanding of the essential verities of the Faith and from his full recognition and acceptance of the Divine Manifestation and His teachings. (National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, U.S. Supplement to Bahá’í News, no. 101, July 1966, p. 2)
Must every individual teach the Faith?
The fireside is a direct response to the universal command that every believer teach the Cause. It is also one of the very best methods for bringing new people into the community. We must endeavor to increase the number of firesides in each locality.
The why and how of Bahá’í Clubs[edit]
By the National Bahá’í Youth Committee
The Two-Year Youth Program set challenging goals for youth to form Bahá’í college, high school, and youth clubs. The National Spiritual Assembly has asked youth to “raise the number of Bahá’í college clubs to 350, and form clubs on high school campuses wherever feasible” and to “establish 100 local youth clubs with the sponsorship of the Local Spiritual Assemblies.”
Only 152 college clubs have reported to the National Bahá’í Youth Office during this academic year. There are six high school clubs and six local youth clubs on record. Thus, 198 college clubs and 94 local youth clubs must be established by the end of the Two-Year Youth Program.
The primary purpose of a Bahá’í college club is to teach the Faith. This purpose can be achieved in several ways. Since clubs are recognized by college administrations, school facilities are usually available for proclamation activities. Non-Bahá’ís may become members of the clubs, so even regular club meetings can provide opportunities for teaching. Club members may also support teaching activities in their local community and can organize teaching circuits to other parts of the country. Teaching circuits by youth have been particularly successful in reaching other students with the Message of Bahá’u’lláh.
In addition to directly promoting teaching activities, college clubs can become forums for the deepening and fellowship necessary for successful proclamation, particularly when such activities are not available through the local community.
The basic requirements for the formation of a Bahá’í college club are that there be at least two Bahá’ís associated with the school and that both the National Spiritual Assembly and the school administration recognize the club. Instructions and a model constitution for the establishment of a club can be obtained by writing the National Bahá’í Youth Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. (Clubs should make sure their constitutions are up to date. The last revisions, made in 1973, for example, allow clubs to accept funds from the college.)
There are a number of ways in which an individual youth can help win the goal of forming 350 college clubs. Students at colleges where no Bahá’í club exists can form one if there are enough Bahá’ís on campus or they can make special efforts to enroll new believers. Youth in the process of choosing a college to attend might consider pioneering to a school where no club has been formed. (The National Youth Committee maintains records of those colleges especially in need of campus pioneers.)
Students at schools where a club has already been formed should make special efforts to ensure the Bahá’í club will not disappear when they graduate. And they should report at least once each term to the National Bahá’í Youth Committee, which offers information, materials, and assistance for teaching efforts.
Bahá’í high school clubs have the same purpose and organization as college clubs. However, most public high schools will not recognize a religious club for fear of violating the constitutional separation of church and state. Therefore, the Two-Year Youth Program set no numerical goal for high school clubs. When Bahá’í high school students can gain official recognition for campus clubs, they are encouraged to do so. (Instructions and model constitutions are available from the National Youth Committee.) When this is not possible, local youth clubs should be formed. Although youth can establish off-campus high school clubs, since school facilities are not accessible, it is preferable to form a youth club not associated with a given school.
The idea of local youth clubs was first introduced in the Two-Year Youth Program. They are sponsored by Local Assemblies, but unlike campus clubs, local youth clubs are open to all Bahá’í youth, whether enrolled in school or not. Membership by youth over 21 may be ruled upon by Local Assemblies. The primary purpose of the local club is not to teach. The National Spiritual Assembly has explained that these clubs are:
- designed to provide the youth with a peer group of social support which will combine the devotional, recreational, and social activities that are required to reinforce the orientation of youth to the Bahá’í way of life and provide them with encouragement to develop a life of productive work, moral excellence, and service to the Cause. The idea behind these clubs is to provide a viable alternative to the socially and spiritually harmful influences of a rapidly deteriorating old world order.”
Policies and guidelines for youth clubs may be obtained from the National Youth Committee. Youth interested in forming clubs should request their Local Assemblies to write for this information.
Bahá’í College Clubs have been winning teaching goals since 1937; local youth clubs are a new approach to developing the distinctive character of Bahá’í life.
Job openings at Green Acre[edit]
Green Acre Bahá’í School, in Eliot, Maine, is now accepting applications for the following job openings:
Permanent, Full-Time:
- Building Maintenance: Requires experience in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc.; aptitude and desire to learn may be considered in lieu of experience. Available May 1, 1975.
- Grounds Maintenance: Requires experience and aptitude for equipment repair and maintenance, forestry, gardening, landscaping, etc. Available May 1, 1975.
Summer Only, 1975:
- First Cook: Experience in supervision of a large kitchen, feeding to 200, purchasing food, planning menus, etc. From June 15 to September 5, 1975.
- Kitchen Helpers: No experience necessary, but helpful. From June 28 to September 5, 1975.
- Registrar: Experience in record keeping, pleasant manner, must work well under pressure; supervise department. From June 28 to September 5, 1975.
- Housekeeper: Supervise department, with some volunteers. From June 15 to September 5, 1975.
- Snack Bar Manager: Purchasing, records, pleasant manner, supervise volunteers. From June 28 to September 1, 1975.
Please write: Edwin Miller, Secretary, Green Acre Bahá’í School Maintenance Committee, 185 Main Street, Eliot, ME 03903.
News Briefs[edit]
Mobile classroom will be used for deepening in rural areas[edit]
An experimental mobile classroom will soon be tested in areas of North and South Carolina with large enrollments of Bahá’ís.
The classroom, called the “Roadbox”, is a four-foot-high wooden container, stocked with equipment and deepening materials: a filmstrip and slide projector, a movie screen and projector, art supplies, literature, etc.
The mobile classroom will serve areas of the Carolinas where the believers either do not have access to Bahá’í schools, or do not attend for economic or cultural reasons.
On weekends volunteer teachers will transport the classroom to various communities in a van or station wagon and will conduct classes with the assistance of teacher’s aides recruited in the host communities. They will use lesson plans (these include filmstrips, games, skits, songs, and art projects) developed for the “Roadbox” by the National Education Committee.
A demonstration of the mobile classroom will be given at the Louis G. Gregory Institute on March 1-2. It will be put into regular use shortly after Riḍván. Its operation will be supervised by a newly appointed Carolinas Mobile Bahá’í School Committee.
The “Roadbox” was designed by John Kavelin, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It cost approximately $300 to build.
Bahá’í group uses Christmas to proclaim Faith[edit]
During the busy Christmas season the New Day Bahá’í Singers, a musical proclamation team from Minnesota, proclaimed the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh to celebrating Christians in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The group was invited, as in years past, to sing in several of the large enclosed shopping malls in the metropolitan area while shoppers visited the stores. They performed Christmas carols, Bahá’í songs, and read from the Bahá’í Writings. After their half-hour program, the members of the group were available to answer questions and distribute literature to those interested.
Many shoppers expecting to hear traditional carols listened more intently when the songs were unfamiliar carols and the readings were not recognizable Bible passages. Some people reacted adversely, but mostly the response was extremely positive.
The New Day Bahá’í Singers had 14 engagements between December 6-18. They will schedule similar appearances again next year.
The New Day Bahá’í Singers are sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of St. Paul, Minnesota.
New Jersey institute held stresses quality Bahá’í life[edit]
Approximately 75 Bahá’ís attended the third Kresson Institute in Kresson, New Jersey, September 14-15. The institute (“What We Believe In” was the theme) was sponsored by the New Jersey District Teaching Committee. Through their study of the Bahá’í writings and group discussions, the friends tried to determine some of the requirements for building the distinctive character of Bahá’í life.
The first day’s program began with stories from long-time believers about the lives of early Bahá’ís, and of their exploits, which have inspired others to perform great services as well. Afterwards, small, friendly workshop groups were formed to study ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Will and Testament and Shoghi Effendi’s The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh.
On the second day, pioneers and traveling teachers talked of their experiences. There was discussion about the country’s current pioneering goals, and those present were asked to consider whether they might fill one of the important overseas goals. The workshops from the previous day were continued during the afternoon session.
Fifty teaching projects planned for spring[edit]
A special spring circuit teaching goal for youth has been announced by the National Youth Committee.
During March and April the committee would like to see at least 50 circuit teaching projects completed throughout the country by youth between the ages of 15 and 20.
Plans for travelling teaching should be worked out with District Teaching Committees. Notice should be sent to the National Youth Committee upon completion of the project.
The accomplishment of this goal will give the Two Year Youth Program the momentum it needs to be terminated successfully, the Committee’s Secretary, Philip Christensen, said.
The youth program calls for the completion of 500 circuit teaching projects. During the last month youth have been making better progress with this goal, Dr. Christensen said. With California reporting over 50 travelling teaching projects completed during the fall, the total edged up to 99.
Second work/study project planned for spring break[edit]
A second National Bahá’í Center work-study project for youth is being organized by the National Youth Committee, its secretary reports. The project is scheduled from March 24–April 4, Philip Christensen said. The project will coincide with the spring vacation given by many schools in the country. There will be places for approximately 15 youth in this second work-study project, Dr. Christensen said. The youth will work in various National Center offices, will guide at the House of Worship, and will attend special classes on the theory and practice of Bahá’í administration.
The first work-study project was conducted in Wilmette from December 15–January 15, with 15 youth participating. (See The American Bahá’í, January 1975). The response was enthusiastic. One participant said: “All I have to say is that those 10 days were among the best days of my life, and I really mean it.” Another participant: “The knowledge I gained while working on the youth project is invaluable to me. I never realized the importance of the administrative order.”
Bahá’í youth interested in participating in the second project should write to the National Youth Committee, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091. Bahá’ís who have not applied in advance will not be permitted to enroll in the program.
It is possible to work out alternate project dates for those individuals whose spring vacation does not coincide with the period scheduled for the second project, the Youth Committee has indicated.
Committee prepares series of articles[edit]
“Pathways to Service,” a series written by the National Bahá’í Youth Committee for The American Bahá’í, was initiated in October 1974. Each article in the series focuses on ways in which young Bahá’ís can help win Five Year Plan goals and be of the greatest service to the Faith. The article this month is entitled “The Why and How of Bahá’í Clubs,” and explains the role of college and local youth clubs and how Bahá’ís can form them. Other articles have been:
- “Immediate Opportunities for Youth Service” (October 1974, page 14)—discusses teaching projects, teaching circuits, and campus clubs.
- “Youth Urged to Set Personal Goals” (December 1974, page 2)—explains the importance of personal goal-setting and suggests some sample goals which youth might wish to set for themselves.
- “On Becoming a Circuit Teacher” (January 1975, page 11)—describes the bounty of traveling to teach the Cause and tells how to become a successful circuit teacher.
Future articles in “Pathways to Service” will discuss education, careers, pioneering, minority teaching, service projects, the Fund, and other special opportunities for Bahá’í youth to serve.
San Francisco hosts youth proclamation[edit]
At the dawn of Human Rights Day, in San Francisco’s Union Square, a group of 26 Bahá’ís launched the community’s Winter Youth Proclamation with dawn prayers. To publicize the opening event of the month-long teaching campaign, the Bahá’ís mingled with the throng of Christmas shoppers, tourists, and street artists on the square to distribute 1,000 helium balloons bearing the words “Bahá’í Faith—Dawn of a New Day,” and invitations to an evening address on Human Rights.
In the week that followed, a small but enthusiastic unit of projecteers attended orientation and training classes conducted by Philip Christensen, Secretary of the National Bahá’í Youth Committee.
Highlighting the activities of the first week was the preparation of a storefront teaching center in San Francisco’s Mission District. Daily, Bahá’í youth devoted time to decorating and furnishing their field headquarters for the project and introducing Bahá’u’lláh to storefront visitors.
The first major teaching effort of the winter proclamation was directed towards the Spanish-speaking community of South San Francisco. Paul Pettit, Auxiliary Board member from Portland, Oregon, gave preliminary instruction on direct teaching. He emphasized the methods of attracting seekers and the role of the Local Spiritual Assembly in nurturing new believers.
Armed with pamphlets and proclamation flyers, the teaching force maneuvered up and down Grand Avenue to invite South San Franciscans to a public meeting the following weekend in San Morelos Hall, an event which featured a talk on the Faith and a musical fireside, both presented in Spanish.
Auxiliary Board member Paul Pettit (center, back row) poses with San Francisco teaching team members.
On Sunday, December 22, at San Francisco’s Japanese Trade Center, Bahá’ís from northern and southern California, from as far east as Maine and Georgia, and overseas from Malaysia assembled. Following a performance by the Day Spring musical quartet, Mr. Pettit again spoke on teaching methods and the Local Spiritual Assembly’s responsibility in developing “embryo” Bahá’ís.
Emphasizing that service to man “is a bounty, never a sacrifice,” Mr. Pettit commended the relatively small group of projecteers. “It is not the lack of projecteers that will be of consequence,” he said, “but the small group that is working. We can be sure that San Francisco will not be the same at the end of the project as it was before—all efforts bear fruit.”
By that evening, the results had already become evident. Earlier, as a consequence of the storefront teaching effort, one 56-year-old San Franciscan declared his belief in the Divine Message of Bahá’u’lláh, as did a Spanish-speaking couple.
The evening of December 22 marked another highlight of the proclamation. A group of thirty Bahá’ís participated in a Baptist Sunday service in San Mateo, and, at the invitation of the pastor at the end of the service, read Bahá’í prayers and sang “God is One.”
With further direct teaching in South San Francisco, the official opening of the Mission District storefront, and evening firesides, projecteers advanced proclamation efforts towards a victory celebration and public meeting on January 5 in the Grand Ballroom of the San Franciscan Hotel.
The celebration, attended by 400 friends and seekers, opened with a musical presentation by England Dan and John Ford Coley of southern California. It was followed by a talk by Firuz Kazemzadeh, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Teaching the Bahá’í Faith, Dr. Kazemzadeh said, cannot be done through force: “It is an invitation to an independent investigation of truth.”
A community bicycle ride through Golden Gate Park on January 12 marked the official close of the San Francisco Winter Youth Proclamation.
Employment still available in goal countries[edit]
On January 13 The Universal House of Justice renewed its call for pioneers, raising the worldwide total to 933. The lion’s share of these goals has been assigned to the American Bahá’í community, which has been made responsible for filling 305 pioneering posts by October 20, 1976. That date is less than two years away.
“The call comes as employment for Americans in other countries is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain,” Janet Rubenstein, Secretary of the International Goals Committee said. “The Universal House of Justice wrote of the ‘confusion and chaos which are engulfing the old order’ that can ‘cause doors which are now open to be closed in our faces.’ The doors have all but closed into France and all its territories and into Norway. As the world economic situation worsens, rising nationalism bars Americans from more and more jobs in other countries; more doors will undoubtedly slam shut.
“But it is still possible to win our goal of 305 pioneers,” Mrs. Rubenstein said. “There are jobs waiting for Bahá’ís in almost every goal country. Only three things are necessary to take advantage of those opportunities. Pioneers must be able to leave as soon as possible. They must have a trade or profession that is needed abroad, and they must have facility in the language of the country to be settled.” Mrs. Rubenstein said that job opportunities abroad often require training and experience not readily available in other countries, but fairly easy to obtain in the United States. “There are at least three ways to take advantage of these opportunities,” Mrs. Rubenstein said. “Bahá’ís who already have qualifications necessary for employment abroad should leave for a post immediately. The International Goals Committee stands ready to assist them. Some Bahá’ís lack only the proper certification, or perhaps some specialized training. They should take steps to gain such credentials or find the on-the-job training to qualify them. Other Bahá’ís who are in school, especially youth, should try to choose careers which are most needed in other countries. They can also combine their education and pioneering by attending school in another country. This would increase their chances of obtaining employment there later,” Mrs. Rubenstein said.
Opportunities for prospective pioneers[edit]
It is made incumbent on every one of you to engage in some one occupation, such as arts, trades, and the like. We have made this—your occupation—identical with the worship of God, the True One.
Bolivia
Sociologist. Qualifications: knowledge of sociology, with special interest in the study of development. Special consideration will be given to knowledge of Latin America. Very good knowledge of Spanish required; English or French desirable.
Regional planning specialist. Qualifications: an economist with specialization in regional economics. A good knowledge of Latin America is requested. Very good knowledge of Spanish is required; English or French desirable.
Botswana
Mechanic. Qualifications: recognized skill as a vehicle mechanic, preferably with a number of years experience in this field. Ancillary skills in boat and radio maintenance desirable. Language: English.
Agricultural extension instructor. Qualifications: university degree in agriculture with a broad spectrum of training which must include agricultural extension practice. Language: English.
Game warden-parks development. Qualifications: must have a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, zoology, biology, or a subject related to the disciplines utilized in a national parks system, or its recognized academic equivalent. Candidates must have sufficient experience in parks and/or wildlife management and should have detailed experience in building and supervision of field construction work and maintenance programs. Language: English.
Plant ecologist. Qualifications: degree in botany and experience in botanical research. Post-graduate degree in botany or plant ecology and experience in swampland research desired. Language: English.
Brazil
People with training in the following fields may be able to find positions and obtain resident visas in Brazil more easily than others: engineering (electric, chemical, telecommunications, mechanical, organizational, civil, mining, agricultural), chemistry (nuclear, organic, inorganic), geology, and nursing.
El Salvador
Community development specialist. Qualifications: experience in community development programs and knowledge of rural and cooperative sociology. A good knowledge of Spanish.
Fiji Islands
Elementary teacher. Qualifications: a degree in education, with a specialization in primary work. Experience in primary education, in curriculum development, and knowledge of current methods. Language: English.
Gabon
Graphic artist. Qualifications: experience and/or practical knowledge of graphic arts. A very good knowledge of spoken and written French required.
Haiti
Administrative assistant. Qualifications: a degree in business administration and/or bookkeeping. Experience in management, initiative, and capacity to travel well without supervision and to work with the development of national staffing. Knowledge of agricultural problems is desirable. Very good knowledge of French desired, English helpful.
Auto mechanic. Qualifications: good knowledge and experience in auto mechanics. Administrative aptitude. A very good knowledge of French indispensable, English desired also.
Jamaica
Radio and TV repair. Qualifications: specialized training and practical experience in radio and TV repair. Ability to organize and conduct practical training courses in these skills. Language: English.
Laos
Dyer (textiles). Qualifications: must have a good knowledge of the procedures for dyeing silks and cotton. Experience in supervising work in textile laboratory. Capacity to work well with people of different cultures. Working language: French.
Lebanon
Auto mechanic. Qualifications: good general and technical education in automotive fields, preferably up to technician level. Languages: English and French.
Malawi
Soil Microbiologist. Qualifications: a degree, with
postgraduate experience desirable; basic training in
agronomy or soil science with a knowledge of and
interest in microbiology and crop nutrition. Language: English.
Micronesia
Mechanical Engineer. Qualifications: Bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering plus three years
experience. (Additional experience may be substituted for required education.) Language: English.
Norway
Engineers: Qualifications: graduate engineering degree with experience with gas turbines. Ability to
assume responsibility for gas turbine design and
development program. A minimum of five years
demonstrated achievement in mechanical design of
gas turbines or other high speed rotating machinery.
Language: Norwegian.
Papua and New Guinea
Roads maintenance instructor. Qualifications: licensed operator of earth moving equipment. Practical experience in road construction and maintenance at foreman level. Ability to communicate effectively with trainees aged between 16–20 with schooling not exceeding primary education and possessing only basic understanding of English. Language: English.
Tanzania
Secretary-Translator. Qualifications: shorthand and typing in both English and French. Experience in secretarial work, filing, maintenance of administrative records, preparation of documents, local project accounts. Translation from English to French and vice versa, assistance in interpretation during meetings.
Printer. Qualifications: technical qualifications equivalent to A-2 or A-3 level in repro-process and dark-room management for photo-offset litho printing process. Ability to teach. Some experience in this field. Language: English.
Windward Islands
Assistant Planner. Qualifications: graduate in town planning, preferably with degree in architecture, civil engineering, surveying, or geography. One or two years of practical experience in the design and execution of basic planning surveys, the plotting, tabulation, and analysis of data. Experience in drafting and graphic presentation is an asset but not a requirement. Language: English.
Urban sociologist. Qualifications: graduate in social anthropology or urban sociology with three years’ experience. Experience in the design and execution of basic sociological surveys, the tabulation and analysis of data. Teaching experience desirable. Language: English.
For more information on all of the positions listed above, contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091. For information concerning other international employment opportunities, consult the Teacher’s Guide to Teaching Positions in Foreign Countries (Sixth edition, 1974), available at P.O. Box 514, Ames, IA, 50010, the New York Times Sunday editions, and your own professional and trade journals.
Dates to remember[edit]
March 1-2 Proclamation and Consolidation Conference, Waskom and Longview, Texas. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of East Texas No. 1.
March 1-2 Proclamation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Philadelphia.
March 1-20 Period of the Fast. Begins sunset March 1 and ends sunrise March 20.
March 1-April 30 Special Youth Goal: 50 Teaching Circuits. Sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
March 2 Feast of ‘Alá’ (Loftiness).
March 8 Bahá’í Literature Institute, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Ann Arbor.
March 15 Teacher Training Institute, Warren, Ohio. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Northern Ohio.
March 16 Proclamation, Clarksville, Texas. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of East Texas No. 1.
March 21 Naw-Rúz (Bahá’í New Year), Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
March 21 Feast of Bahá (Splendor).
March 21-22 Proclamation, Beaumont, Texas. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Beaumont, Texas.
March 21-22 Second Annual Bahá’í College Club Conference, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh Bahá’í Club and the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Oshkosh.
March 21-26 Spring Session of Bosch Bahá’í School, Santa Cruz, California. Theme: Family Commitment to the Five Year Plan.
March 22 Teaching Conference, Springfield, Illinois. Topic: “Opening Counties: What Works?” Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Southern Illinois.
March 22-23 Youth Conference, Portland, Oregon. Planned by Auxiliary Board member Paul Pettit and hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Clackamus County.
March 23 Deepening Conference, Houston, Texas. Speaker: Auxiliary Board member Eunice Braun. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Houston.
March 24-April 4 National Bahá’í Center youth work/study project. Sponsored by the National Youth Committee.
March 28-30 National Spiritual Assembly Meeting.
March 28-30 Youth Conference, Lawrence, Kansas. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Lawrence.
March 29 Teacher Training Institute, Bowling Green, Ohio. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Northern Ohio.
April 1 Deadline for receipt of materials for May issue of The American Bahá’í.
April 3-6 Pioneer Training Institute, Wilmette, Illinois (By invitation only).
April 4 Area-wide Proclamation, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. Speakers: Auxiliary Board member Jane Faily and National Spiritual Assembly member William Maxwell.
April 4-6 Institute on the Distinctive Character of Bahá’í Life, Springfield, Illinois. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Springfield.
April 5 Proclamation and Consolidation Conference, Mineral Wells, Texas. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of East Texas No. 1.
April 6 Deepening Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. Sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of the Bahá’ís of Southern Virginia.
April 19 Music Workshop, Akron, Ohio. Sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Akron.
April 21-May 2 Feast of Riḍván (Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh).
April 21 First day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
April 24 National Spiritual Assembly Meeting.
April 25-27 National Convention, Wilmette, Illinois.
April 29 Ninth day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
May 1 Deadline for receipt of materials for June issue of The American Bahá’í.
May 2 Twelfth day of Riḍván, Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
May 10-11 Auxiliary Board Team Conference, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Theme: The Individual, the Covenant, and the Five Year Plan. Hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Iowa City.
Work/study program at Green Acre planned[edit]
A work/study program planned for Green Acre this summer will permit Bahá’ís who could otherwise not afford it to participate in programs at the summer school in Eliot, Maine.
The 32 volunteers selected will divide their time between classroom study and work for the Green Acre School, either in regular housekeeping and maintenance services or in such special projects as produce gardening and forestry management.
The work/study program is scheduled to begin June 15. It will run through September 5. Participants should plan to spend at least two weeks in the program. Room and board will be provided to those selected, but no pay.
Applicants must be at least 15 years old. Applications should be sent to: Green Acre Bahá’í School, 185 Main Street, Eliot, Maine 03903. The applications should give details about any useful previous work experience and should specify the time for which the application is made. Individuals with special skills are encouraged to volunteer. Married couples will be eligible. The selections will be made by the Green Acre Bahá’í School staff.
Correction[edit]
In December The American Bahá’í printed a chapter from Go Watch TV, by Nat Rutstein. The publisher, Sheed and Ward of New York, had requested that information about the book be printed with the chapter. That information was inadvertently omitted.
The information requested by the publisher was as follows: Copies of Go Watch TV by Nat Rutstein are available through Sheed and Ward, Inc., 475 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY, 10017. Please enclose $8.50 to cover the cost of the book, postage, and handling.
Spanish section[edit]
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REGOCIJADOS ANUNCIAMOS LA CONCLUSION EXITOSA DE LAS LARGAS NEGOCIACIONES DELICADAS QUE RESULTARON EN ADQUISICION POR COMPRA CASA SAGRADA CENTRO CONVENIO ABDU’L-BAHA LUGAR DE NACIMIENTO DEL AMADO GUARDIAN SHOGHI EFFENDI. PROPIEDAD HISTORICA CONTIGUA CUARTEL MAS GRANDE PRISION COMPRENDE TERRENO AREA CASI SIETE MIL METROS CUADRADOS INCLUYE OTRAS ESTRUCTURAS DENTRO RECINTO ASEGURANDO PROTECCION PERMANENTE CASA VISITADA POR MUCHOS PEREGRINOS COMIENZO SIGLO ESCENA VISITA HISTORICA PRIMER GRUPO PEREGRINOS OCCIDENTALES. SE ESTA PREPARANDO PLANES RESTAURACION CASA SAGRADA EMBELLECIMIENTO TERRENO COMO LUGAR ADICIONAL PEREGRINAJE CENTRO MUNDIAL CUANDO CIRCUNSTANCIAS FONDO PERMITAN. OFRECEMOS HUMILDE AGRADECIMIENTO BAHAULLAH ESTA GRAN BENDICION. CASA UNIVERSAL DE JUSTICIA
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Se aumentan las metas de pioneros[edit]
A los Bahá’ís del Mundo
Queridos amigos Bahá’ís,
El notable progreso realizado durante los primeros ocho meses del Plan de Cinco Años y las urgentes necesidades del trabajo manifestadas en una encuesta hecha por el Centro Internacional de Enseñanza nos inducen a elevar nuevamente el llamado para pioneros que hicimos en Riḍván, aumentando el número de 557 a 933. Se está enviando ahora los detalles de las asignaciones a sus Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales para acción inmediata.
La respuesta entusiasta de los amigos al llamado inicial ha resultado ya en 279 pioneros que se encuentran establecidos en sus puestos o que están en el proceso de establecerse. Se urge a los restantes a que se levanten tan pronto como sea posible antes de que la confusión y caos que están hundiendo al viejo orden interrumpan el transporte y las comunicaciones y cierren en nuestras caras las puertas que ahora se encuentran abiertas. Es nuestra esperanza ardiente que la mayoría de los 933 puestos, si no todos, serán ocupados ya al punto medio del Plan de Cinco Años que coincide con el Aniversario del Nacimiento del Báb, el 20 de octubre de 1976.
Renovamos nuestra súplica a los creyentes individuales y a las Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales y Locales, a que den su apoyo generoso al Fondo Internacional de Diputación, lo cual será no sólo un factor esencial en el establecimiento rápido de este ejército de pioneros que se necesita urgentemente, sino que, además, estimulará y ayudará el fluir de maestros viajeros cuyas labores proveerán un refuerzo potente al trabajo de los seguidores de Bahá’u’lláh en todas partes del mundo.
Nuestras oraciones por su guía sus pasos en el sendero de Su servicio.
- Con cariñosos saludos Bahá’ís,
- LA CASA UNIVERSAL DE JUSTICIA
13 de enero de 1975
Se formarán cinco Asambleas Nacionales[edit]
A todas las Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales
Queridos Amigos Bahá’ís,
Nos complacemos en anunciar que los amigos en varios países de África Occidental y en uno del Cercano Oriente están haciendo preparativos para el próximo Riḍván para formar, de acuerdo con las disposiciones del Plan de Cinco Años, sus nuevas Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales. En África Occidental, la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de Dahomey, Togo y Niger se dividirá en tres comunidades nacionales distintas, una para cada uno de los tres países que actualmente componen la región, con sus sedes en Cotonou, Lomé y Niamey respectivamente, mientras las Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales de Africa Occidental y de Alto Africa Occidental se dividirán en dos unidades cada una, la primera en Liberia y Guinea, con su sede en Monrovia, y Sierra Leona, con su sede en Freetown, y la última en Gambia, con su sede en Banjul, y una nueva Asamblea Espiritual Nacional con el nombre de Alto Africa Occidental que comprenderá Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau y las Islas de Cabo Verde, con su sede en Dakar. En el Cercano Oriente, la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional de Jordania será formada con su sede en ‘Ammán. Estos avances en el plano nacional resultarán en un aumento neto el próximo Riḍván de cinco Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales, pero en vista de que los amigos en Indonesia no pueden mantener actividades nacionales administrativas, el número total de Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales en todo el mundo se elevará de esta manera a 119.
Cuatro de las cinco nuevas Asambleas Espirituales tendrán sus sedes en África Occidental. La formación de tres otras Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales está proyectada para esta área en el transcurso del Plan. La fuerte potencial para el crecimiento y la expansión en las regiones occidentales de África es tal como para justificar un desarrollo correspondiente de la institución de los Cuerpos Continentales de Consejeros en esa área vasta y prometedora. Se ha tomado la decisión, por lo tanto, después de consultar con el Centro Internacional de Enseñanza, de dividir la zona actual de África Noroeste en dos zonas distintas de África del Norte y África Occidental, y a cada una se transferirán partes de la zona de África Central y Oriental. La zona de Africa del Norte comprenderá Egipto, Libia, Tunisia, Algeria, Marruocos, y Sahara Español. La zona de Africa Occidental abarcará a Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, las Islas de Cabo Verde, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leona, Liberia, Costa de Marfíl, Alto Volta, Niger, Ghana, Togo, Dahomey, Nigeria, Chad, Camerún, Guinea Ecuatorial, Gabón, y Santo Tomé y Príncipe.
Debido a la creación de un nuevo Cuerpo de Consejeros para Africa del Norte, los Consejeros de éste y del Cuerpo de Consejeros para Africa Occidental deben ser agrupados de nuevo, deben hacerse nuevos nombramientos al Cuerpo de Consejeros para Africa del Norte, y debe aumentarse el número de miembros de los Cuerpos Auxiliares. Hemos decidido, por lo tanto, que el Cuerpo de Consejeros para Africa del Norte se compondrá del señor Muḥammad Kebdani quien está sirviendo ya como Consejero, el señor Muḥammad Muṣṭafá y el señor ‘Imád Sábirán. El Cuerpo de Consejeros para Africa Occidental se compondrá del señor Ḥusayn Ardikání (Fiduciario), señor Friday Ekpe, señor Dhikru’lláh Kaẓimí, y el doctor Miḥdí Samandarí (transferido del Cuerpo de Consejeros de Africa Central y Oriental).
Aumentamos, también, el número de los miembros de los Cuerpos Auxiliares en Africa, agregando 9 miembros al Cuerpo para la Protección, y 9 al Cuerpo para la Propagación, elevando el total para ese continente a 25 y 45 respectivamente, asignados de acuerdo con la siguiente lista:
| Miembros de los Cuerpos Auxiliares para la Protección | Miembros de los Cuerpos Auxiliares para la Propagación | |
| Africa Central y Oriental | 13 | 19 |
| Africa del Sur | 4 | 10 |
| Africa del Norte | 5 | 5 |
| Africa Occidental | __5__ | __11__ |
| 27 | 45 |
Oramos en los Santuarios Sagrados por que estas decisiones que reflejan el crecimiento de nuestra amada Fe en Africa, preparen el camino para progreso más rápido, expansión más amplia y consolidación mayor a medida que los amigos de ese gran continente avancen en sus esfuerzos por promover y proteger la preciosa Causa de Bahá’u’lláh.
- Con cariñosas saludos Bahá’ís,
- LA CASA UNIVERSAL DE JUSTICIA
6 de enero de 1975
Conferencia bahá’í de nativos[edit]
Alaska. La Asamblea Nacional organizó recientemente una conferencia bahá’í de nativos, la primera de su clase, en Haines, Alaska, con aproximadamente 50 asistentes.
El propósito, anunció la Asamblea Nacional, “era reunir a los indios, esquimales y creyentes aleutianos de toda Alaska así como de las localidades cercanas en Canadá y los EE.UU., para animarlos a tomar parte cada vez más activa en los trabajos de la fe. La conferencia, planeada por creyentes indios de varios pueblos pequeños de Alaska, estaba destinada a reflejar la cultura nativa y marcar las bases de una consulta sobre la enseñanza en los pueblos, por gente nativa.”
Los comentarios entresacados de los informes de miembros del comité de organización y participantes, revelan el espíritu y el valor de dicha conferencia:
“Uno sentía la verdad y el profundo amor de los amigos por Bahá’u’lláh y su gratitud por haber dado este primer paso...”
“El grupos estaba encantado de ser “escuchado” en lugar de ser “hablado.” Había un gran amor y unidad de parte de cada uno; es hermoso el respeto que esos creyentes se tienen unos a otros y la dignidad con que se conducen...”
“Yo sentía, como persona no nativa, que tenía mucho que aprender de esos amigos.... en la consulta, cada hablante es escuchado atentamente y con gran cortesía; ninguna muestra sentimiento o desacuerdo con gestos, ruidos o levantamiento de manos; las emociones se mantienen al mínimo. El hablante no es idolatrado ni juzgado; cuando están en desacuerdo o contestan, lo hacen con tranquilidad y calma...”
La conferencia fue seguida de un esfuerzo de enseñanza en el norte de Columbia Británica, de Canadá, cuyos detalles fueron estudiados y trabajados en consulta entre las Asambleas Nacionales de Alaska y Canadá. Un grupo de enseñanza visitó unos cuantos pueblos en esa área, y los planes requieren visitas de grupos más pequeños ayudar a la consolidación.
Bahá’ís assist with planning of Indian culture festival[edit]
The Spiritual Assembly of Citrus, J.D., California, with the assistance of the Navajo Culture Club of Los Angeles County (Dineh Bah A’Lil), commemorated the birth of Bahá’u’lláh with a program of entertainment which included Indian dancing, a chorale presentation, and folk-rock music.
More than 500 people—hundreds of them non-Bahá’ís—crowded into the Ford Park Pavilion Auditorium in Bell Gardens for the November 10 event. More than 100 of these, including many of the dancers, were American Indians.
Most of the Dineh Bah A’Lil repertoire was Navajo in origin, although the troupe also performed traditional dances of other tribes. The Begay and Hale families, who participated in the dancing, are considered among the very finest Indian dancers in the country.
The dancers on this occasion were children primarily. They were taught by Virginia Denetdale, a Navajo interested in preserving Indian culture and traditions.
Two members of the Citrus, J.D. Assembly, Wayne Steffes (an Oneida Indian) and his wife Alice, (a Navajo), are members of the Dineh Bah A’Lil. Their daughters Regina and Rhea perform with the dance troupe.
England Dan and John Ford Coley performed ballads and folk-rock selections which were warmly received. The California Bahá’í Chorus also performed at this event.
The Dineh Bah A’Lil children’s dance group.
During the intermission, baskets of fry bread were distributed to the audience. The fry bread was prepared by the women of the Navajo Culture Club.
The Bahá’í speaker for the occasion was Franklin Kahn, a member of the National Spiritual Assembly. Mr. Kahn, who is himself a Navajo, directed his remarks to the Navajos in the audience. He spoke of the spiritual significance of sandpainting, a subject which only men of recognized achievement are permitted to explore with fellow members of their tribe.
David Villaseñor, an Indian Bahá’í artist of note, displayed paintings and handicrafts at the event.
The Bahá’í community has expressed interest in working closely with the Navajo Culture Club on similar events in the future. Los Angeles County reportedly has one of the largest Indian populations in the country.
BAHÁ’Í BOOKS AND MATERIALS[edit]
BAHÁ’Í LITERATURE[edit]
Women: Attaining Their Birthright
by Constance Conrader
Women: Attaining Their Birthright is a valuable new booklet on the equality of men and women. Its publication coincides with the year, 1975, designated by the United Nations as International Women’s Year—a year-long observance to which the National Spiritual Assembly has pledged the support of the American Bahá’í community.
The booklet begins with a brief synopsis of the station of women throughout history. It then sketches some of the early stirrings of the struggle for women’s rights in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing in detail on the momentous happenings of the nineteenth century. The pamphlet contains several pages on Táhirih, the sole woman among the Báb’s eighteen disciples, and describes her extraordinary role at the Conference of Badasht in 1848. Significantly, less than a month after this conference the first Women’s Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. Its purpose was “to discuss the social, civil, and religious rights of woman ...”
A major section of Women: Attaining Their Birthright draws upon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talks and Tablets to explain the Bahá’í view on the equality of the sexes and the future station of women. The booklet stresses that education must play a key role in the emergence of women as coequals of men, and it concludes by stating that women are to play a “supreme role” in the “new human drama.”
Women: Attaining Their Birthright provides an excellent summary of a Bahá’í view of the station of women and of the equality of the sexes and contains many extracts from the Writings, a number from sources no longer in print. Ideal for teaching non-Bahá’ís and deepening Bahá’ís, particularly during 1975, United Nations’ International Women’s Year. Attractive purple and rose cover design by Scott Bivans. Reprinted from World Order, 6, no. 4 (Summer 1972). Slimline format. 33 pp.
6-40-73 | $0.35; 10/$3.25 |
TWO NEW PAPER EDITIONS AVAILABLE
Two important and popular titles—The Dawn-Breakers and Bahá’í Administration—are available for the first time in paperback editions.
The Dawn-Breakers: Nábil’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation
by Nábil-i-A’ẓam
7-31-53 cloth | $12.00 |
7-31-54 paper | $8.00 |
| Bahá’í Administration | |
| by Shoghi Effendi | |
7-08-04 cloth | $4.00 |
7-08-05 paper | $2.50 |
SPECIAL MATERIALS[edit]
Mankind is One jigsaw puzzle
Looking for great entertainment that doesn’t use electricity? Try the new “Mankind is One” jigsaw puzzle! The orange, black, and white puzzle is 10½ inches in diameter and has 52 pieces. Makes an excellent educational gift for children, both Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í. Fun for adults too!
6-40-20 | $3.00 |
Five Year Plan stickers
Want to remind your friends about the Five Year Plan? Use “Five Year Plan stickers”! Each inch-square sticker has an adhesive backing and attaches easily to envelopes and letters as well as to notebooks and clipboards. Excellent for all Bahá’í correspondence.
6-44-04 | 100/$1.50 |
BAHÁ’Í FILMSTRIP PROGRAMS[edit]
— and how to use them
A special two-page feature of this month’s American Bahá’í
The Bahá’í Publishing Trust carries sixteen filmstrip programs, each one complete with filmstrip, recorded cassette narration, and printed narration booklet. The programs cover many different subjects and are valuable aids to teaching, deepening, and proclamation activities. Some tell of the Faith’s remarkable history from 1844 to the present. Others show convincingly—with pictures—that the Bahá’í Faith attracts people of all races, nations, and religious backgrounds. And still others use drawings, diagrams, photographs, and colorful cartoons to teach the administrative principles that govern all Bahá’í Spiritual Assemblies.
Is your community making the best use of these valuable and easy-to-use teaching tools? To find out, read the following rules on how to use filmstrip programs. Then use the accompanying descriptions of the programs to decide which filmstrips you might purchase next and how you might use them.
How to Use Filmstrip Programs
Five Rules to Remember[edit]
1. Collect the necessary equipment, including a projector, a screen, and a cassette player. Test all equipment ahead of time, and obtain extension cords, tables, and other accessories, if needed. It is always a good idea to have a spare projector lamp on hand.
2. Rehearse the program in advance of the showing, familiarizing yourself with the pace of the program, and making sure that the sound and picture quality are as nearly perfect as possible.
3. Introduce the program choose someone to welcome the guests and to make introductory remarks or ask questions about the topic so that the audience is in the proper mood and is thinking about the subject matter before the program begins.
4. Plan a follow-up activity, such as a discussion, a period of prayer or meditation, or study of the Writings related to the topic.
5. In general: think of the filmstrip program as part of an evening’s fireside or deepening activities—a part that is made more meaningful when related activities are scheduled before and after the showing.
FILMSTRIP PROGRAMS[edit]
‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Glimpses of Perfection
An inspiring program that emphasizes the importance of the Master’s visit to America and consists primarily of pictures taken during His stay here. Excellent for deepening. Black and white. 80 frames.
6-00-07 .................................$7.50
The Bahá’ís and the Holy Land
An explanation of how the land holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims became a sacred spot to Bahá’ís as well. It includes pictures of the holy places of four major religions and is a beautiful, direct introduction to the Faith. Color. 88 frames.
6-00-25 .................................$7.50
Birds of Diverse Feathers Consult Together
A color filmstrip program which humorously identifies many of the personality traits that could be impairing your community’s consultative process. It also shows how, through an awareness of God’s purpose for man, these traits can be changed into spiritual attributes which make consultation easier. Script by Dr. Daniel C. Jordan. Color. 94 frames.
6-00-73 .................................$8.50
Artist Douglas Honaker’s Cartoon “Birds”
Carmel: The Mountain of God
An almost hauntingly beautiful program which shows how Bahá’u’lláh’s arrival in the Holy Land fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments, and how His own prophecies of the future role of this Holy Mountain are now being fulfilled. Color. 59 frames.
6-00-80 .................................$7.50
A scene from “Carmel: The Mountain of God”
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A Guide to Bahá’í Filmstrip Programs
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The Dawning Place of the Mention of God:
A Report on the Dedication of the Mother Temple of Latin America
The story of the construction and dedication in 1972 of a major project of the Nine Year Plan—the Bahá’í House of Worship in Panama. Also a survey of the growth of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere, with pictures of local believers from twenty-six countries. An impressive program, with dozens of photographs of the new House of Worship, from every angle, in every light. Color. 80 frames.
6-00-92 .................................$7.50
Decade of Drama:
The Nine Year International Teaching Plan
A colorful program which highlights the major events and developments in the Bahá’í world community during the Nine Year Plan. Useful at deepenings, institutes, and summer schools. With suitable introduction, can be used at firesides. Color. 121 frames.
6-01-01 .................................$8.00
The Seat of The Universal House of Justice—an illustration from “The Five Year Plan.”
The Five Year Plan:
America’s Role in the Third Global Teaching Campaign
A presentation on the goals of the Five Year Plan, this program focuses on the three major objectives of the Plan: consolidation of the victories of the Nine Year Plan; expansion of the Faith; and the development of the distinctive character of Bahá’í life. Particular emphasis is given to the goals assigned to the American Bahá’í Community. Color. 97 frames.
6-02-01 .................................$8.50
God Speaks Again
An explanation of the station of Bahá’u’lláh and an introduction to the Bahá’í Faith intended primarily for unsophisticated audiences. Voices and music (Can’t You See the New Day? and One in the Spirit) recorded in the South. Color. 71 frames.
6-00-11 .................................$7.50
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3 Filmstrip Projectors Offered Graflex SM-400 Filmstrip Projector If you need a more powerful projector which can be used in small auditoriums and with larger groups, the Graflex SM-400 is for you. It features a blower-cooled 300-watt lamp, a durable and easy-to-use filmstrip advance mechanism, a high-efficiency optical condensing system, and a 3-inch f/3.0 projection lens. Auxiliary lenses and adapters for showing slides are available from any Graflex dealer, and the lamp is a standard item available at photographic stores everywhere. Net wt. 4 lbs. Nine-foot grounded 3-wire cord.
The Bikoh is identical to the Viewlex in all respects except one: instead of being operable only on 120-volt house current, it is factory-modified to operate off either 120-or 240-volt house current, and 6- or 12-volt wet-cell motorcycle and car batteries! Perfect for pioneers! Unit includes a 10-foot auxiliary power cord. Note: if planning to operate unit off 12-or 240-volt power sources, be sure to purchase a 12-volt lamp, listed below; the 6-volt lamp is standard equipment with each unit. An adapter for single 2x2-inch slides is included. Instruction sheet included. Net wt. 3 lbs. 12 oz.
Viewlex “Mini-Giant” Priced at $29.50 NET, the Viewlex is the most economical of the three filmstrip projectors sold by the Trust. With its convection-cooled, low-voltage (6v, 18w) miniature lamp, it is well designed for firesides, deepening classes, personal study, and for small groups of about 12. Includes attachment for individual slides. Six-foot cord. Net wt. 3 lbs. 14 oz.
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Bahá’ís Gathered for 1963 World Congress
The Hundredth Year
A documentary on the Intercontinental Conferences held in October 1967. The conferences had three objectives: to commemorate the centenary of the Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh; to proclaim the Faith; and to deliberate upon the tasks of the remaining years of the Nine Year Plan. Useful at firesides, deepenings, proclamations, schools, and institutes. Color. 114 frames.
6-00-03 ............$9.00
Land of Resplendent Glory
A three-part, 225-frame, black-and-white filmstrip series on the Báb, the Letters of the Living, and Bahá’u’lláh. Each part shows landmarks and holy places of great significance to the Bahá’í Faith.
6-00-24 3 filmstrip programs | $16.00 |
6-00-15 Part I: The Báb (115 frames) | $6.50 |
6-00-19 Part II: Letters of the Living (45 frames) | $5.00 |
6-00-23 Part III: Bahá’u’lláh (98 frames) | $6.50 |
Scenes from “Land of Resplendent Glory”
The 1963 International Bahá’í Convention and the World Congress
An inspiring program which describes the first election, in the Holy Land, of the Universal House of Justice, and the historic gathering which followed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Available as a filmstrip program for the first time in March 1975. Recorded and printed narration in both Spanish and English. Color. 82 frames.
6-02-70 ............$9.50
Two pictures from “Out of God’s Eternal Ocean”
Out of God’s Eternal Ocean
This unusual and beautifully photographed program traces the history of the first fifty years of the Bahá’í Era, highlighting such events as Mullá Ḥusayn’s meeting with the Báb on the night of His Declaration and the arrival of Bahá’u’lláh and His followers in ‘Akká. Excellent for teaching, deepening, and proclamation activities. Color. 149 frames. Star Study Program.
6-01-58 ............$9.50
The Red Velvet Story
This delightful program shows children—members of the World Centre children’s class—discovering the fun of learning and teaching through the use of audio-visual materials. As the program ends, the audience receives a warm and spontaneous invitation to join the discussion of ways to teach the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh. Time: 19 minutes. Color. 112 frames.
6-01-35 ............$7.00
A Testimony of Love:
The Story of the Bahá’í Fund in America
This program—for Bahá’ís only—traces the development of three important institutions: the Bahá’í House of Worship, the National Spiritual Assembly, and the National Bahá’í Fund. Very helpful for communities seeking to stimulate greater interest in the Fund. Color. 126 frames.
6-01-23 ............$8.00
The Trusted Ones of God:
The Local Spiritual Assembly
Would your community benefit from viewing a filmstrip program on the Local Spiritual Assembly? This program, based on the popular study booklet of the same name, explains the spiritual foundation, election, and role of the Local Spiritual Assembly. Color. 50 frames.
6-00-66 .............$7.50
Unity in Diversity:
A Report on the Eight Oceanic and Continental Conferences
A pictorial report of eight Oceanic and Continental conferences held throughout the Bahá’í World in 1970 and 1971 to fulfill goals of the Nine Year Plan. This 130-frame color program shows an impressive picture of a world religion growing and developing in every corner of the globe.
6-00-31 ...................................$9.00
A scene from “The Red Velvet Story”
TO ORDER: Order through Community Librarians if possible! Personal Orders: Enclose full payment. Plus $0.50 handling charge for all orders under $5.00.
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The birthplace of the Guardian in ‘Akká