The American Bahá’í/Volume 7/Issue 4/Text
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Many victories follow launching of intensive Southern teaching program[edit]
Because of the renewed intensive teaching program in the South, 14 new believers have enrolled in Alabama. One of these was in a goal town, Fultah. Two other towns and three counties in Alabama have been opened to the Faith since the new program began: a youth moved into Union County; a couple moved to Walker County, and two Bahá’ís moved to Florence County; a youth moved into Northport and an adult moved into Thorsby.
In Mississippi, the Spiritual Assembly of Canton has been reactivated through the efforts of a traveling couple from Alabama. Phyllis and Earl Warren of Birmingham had to travel to California two weeks after the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir visited the South. The Southern Teaching Committee asked the Warrens to stop in goal areas en route to California. In Canton, they found four new Bahá’ís and visited those already enrolled. Two Bahá’í couples near Canton are now committed to helping strengthen the Assembly.
Georgia Bahá’ís are holding regular firesides in Athens, where there are six Bahá’ís and a jeopardized Assembly. In Carroll County, teachers go every week to speak in college classes and teach on campus. Two professors are regularly attending firesides. A student from Liberia invited the Bahá’ís to speak to his friends in Atlanta, and a fireside was given to five Liberians in an apartment two blocks from the Atlanta Bahá’í Center.
The Atlanta center is being renovated, a project designed and implemented by Bahá’ís of Atlanta and nearby communities. Completion is scheduled for May 23; the 25-year-old building will be painted and newly furnished, and Atlanta Bahá’ís plan to have firesides there five nights a week.
Atlanta is also beginning a Spanish-teaching project to directly teach some of the 25,000 Spanish-speaking residents of the city. It will be the first such project in Atlanta’s Bahá’í history.
In one of South Carolina’s goal areas, Columbia, a large city, a college course was taught for four weeks to 37 non-Bahá’í students at the University of South Carolina. Firesides are being held at Benedict College in Columbia. These meetings resulted from contacts made during direct teaching. The state began the new teaching program with five declarations, two of which opened new localities.
An ambitious one-month teaching project began in March in Orangeburg, South Carolina, with teaching in colleges and parks; extensive publicity will buoy the campaign during the week with teaching teams presenting the programs on weekends. There is a Bahá’í group in Orangeburg.
Dr. Muhájir extends trip to America[edit]
The Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir has extended his trip to the United States until at least mid-April.
Since his arrival in the U.S. in December, Dr. Muhájir has consulted with the National Spiritual Assembly and some of its committees, and with Local Spiritual Assemblies and District Teaching Committees. He is assisting with teaching and consolidation work and in the recruitment of pioneers and traveling teachers.
Dr. Muhájir spent much of February in California where 47 believers volunteered to pioneer, 26 from the San Francisco area and 21 from the Los Angeles area.
The friends in California also decided to concentrate teaching efforts in receptive areas and to increase consolidation activities. The youth also adopted such goals as opening their homes for youth and children’s activities, emphasizing team teaching, teaching the Faith to all of their school teachers and at least one student in each class, searching out and teaching foreign students, and teaching school-age youth not in school and those who have graduated.
Following his California trip, Dr. Muhájir visited communities in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Minnesota, and Illinois.
South Carolina Bahá’í children presented a special program for the Hand of the Cause of God Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir at Louis Gregory Institute recently. The children spent an entire day practicing songs and talks about the Hand of the Cause. At the end of the program, the children lined up and each lovingly gave a flower to Dr. Muhájir. After he received a flower from one child, he would in return give it to the next child in line. Dr. Muhájir also presented the children Greatest Name pins.
International traveling teachers, pioneers show marked increase[edit]
A total of 271 international traveling teaching trips had been undertaken by American believers through February, according to the International Goals Committee. This figure is almost double the total trips made last year by traveling teachers.
The International Goals Committee also reported that 204 believers have settled at pioneer posts this year and another 76 are preparing to go by Riḍván, April 21.
The National Spiritual Assembly has requested that the Five Year Plan pioneer goals be met by Riḍván. Through February, 198 of 310 assignments had been filled.
The increase in pioneers has paralleled that of traveling teachers. Last year at this time, 139 pioneers had left for their posts. The figure for the previous year was 92. A total of 139 traveling teaching trips were made last year.
Persons interested in filling pioneer or traveling teaching assignments should consult their Local Spiritual Assembly for guidance and then write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091. The committee suggests that interested believers begin immediately to save the necessary funds and to learn the language of the country in which they will enter.
Throughout the history of the Faith, pioneers and traveling teachers have been given a leading role in the urgent task of promoting the Cause.
Library of Congress appoints Mr. Hayden consultant in poetry[edit]
Robert Hayden has been appointed consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Mr. Hayden is a Bahá’í and the first black poet named to the prestigious position.
The post of consultant in poetry is often described as the nearest equivalent to Britain’s poet laureate. Among the consultant’s duties are advising the Library of Congress on its literary collection, giving public lectures and readings, and drawing scholars and poets to Washington for recordings and poetry sessions.
Mr. Hayden, professor of English at the University of Michigan and associate editor of World Order magazine, was appointed to the position February 20.
His books of poetry include Angle of Ascent, Heart-Shape in the Dust, Figure of Time, and A Ballad of Remembrance, which won the grand prize at the first World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal, in 1962. Mr. Hayden was recently awarded a fellowship of the Academy of American Poets. His work has appeared often in World Order magazine.
Editorial[edit]
Proclaiming the Faith[edit]
Awareness of the Bahá’í Faith and its teachings is increasing throughout the country, and with it is coming a new willingness by the media to provide access to Bahá’í institutions.
Opportunities for proclamation using these instruments of mass communication have undoubtedly multiplied.
At the national level in recent months, there have been indications that religion editors are more willing to pay serious attention to the work Bahá’í communities are doing in the nation.
Of course, we know that earlier this year AP and UPI, the largest wire services, circulated stories on the Faith to hundreds of newspapers; stories which were read by millions of people.
These stories caught the attention of religion writers at every level, and in subsequent visits conducted by the National Information Office to the nation’s largest circulation newspapers, it became evident that editors had acquired knowledge of the Faith, sympathy for its aims and purposes, and respect for its adherents.
Additional proclamation activities such as repeated mailings to editors of selected issues of World Order magazine, including the Bicentennial issue, the presentation of the National Assembly’s anniversary booklet, placement of displays in major cities, and advertising in national publications, are undeniably paying dividends at the local level.
• With relatively little effort, more than 100 communities have so far been able to place a 13-part series of radio programs with local stations as public service programming. The programs will begin to be distributed at the start of April. • A mailing of 30-second television spots to the 300 leading television stations in the United States has resulted in a very healthy 65 percent rate of acceptance. They have been broadcast more than 900 times to an audience estimated to be as high as 50 million. • Many local communities have encountered enthusiastic cooperation from television stations in preparing Bahá’í programs. In the Boston area, for example, a Bahá’í media committee with meagre financial resources was able recently to prepare five five-minute introductory presentations on the Faith for broadcast. They so pleased the station, an NBC affiliate, that they were re-broadcast at a later time, and the Bahá’ís were invited to be panelists on a new weekly televised discussion about contemporary religious issues.
These signs, no matter how encouraging, will remain in the realm of promise, and may eventually even disappear unless we can take greater advantage at the local level to exploit their potential with vigor, resourcefulness, courage, and wisdom.
What kinds of things can be done now to bring the Faith to the attention of our distracted nation? The possibilities are numerous, but here are just a few:
- Visit the religion editors of your local newspapers. Tell them you would like to explain the work and goals of the local community and leave reference material for their library. The Bahá’í World volume is an excellent resource for the editor. It provides specific information on the beliefs and institutions of the Faith and gives an impressive global perspective on our growth and development. Don’t be afraid to ask the editor what kind of information about the Faith will be of interest to them. A written guide on dealing with religion editors is available from the Bahá’í National Information Office to Bahá’í Assemblies and Groups.
- Make the same kind of personal presentation to program directors at local radio stations. If you don’t know what these stations are, look in the yellow pages of the telephone book for the listings. Most stations have great talk shows and other forms of public service programming that may accept Bahá’í speakers under specified conditions. But you will never know what the conditions are unless you ask. A handy source of information about radio stations, their featured programs, audiences, and advertising rates is Spot Radio Rates and Data, published monthly by Standard Rate and Data Service, Inc. It’s a good bet your library has a copy. Ask your librarian whether there are other types of media directories available to you locally that can help you in familiarizing yourself with your own media.
- Don’t forget the weeklies, shoppers, and minority publications. They deserve the same treatment, and they are probably more closely read by their audiences than the larger metropolitan dailies. There are also radio and television stations serving minority communities that should be tapped for time.
- Ask the public affairs director at your local television station whether they have a Bahá’í spot available or whether they could use one if they did. Investigate the local talk shows. It is possible that if an interesting speaker with an interesting story or background can be made available, the program hosts would invite them on. Ask whether time could be given for the showing of a Bahá’í film. All of our films are made for television. Ask whether it is possible for Bahá’ís to participate in taping of the devotionals used in opening and closing the broadcast day.
- Don’t wait for materials to come from the National Center before you move. A lot of research, care, experimentation, and deliberation go into their production, and that means they are not always available as fast as we might like them. Search your own community for talent that can make supplemental materials. Don’t hesitate to cooperate with your neighboring communities. Materials that are developed should be reviewed by the Local Spiritual Assembly in the community where they will be used, and it must be determined that their message is in conformity with the Teachings, that they are accurate, and are presented in a dignified manner. Local materials may suit great needs more properly than those developed at the National Center. If not, you can make the substitution when nationally distributed materials are available.
- Try to develop local story ideas for special events and Holy Days and suggest these to the editors with whom you have established communication. The press
Displays attract many calls to National Center[edit]
Serious-minded, sincere seekers called the Bahá’í National Information Office as a result of the Bahá’í displays in major transportation centers during February. The callers used a toll-free number provided at the displays. Most were businessmen between the ages of 30 and 40.
Most of the calls came from New York and New Jersey, from people who saw the display in Penn Central Station in New York City. Many asked about the relationship of Christianity and the Bahá’í Faith. One, who identified himself as a black train conductor who had just moved from California to New York, said that he was excited to find a religion which openly espoused the unity of mankind.
The displays, emerald-green modules supporting color transparencies, were set up in O’Hare Airport in Chicago, Penn Central Station in New York, and Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. Dioramas were exhibited in Atlanta, Dallas, and New York’s La Guardia Airport.
One caller said, “If the display had been yellow, I never would have looked at it. But green is my favorite color.”
Most of the callers expressed agreement with the principles expressed on the transparencies: the unification of humanity, one world, problem-solving through consultation. One man said that he had been walking along mulling over various thoughts and concepts in his mind, and the ideas expressed in the exhibit seemed to echo his thoughts and answer his questions.
About half of the callers had heard of the Faith before, and many asked how they could contact Bahá’ís and attend meetings.
Radio series is available[edit]
The Jeff Reynolds radio series, produced by the Bahá’í National Information Committee, was released by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust at Naw-Rúz. The series, designed with a rock format suitable for AM and FM stations, should be mailed to over 100 Bahá’í communities by Riḍván.
The programs, consisting of an even mix of music and “rapping” (on Bahá’í themes), have been ordered by 97 communities and the Georgia Bahá’í Information Service. The information service contacted over 20 stations in Georgia and by March had eight firm commitments to use the series; the information service hopes that Georgia will be the first state with a Bahá’í program heard throughout the state.
Other communities which report time commitments are in California, Indiana, Idaho, Colorado, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Utah. And on March 5, an order for the programs arrived from Ceylon.
Bahá’í display at Florida fair[edit]
This is the display sponsored by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Manatee (Florida) County in the county fair. The display received a second-place award in its category.
The display included ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s “Prayer for America,” a model of the House of Worship, and posters showing the diversity of Americans. The display was in place throughout the fair, which was held January 19–24.
Gainesville, Georgia, project continues with new successes[edit]
An entire day of classes in the comparative religions building of Gainesville High School in Georgia was given by Bahá’í speakers February 16. The opportunity resulted from a report on the Bahá’í Faith given at a woman’s club by a non-Bahá’í. The club assigned her the topic as part of a series of talks on religions. One of the club members is a teacher in charge of the comparative religions course at the high school, and she contacted Cheryl Hinshaw, a homefront settler in Gainesville, and invited Bahá’ís to the school. Jack Perrin and Carey Murphy spoke to four classes of about 120 students between the ages of 13 and 16.
Several of the students had already planned to write papers about the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’í speakers left books and pamphlets at the school.
The Bahá’í Faith is becoming known in Gainesville because of a special proclamation-teaching project which was launched in September under the sponsorship of the Spiritual Assembly of North DeKalb, the Georgia Bahá’í Information Service, and the District Teaching Committee of North Georgia.
Miss Hinshaw was the only Bahá’í in Gainesville when the project began. She moved from North DeKalb especially to assist the project. She is now part of a community of 12 adult Bahá’ís in the city, one adult and five youth in surrounding Hall County, and one adult in nearby Buford. In February, she was joined by another settler, Susan Lewis, who had declared in Atlanta at the beginning of the renewed intensive teaching in the South. Shortly after enrolling in the Faith, she heard about the activities in Gainesville, where she had lived for some years, and became so enthusiastic that she decided to move back. She is a journalist and now works in the only advertising agency in Gainesville.
Gainesville Bahá’ís have elected group officers, are having pre-election seminars, and will form a Spiritual Assembly at Riḍván. At least five firesides a week are held in the city, many of them at the homes of seekers or new Bahá’ís. Regular children’s classes are being given in Gainesville, and a goal has been set to unite all-Bahá’í families by Riḍván.
The Spiritual Assembly of North DeKalb continues to oversee the teaching work in Gainesville, while the Georgia Bahá’í Information Service sponsors proclamation there through media. Firesides are advertised with radio spots and news ads; the ads are placed not only in major papers but in smaller special-interest publications of women’s clubs, the firemen’s association, and colleges. Each household and business in Gainesville is also receiving information on the Faith through direct mail teaching.
Because proclamation is ineffective unless it is combined with personal teaching, personal contact with groups such as Jaycees, Elks, and garden clubs is being made, along with sustained contacts with schools and churches. The Gainesville Bahá’ís and teaching teams from other towns are involved in various volunteer programs, such as senior citizens, shut-in visitation programs, and hospitals. And, in becoming aware of the history of the Gainesville area, they have found it was opposed to both slavery and secession during the Civil War.
The need to focus teaching on responsive areas explained[edit]
Adapting teaching plans to fit local needs is one of the keys to successful teaching in the South, according to presentations made at a training conference in Camp Manison, Texas, February 21–22.
“For the remainder of the Five Year Plan,” declared Joan Bulkin, secretary of the Bahá’í National Teaching Committee, “it is essential that we focus our resources on areas where there is a response to initial teaching efforts, and not diffuse them over too great an area. In this way, we can open new localities, raise up groups, and establish Local Spiritual Assemblies through concentrated effort in particular localities.”
Members of District Teaching Committees throughout the South participated in the conference, receiving training to prepare them for returning to their own communities to train local teachers.
Auxiliary Board member Eunice Braun stressed the urgency of the present teaching needs. “We do not know, individually, how long we have to build the Kingdom of God on earth. Every moment must count. It is a time for dedication and inspired action.”
This same theme, of utilizing the freedom of the present time and responding to opportunities as they present themselves throughout our communities, was developed by all the speakers.
Steps leading to mass conversion in the early 1970s in the South were recalled by National Teaching Committee member Fereydoun Jalali, who reminded his audience that no one was an authority on the subject of mass teaching in those days. “We were not really sure what to do, but we would walk down country roads or the streets of small villages, and tell people that we met about Bahá’u’lláh and His Message. We learned the hard way what methods brought good results and what ones did not.
“Each one of us has some memory of the look of a person hearing for the first time about Bahá’u’lláh and responding to His Message,” said Mr. Jalali. “There were many problems, but these are good problems to have, the ones that are connected with a growing community and with a sudden influx of new believers. After some successes, our teaching efforts gradually stopped, but there are signs that we will have even greater results if we begin again.”
Mrs. Dorothy Bruner, secretary of the Southern Teaching Committee, pointed out that “the role of the Southern Teaching Committee representatives cannot be rigidly defined, since each area will have its own unique opportunities and plans will be made accordingly.” She encouraged representatives attending the conference to help Bahá’ís tailor plans to fit the needs of particular localities.
Speaking for the Bahá’í National Information Office, Beth McKenty outlined the projects undertaken in radio, newspaper, and television fields during the past year. “The Bicentennial provides us with an opportunity to make a positive statement about America’s beginning as well as its future destiny,” she commented. “Our exhibits in transportation centers, together with the special issue of World Order magazine, are attracting responses which will require strong teaching at the local level throughout the country.”
Cathy Collins, representing the Office of Membership and Records, cited the importance of keeping the Bahá’í National Center informed about any membership changes. She urged that Bahá’ís consult with their Local Spiritual Assemblies before moving, as well as ensuring that an accurate address is left with their Assembly secretary if they do move. “Our office can only be as efficient as the friends are,” she commented. She also explained the correct use of forms now employed by the Membership and Records office in their routine work.
Burrell Bullock, District Teaching Committee coordinator, explained plans for sending trainers into communities to consult about local plans and help set them in motion.
Participants included Robert James of Tennessee, Shirley Pleasant of Arkansas, Sara Ray and Jackie Logue of Alabama, Louise Brown of Mississippi, and Susan Rauscher and Sharon Edwards of Texas.
Monrovia Bahá’ís host Unity Week[edit]
Bahá’ís of Monrovia, California, began a World Unity Week with a concert in the auditorium of Monrovia High School January 11.
An audience of about 100 heard England Dan and John Ford Coley, the McPhersons (a group consisting of a mother and four daughters, all Bahá’ís), and two other groups for about three hours. In one of the groups, all but one of the musicians were Bahá’ís; the one who wasn’t declared at the concert.
World Unity Week continued until January 17 with a variety of events, including a panel discussion on the equality of men and women and a youth day which stressed the importance of youth in world development. The final event was a presentation by the Bahá’í New World Singers and a youth workshop.
The youth workshop, directed by Oscar De Gruy of Los Angeles, included dance, drama, and music. Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í performers demonstrated Bahá’í teachings. Most of the non-Bahá’í youth who attended the youth day sessions also attended the youth workshop production, and now six of them are performing with the workshop.
Three long articles on World Unity Week were published in the local newspapers. One article included a picture of Mayor Eric Faith signing a proclamation for the week. The Spiritual Assembly of Monrovia presented the mayor with the book Foundations of World Unity.
Monrovia is now having well-attended youth firesides every two weeks, regular weekly firesides, deepenings, and a proclamation every month.
Bahá’ís featured at Skokie event[edit]
The Bahá’ís of Skokie, Illinois, recently participated in a Bicentennial event on artistic progress during 200 years of religious history in America. Bahá’ís were involved in all phases of planning and performing the event, along with representatives of other faiths in Skokie.
A Bahá’í exhibit at a public library in Skokie featured the House of Worship as a token of America’s highest hope and one of the significant architectural achievements in the nation’s religious history. A continuously running slide program on the history of the Faith in America highlighted the display.
Bahá’í youth Tracy Smith and Lisa Emmel participated in a musical program, singing prayers and quotations from the Writings. Mark Spittal of Wilmette sang many songs he composed, including one he wrote while a pilgrim at Bahjí. Another Bahá’í from Skokie, Orpha Manz, worked with members of a Methodist Church to produce an original creative dance.
The Bahá’ís’ involvement in the interfaith planning committees fostered new friendships and brought to all a consciousness of the unifying role of religion in society.
Festival draws 200 at Council Bluffs[edit]
“Festival of sharing draws 200 persons” was the headline of a news story about a recent international dinner hosted by the Bahá’ís of Council Bluffs, Iowa. It was one of Council Bluffs Nonpareil’s three articles on the dinner. Another told of planning for the event, and one with a large photograph on the front page showed a family of Mexican dancers preparing costumes.
The Bahá’ís had the support of the Council Bluffs Human Relations Commission. The director of the commission called a press conference which sparked the three articles plus one in the Omaha Sunday World-Herald.
Mexican-Americans, Vietnamese, Indians, blacks, and whites enjoyed food, music, singing, and dancing at the gathering. Representatives from the newspaper and radio attended. The Bahá’ís provided beverages and table service, and guests brought food of their cultures. The gathering emphasized fellowship and had no formal program.
The Bahá’ís of Council Bluffs plan to make the Festival of Sharing an annual event.
Youth praise Winter Project[edit]
The following is the text of a letter sent to the National Spiritual Assembly by the youth projecteers who participated in the Winter Work-Study Project:
Beloved National Spiritual Assembly:
The greatest wish of any Bahá’í is to serve the Cause of God. It is, therefore, with the greatest joy that we extend to you our deep thanks and appreciation for allowing us to serve on the Work-Study Project from 28 December through 10 January. Through this experience we have begun to realize how important it is for young Bahá’ís to experience first-hand the workings of the Administrative Order. We pray that this process will continue throughout our Bahá’í lives. The supreme bounty of deepening through our work experiences at the National Center; the great privilege of guiding and working within the Holiest House of Worship in the West; the overwhelming honor of being in the presence of three Hands of the Cause of God and one Continental Counselor; the unique distinction of learning about the institutions of the Covenant from an Auxiliary Board member and a secretary of a National Spiritual Assembly; the loving encouragement and guidance offered by committee heads and staff members during classes and working hours—all these manifold blessings culminated in the singular opportunity of meeting with the National Spiritual Assembly for morning prayers on the last day of the project.
It was with a feeling of sadness that we became aware of Miss Linfoot’s absence at the National Center during the project. We would therefore like to dedicate the 1975–76 Winter Work-Study Project to her, as a token of our recognition of her hard-working, determined spirit and dedication to the service of the Cause of God. Please be assured of our continuing prayers on her behalf.
In the joy of His Service,
Teaching on debate teams[edit]
The theme for high school debating teams throughout the United States this year is the redistribution of scarce world resources. The Bahá’í National Youth Committee suggests that Bahá’ís become acquainted with Bahá’í teachings on this topic and then become involved in panels, debates, or discussions.
A good source on the redistribution of resources is an article “Economics and the Bahá’í Teachings” by Gregory C. Dahl, published in World Order magazine, Fall 1975. The youth office suggests that this issue of World Order be given to high school teachers or debating teams; Bahá’í students may wish to join such teams.
The youth office asks that Bahá’í communities or individuals who act on this suggestion contact the office and report the results: Bahá’í National Youth Committee, 112 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Ill. 60091.
Youth tell what they’re doing to win Two Year Program goals[edit]
A newsletter recently sent to every Bahá’í youth in the U.S. by the Bahá’í National Youth Committee pointed out the fact that the number of Bahá’í youth in this country is decreasing.
The newsletter encouraged each youth to increase teaching and to report teaching activities to the youth office. Feedback forms included with the letter were filled out and sent back by about 250 youth.
One young man in Indiana spent seven days riding around his state on a bicycle, visiting six Bahá’í communities and gave five firesides. Another youth found his high school newspaper needed material and submitted an article about the Faith. A student in Athens, Ohio, teaches internationally on the homefront by living in a dormitory that has been set aside as an “international house”; many young Bahá’ís write term papers and other assignments on Bahá’í themes or history.
Youth who are part of Bahá’í families seem grateful for their good fortune. One Bahá’í family in Minnesota concentrated on Indian teaching, attending pow-wows and other Indian-sponsored events. Because of their efforts, a Sioux woman recently declared.
Others, who are the lone Bahá’ís in their families, report varying degrees of success in teaching their relatives. A youth from Detroit was thrilled when her grandmother declared.
Some of those who returned the forms mentioned that they taught their friends by day-to-day contact and by mail. A young woman in Rhode Island belongs to the Seals and Crofts fan club and has established pen pal friendships with 94 girls: “I buy books and send them out and so far 19 of my pen pals have become Bahá’ís.” She also gave her doctor some books for his office, visited Bahá’ís who are homebound, and gave firesides in her home.
Some of the youth who answered the forms are aware of their importance to the non-Bahá’í community: a young man in California participates in a Greek folk-dancing group; a girl in Saginaw, Michigan said, “I feel that we should go where the people are and so I’ve visited different churches on my own and had some interesting firesides.” A 16-year-old girl in Kentucky was elected vice-president of Future Homemakers of America and so far her group has sponsored two Bahá’í speakers; she finds that many of the girls have “not even considered such principles as unity, equality, etc.” Another 16-year-old, in California, is taking a high school course in sign language so that she can teach the Faith to deaf people.
“There is great value and importance in knowing the flow and gifts of everyone in the community, because that is the pulse of the new chapter in God’s religion,” wrote a young artist from California. The new emphasis on shared teaching experiences has called some youth to systematic action; one young couple wrote that they have listed friends they want to teach, pray for them each day, and are overjoyed with the success of their firesides. The value of deepening was also mentioned in their communications; from Florida, a girl wrote, “My greatest joy is to study the Writings, the Faith’s history and Bahá’í Administration. I have been memorizing as many of the Hidden Words as I can, a few at a time, as well as other quotes and prayers that are especially inspiring for me or are valuable to know for teaching.” And another wrote that when she prays daily she finds words and phrases streaming through her consciousness in times of test and of joy, and this fills her with gratitude to God.
The Two-Year Youth Program ends in September and progress toward many goals is seriously lagging. (See Bahá’í National Review for latest figures.)
Burlington Group hosts sing-along[edit]
Janine Staniszewski, Terry Ofner, and Phil Staniszewski lead a sing-along at a World Religion Day meeting in Burlington, Iowa, on January 18. About 50 people attended the meeting and enjoyed the lively music and a talk by Mr. Ofner, who is one of the group of two Bahá’ís in Burlington.
Combining skiing and teaching[edit]
The youth in the picture below participated in a ski-touring clinic sponsored by the Denver-Metro Bahá’í Youth Club at Snow Mountain Ranch, Granby, Colorado, January 10–11. The youth came from Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming, as well as Colorado, for two days of teaching, praying, and skiing.
Dates to remember[edit]
- April 21 First Day of Riḍván. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
- April 28 Feast of Jamál.
- April 29 Ninth Day of Riḍván. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
- April 29 National Spiritual Assembly meeting.
- April 29–May 2 National Convention. Bahá’í House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois.
- May 2 Twelfth Day of Riḍván. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
- May 8-9 Family Life Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sponsored by the Bahá’í National Education Committee.
- May 14-16 National Spiritual Assembly meeting.
- May 17 Feast of ‘Aẓamat.
- May 20-23 House of Worship Visit Program, Wilmette, Illinois. Sponsored by the Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Committee.
- May 23 Anniversary of the Declaration of the Báb. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
- May 24 Teaching conference on the Southern Ute Reservation, Ignacio, Colorado. Sponsored by the Auxiliary Board.
- May 29 Anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh. Holy Day on which work should be suspended.
- June 5 Feast of Núr.
Continued from page 2
- releases from the Bahá’í Information Office are merely guides to communities which cannot develop their own news material. But local copy is preferable, and it will have greater influence on residents of the locality who read it.
- Consider using the mails to send information to residents in your locality. See the March issue of The American Bahá’í for an account of how this was tastefully done in Wheeling, Illinois. If you need more information about this kind of campaign you can ask the Bahá’í Information Office.
- Displays are always an excellent way of providing new information. There is an excellent bi-lingual display on the equality of men and women available from the Publishing Trust. The subject surely has not been exhausted with the completion of Women’s Year observances.
- Read. The American Bahá’í carries frequent stories about effective proclamation events. Consider some of these for your own community. If you need more information have your Local Information Representative or committee write the Bahá’í Information Office for details.
- Read. The Wellspring of Guidance, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, the new volume of Messages from The Universal House of Justice, all give invaluable insight into the nature of proclamation, the proper audiences, and the most effective approaches to follow.
Read, look, and listen. You must become familiar with the affairs of your locality. You can really only do that by reading the local periodicals, watching locally originated broadcasts, and listening to local audio programming.
When all of this is done it’s still only a beginning. But we must hasten to make it. The end of the Plan draws nigh.
Spanish section[edit]
La enseñanza de la fe Bahá’í[edit]
A continuación transcribimos parte del mensaje de la Casa Universal de Justicia del 25 de mayo pdo. a las Asambleas Espirituales Nacionales respecto a la enseñanza, expansión y consolidación, como también oraciones al amanecer.
Enseñanza-Expansión y consolidación:
La enseñanza de la fe abarca muchas actividades diversas y todas son vitales para el éxito, y cada una de las cuales refuerza a las otras. Una y otra vez el amado Guardián recalcó que la expansión y consolidación constituyen aspectos gemelos e inseparables de la enseñanza, los cuales deben avanzar simultáneamente, sin embargo todavía se oye a creyentes comentando sobre las virtudes de la una sobre la otra. El propósito de la enseñanza no se completa cuando una persona declara que ha aceptado a Bahá’u’lláh como la Manifestación de Dios para esta época. El propósito de la enseñanza es el de atraer a los seres humanos al Mensaje divino y de imbuirles de su espíritu hasta grado tal, que se dedicarán a su servicio a fin de que este mundo sea transformado en otro mundo y su gente en otra gente. Vista a esta luz, una declaración de fe es meramente un inicio en el camino—no obstante, es una señal muy importante. La enseñanza puede ser comparada también al acto de prender un fuego de la fe en los corazones de los hombres. Si un fuego arde solamente mientras el fósforo encendido se mantiene próximo, no se puede decir, en realidad, que se ha prendido. Está prendido solamente cuando continúa ardiendo por sí solo. Luego se puede agregar más combustible y ventilar la llama, pero aun si se deja solo por un tiempo, un fuego realmente encendido no se extinguirá con el primer soplo de viento.
El objetivo, por lo tanto, de todas las instituciones bahá’ís y maestros bahá’ís es el de avanzar continuamente hacia nuevas áreas y todos los niveles sociales con tal minuciosidad que, al prenderse la chispa de fe en los corazones de los oyentes, la enseñanza de los nuevos creyentes continúe hasta que, y aun después de que ellos asuman sus responsabilidades como bahá’ís y participen tanto en el trabajo de la enseñanza como en el trabajo administrativo de la fe.
Hay ahora muchas áreas en el mundo donde miles de personas han aceptado la fe tan rápidamente que la capacidad de las comunidades bahá’ís existentes no alcanza para emprender la tarea de consolidar adecuadamente estos adelantos. La gente en estas áreas debe ser profundizada progresivamente en su comprensión de la fe, de acuerdo con planes bien fundados, a fin de que sus comunidades puedan convertirse tan pronto como sea posible en fuentes de gran fuerza para el trabajo de la fe y comenzar a manifestar el modelo de la vida bahá’í.
Oraciones al amanecer:
Hemos estado observando con profundo interés la manera en que se está llevando a cabo la meta de alentar a los amigos a reunirse para orar al amanecer. En algunas áreas rurales esto es ya una práctica establecida de los amigos y, en verdad, es una fuente de bendiciones y beneficio para ellos al llevar a cabo sus actividades diarias. Además, aumenta la conciencia de la solidaridad de la comunidad. En otras áreas los amigos han encontrado que, debido a las distancias, se obtienen mejores resultados al reunirse para las oraciones en grupos más pequeños. En aún otras áreas, como primer paso, han hecho planes para reunirse una vez por semana para orar al amanecer.
Información internacional[edit]
Sacado de “Bahá’í International News Service” publicado por la Casa Universal de Justicia.
Centro Mundial.— Gran muchedumbre visita los lugares sagrados bahá’ís y los jardines de Monte Carmelo. Desde agosto de 1974 hasta septiembre de 1975, un total de 142,773 personas, excluyendo los bahá’ís, han visitado la Tumba del Báb y recibido literatura introductoria, la cual se distribuye en varios idiomas, sobre la historia de la fe. Los santuarios sagrados y los jardines bahá’ís están abiertos al público todo el año.
Conferencia de la ONU en la ocasión del Año Internacional de la Mujer.— México, del 19 de junio al 2 de julio pdo. Una delegación de 10 mujeres bahá’ís de todo el mundo fue seleccionada para participar con aproximadamente 6000 personas en esta conferencia qu fue llamada por la prensa “máxima en su género en la historia.”
El propósito de esta conferencia mundial fue formar un plan de acción para 10 años, promoviendo la igualdad entre el hombre y la mujer en los países miembros, mediante una mejor educación, incrementar la participación de la mujer en decisiones y usar los olvidados recursos de la mujer en conseguir mayor desarrollo y paz en el mundo.
El propósito del tribunal fue reunir a hombres y mujeres en las organizaciones no-gubernamentales de todas las áreas geográficas para intercambiar información y opiniones sobre la posición de la mujer en la vida social y económica y encontrar la mejor manera de realizar los objetivos del Año Internacional de la Mujer.
Las delegadas bahá’ís trataron con todos sus esfuerzos de dar a conocer la posición de la fe mediante su participación activa en las discusiones, etc. La exposición bahá’í sobre el tema de derechos de la mujer, ilustrada con las escrituras bahá’ís, fue grandemente fotografiada y también transmitida por la televisión. Todas las delegadas oficiales fueron invitadas a la exposición recibieron una copia del libro Orden Mundial, escrito sobre el mismo tema.
Respecto de la conferencia, se celebró una reunión para hacer oraciones a la que asistieron más de 100 personas no bahá’ís. Se publicaron varios artículos sobre la fe y la opinión de esta sobre los derechos de la mujer. Se celebró una recepción en la que se reunieron más de 120 personas. Parte de esta recepción fue transmitida por la televisión.
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‘Meditations on Teaching’ soundsheet now available Meditations on Teaching, a soundsheet developed by the National Teaching Committee, is now available. The soundsheet, a recording on a seven-inch diameter vinyl sheet, can be played on any record player at 33⅓ RPM. The first of several soundsheets to be distributed by the Publishing Trust, Meditations on Teaching features prayers and passages from the Bahá’í Writings on the subject of teaching. Beautiful music—solo, choral, and instrumental—highlights the eleven-minute recording. The text is printed in an accompanying folder so that the listener can read along with the recording. Soundsheets will be appreciated as convenient and inexpensive aids to teaching and deepening. Because of their low price—as low as $.45 each in quantities of 100 or more—introductory soundsheets can be presented to seekers in the same way that one would present a selection of pamphlets or an introductory book. Meditations on Teaching, the only soundsheet currently available, is recommended for use at deepenings, Feasts, teaching institutes, Bahá’í social gatherings, and other occasions when a quiet, meditative, and inspirational atmosphere is desired. Order from your local Bahá’í librarian if possible. Personal orders, see instructions, page 7. Catalog number: 6-35-51; prices: $.75; 5/$3.25; 25/$12.50; 100/$45.00. |
Estados Unidos.—La Dra. Dorothy Nelson, miembro de la Asamblea Espiritual Nacional, ha sido elegida como una de las que recibirán la medalla Pax Orbis Ex Jure 1975, por el Centro de Asociados para la Paz Mundial a través del Centro del Derecho. Este honor, explica el comité de adjudicación en una carta anunciando su elección, se concede a las mujeres en todo el mundo, que hayan contribuído significativamente en la promoción de la Paz Mundial mediante el entendimiento y persecución del éxito en las relaciones internacionales en la comunidad mundial. El premio fue entregado a la Dra. Nelson en la fiesta que se celebró en Washington, D.C. en Octubre pasado durante la conferencia mundial del Centro de Asociados. La Dra. Nelson es decano y profesor de derecho en la universidad de California del sur.
Deepening held in Spanish[edit]
The first deepening institute especially for Spanish-speaking Bahá’ís of the Chicago area was held in Wilmette February 22. The institute was conducted completely in Spanish. It was sponsored by the Illinois Regional Teaching Committee and hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of Wilmette.
Santa Fe meeting stresses unity[edit]
A Spanish-speaking teaching conference in Santa Fe February 20–22 stressed the importance of viewing cultural differences as tools for unity rather than barriers. About 62 Bahá’ís attended. The conference included four workshops and a goal-making session.
Conference emphasis was on winning the goals of the Five Year Plan, especially by increasing Spanish-speaking teaching. Bahá’ís from Northern and Southern New Mexico participated with friends from Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, California, and Texas.
The conference was sponsored by the District Teaching Committee of Northern New Mexico and hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of Santa Fe.
Guyana, Ecuador projects planned[edit]
The International Goals Committee, in cooperation with the National Spiritual Assemblies of Guyana, Surinam and French Guiana, and of Ecuador, is planning a special teaching project this summer in Guyana, Ecuador, and possibly Surinam. Guyana and Surinam are English-speaking; Ecuador is Spanish.
A training program is planned for early July, and all participants will be expected to attend to receive an orientation to the culture and to the teaching methods used in the host countries. The project itself will last five to six weeks. There is no maximum age, but the minimum age requirement is 18. This is a wonderful opportunity to help complete the Two Year Youth Program international traveling teaching goals.
Those friends who may have this time available and who would like to participate in such an activity should begin now to prepare. It is anticipated that travel and living expenses for the project will be about $1,500; volunteers should first consult with their Local Spiritual Assembly regarding their plans, then write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
Such special projects have, in the past, proved most successful in providing valuable teaching and consolidation assistance to our sister communities. The projecteers very often remain as pioneers, or return to the United States to prepare for future service in the international field. They often inspire and stimulate others to arise by describing their experiences in other countries in the most glowing terms, having gained a new awareness of the urgency of promoting the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and an even deeper love for and understanding of the beauty of His Message.
3-week teaching campaign excites projecteers from U.S.[edit]
The receptivity of the people of India, Sri Lanka, and Burma thrilled members of a three-week teaching project which ended in January. They traveled in teams to remote villages and modern cities. Above, John Woodall entertains at the Bombay Bahá’í Center and, below, Bahá’ís are transported to a meeting in Matara, Sri Lanka.
Get proper ID for conferences[edit]
International credentials will be required for all eight International Teaching Conferences scheduled in 1976 and 1977 by The Universal House of Justice.
To obtain the proper Bahá’í identification, write to the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois 60091.
The conferences will be held July 6–8 at Helsinki, Finland; July 23–25 at Anchorage, Alaska; August 3–6 at Paris, France; October 15–17 at Nairobi, Kenya; November 27–30 at Hong Kong; January 19–22, 1977, at Auckland, New Zealand; January 28–30, 1977, at Bahia, Brazil; and February 4–6, 1977, at Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
Group travel accommodations are being planned with the close cooperation of Bankers Trust Travel Planning Service of New York City. Complete itineraries and prices for the first three conferences are printed below. It is important that the friends interested in any of the conferences complete the form and mail it as soon as possible to Bankers Trust.
Bahá’ís escape Guatemala quake[edit]
A massive earthquake which struck Guatemala on February 4 damaged the National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds in Guatemala City, but there were no known casualties among the Bahá’ís. All pioneers were reported safe.
More than 20,000 persons were killed and about one million left homeless in one of the most destructive natural disasters of the century. The earthquake also hit Honduras, El Salvador, and parts of Mexico, but no deaths were reported there.
Entire blocks were wiped out in Guatemala City. Many small towns in the interior were destroyed, and others were temporarily cut off by fallen power lines, collapsed bridges, and roads blocked by landslides.
Aid for Guatemalans was being coordinated by the United Nations Disaster Relief Organization.
A sign of hope[edit]
A Bahá’í in Denton, Texas, was thrilled to receive this comment, which his non-Bahá’í father enclosed with a note of written consent to the young man’s marriage:
“It has come as rather a revelation to learn that there exists in our society any type of organization which still sets such standards as the Bahá’ís. Our society has pretty much lost, or at least has compromised on so many moral and ethical standards, that it is something quite unusual, I feel. Naturally I feel better in knowing that such standards do exist, and that they are being applied. Perhaps that is an indication that there is some hope for our society and our way of life.”
- Helsinki, Finland
- July 3—leave U.S. for overnight flight to Helsinki.
- July 4–6—six nights at hotel of your choice, airport transfers to and from hotel. Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour.
- July 10–13—leave for Inverness in the morning. Four nights at hotel of your choice, transfers from and to airport, three meals per day. Summer School arranged by the Bahá’ís of the United Kingdom.
- July 14–16—leave for London in the morning. Three nights at hotel of your choice. Continental breakfast daily, half-day sightseeing tour, including a trip to the Guardian’s grave.
- July 17—leave London for U.S.
- From New York, including air fare: single $1,116 (4 star), $971 (3 star), $877 (2 star); twin $1,001 (4 star), $893 (3 star), $819 (2 star); triple $981 (4 star), $873 (3 star), $799 (2 star). Supplement per person for following gateways: Chicago $119, Houston $189, Los Angeles $141.
- Anchorage, Alaska
- July 21—leave U.S. for flight to Anchorage, transfer to hotel.
- July 22—half-day sightseeing tour.
- July 23–26—conference.
- July 27—leave for U.S. or proceed on optional tour.
- July 27–30—trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, including transfer to and from hotel, three nights at the Ritz Hotel, half-day city tour, baggage handling of two suitcases per person, all taxes and gratuities.
- Anchorage (land portion only), $254 (4 star), $197 (3 star). No single rooms available.
- Vancouver (land portion only), $75 (sharing twin), $100 (single room).
- Paris, France
- August 1—leave U.S. for overnight flight to Paris.
- August 2–7—six nights at hotel of your choice, airport transfers. Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour. Bateau Mouche cruise.
- August 8–11—leave for Zurich. Four nights at hotel of your choice. Continental breakfast daily.
- August 12–14—leave for London. Three nights at hotel of your choice. Continental breakfast daily, half-day city tour, including side trip to the Guardian’s grave.
- August 15—leave for U.S.
- From New York including air fare: single $1,081 (4 star), $985 (3 star), $910 (2 star); twin $915 (4 star), $845 (3 star), $799 (2 star); triple $895 (4 star), $825 (3 star), $719 (2 star). Supplement per person for following gateways (subject to 10 passengers traveling together): Chicago $119, Houston $189, Los Angeles $172.
Bahá’í books and materials[edit]
Now Available—New Special Materials in English, Spanish, and Persian plus ‘Muḥammád and the Course of Islám’[edit]
New this Month
Muḥammád and the Course of Islám
by H. M. Balyuzi
“They must strive to obtain, from sources that are authoritative and unbiased, a sound knowledge of the history and tenets of Islám—the source and background of their Faith...”
“Special emphasis, he feels, should continue to be laid on the study of Islám, its history, its teachings and laws as revealed in the Qur’án, and its historical and doctrinal connections with the Faith.”
Muḥammád and the Course of Islám, just published, is a full-scale biography of the Prophet Muḥammád together with an ample history showing the developments in Islám from its inception to the nineteenth century. The author, Hand of the Cause Mr. H. M. Balyuzi, is equipped as few others can be, by virtue of his immersion in the cultures of East and West, to “give the student the right approach toward the proper understanding and evaluation” of Islám. Bahá’ís will find in the book authentic material helpful in identifying historical figures, learning the circumstances under which various súrihs of the Qur’án were revealed, and understanding the many references to Islám in the Bahá’í Writings. Four-color jacket, frontispiece, 16 pages of illustrations and maps. 480 pp., epilogues, glossary, selected bibliography, index.
7-39-01............$14.75
New Bahá’í Literature
The Bahá’í Faith:
A Summary Reprinted from the Encyclopaedia Britannica
A new introductory pamphlet on the Bahá’í Faith is now available. Entitled The Bahá’í Faith: A Summary Reprinted from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the brochure describes clearly and concisely the background, history, sacred literature, religious and social tenets, practices, organization, and administration of the Bahá’í Faith. A short annotated bibliography is included. The brochure was written by Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, professor of history at Yale University and member of the National Spiritual Assembly.
The Bahá’í Faith: A Summary will be particularly useful on college and university campuses and for introducing the Faith to academic and professional people. Cover design by Scott Bivans. 13 pp., slimline format.
7-40410............10/$1.50; 100/$13.00; 500/$60.00; 2,000/$200.00 NET
New Special Materials
“In the garden of thy heart...” posters
(English and Spanish)
An attractive new poster is now available in both Spanish and English. Printed on the three-color poster, which features a red rose on a gold background, is the quotation from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh “In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love...” (“En el jardín de tu corazón no plantes sino la rosa del amor...”) Excellent as a gift and for decorating Bahá’í displays and booths as well as home, dormitory room, and office. Red, gold, and green. 10 x 13-inch card stock.
6-58-87 English poster......$.40; 10/$3.50; 100/$30.00
6-58-88 Spanish poster......$.40; 10/$3.50; 100/$30.00
“Consort with the followers of all religions....” posters
(English and Spanish)
“Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” is the quotation from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh on a new poster available in both English and Spanish. (In Spanish, the quotation reads “Asociaos con los seguidores de todas las religiones en espíritu de amistad y hermandad.”) The poster features an appealing red, gold, and green floral design on a white background. Printed on 10 x 13-inch card stock. Excellent for gifts and for decorating Bahá’í displays and booths as well as home, dormitory room, and office.
6-58-77 English poster......$.40
6-58-78 Spanish poster......$.40
Map of Bahá’u’lláh’s Exiles
(English and Persian)
This unique bilingual map traces the course of Bahá’u’lláh’s successive exiles from Ṭihrán to ‘Akká (1853-1868). Included on the map is an alphabetical list of more than 150 of the best-known Writings of Bahá’u’lláh with a key indicating the cities in which many of them were revealed. First published for the 1968 Palermo Oceanic Conference. An excellent study aid. 34 x 24 inches. Limited supply.
6-56-94............$2.25
Majesty and Greatness of the Local Spiritual Assembly
(English and Spanish recordings)
An excellent study and deepening session tape is now available in Spanish as well as English. The recording, which in the English version features Hand of the Cause of God Mr. William Sears, is an informal discussion on the Local Spiritual Assembly with several Bahá’ís. Full of valuable information and insights, the tapes have a unique conversational tone and are well-suited for both individual and group use. The new Spanish recording is a valuable deepening tool for Spanish-speaking Bahá’ís and a helpful study aid for Bahá’ís learning to speak Spanish. 60 minutes.
6-30-50 Spanish cassette......$3.75
6-30-90 English cassette......$3.75
6-30-13 English reel...........$4.00
133 B.E. Calendar
Bahá’í Planning Calendar, 133 B.E.
The 133 B.E. Bahá’í Planning calendar is now ready for shipment. The calendar, which begins on April 21, 1976 and ends on April 20, 1977, is large enough (25½ x 38 inches) that it can be studied by an entire Assembly during consultation. Feasts and Holy Days are marked for easy reference. Very helpful for communities, committees, and individuals with many activities planned in advance.
6-69-06............$2.50; 3/$7.00
Back in Stock
Above All Barriers
by Elsie Austin
Above All Barriers is the inspiring story of Louis G. Gregory, the outstanding black American Bahá’í of whom ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said, “He is like pure gold. That is why he is acceptable in any market, and is current in every country.” The pamphlet tells how Mr. Gregory’s life was changed by the Bahá’í Teachings and by his meeting with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land. Contains notes on the author and a photo of Louis Gregory. New cover design by Conrad Heleniak. 18 pp.
7-40-80............10/$2.00; 25/$4.50
Becoming Your True Self
by Daniel C. Jordan
Out of stock for more than two years, Becoming Your True Self is once again available. In this popular pamphlet, Dr. Daniel C. Jordan describes the nature of human potential and tells how the individual can become transformed into his true self and realize his fuller capacity through knowing and loving God. Slimline format, 22 pp.
7-40-15............10/$2.00; 25/$4.00
| Teaching in the South | International Conferences | Members of the Bahá’í Youth Club of Green Bay, Wisconsin, built a special fund box for contributions to the community’s Universal House of Justice Building Fund. There is room for 19 pillars (paper strips) on the sides of the house-shaped wooden box. Each time one nineteenth of the goal is met, a pillar is attached. After only a few Feasts, half of the pillars are in place. “Since we started using the new box we are over one year ahead of our community’s goal,” the treasurer of the Green Bay Spiritual Assembly said. |
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