The American Bahá’í/Volume 9/Issue 11/Text
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‘The real treasury of man is his knowledge.’—Bahá’u’lláh
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Message From the Guardian (Reprinted from Bahá’í News, July 1939.) ●
Dearly-loved friends: The concerted activities of the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in the North American continent assume, as they multiply and develop, a dual aspect, and may be said to fall into two distinct categories, both equally vital and complementary to each other. The one aims at the safeguarding and consolidation of the work already achieved; the other is designed to enlarge the range of its operations. The former depends chiefly for its success upon the capacity, the experience and loyalty of wise, resourceful and judicious administrators, who, impelled by the very nature of their task, will be increasingly called upon to exercise the utmost care and vigilance in protecting the interests of the Faith, in resolving its problems, in regulating its life, in enriching its resources, and in preserving the pristine purity of its precepts. The latter is essentially pioneer in nature, demanding first and foremost those qualities of renunciation, tenacity, dauntlessness and passionate fervor that can alone brave the dangers and sweep away the obstacles with which an infant Faith, struggling against vested interests and face to face with the entrenched forces of prejudices, of ignorance and fanaticism, must needs contend. IN BOTH of these spheres of Bahá’í activity the community of American believers, it is becoming increasingly evident, is evincing those characteristics which must be regarded as the essential foundation for the success of their dual task. As to those whose function is essentially of an administrative character it can hardly be doubted that they are steadily and indefatigably perfecting the structural machinery of their Faith, are multiplying its administrative agencies, and are legalizing the status of the newly established institutions. Slowly and patiently they are canalizing the spirit that at once directs, energizes and safeguards its operation. They are exploiting its potentialities, broadcasting its message, publicizing its literature, fostering the aspirations of its youth, devising ways and means for the training of its children, guarding the integrity of its teachings, and paving the way for the ultimate codification of its laws. Through all the resources at their disposal, they are promoting the growth and consolidation of that pioneer movement for which the entire machinery of their Administrative Order has been primarily designed and erected. They are visibly and progressively contributing to the enrichment of their unique community life, and are insuring, with magnificent courage and characteristic promptitude, the completion of their consecrated Edifice—the embodiment of their hopes and the supreme... See GUARDIAN, Page 7
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Illinois Teaching Catches Fire[edit]
“Our plan is to open four counties in the southern Illinois district every weekend,” said Mary Kate Yntema, secretary of the District Teaching Committee for Southern Illinois. The teaching project there, which began in August, had by the end of September produced 138 interest cards, 64 declarations and eight enrollments, opened four counties, six localities, and helped to establish four Assemblies.
The project started in Jacksonville, a rural community in Morgan County with a predominantly black population.
“Let’s see, that was the weekend of August 12 and 13,” recalled Miss Yntema. “About 20 Bahá’ís gathered there, mainly to learn street teaching techniques. When the weekend was over, we had six declarations and 11 interest cards.”
THE NEXT weekend, the team went to Monticello, a larger, more affluent farming community with a largely white population.
“We thought that Monticello would be a pretty good test of our teaching techniques,” said Miss Yntema. “We felt if we were successful in Monticello we could be successful in just about any community in southern Illinois.” The team ended the second weekend with three declarations and five interest cards.
The teaching team went from county to county, every weekend, always experiencing success, until the weekend of September 9-10.
“We issued a general invitation to the entire southern Illinois district to attend a teaching conference in Decatur, which is in Macon County,” Miss Yntema said. “We wanted to bring victories to the entire district. Our intent was to say to the Bahá’ís: ‘Look—here is something that can work. Help us run it.’
“THE RESPONSE was tremendous. 75 Bahá’ís were there from 33 different communities, and we deepened and taught together. We had 28 declarations and 46 interest cards from within Decatur, and an additional 10 interest cards from the activities of some youth who had traveled to Decatur from the town of Dwight, nearly 100 miles away in Livingston County.”
Statistics from the teaching project are as follows: • Jacksonville (Morgan County), August 12-13, 11 interest cards collected,
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The Hand of the Cause of God John Robarts welcomes believers onstage at the Cobb Civic Center in Marietta, Georgia, as they volunteer to help the teaching work in North Georgia.
The Hand of the Cause of God Zikrullah Khadem observes Indian arts and crafts during a visit in August to the community center at the Pala Indian Reservation in California.
Hands Visit Teaching Hotbeds[edit]
From August 21-31, the Hands of the Cause of God John Robarts and Zikrullah Khadem paid surprise visits to mass teaching/mass consolidation areas in the southern and western areas of the U.S.
Mr. Robarts met with the friends in Georgia and South Carolina, while Mr. Khadem visited Idaho and California.
The purpose of the visits was to personally thank the friends for their untiring efforts to bring about victory in the Five Year Plan and to inspire them to even greater heights of sacrifice as the Plan draws to a close.
MR. ROBARTS’ itinerary included stops in the Atlanta, Georgia, and Columbia and Orangeburg, South Carolina, areas, and a visit to the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute at Hemingway, South Carolina.
On August 24, he addressed some 150 believers from the North Georgia area at Marietta, a suburban community north of Atlanta.
On August 26 and 27, Mr. Robarts met with more than 100 believers at the Louis Gregory Institute, and urged them to arise in these final hours of the Five Year Plan, to wrest victory from the hands of defeat, and to lay once again at the Threshold of the Blessed Perfection the fruits of absolute obedience to the Universal House of Justice and its Plan.
While Mr. Robarts was in the South, Mr. Khadem was in the western states where he met with the newly-formed Local Spiritual Assembly in Lemon Grove, California, and the Lemon Grove community. He met twice with the friends in San Diego, and also was in Calexico and El Centro.
Mr. Khadem gave public talks and met with Bahá’ís on three Indian Reservations—the Pala and Campo Reservations in California, and the Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho.
In October, Mr. Khadem was to visit the teaching projects currently under way in New York State.
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Inside
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1,200 Gather at Green Lake Conference[edit]
More than 1,200 Bahá’ís gathered September 15-17 at Green Lake, Wisconsin, for the 19th annual Green Lake Conference at which seven seekers declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
The conference theme was “Kam, Kam, Rúz bih Rúz” (Little by Little, Day by Day), a phrase often used by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to describe the process of spiritual growth.
Among the featured speakers at the conference were the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears; his wife, Marguerite; and Dr. Allan Ward of Little Rock, Arkansas.
OTHERS on the program included Auxiliary Board member Stephen Birkland and his wife, Nadjia; Ernie Lopez of the Illinois Regional Teaching Committee; and Eileen Norman, assistant to the secretary for planning and coordination at the Bahá’í National Center.
A slide presentation was given by the National Treasurer’s Office, while music was provided by the New World Construction Company.
The seven declarants at the conference included one who had been participating in the youth program, and another who was visiting the United States from Peru.
The declarants were asked to come to the front of the main hall at the close of the conference, where they were greeted with a standing ovation and warmly welcomed into the ranks of the Cause of God by Mr. Sears.
“WE ARE in a desperately difficult situation if we are going to win the remaining goals of the Five Year Plan,” Mr. Sears said earlier in the conference. “But I know that even if we had to start the Plan over from scratch today, with every goal in front of us yet to be won, we could do it.
“I know that if there were no more Bahá’ís in the U.S. than those who are seated in this room, we could still win all goals of the Plan.
“Bahá’u’lláh has promised us that one soul has the power to set a nation on fire with the love of God. In fact, that one soul has the power to set an entire continent on fire.
“We are promised that the Divine Concourse will come rushing to our aid, that the Hosts of God are arrayed, ready to come to our assistance in winning victories for the Cause of God, if we will but arise and meet the challenge that is placed before us.
“HOW CAN we doubt, even for an instant, that we can win the goals of the Plan. Of course we can.”
The Illinois Regional Teaching Committee made an appeal at the conference for individuals willing to homefront pioneer, travel and teach, or deputize others to do these tasks.
Cards were passed out, asking for volunteers. Offers of service came from three states—Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. These included: • Five offers to go homefront pioneering—two in Illinois, two in the Wisconsin/Peninsular Michigan area, and one in southern Wisconsin. • Forty-seven offers to travel and teach. • Four offers of funds for deputation of pioneers or traveling teachers.
Green Lake 1978[edit]
Participants at this year’s Green Lake Conference experienced many bounties, including the presence of the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears. Top left, Mr. Sears welcomes one of seven new believers who embraced the Cause at the conference. At the left are two of the featured speakers, Dr. Allan Ward (top) of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Ernie Lopez, a member of the Illinois Regional Teaching Committee. The emphasis at the conference was on teaching the Cause and winning the goals of the Five Year Plan in the U.S.
Bahá’í Information In Spanish Ready[edit]
The National Teaching Committee wishes to remind the friends that a “welcome” letter and information packet for new believers who need to have material in Spanish is available.
If those who enroll new believers will simply note on the enrollment card, “send Spanish material,” this will alert the offices at the Bahá’í National Center so that the material can be mailed to the new believer.
Remember too that interest cards in Spanish are available through the Office of Membership and Records, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
New Cassette Tape Recording Explores “Peer Pressure”[edit]
Growing up in the 1970s? If you or your children are, you will be interested in Peer Pressure, a new cassette tape by Dr. Daniel C. Jordan. Recorded by the National Bahá’í Youth Committee following the Fourth Bahá’í National Youth Conference in 1977, the tape is available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust for $4.25. (Catalog number 6-41-21)
Every rising generation faces different challenges. One of the chief difficulties faced by Bahá’ís today—particularly Bahá’í youth—is pressure from their peers.
In this talk to a number of Bahá’í youth, Dr. Jordan discusses the effects of group pressure—both positive and negative—and the importance of developing Bahá’í standards that will help one grow up in today’s society and still hold to a course of spiritual development.
Bahá’í communities and Bahá’í youth and college clubs should find that Peer Pressure serves as a valuable springboard for discussion and action. Bahá’í parents may want to discuss with their children the points raised by Dr. Jordan.
Other cassette recordings by Dr. Jordan include Deepening and Consolidation, Keys to Harmony, and The Role of Education in the New Dispensation.
All cassettes are priced at $4.25 and are available through Bahá’í librarians or from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091. Add 75 cents postage and handling on orders under $5.
Materialism: Destructive Force in America[edit]
National Bahá’í Fund[edit]
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of articles on materialism in America prepared by the Office of the Treasurer.)
The Meaning of Materialism
The American believers have been promised a glorious destiny as the standard-bearers of a divinely-conceived New World Order. However, if we are to fulfill that destiny, we need to understand the forces that stand in opposition to God’s Plan.
Shoghi Effendi described the grave conditions that currently face the American believers:
“(America) is passing through a crisis which, in its spiritual, moral, social and political aspects, is of extreme seriousness—a seriousness which to a superficial observer is liable to be dangerously underestimated.
“The steady and alarming deterioration in the standard of morality as exemplified by the appalling increase of crime, by political corruption in ever widening and ever higher circles, by the loosening of the sacred ties of marriage, by the inordinate craving for pleasure and diversion, and by the marked and progressive slackening of parental control, is no doubt the most arresting and distressing aspect of the decline that has set in, and can be clearly perceived, in the fortunes of the entire nation.” (Citadel of Faith, p. 124)
According to the Guardian, Bahá’u’lláh cited one chief cause for this crisis in America—materialism.
“It is this same cancerous materialism which Bahá’u’lláh in unequivocal and emphatic language denounced in His Writings, comparing it to a devouring flame and regarding it as the chief factor in precipitating the dire ordeals and world-shaking crises that must necessarily involve the burning of cities and the spread of terror and consternation in the hearts of men.” (Citadel of Faith, p. 125)
How should a Bahá’í deal with the destructive forces of materialism? First, we must understand what it means. Most of us usually think of materialism as excessive love for money and creature comforts, but it means much more: materialism is actually a philosophy of life.
The dictionary gives four general definitions for materialism: 1) A theory that physical reality is the only reality. 2) A belief that the highest values in life are material well-being and progress. 3) A doctrine that social and economic progress come from material actions. 4) A preoccupation with material things over intellectual or spiritual things.
Certainly we can find ample evidence of this philosophy in today’s society—in school, on television, and at work. It is such a widely accepted way of living that even Bahá’ís cannot claim to have escaped its influence. How, then, can we protect ourselves from materialism’s corruptive forces?
One way is to understand what materialism is, and to think about how it has affected our own lives. Another way is to try to perceive more clearly the ways in which the material philosophy differs from the Bahá’í Teachings. We can do this by praying and reading the Writings daily.
Striking differences immediately come to mind when we compare basic Bahá’í principles with the dictionary definition of materialism:
Materialist doctrine
- Physical reality is the only reality.
- The highest values in life are material well-being and progress.
- Social and economic progress result from material causes.
- Preoccupation with material things over intellectual and spiritual.
Bahá’í Teachings
- Physical reality is transitory—the spiritual world is eternal.
- The highest value in life is the attainment of nearness to God, reflected in service to mankind.
- All progress results from mankind’s obedience to the Will of God as expressed in the Revelation of His Manifestation.
- Bahá’ís believe in a moderate life that brings into harmony man’s material, intellectual and spiritual natures.
Understanding the spiritual principles of the Faith and recognizing their contrast to popular beliefs is of critical importance if we are to overcome this “crisis” in American society. Surely our efforts to rise above the pitfalls of materialism will help us to exhibit yet another distinguishing Bahá’í characteristic that will demonstrate to an ailing world the transforming power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation.
In the next article, we will examine some of the ways in which our society’s pursuit of the materialistic way of life saps our spiritual vitality.
Shown here is the formal stairway in the entrance to the newly-acquired Bahá’í National Administrative Office Building. The building cost $2,500,000; individuals have already contributed $400,000 toward that amount. The remaining $2,100,000 must also be supplied by contributions and bequests from individual Bahá’ís. Contributions in support of the purchase should be in addition to one’s regular support of the Fund. Inquiries regarding the financing of the building may be directed to the Office of the Treasurer.
Many Believers May Not Understand How to Give[edit]
Dear Friends:
I have just read the Treasurer’s article in the June issue of The American Bahá’í (about individuals supporting the National Fund) and I would like to comment.
I became a Bahá’í a number of years ago. A short time after declaring, I moved to a location where I was an isolated believer. Somehow, my address got lost in the shuffle and I never got any issues of The American Bahá’í or other publications.
I recognized the Station of Bahá’u’lláh and I used my prayer book, but I didn’t know anything about administration. I actually never knew that a believer could contribute to National, much less should!
In my mind, the National Center was always distant and vague. (I was raised a Catholic. How many “average” Catholics write to the Pope or send money directly to Rome?)
When I was isolated, I attended Feasts in a community that was about 30 miles away. I contributed at Feast, but it was sort of like giving to a church when you attend their services. I was not invited to any other events and I didn’t learn much about the Faith during that period of my life.
There are probably many believers who are isolated, ignorant, uninformed, misinformed, or with old-world patterns of contributing like myself, but who are willing to learn, to contribute and to serve in the Bahá’í manner.
Through a long series of unhappy events which I now see as blessings in disguise, I came to live in Palo Alto. Praise be to God, this is an actively functioning Bahá’í community. Here, I have learned a lot about administration in general and the Fund in particular.
I am very grateful for the bounty of learning, deepening, and just being in a real Bahá’í community. How I regret those wasted years!
Let us pray that other new believers will be better informed before enrollment and will be consolidated and deepened promptly afterward.
Palo Alto, California
News Briefs[edit]
400 Present at Fireside Hosted by Seals, Crofts[edit]
More than 400 seekers were present August 18 for a fireside hosted by Jim Seals and Dash Crofts at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee. The fireside followed a concert by Seals and Crofts.
Before the concert, Seals and Crofts had 300 copies of the book, The Bahá’í Faith: An Introduction shipped to Johnson City for distribution at the fireside. Special cards with area Bahá’í phone numbers and location information were inserted in the books, all copies of which were given away at the fireside.
A brief article announcing that a fireside hosted by Seals and Crofts would follow the concert was placed in the local newspaper. Before and after the concert, local Bahá’ís contacted seekers by phone to issue personal invitations.
The day after the concert and fireside, two teams of Bahá’ís engaged in street teaching in Johnson City...
The Unity Bluegrass Band from Illinois presented two highly successful Labor Day weekend concerts, the first in South Dakota, the second in Wyoming.
The first concert, at the Custer Music Fest/Square Dance, attracted more than 150 people, no more than a dozen of whom were Bahá’ís. The believers who were there had the added bounty of deepening sessions with Auxiliary Board member Stephen Birkland.
On Labor Day, the Unity Bluegrass Band was in Newcastle, Wyoming. Since KASL radio was participating that day in the Jerry Lewis telethon, the band was able to play three selections over the air and invite people to its concert at the city park that afternoon.
Close to 200 people attended the concert, and everyone had a most enjoyable time. A picnic followed the concert, after which everyone was treated to some great impromptu music. Two of the local Bahá’ís later had firesides at their homes with seekers who had attended the concert and picnic...
The Bahá’í children in Ashland, Oregon, suggested that the Spiritual Assembly sponsor an entry in Ashland’s annual 4th of July parade.
The Assembly agreed, and arranged children’s classes so that the children could prepare a float, the theme of which was “One Planet, One People... Please.”
| THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH UNITES MANKIND | ||
| “SO POWERFUL IS THE LIGHT OF UNITY THAT IT CAN ILLUMINATE THE WHOLE EARTH” | ||
| FOR INFORMATION CALL | DADE BROWARD ESPAÑOL |
595-8512 561-1032 279-5919 |
Six Bahá’í children and five of their friends paraded dressed in international costumes. A globe was mounted on a hand-pulled float, and a large theme banner completed the entry, which won first prize in the children’s interest category.
The prizes were a blue ribbon and $25 cash that was used to purchase United Nations materials for children on the oneness of mankind.
Many people approached the Bahá’ís who were wearing the theme shirts or carrying balloons also bearing the theme, to praise them on their fine entry. Weekly children’s classes are continuing with Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í children participating and learning about people in many lands...
Students at the New World Bahá’í School (sponsored by the Spiritual Assembly of Ypsilanti Township, Michigan) co-hosted a Race Unity Day picnic June 11 for their neighborhood friends and schoolmates.
The children prepared a musical program, offered brief analogies about Bahá’í principles of racial unity, designed a teaching display board, and organized a baseball game.
The Ypsilanti Township Assembly assisted by inviting Prof. Richard Thomas of Michigan State University to discuss “The Bahá’í Faith: An Exemplar of Race Unity.” Prof. Thomas’ talk led to some lively discussions and several requests for Bahá’í pamphlets and books...
Among those attending a series of Cluster Teaching events August 19-20 at Dodge City, Kansas, were (front row left to right) Leo Squires and Allene Squires, traveling teachers from Midlothian, Texas; Barbara Mattingly, Juanita Spriggs, and (back row left to right) Auxiliary Board member Darrell W. Borland, Gene Mattingly, Victor Bennett, Ruth Bennett. Other members of the Dodge City Bahá’í Group are Shahab Omidvarian and Curtis Spriggs.
In August, the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Central Dade County, Florida, placed more than 200 of these attractive posters on buses throughout the county. The posters include both Spanish and English phone numbers for seekers to call. As of mid-September, the response had averaged at least one call a day from persons asking for information or literature, or inquiring about firesides.
Braving rain-threatening skies, Bahá’ís in Tacoma, Washington, gave helium-filled balloons imprinted with the theme, “One Planet, One People... Please” to area children August 19-20.
The balloon giveaway was part of a teaching/proclamation effort that included a mailing to 1,000 area families inviting them to investigate the Faith, either by returning an interest card or attending a public meeting...
The Greater Las Vegas, Nevada, Bahá’í Media Committee has placed the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears’ “New World” television series in prime time (6:30 p.m. Mondays) on the public TV station in Las Vegas.
The programs include appearances by Dizzy Gillespie, Seals and Crofts, England Dan and John Ford Coley, and Russ and Gina Garcia.
The media committee is advertising the series in the local newspaper and in TV Guide magazine...
The Minority Teaching Committee of the Central Sonoma (California) J.D. Bahá’í community was asked for help by a Spanish-speaking believer from a neighboring Group. The believer had arranged for firesides for persons of Mexican heritage who were living in Sonoma County and working in its vineyards.
The committee, which is composed of people fluent in Spanish, some of whom have pioneered to Spanish-speaking countries, responded by planning weekly firesides that were attended by approximately 15 enthusiastic seekers.
By the end of August, six Spanish-speaking persons had declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
In addition, KBBP, a local bi-lingual station (the only one in Northern California), warmly received members of the committee and agreed to beam the Message of Bahá’u’lláh to its 36-county coverage area in a bi-lingual program that lasted one and one-half hours.
The interview program informed the Spanish-speaking public in that area of the origin of the Faith, its Central Figures, and the Covenant. Afterward, the committee was asked to present a half-hour program each week...
Twenty-three Bahá’ís from seven Kansas cities, two from the Chicago area, and two from the Dallas, Texas, area attended a series of Cluster Teaching events the weekend of August 19-20 sponsored by the seven-member Bahá’í Group of Dodge City, Kansas.
Weekend activities included three potluck suppers, two public meetings, two deepening sessions, and a free watermelon feed for the public at Dodge City’s Wright Park.
Among those present were Auxiliary Board member Darrell W. Borland and his assistant, Steve Townsend. They brought greetings from the Continental Board of Counsellors, to whom a contribution was sent on behalf of those at the Cluster event.
Prior to the weekend, Leo and Allene Squires of Midlothian, Texas, spent three weeks in Dodge City teaching the Faith and conducting deepenings.
The Squires gave 24 firesides, held two public meetings, conducted six deepenings, had two radio interviews, and participated in the Cluster activities...
The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Bozeman, Montana, sponsored a booth August 4-5 at Bozeman’s first Sweetpea Festival in nearly 60 years. The Faith was the only religious organization represented at the festival.
The booth featured photography and crafts by members of the Bozeman Bahá’í community. Its theme centered around the Bahá’í Houses of Worship and Bahá’í gardens.
The booth was built by Vernon Breach of Bozeman and has been used on several occasions. It was manned during the two days by members of the Bozeman Bahá’í community.
Hundreds of people saw the booth, and an estimated 100 or more pieces of Bahá’í literature were taken. Many people stopped to inquire about the Faith.
The Bozeman Assembly already is making plans to participate in the festival next year.
Bahá’ís and seekers in Ypsilanti, Michigan, listen as Prof. Richard Thomas of Michigan State University speaks on ‘The Bahá’í Faith: An Exemplar of Race Unity’ at a Race Unity Day picnic co-hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of Ypsilanti Township and students at its New World Bahá’í School.
Bahá’í children and their friends in Ashland, Oregon, participated in the city’s annual 4th of July parade with a float whose theme was “One Planet, One People... Please.” The entry won first prize in the children’s interest category.
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VANGUARD Youth News |
‘Road Show’ Lights Up New York State[edit]
The following story is just one of the many that occurred during a summer tour by the New York State Traveling Road Show sponsored by the National Youth and Teaching Committees. The road show in New York was one of five in the U.S. (two in California, one in Illinois, one in the South, and one in New York).
Dubbed the “New World Light Company,” the road show for New York was joined for many of its events by a New York area band, “Earthrise,” and musicians such as well-known jazz guitarist Huey Long, singer Margo Richards, and singer/songwriter Sue Berge, who performed along with the Light Company at some of the concerts.
THE LIGHT Company consisted of Su Boddie, Michelle Broussard, Dan Conlon, Vicky Johnson, Daryl Lowery, Laura Lupsewicz, Carl Reynolds and Rick Schaut. Their repertoire consisted of dancing, singing, skits and some music performed by Daryl and Rick.
The schedule was grueling. They were on the move for one solid month and alternated between hours of practice and performances.
The New World Light Company started in Westchester County, which is in the lower eastern part of New York State, where they spent one week. From there, the Light Company went north to the Albany area for a few days and then went to the North Country in the Adirondack Mountains. There, concerts were performed in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and Malone. (Lake Placid is the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics, which has prompted the Bahá’ís in the area to call their efforts the Spiritual Olympics.)
According to Mary Allen, who hosted the two groups, people in Saranac Lake still remember the “unity, orderliness and loving kindness” exhibited by the Bahá’í performers.
AFTER THE trip to the North Country, the Light Company moved westward to the Rochester and Buffalo areas for two more weeks of music, dancing, singing and teaching.
During the one-month period the Faith was proclaimed to hundreds of people in dozens of cities throughout New York State. While the proclamations were public and many people only heard the name of Bahá’u’lláh, there were still plenty of opportunities to teach on a one-to-one, heart-to-heart basis.
In all, this aspect was probably the richest part of the entire trip, as can be seen from a story about the concert in Malone, related by some of the people involved with the road show activities.
“We met a man who offered to buy us coffee while we were eating at a local restaurant. We told him about the concert and invited him to come along. At the end of our performance, the man was standing there with more coffee for us.
“WHEN HE discovered that we were playing with the Light Company, which had eight members, he asked why we hadn’t told him. And he went back and bought coffee for the other Light Company members.
“After the show, we spent the evening talking with him about the Faith. The one thing that impressed him the most was that we had traveled a great distance to put on a concert for free.
“ ‘I don’t understand why you’re doing this,’ he said at least half a dozen times. ‘What’s your angle?’ Finally, after telling us his story (not atypical for these days) he reached a state of resignation (or total bewilderment) and gave us the greatest compliment paid us during the entire trip.
“As we were sitting in a pizza parlor with the bright lights and late night coffee, he looked at us in earnest and said, ‘You’re happy, aren’t you?’ It was something he hadn’t encountered in a long while.”
The National Bahá’í Youth Committee’s new ‘World Citizen’ T-shirts are modeled here by two members of the Youth Committee, Wendy Suhm and Grant Kvalheim. The T-shirts are available through community librarians or from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust.
‘World Citizen’ T-Shirts Are Available[edit]
Do you think of yourself as a world citizen? Now you can let others know where you stand by wearing one of the new World Citizen T-shirts available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. Prices are $5.25 for children’s sizes and $6.25 for adult sizes.
The new T-shirts were developed by the National Youth Committee, which feels that shirts with this distinctive “one world” message printed on them can be used not only as a teaching tool (to help open conversations with others) but also as a builder of enthusiasm and a developer of unity.
DESIGNED to help draw attention to the Bahá’í teaching on the oneness of mankind, the shirts are imprinted on the front with the words “World Citizen” and a symbol of the globe. They are made of comfortable 100 percent knitted cotton and are available in both navy blue with white printing and tan with black printing.
The shirts come in seven sizes, including child’s sizes 6-8, 10-12, and 14-16 and adult sizes small, medium, large, and extra large. Because they are 100 percent cotton they will shrink somewhat, but this shrinkage is allowed for in the sizing of the shirts.
World Citizen T-shirts can help reinforce the efforts of Bahá’í children and adults to acquaint their friends, neighbors—and even strangers—with a fundamental teaching of the Bahá’í Faith.
The shirts can be ordered through local Bahá’í librarians or directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091. Specify size, color, and quantity desired.
National Youth Committee Aims To Update List of Youth Clubs[edit]
Listed here are the local Bahá’í Youth Clubs that the National Youth Committee has on file. Is your Youth Club listed? If not, please let us know by filling out the short form below and sending it to the National Youth Committee. By the same token, if you see a Youth Club listed that is no longer in existence, please tell us about that too.
Alabama—Birmingham. Arkansas—Little Rock. Arizona—Phoenix, Prescott, Mesa.
California—Los Banos, Alameda, Alturas, Concord, Glendale, Inglewood J.D., Milpitas, Paradise J.D., Campbell, Redlands-Yucaipa, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Monica, Sunnyvale, Thousand Oaks, Clovis, San Francisco, Maywood, Newport Beach, Los Angeles.
Colorado—Denver, Canon City, Grand Valley. Connecticut—Meriden, Vernon. Florida—Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, South Dade County. Georgia—Atlanta, Newton County, North DeKalb County, Savannah, South DeKalb County.
Iowa—Des Moines, Marshalltown. Idaho—Moscow. Illinois—Elgin, Maywood, Park Ridge, Rock Island, Limestone Twp., Maine Twp., Roosevelt University, Wheaton, Peoria, North Shore.
Indiana—West Lafayette. Kansas—Wichita. Louisiana—Metropolitan New Orleans, East Baton Rouge Parish 1. Massachusetts—Barnstable, Boston, North Shore-Ipswich. Maryland—Gaithersburg, Montgomery County. Michigan—Lincoln Park, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Ypsilanti Twp. Minnesota—Minneapolis, Olmsted County.
Missouri—St. Louis area, Springfield, Columbia. Montana—Bozeman. North Carolina—Asheville, Charlotte. North Dakota—Bismarck, Grand Forks. Nebraska—Omaha. New Hampshire—Lake Region. New Jersey—Bergenfield, Monmouth County.
New Mexico—Mescalero, Albuquerque. Nevada—Sparks. New York—Amherst, Scarsdale, New York City, Western New York, Town of Cortland, Endicott. Ohio—Cleveland, Columbus, Upper Arlington, Shaker Heights.
Oklahoma—Stillwater, Oklahoma City. Oregon—Astoria, Umatilla, Eugene, Albany, Jackson County. Pennsylvania—Middleton Twp., Philadelphia. South Carolina—Spartanburg, North Charleston, Florence County North, Beaufort, Goose Creek.
Tennessee—Nashville. Texas—Euless, La Porte, McAllen, Arlington, Ft. Worth, Northern Texas. Utah—Salt Lake City. Virginia—Virginia Beach, Fairfax County West, Arlington County, Fairfax County East.
Washington—Bellingham, Bremerton, Pierce C.C.D. 3, San Juan Island, Spokane Valley, King County Dist. 7, Kirkland, Walla Walla, Pierce C.C.D. 1. Wisconsin—Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Wauwatosa, Racine, Whitefish Bay, Delafield, Waukesha. Wyoming—Laramie.
| Sunny Jim | YO, SUNNY...I DON’T MIND TELL’N YA, I’M NERVOUS ABOUT MY FIRST YOUTH CLUB MEETING... C’MON IN! |
YOU BAHÁ’ÍS SEEM TO HAVE NOTHING BUT MEETINGS, MEETINGS! —DON’T WORRY... |
I CAN SEE IT NOW, SOME BORING MEETING WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE JUST SITTING AROUND! HEY MAN..THIS IS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE INTO TODAY! |
CARE FOR A “CLUB” SANDWICH? TWACH
TINKER TINKER YOUTH CLUB |
Drawing Bahá’í Will Extremely Important[edit]
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article on the importance of preparing a Will in accordance with Bahá’í law was written for The American Bahá’í by Stephen A. Koehl of the legal department at the Bahá’í National Center.)
The writing of a Testament is one of the laws revealed by Bahá’u’lláh. It is incumbent on every Bahá’í, man or woman, to have a Will. In our affluent but inflationary society, careful thought should be given to working out personal financial plans. This includes a Will for disposing of possessions upon death, to ensure maximum use of one’s resources, and to make certain that they are properly disposed of when one dies.
A Will is the document that specifies who is to receive one’s possessions when he dies. It also names an executor to carry out its provisions.
Dying without a Will causes problems and can spell disaster for one’s family, yet a great many individuals never make out a Will. Some people, with good intentions, simply put it off until “later.” Others cannot face the fact that death is inevitable. Still others find it difficult to persuade their spouses to sit down and discuss such a plan.
PREPARING a Will has four main objectives: to pass along real estate, securities, bank deposits and other property to beneficiaries in an orderly and effective way; to make sure that one’s possessions go to those one wishes to give them to upon his death; to arrange for the care of dependent children; and to reduce the taxes on one’s possessions and set up, where applicable, trusts or other legal arrangements to assure professional management of business interests, real estate, or stocks and bonds.
It is important to have a current and properly written Will. In light of the Tax Reform Act passed by Congress in 1976, even people who had carefully prepared Wills and estate arrangements may need to update their plans.
To increase the friends’ understanding of the importance of making out a Will, the following answers to commonly asked questions have been provided:
1. What happens when a person dies without a Will?
The property of a person who dies without a Will is distributed according to the law of the state in which he resided. The pitfalls of this arrangement are:
• MONEY, property and personal effects are distributed under a rigid formula set by the law of one’s state.
• Relatives one scarcely knows or has not seen in years may inherit one’s possessions.
• The court appoints an administrator, who could be a complete stranger to one’s loved ones, to handle their affairs.
• Some of one’s possessions may have to be sold to meet costs, leaving less money for one’s family.
• Lack of a Will may cause controversy among one’s relatives, and may cause a member of the family to challenge in court the distribution of one’s property and possessions.
• One’s estate may be subject to unnecessary taxes, and joint ownership of property, often counted on to replace a Will, may fail in its purpose.
• ONE’S FAMILY may suffer personal distress, and those one most wants to protect will be compelled to make important decisions at a time they are least prepared.
• Under the laws of many states, the property of the deceased who has not left a Will is divided so that one-third goes to his spouse and two-thirds to his children. In most instances this does not make sense. Typically, a husband wants everything to go to his wife, leaving it to her discretion and judgment to take care of the children.
One of the problems that arise when a husband with a relatively small estate dies without leaving a Will is that the portion the state law allots to his wife may not provide enough income for her support. She may have to go to court to get some of the children’s money; that could be a complicated, expensive and time-consuming task. Also, without a Will, stepchildren usually have no rights of inheritance.
• Lastly, if you desire the Bahá’í Faith to share your possessions, a Will is essential.
2. Why should an executor be named in a Will?
The executor’s duty is to carry out the terms of the Will on behalf of the deceased. The chores can be extensive. Among other things, the executor helps make funeral arrangements. This is very important to Bahá’ís.
The executor arranges for the surviving family’s immediate and continuing needs, collects all the estate’s financial records, inventories all the property and, when necessary, has it appraised, sets up a bank account for the estate, settles any claims against the estate, pays taxes and costs, advises and counsels the beneficiaries, and prepares a final accounting for the probate court.
For a small estate, all these duties may be routine. For a large one, they can be time-consuming and burdensome. People with substantial property often select a bank or trust company to serve as co-executor with a family member or close friend. The Local or National Spiritual Assembly should not be named the executor of a Will.
3. Do you have more assets than you realize?
General prosperity and inflated values have caused wealth to multiply in recent years, thus giving one more assets than he may think he has. Many people have been pushed into higher estate tax brackets without realizing it.
A study showed that a 38-year-old head of a family earning $14,000 a year will have assets of nearly $54,000, including various company or association benefits such as group insurance and retirement allotments. By the time such a person has reached the age of 55, his total assets could exceed $100,000. Employee group insurance sharply increases the assets business people will leave in their estates.
4. Doesn’t life insurance pass directly to the beneficiaries named in the policy without the necessity of a Will?
This is true, but it is important to consider insurance benefits along with the other assets in the estate. Many people are not aware that the total amount of life insurance proceeds passed along to survivors is counted in one’s estate for tax purposes, even though the proceeds of the life insurance paid to survivors are not subject to income tax.
5. What is the first step in making a Will?
Because of variations in the law from state to state, there can be no standard Will form approved by the National Spiritual Assembly. Therefore, a person preparing a Will should contact an attorney.
To keep down costs, you can assist your attorney by having available the information personal to yourself, your family, your relatives and your beneficiaries, all the facts concerning your property, insurance and bank accounts and the name and address of the person you wish to be your executor.
Your Will should have a special provision for burial in accordance with Bahá’í law. For a more comprehensive treatment of “Bahá’í Wills and Bequests,” it is suggested that you refer to page 96 of Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies.
6. Can a Will be changed once it is drawn up and signed?
Yes. The procedure is fairly simple. Changes are made by what is known as a “codicil.” But, for legal reasons, if one wants to change his Will, he should not try to write in a revision by hand. Even a minor change should be made by an attorney. If a substantial change is needed, the attorney may suggest a new Will.
7. When should you revise your Will?
A Will needs to be kept up to date. Legal authorities suggest a review every year or so. In addition, a Will probably needs to be updated when:
- A child is born into one’s family.
- A divorce or death occurs in the family.
- One changes his residence and, particularly, if one moves to another state.
- A TRUSTEE, an executor, or guardian named in the Will dies, becomes disabled, or is otherwise unable to act for you.
- One acquires additional assets of substantial value.
- A windfall increases the size of one’s estate, or a personal catastrophe decreases it.
- Changes in federal or state laws alter the treatment of property in trusts and estates.
- One purchases a substantial amount of additional life insurance or becomes a participant in a new pension or profit-sharing plan.
- One’s family circumstances change, such as a serious illness or disability of a spouse, child or close relative.
8. Where should a Will be kept?
Most attorneys recommend that for safety’s sake the original document be kept in a safe deposit box where it is secure from theft, fire or alteration.
One or more copies should also be kept where they are immediately available after one’s death. For example, a copy of a Will containing Bahá’í burial instructions should be given to the Local Spiritual Assembly so that it can guarantee that Bahá’í burial laws will be followed. A copy should also be given to the executor.
Tug-of-war was one of many spirited games played in June at a Race Unity Day picnic in Saginaw, Michigan. The local paper published photos of the event that also featured Bahá’í musicians, such as Bob and Dolores Simms, who are featured on the album, ‘Flight.’ The mayor of Saginaw proclaimed ‘Race Unity Week’ in the city. As a follow-up, a series of Bahá’í radio spots was aired on a local ‘soul music’ station. The weekend before the Race Unity Day picnic, Bahá’í youth from Saginaw paddled the raft ‘Dawnbreaker’ down the Saginaw River in an annual raft race. A large banner atop the raft read, ‘Happiness Is...Race Unity.’
Youth Committee Schedules December Work/Study Project[edit]
The National Bahá’í Youth Committee will hold its 13th Work/Study Project from December 26-January 2.
This project promises to be one of the best ever, as special efforts are under way to make it educationally one of the strongest programs to date. Though the project is designed to provide opportunities for varied educational and work experiences at the Bahá’í National Center, there will be plenty of opportunities to have fun and develop lasting friendships with other Bahá’í youth from many parts of the country.
Your schedule will be full of many experiences including direct contact with the National Spiritual Assembly Secretary, Glenford Mitchell, and Assistant Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Carney; opportunities to work shoulder to shoulder with National Center staff on various projects; visits to Bahá’í communities in the Wilmette area, and tours of places of interest in the Wilmette-Chicago area—just to name a few.
If you haven’t come to the Bahá’í National Center for a work/study project before, or if you want to participate again, you’ll want to be here December 26 for the experience of a lifetime.
| Arise! |
Submit your application as soon as possible for such details as cost, time of arrival, and schedule of activities.
Archivists Sharpen Skills During Four-Day Institute[edit]
An institute sponsored by the National Archives Committee was held August 19-23 at the Bahá’í National Center in Wilmette, Illinois. Eight Bahá’ís from across the United States came to learn basic skills in setting up and working with archival collections.
“Basically, the institute is designed to give people an idea of what archives is all about,” said Roger Dahl, archivist of the National Bahá’í Archives. “It is aimed at people who are trying to make archives a career, who are seriously interested in archives, or who are working on major Bahá’í archives at the local level in their home communities.”
These institutes are conducted in two phases. First, students become acquainted with the various principles and techniques of organizing and preserving an archival collection. Then they begin working with an actual collection from the National Archives. The participants in the August institute organized the papers and letters of Emogene Hoagg, an early believer who died in the 1940’s.
“ACCORDING to the memorial article about her in Bahá’í World,” said Mr. Dahl, “Miss Hoagg was the first native Californian to become a Bahá’í. She was a friend of Phoebe Hearst, spent a number of years pioneering in Italy and throughout Europe, and was a pioneer to Cuba.
“Miss Hoagg did a lot of teaching work in the United States,” he added, “and so she has left many pieces of correspondence. She corresponded with members of the Holy Family, with a number of prominent Bahá’ís throughout the world, and with the National Spiritual Assembly and the National Teaching Committee. In addition, there are many printed materials and photographs in her collection.
“So, it’s easy to see why researchers would want access to these materials,” Mr. Dahl pointed out. “They could be interested in her as a person, or in the activities she’d been involved with. Many of her letters are historically important in the context of the papers of other individuals or institutions.
“BUT UNTIL the collection is organized and preserved,” he said, “none of these things are readily accessible. That’s what the class did. They came up with a basic arrangement, and then put everything into acid-free folders and boxes. These were titled and labeled, and the information was put on an inventory of the collection. The inventory is a basic aid for researchers who will want to use materials from the collection at a later date.”
Participants in the institute had a variety of reactions to the work.
“Emogene Hoagg was a Bahá’í back in the days before everything was very organized,” said one individual. “The Local Assemblies were not very strong, so all of her teaching work was directed by the National Spiritual Assembly. She laid the foundation in a lot of areas where the Faith had never been taught before. It’s also interesting to see what communities were actually in existence back in 1936, and where they had Local Spiritual Assemblies.”
“I didn’t know when we came here what we were going to be doing,” said another participant. “Working with Miss Hoagg’s papers has sparked a lot of memories for me, because I attended her classes for 10 days at Louhelen (a Bahá’í school in Michigan) in 1938. I found notes on those classes, and also a list of the people at the Summer School. So this has been something special for me, and it’s been kind of an emotional thing sometimes, too.”
“BY KNOWING what to do with the records and materials of a community, you are contributing to the future,” said a third participant. “My work is in the form of service, a form of sharing with the Bahá’ís that will come after me. But there is something else, too.
“For instance, we discovered a lock of the Master’s hair in the collection. Usually when you go to a convention, or a dedication like at Panama, you view these things in a glass case. But in processing the materials we were able to touch and hold it. It was like having a tiny piece of history in your hand.
“It’s an experience that you can’t really pass on to anybody else—you can only feel it yourself. Sometimes the question comes up: ‘What do we mean by bounties?’ Just to be standing in the presence of another Bahá’í is a bounty. But to have touched a part of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is another kind of bounty. It’s something that you really can’t bring to words.”
Individuals interested in participating in the next Archives Institute should contact the National Archives Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, for further information.
Participants in the Archives Institute, held August 19-23 in Wilmette, Illinois, organized the papers of Emogene Hoagg, the first native Californian to become a Bahá’í. Archivist Roger Dahl (standing) supervised the compilation of an inventory for the collection, which will aid historians and researchers in utilizing the materials more effectively.
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Back in Stock!
FLIGHT
FLIGHT is the title of an exciting new stereo album released this month by the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. The album is a collection of fourteen original songs by a diversity of Bahá’í musicians. FLIGHT’S musical styles range from the soft sound of England Dan and John Ford Coley in “The Greatest Name” and “The Prisoner” to the sophisticated instrumentation of Do’a in the title song, “Flight,” and the rhythm and blues of John and Sharon Barnes. Most of the songs are variations of folk-rock, but with the full instrumentation and subtlety of the seventies rather than the one voice-one guitar sound of the sixties. A printed insert with lyrics and credits for each song is included. Eleven groups perform on the album. FLIGHT can help create a Bahá’í atmosphere in your home, at firesides, and at Bahá’í gatherings such as Nineteen Day Feasts, children’s classes, and conferences. Flight also makes an excellent gift. 6-35-09.............$5.50
To order FLIGHT: Order through Community Librarians if possible! Personal orders: enclose full payment. |
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Guardian Continued From Page 1 symbol of their ideals... THE EDIFICE of this New World Order, which the Báb has heralded, which the mind of Bahá’u’lláh has envisioned, and whose features ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, its Architect, has delineated, we, whatever our capacities, opportunities or position, are now, at so precarious a period in the world’s history, summoned to found and erect. The community of the Most Great Name in the Western Hemisphere is, through the nature of its corporate life and the scope of its exertions, assuming, beyond the shadow of a doubt, a preponderating share in the laying of such a foundation and the erection of such a structure. The eyes of its sister communities are fixed upon it. Their prayers ascend on its behalf. Their hands are outstretched to lend whatever aid lies within their power. I, for my part, am determined to reinforce the impulse that impels its members forward to meet their destiny. The Founders of their Faith survey from the Kingdom on high the range of their achievements, acclaim their progress, and are ever ready to speed their eventual triumph. Far be it from me to underrate the gigantic proportions of their task, nor do I for one moment overlook the urgency and gravity of the times in which they are laboring. Nor do I wish to minimize the hazards and trials that surround or lie ahead of them. The grandeur of their task is indeed commensurate with the mortal perils by which their generation is hemmed in. AS THE DUSK creeps over a steadily sinking society the radiant outlines of their redemptive mission become sharper every day. The present world unrest, symptom of a world-wide malady, their world religion has already affirmed must needs culminate in that world catastrophe out of which the consciousness of world citizenship will be born, a consciousness that can alone provide an adequate basis for the organization of world unity, on which a lasting world peace must necessarily depend, the peace itself inaugurating in turn that world civilization which will mark the coming of age of the entire human race. Fortified by such reflections, the American believers, in whichever section of the Western Hemisphere they find themselves laboring, whether at home or abroad, and however dire and distressing the processes involved in the disintegration of the structure of present-day civilization, will, I feel convinced, prove themselves, through their lives and deeds, worthy of that priceless heritage which it is their undoubted privilege to proclaim, preserve and perpetuate. Your true and grateful brother, SHOGHI
May 22, 1939 |
University of Maryland Bahá’í Club Gets Teaching Off to Successful Start[edit]
The University of Maryland Bahá’í Club got an early start on teaching by passing out copies of an attractive brochure, literature, and 1,000 balloons on the first day of classes. They reported a very good reception.
Among their wide schedule of activities for fall, listed in the brochure, are public talks on topics such as “International Economics—A Fresh Viewpoint” by Gregory Dahl; “Indian Art: Paintings of Indian Legends and Prophecy” by Jerry Bathke; and “Using God for a Crystal Ball: Spiritual Focus for Education” by Dr. Dwight Allen.
In addition, the club is hosting a variety of film presentations, community firesides, and an observance for Universal Children’s Day.
Teaching victories are sure to result from the broad appeal of these activities, plus the comprehensive planning and dedication of the club members.
House of Worship’s Historic Status to be Noted[edit]
A series of special public programs has been planned for Thanksgiving Day and that weekend to celebrate the designation of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette as a National Historic Site. The plan is to commemorate both the 75th anniversary of the initiation of the project to build the House of Worship in 1903, and the 25th anniversary of the dedication of the House of Worship for public use.
The planned programs include:
- An interdenominational worship service on Thanksgiving Day, November 23.
- A formal dedication of the House of Worship as a National Historic Site on Saturday, November 25.
- A special devotional program on the Day of the Covenant, Sunday afternoon, November 26, featuring the same program that was used for the 1953 public dedication ceremonies.
- A SPECIAL talk later that same Sunday afternoon commemorating the anniversaries of the inception of the House of Worship project and the public opening.
“Clergymen from other faiths are being invited to participate in the devotions on Thanksgiving,” said Bruce Whitmore, manager of the Bahá’í House of Worship Activities Office. He also indicated that a general invitation would be extended to the residents of Wilmette to attend the worship service.
“Saturday, November 25, is when we’ve scheduled the actual dedication ceremony,” Mr. Whitmore added. “We will begin at 8 p.m. with devotions in the auditorium upstairs. That will be followed at 8:30 with a meeting in Foundation Hall.
“The program will include music, a brief overview of the purpose and development of the Bahá’í Faith, as well as an explanation of the purpose of the erection of the House of Worship, a brief audio-visual presentation on the history of the construction of the building, and the unveiling of a plaque proclaiming that the Bahá’í House of Worship is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.”
SUNDAY, November 26, will be devoted to the observance of two significant anniversaries in the history of the House of Worship.
“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the public dedication of the House of Worship in 1953,” Mr. Whitmore explained. “It also marks the 75th anniversary of the inception of the project to begin building the House of Worship. This was when, in 1903, the House of Spirituality in Chicago sent a petition to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Haifa requesting permission to build a House of Worship in the Chicago area.”
The 3 p.m. Sunday devotional service in the House of Worship will follow the same program used in the 1953 public dedication. Many of the speakers who participated in the 1953 ceremonies will be asked to participate November 26. The public meeting in Foundation Hall that is to follow the devotions will feature a formal remembrance of the two anniversaries as well as a talk on “The Meaning of Worship.”
The first Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Round Rock, Texas, was elected August 13. Members are (front row left to right) Sharon Lewis, Gary Robinson, Elba Land, Randall Ricklefs, and (back row left to right) Lee Arthur Lewis, Cindy Robinson, Roderick Land, Dale Ricklefs, Mark Sherrill.
Continental Counsellor Hooper Dunbar, a member of the Bahá’í International Teaching Centre in Haifa, shows photographs of the progress of construction on the Seat of the Universal House of Justice to a gathering of Bahá’ís on the Southern Ute Reservation at Ignacio, Colorado. More than 30 believers representing seven Bahá’í communities from Colorado, New Mexico and California, and three Indian tribes—Pueblo, Ute and Navajo—attended the July 16 meeting. Also present were Counsellor Dunbar’s wife, Maralyn, and their 3-year-old son, Sutherland.
Illinois
Continued From Page 1
seven declarations and four enrollments. Jacksonville is an Assembly goal.
• Monticello (Piatt County), August 19-20, five interest cards collected, three declarations and no enrollments. Monticello is an unopened locality and Piatt County is an unopened county.
• Wood River (Madison County), August 26-27, 18 interest cards collected, six declarations and no enrollments.
• DECATUR (Macon County), September 9-10, 56 interest cards collected, 28 declarations and no enrollments.
• Centralia (Marion, Clinton and Washington Counties), September 16-17, 25 interest cards collected, nine declarations and two enrollments. Marion and Clinton were unopened counties.
• Mt. Sterling (Brown County) and Rushville (Schuyler County), September 23-24, 23 interest cards collected, 12 declarations and one enrollment. Mt. Sterling and Rushville are unopened localities, and Brown and Schuyler are unopened counties. Additionally, there was a declaration from a visitor who lived in Meredosia, an unopened locality in Morgan County.
• Sullivan (Moultrie County) and Chester (Randolph County), September 30, six interest cards collected, seven declarations and no enrollments. Sullivan and Chester are unopened localities, and Moultrie and Randolph are unopened counties.
• Carrollton (Greene County), Hardin (Calhoun County), Mt. Carmel (Wabash County) and Albion (Edwards County), October 7-8, 26 interest cards collected, 11 declarations and one enrollment. Carrollton, Hardin, Mt. Carmel and Albion are unopened localities, and Greene, Calhoun, Wabash and Edwards are unopened counties.
• LEWISTON (Fulton County), Havana (Mason County), Robinson (Crawford County) and Lawrenceville (Lawrence County), October 14-15, 43 interest cards collected, 11 declarations and two enrollments. Lewiston, Havana, Robinson and Lawrenceville are unopened localities, and Fulton, Mason, Crawford and Lawrence are unopened counties.
“I think that there is an important thing to be stressed here beyond the fact of the declarants we’ve gotten,” said Miss Yntema. “We expect that some of the declarants might not be enrolled. We are prepared for that.
“But take Wood River, for instance. We had been working there for a long time before this, trying to bring the Group there to Assembly status. But at these times we couldn’t find any seekers. We couldn’t find anybody.
“At least by walking the streets on weekends, we have 24 people whom we can invite to a fireside, and who would be interested in attending. Now, we have enough people, possibly, to form an Assembly.”
Miss Yntema indicated that if the teaching teams could open the proposed four counties per weekend, all the counties in southern Illinois would be opened to the Faith by the middle of November. This is one of the Five Year Plan goals for the district.
Youth Gatherings Set[edit]
Spanish-speaking Bahá’í youth are invited to attend International Youth Conferences to be held December 28-31 in El Salvador and January 11-17 in Panama. The conferences are co-sponsored by the Continental Board of Counsellors in Central America and the respective National Spiritual Assemblies.
New Book Probes Mysteries of Life[edit]
GUY MURCHIE
Book Explores Life’s Mysteries
The Seven Mysteries of Life, a new book by Guy Murchie, a Bahá’í and author of two best-sellers, is now available from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust. By special arrangement with the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Company, the Publishing Trust is able to offer the book to Bahá’ís for $14.95—a savings of $3 off the $17.95 list price. (690 pp., catalog number 7-39-04, $14.95 NET)
Mr. Murchie’s new book, published September 19, has been chosen by the Book of the Month Club as an alternate selection.
The index to Seven Mysteries includes references to Bahá’u’lláh and the Bahá’í Faith. A number of chapter subheadings, such as “The Approach of a Global Language” and “The Coming of a World Government,” are clear evidence of the influence of Bahá’í Teachings on Mr. Murchie’s writing.
The Seven Mysteries of Life: An Exploration in Science and Philosophy is a book about almost every aspect of life. Written in terms easily understandable to the layman, the book discusses aspects of philosophy, physics, geology, paleontology, chemistry, biology, sociology and mysticism, combining all to form a unified whole.
Thousands of intriguing facts in the book guide the reader to discover that—for example—32 senses have already been recognized by science; that the earth itself breathes, metabolizes, and shows many specific signs of being alive; that sex evolved before death and first appeared in the mineral kingdom.
Hundreds of fundamental questions are asked in the book, and the answers are fascinating. Is there a boundary between life and non-life? Is death inevitable? Is evil essential to this world? Is the universe alive?
Arranged in three parts, Seven Mysteries explores first body, then mind, and lastly “the seven mysteries of life”—abstraction, interrelation, omnipresence, polarity, transcendence, germination, and divinity.
“Divinity,” according to the book, “is the greatest mystery of all and the unknowable essence that shapes and guides the universe, creating and maintaining all life, mind, and spirit everywhere and forever.”
The Seven Mysteries of Life was 17 years in the making—15 years for writing and researching, and one year each for editing and rewriting and illustrating. Each of the dozens of line drawings in the book is the work of the author.
Two of Mr. Murchie’s previous books, Song of the Sky (1954) and Music of the Spheres (1961), were best-sellers and book club selections. James Michener called Song of the Sky “extravagant and wonderful,” and Isaac Asimov said of Music of the Spheres that “one can only stand amazed at the breadth of Mr. Murchie’s understanding and his ability to put the facts and speculations of science into colorful and non-technical language.”
Bahá’ís will be understandably proud of Mr. Murchie’s latest work and will enjoy reading it themselves and giving it to others during the upcoming holiday season.
The book may be ordered through Bahá’í librarians or directly from the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091.
Bahá’ís Sought For Overseas Teaching Plans[edit]
The International Goals Committee urgently needs volunteers for two international projects, as well as traveling teachers and pioneers.
BERMUDA. Mass teaching has started in Bermuda; a team has been formed, but needs a continual flow of U.S. traveling teachers who can stay from two weeks to a month. Also, a pioneer family is being sought for Devonshire, where employment is not available. A self-supporting couple with or without children is preferred.
BAHAMAS. The newly-formed National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahamas is planning a teaching campaign for the Christmas holidays. Dates: December 12-January 12, or a good part of that time. Participants should be 18 years of age or older, and have about $200 plus transportation money to the islands. A youth conference for the Caribbean area is planned for December 28-31.
Also needed for at least six months is a pioneer couple or family for Andros Island, where a house is waiting. The family must be self-supporting. Deputization may be available, as employment is difficult to obtain.
For further information about these projects or pioneering needs, please contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-256-4400.
Gregory Institute Has New Director[edit]
Dr. Nabil Hana has replaced Allen Murray as administrator of the Louis G. Gregory Bahá’í Institute in Hemingway, South Carolina, effective September 1.
Mr. Murray and his family are on their way to western Canada, where he will serve as superintendent of an American Indian-run school system in British Columbia. Before he left, the staff at the Gregory Institute presented Mr. Murray with a silver serving tray, inscribed with the words, “We love you!” These were the words he often used in greeting guests during orientation sessions at the institute.
The Gregory Institute Council presented Mr. Murray with a copy of the newly-published book, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh.
Dr. Hana, the new administrator, was born in Suez, Egypt. He holds a Ph.D. degree in ethnomusicology from the University of California at Los Angeles. Dr. Hana and his family recently returned to the U.S. from Haiti, where he served as treasurer of that National Spiritual Assembly.
Eight U.S. Winter Schools Scheduled[edit]
Eight Bahá’í Winter Schools will be held in the United States this year, with sessions starting as early as November. Most of the Winter Schools are scheduled for the end of December.
Programs include formal class sessions, discussion groups, independent study periods, and recreational activities. Programs are provided for children, youth and adults.
The schools are open to anyone—Bahá’í or otherwise—who is interested in deepening his or her understanding of the Faith away from the distractions of the outside world.
Registrars for each school should be contacted for more information.
ARIZONA
- Date: December 30-January 1.
- Place: Camp Creek, Arizona.
- Theme: Dare to Be Different.
- Note: Classes are oriented toward but not restricted to teen-agers. Facilities limit attendance to 20 individuals.
- Registrar: Maureen Thur, 6232 Maverick, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253, 602-948-3328.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- Date: December 15-17.
- Place: Camp Maranatha, Idyllwild, California.
- Theme: Securing With Undoubted Triumph.
- Lecturers: Dr. Daniel C. Jordan, Mrs. Nancy Jordan.
- Registrar: Barbara West, 5658 Ravenspur Drive, No. 302, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90274, 213-541-3115.
NORTH FLORIDA
- Date: November 22-26.
- Place: Avon Park, Florida.
- Theme: Community Unity.
- Lecturers: Dr. Sam McClellan, Auxiliary Board member; Ben Levy, Auxiliary Board member.
- Registrar: Jane Edmonds, 878 McClelland Drive, MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL 33621, 813-840-0690.
LOUHELEN
- Date: December 26-30.
- Place: MEA Conference Center, Battle Creek, Michigan.
- Registrar: Tolviya Avaretan, 5356 W. Bloomfield Lake Road, West Bloomfield Lake, MI 48033.
MINNESOTA
- Date: December 29-January 1.
- Place: Frontenac Methodist Camp, Frontenac, Minnesota.
- Registrar: Gary Colgrove, 215 15th Avenue NW, New Brighton, MN 55112, 612-636-6763.
OREGON
- Date: November 23-26.
- Place: Camp Menucha, near Corbett, Oregon.
- Theme: Concerted Efforts With Lasting Gains.
- Registrar: Malia M. Ives, P.O. Box 1443, Springfield, OR 97477.
WASHINGTON WEST
- Date: December 29-January 1.
- Place: Fort Worden, Port Townsend, Washington.
- Theme: The Reality of Man.
- Registrar: C. Edward Knight, 3927 Banner Road SE, Port Orchard, WA 98366, 206-871-2872.
BOSCH
- Dates: November 22-26 and December 21-25.
- Place: Bosch Bahá’í School.
- Themes: Promises, and Sources of Our Strength.
- Registrar: Molly King, 500 Comstock Lane, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 408-423-3387.
Kiosk Aids Sidewalk Teaching In Oregon Bahá’í Community[edit]
The Linn County, Oregon, Bahá’í community has experienced recent teaching success with a kiosk that is assembled on-site for sidewalk display of posters and distribution of Bahá’í literature and balloons.
The kiosk, composed of seven reinforced plywood panels measuring three feet by six feet, was designed and built by members of the Linn County community.
It has four solid panels for display of posters, and three windows from which teachers can work. It is easily adaptable for indoor use and can be dismantled for storage and ease of transport.
The kiosk was first used in July at the Sportsmen’s Holiday Parade in Sweet Home, the extension teaching goal of the Linn County Assembly.
More than 400 balloons were handed out in Sweet Home along with leaflets bearing the “One Planet, One People...Please” logo while ice water, a welcome gift on a hot day, was provided for bystanders.
The efforts in Sweet Home, together with the active involvement of a Bahá’í resident there, resulted in the establishment of bi-weekly firesides. Evidence of increased awareness of and interest in the Faith has been seen.
The Linn County community expects to help raise a Spiritual Assembly in Sweet Home before the end of the Five Year Plan.
Boone, Iowa, Assembly Celebrates Recognition[edit]
The recently-formed Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Boone, Iowa, held its Recognition Ceremony Saturday, July 29.
Present at the gathering were members of the Assembly, other members of the Boone community, believers from nearby communities, and a representative of the District Teaching Committee.
Following brief words of greeting by Marsha Johnson, a member of the Boone Assembly, the formal program began with prayers and readings from the Bahá’í Writings.
Brad Richel, a member of the District Teaching Committee, presented the Assembly its official letter of recognition and the gift of a book, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Flowers and congratulatory messages were sent to the new Assembly by other communities and individuals in Iowa.
Children from the Boone community attended to the guest book and greeted visitors to the ceremony at the door.
The Boone Bahá’í community’s scrapbook was displayed at the ceremony.
The formal program was followed by a period of fellowship and socializing.
Members of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Boone, Iowa, are (back row, left to right) Janet McQuirk, Steve Bircher, Mark Skallman, Don Sires, Barb Coghlan, and (front row, left to right) Betty Skallman, Marsha Johnson, Carolyn Sissel, Chris Johnson. The Assembly held its Recognition Ceremony on July 29.
The Mail Bag
Dispersal a Way of Life in Evanston Community[edit]
Among the replies received by the National Spiritual Assembly to its recent request that Bahá’ís in communities with more than 50 members consider dispersing to help win the goals of the Five Year Plan was this letter dated August 30, 1978, from the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Evanston, Illinois:
To the National Spiritual Assembly:
The Evanston Assembly appreciates the time and effort taken by the National Spiritual Assembly to remind our community about the need for homefront pioneers. This is an important concern that we have not taken up recently for community discussion.
Since the beginning of the Five Year Plan, Evanston has sent 30 pioneers out to help form seven new Assemblies, bring five Assemblies out of jeopardy, and restore one Assembly.
In addition, four homefront pioneers have been sent to open new localities, four to bring isolated areas to Group status, and one to work to bring a small Group to Assembly status.
FIVE international pioneers have been sent: to Mexico, Switzerland, Lebanon and Guam.
We are happy to let you know that in the last week, through Evanston’s teaching efforts, two new localities have been opened to the Faith in Illinois (Mt. Carroll and Savanna—this also opens a previously unopened county, Carroll County).
Since one of the new believers will be moving to Freeport, Illinois, to attend school, a homefront pioneer is being sent tomorrow to Mt. Carroll to retain that locality.
Also, a member of the Spiritual Assembly of Evanston, Dr. Michael Porter, will be leaving this week to pioneer to Mexico.
We will present your mailgram to the community through the bulletin and at the Nineteen Day Feast as well as consulting with believers who are planning to move into or out of Evanston about the importance of settling in a new locality or goal area. In three months we will review the progress that has been made and keep you informed.
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Dear Friends:
On becoming Bahá’ís we dedicate ourselves to the building of a new World Order, an Order thoroughly outlined and delineated by Bahá’u’lláh, expounded upon and expanded by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and finally put into practice on a world scale by the beloved Guardian.
In my many years as a Bahá’í I have searched the Writings in quest of many things, but nowhere have I come across anything pertaining to a new system of time. Yet whenever I attend a Bahá’í function that is to start at 8 p.m., or 8:15, everyone is looking around knowingly and saying, “Bahá’í time...”
Not long ago I took a friend to a performance by some Bahá’í musicians. She’d had a recent back injury, and asked me specifically if it would be much more than an hour, as it was difficult for her to sit for any length of time.
THE SHOW was to start at 8 p.m., and I wanted to arrive “on time” so that my friend would gain the full benefit of the company and good feelings of the Bahá’ís.
Had it not been for “Bahá’í time,” I’m sure she would have enjoyed the evening. The show started promptly at 8:40, by which time she was becoming quite uneasy and uncomfortable.
As I sat watching her discomfort, I almost cried. But for “Bahá’í time,” she might have wanted to join us again next time I asked. Instead, she said her back was hurting... somehow I felt fortunate that she probably wasn’t aware that this is the rule rather than the exception.
Isn’t there some way the Bahá’ís could remedy this so that the new World Order might be built “on time”? If we wait for “Bahá’í time,” it may never be accomplished!
Nevada City, California
Dear Bahá’í Youth Committee:
I was able to spend this summer in The Netherlands via the American Field Service (AFS), a student exchange program. Through this program I was placed with a young Dutch couple in Rotterdam and lived with this family for approximately 10 weeks, learning the culture, customs and language of The Netherlands.
Also, the American Field Service summer program experience gave me many opportunities to teach, since people are usually curious about visitors to their countries.
Many of the opportunities to tell of the Faith arose through my not drinking alcohol, a custom in The Netherlands. Other inquiries came up in normal conversation, and still others because some people knew I was a Bahá’í before I came to Rotterdam, through my AFS application papers.
I HAD A special opportunity to teach when I attended a Dutch Reformed Church Youth Conference at Bolsward (in northern Holland); all the AFS students together with young Christians from Germany, Switzerland and The Netherlands were invited by the Church Youth Council to add to the international flavor of the conference. There were about 150 students in all.
Since the conference was devoted to religion and its theme was unity, “With each other, for each other,” I was able to express Bahá’í points of view during my four days there.
In my diary, I kept a list of the number of people I was able to tell about the Faith, and the names of the Bahá’ís I was able to meet. All totaled, I had about 30 small discussions with inquirers, interested or not, recorded.
I WAS ABLE to meet the Rotterdam Bahá’ís through a number listed in the telephone directory and thus was able to attend two Feasts. I quite enjoyed invitations to visit two Bahá’í families.
In Bolsward I met a Bahá’í who was active in the AFS program, being a returnee from a year in the U.S.
I very much enjoyed my summer in The Netherlands, especially the opportunities to teach that were caused by my stay there. I sincerely hope I was able, through my prayers and teaching and the assistance all Bahá’ís receive, to plant some seeds that will someday grow to help the Cause.
Akron, Ohio
[edit]
The first Huntingdon Bahá’í Youth Conference was held August 18-20 at Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Nine Bahá’í youth and two non-Bahá’ís attended.
The youth studied the Holy Writings, consulted together, learned teaching methods, got to know one another, discussed solutions to problems experienced by Bahá’í youth, and developed specific teaching plans to be used in their home communities.
The conference opened Friday evening with the presentation of a slide show on the Faith that featured England Dan and John Ford Coley.
Saturday’s classes were on prayer and meditation (with discussion leader Gail Mark), living the life (J.F. Strain), and pathways of service for Bahá’í youth (Bob and Judy Basso).
The youth spent Saturday afternoon swimming, attended a potluck supper that evening sponsored by Bahá’ís from the Huntingdon area, then presented a fireside and unity feast.
|
Service for Blind Offers Catalog The new catalog of materials from Bahá’í Service for the Blind is ready for distribution. It is available in two forms: printed copies, which are free, and cassette recordings, which cost $1.60 each. When ordering, please indicate which form is preferred, and whether the requestor is blind or sighted. The address is Bahá’í Service for the Blind, 3110 E. Lester St., Tucson, AZ 85716. |
Following Sunday morning classes on teaching the Cause (led by John Grinder) and developing teaching plans (George Mark), the youth split into groups to prepare teaching plans for their communities and schools. Afterward, they came together to share those plans.
Meals at the conference were prepared by Betty Reed, a friend of the Faith from Huntingdon.
Classified Ads[edit]
CLASSIFIED ADS in The American Bahá’í are intended as a service to the U.S. Bahá’í community and are printed free of charge.
A SCHOOL IN GUATEMALA is presently hiring for the January 1979 term and has several positions open in the areas of English language arts, social studies, science and mathematics at the secondary level, and some primary level openings. Interested teachers having a minimum of two years of successful teaching experience and a teaching certificate may contact the International Goals Committee, 112 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091, or phone 312-256-4400 for further information.
SEVERAL POSITIONS are available for nutritionists or dietitians for the Navajo Indian tribe on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico. Qualified persons who are interested in these positions may contact Joan Belshaw, P.O. Box 22, Navajo, NM 87328, or phone 602-729-5022, or 505-777-2353 after 5 p.m. (MDT) for more information.
HOMEFRONT PIONEERS are urgently needed to save the jeopardized Local Spiritual Assembly of Claremont, California. Claremont is the attractive and interesting cultural and artistic center of the Pomona Valley. It includes an active retirement community, five colleges, an excellent public education system, and moderate real estate prices. It is convenient to Los Angeles and offers all the advantages of a large city while retaining the atmosphere of a small town. Interested persons may contact the secretary of the Assembly, Gunther Freehill, at Box 211, Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA 91711.
THE NEW CATALOG of materials from Bahá’í Service for the Blind is ready for distribution, it is available in two forms: printed copies, which are free, and cassette recordings, which cost $1.60 each. When ordering, please indicate which form is preferred, and whether the requestor is blind or sighted. The address is Bahá’í Service for the Blind, 3110 E. Lester St., Tucson, AZ 85716.
URGENT! FULFILL A GOAL of the Five Year Plan. Move to Moraga, California (one-half hour from San Francisco). Choice area. Homes, condominiums and townhouses range from $65,000 to $180,000. Most are in the $110,000-$140,000 bracket. Home rentals between $575-$850 a month. Jobs are plentiful in the Bay area. For information phone 415-283-0191 or write to the Spiritual Assembly of Lafayette, 301 S. Lucille Lane, Lafayette, CA 94549.
SHELTON AND MASON COUNTY, Washington, believers are seeking Bahá’í families as settlers to strengthen their communities and help fill the goals of the Five Year Plan. The Assembly in Mason County CCD No. 3 is in jeopardy; Mason CCD No. 1 needs to be restored, while Mason CCD No. 2 has a promising Group eagerly working to form its first Local Assembly. The latter is one of the District Teaching Committee goals chosen for assistance by the Assembly in Shelton. Shelton is the hub of activities for the forestry and logging communities of Mason County and is the entrance to beautiful Hood Canal, the “gateway to the Olympics,” and to recreational and suburban areas. The Evergreen State College (TESC) is within commuting distance, as is the state capital which has Civil Service employment opportunities. For more information contact the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Shelton, P.O. Box 884, Shelton, WA 98584, or phone 206-426-5336.
HOMEFRONT PIONEERS needed in East Mesa, Arizona. Twenty miles from Phoenix, this community attracts thousands of retired persons. The weather is sunny year round, and many homes or apartments are available to buy or rent. If you are nearing retirement and would like to move to the “valley of the sun,” please contact Denny Allen, 1940 W. University, Apt. 263, Mesa, AZ 85201, or phone 602-833-9239.
HELP BRING the Riverton, Wyoming, Spiritual Assembly back up to strength. Many employment opportunities in the area in mining—coal, oil and uranium—and in construction. Professionals such as psychologists and social workers also are needed. Housing is scarce, but local believers are ready, willing and able to help believers find a place to live. Contact Bill Moore, Wyoming District Teaching Committee, 12 East Warwick, Newcastle, WY 82701, or phone 307-746-4932.
WANTED: Chiropractic Associate, for rapidly growing practice in a rural southern Wisconsin city. I need someone to work with me and to cover for me when I travel and teach; I will do the same for them. Have an attractive and up-to-date office in an area of high demand for chiropractic services. Use mainly PCC package, but all major systems could be used. No investment. Financial rewards unlimited. Would also like to hear from interested upper-quarter chiropractic students. Send brief resumé and phone number to Cheryl D. Peterson, D.C., 102 E. Main St., P.O. Box 524, Lake Mills, WI 53551.
Travelers in San Clemente probably wondered about the purpose behind this graphic design on the side of a home in that California city. The graphic was created last year by members of the San Clemente Bahá’í community to represent year 134 of the Bahá’í Era. The San Clemente Daily Sun-Post carried an article about the graphic in August in which its purpose was explained along with other facts about the Faith. The graphic was removed at the end of that month when Ed and Michele Ryland moved their interior design business to another location.
60 Youth Attend Green Lake[edit]
Sixty youth between the ages of 11 and 20 gathered September 15-17 at the annual Green Lake Institute in Green Lake, Wisconsin. The youth participated in discussion workshops, role playing, group singing and prayers, as well as hiking, talking around a campfire, football and volleyball.
“I was really impressed with the youth I met at Green Lake. Their sincerity, willingness to express their ideas, and eagerness to share the Faith was really inspiring,” said one discussion leader at the close of the sessions.
One point that was demonstrated clearly during the youth class was this: If the youth could infuse into the Bahá’í community the energy and enthusiasm they possess, we would easily win our goals.
“I think I learned more from the youth in my discussion group than they learned from me,” said another workshop leader. “These young people are a precious resource in our Bahá’í community. They should know that they really do have a tremendous contribution to make.”
When the weekend sessions closed, the youth who attended exchanged addresses with the hope of staying in contact with the people they had met.
Veteran character actor Karl Swenson (left) stars in ‘Soul Brother’, episode No. 4 of Fireside Playhouse, a series of 13 half-hour dramatic programs being written and produced for the National Information Committee by Betty D. Ulius of Los Angeles. Mr. Swenson, who like most of the actors in the series is not a Bahá’í, is shown here with two cast members during final rehearsals for ‘Soul Brother’, the story of the Faith’s profound effect on a young person who is headed for trouble as a delinquent.
In Memoriam[edit]
- Olive Becker
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- March 11, 1978
- Mrs. Kathryn Batchelder
- Newton, Massachusetts
- July 14, 1978
- Mrs. Hazel Chamberlain
- Oxnard, California
- September 1, 1978
- Mrs. Meta Dahl
- Royal Oak, Michigan
- August 10, 1978
- Mrs. Amine DeMille
- Balboa Heights, Canal Zone
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Marry Fuller
- Laurens, S.C.
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Effie Granfors
- Laconia, New Hampshire
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Angeline P. Hanna
- San Francisco, Calif.
- July 13, 1978
- Arthur Harris
- Earlsboro, Oklahoma
- Date Unknown
- Miss Patricia Huntington
- Thousand Oaks, Calif.
- August 25, 1978
- Robert B. Jarvis
- Escondido, Calif.
- August 24, 1978
- Irving R. Johnston
- Casa Grande, Arizona
- August 4, 1978
- Mrs. Grace W. Kay
- Smyrna, Georgia
- January 30, 1978
- Mrs. Eileen Kuy Kendall
- Monahans, Texas
- Date Unknown
- Thormie Killems
- Lumberton, N.C.
- August 13, 1977
- Dillon W. Kimple
- Oak Harbor, Washington
- August 18, 1978
- Mrs. Hattie F. Knox
- Snow Hill, Maryland
- August 14, 1978
- John F. Lavadour
- Cayuse, Oregon
- August 14, 1978
- E. Michael Malloy
- Twentynine Palms, Calif.
- September 7, 1978
- Walter McCall
- Fairmont, N.C.
- Date Unknown
- Edward Mohair
- Denton, Texas
- Date Unknown
- Miss Mae Myers
- Zelienople, Pa.
- July 1978
- Carl Nelson
- Seattle, Washington
- Date Unknown
- Neil Roberts
- Fairmont, N.C.
- Date Unknown
- William H. Roberts
- Medford, Oregon
- June 19, 1978
- Harold Silva
- Ignacio, Colorado
- September 6, 1978
- Mrs. Charlotte Small
- Eliot, Maine
- Date Unknown
- Don O. E. Smith
- Sundance, Wyoming
- Date Unknown
- Charles Snipes
- Ridgeville, S.C.
- Date Unknown
- Miss Ida Solomon
- Miami, Florida
- September 2, 1978
- Mrs. Edna Swift
- Bellingham, Wash.
- September 12, 1978
- Mrs. Ernestine Waters
- Fairmont, N.C.
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Claudia M. Wortham
- Henderson, N.C.
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Betty Weston
- Kewadin, Michigan
- June 19, 1978
- Miss Winnefred Wickstrom
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- August 30, 1978
- Mrs. Edna Wilds
- Hartsville, S.C.
- Date Unknown
- Mrs. Eva Workman
- Laurens, S.C.
- Date Unknown
Special Visit Program A Unique Experience[edit]
“It was wonderful to be a part of a group of Bahá’ís from different sections of the country with different backgrounds, etc., and to feel the love that was generated by them. It is still hard for me to believe that I had the opportunity to stand in the Auditorium of the House of Worship and read a prayer—I don’t think that I have ever felt so humble in my life.”
“I tell everyone that it’s as if the House of Worship was my home for four days and all the Bahá’ís my closest family.”
“I am certain beyond any doubt that this has been the most significant event of my life since becoming a Bahá’í. In fact, its significance is so tremendous that I probably will never fully appreciate its exact import.”
These are a few of the comments made by Bahá’ís who have attended Special Visit programs at the Bahá’í National Center. They are typical of the reactions of Bahá’ís from around the United States who recently made this special visit to the heart of the American Bahá’í community.
The Special Visit program was launched by the National Spiritual Assembly during the latter half of the Nine Year Plan to offer an opportunity for Bahá’ís to participate in a special, intimate deepening program at the House of Worship and to gain an in-depth view of the operation of the National Center. Since its beginning, hundreds of believers have journeyed to Wilmette to experience “first hand” the House of Worship and the National Center.
One of the special treats for participants in the Special Visit program in August was a visit to the newly-acquired Bahá’í National Administrative Office Building. Here the friends are gathered in the main entryway to the building.
Steve Wilder demonstrates some of the advanced electronic equipment that enables the Bahá’í Publishing Trust to serve the American Bahá’í community more efficiently as participants in the Special Visit program to the Bahá’í House of Worship look on. Bahá’ís from Washington State, Connecticut, Virginia, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Florida, Minnesota, California and Illinois took part in the August program.
THE PROGRAM begins on Thursday evening with a reception in the house once occupied by the Hand of the Cause of God Amelia Collins and ends Sunday afternoon at the Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, the seat of the National Spiritual Assembly. Although the program varies somewhat from visit to visit, the schedule is always filled with exciting activities.
Each program includes a visit to the Bahá’í Home for the Aged, the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, and the National Center offices where the visiting Bahá’ís are given an overview of each office’s responsibilities and functions. Other special activities include a display of archival materials and an audio-visual program on the history of the House of Worship followed by a tour of the building, including many areas not open to the public.
Interspersed between these events are sessions that may include talks by a Hand of the Cause of God, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors, and members of the National Spiritual Assembly.
For Bahá’ís who have yet to make a Special Visit to Wilmette, the opportunities in 1979 will be plentiful. The House of Worship Activities Committee has announced that it is scheduling four programs this coming summer and possibly one in the spring. The American Bahá’í will carry details in future issues on how to register.
“The Special Visit program you provided for us a week ago was truly the highlight, in the form of organized events, that I have attended in my 33 years... I only wish every American believer could see the National Center as we did and meet the people involved and return to their communities with a new firmness in the Faith and desire to teach the Cause.”
A recognition ceremony for the recently formed Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Rock Springs, Wyoming, was held June 24 in Rock Springs. Friends from three other communities attended including Peter Haug of Fort Collins, Colorado, an assistant to the Auxiliary Board. On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Wyoming District Teaching Committee presented a copy of the book, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, to the new Assembly. Members of the Assembly include (left to right) Sally Howerton, Russ Carpenter, Debbie Swift, Linda Simpson, Pamela Wolfe, Gary Wolfe, Jane Carpenter. Not shown are Assembly members Dale Whiteman and Louise Patchett.
| 2 Year Youth Program | ||
| CURRENT | GOAL | |
| Homefront Pioneers | 10 | 150 |
| 1. To unopened counties | 6 | 20 |
| 2. To unopened localities | 8 | 90 |
| Domestic Travel-Teaching Trips | 1117 | 1000 |
| 1. Trips of Two Months or More | 19 | 15 |
| 2. Trips to Indian Reservations | 90 | 50 |
| International Pioneers | 16 | 30 |
| 1. Filling Specific Five Year Plan Goals | 12 | 10 |
| International Travel-Teaching | 93 | 95 |
| 1. Trips of One Month or More | 38 | 20 |
| Local Youth Clubs | 142 | 200 |
| College Clubs | 347 | 400 |
| 1. At Colleges with Highest American Indian Enrollment | 2 | 5 |
