The American Bahá’í/Volume 9/March Extra/Text
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National Spiritual Assembly
‘Only Recourse...Is Teaching’[edit]
Meeting Time Is Set Aside To Teach Cause[edit]
The National Spiritual Assembly, inspired by the recent surge in individual firesides and teaching, and keenly aware of the imperative need to redouble every effort to win the U.S. homefront goals of the Five Year Plan, is setting aside a part of its regular meeting time to teach the Faith and has called upon each of the national committees under its jurisdiction to do the same.
The National Assembly’s decision was set in motion at its meeting February 16–18 in Atlanta, with its members speaking Friday evening, February 17, at well-attended firesides throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.
“The single most important recourse for everyone now is teaching—individual teaching on a scale hitherto unattempted,” the National Spiritual Assembly declared in a letter to the American Bahá’í community announcing the decision to teach during its meetings.
“Time and again we have been told: when all else fails, teach. The fact is that without teaching all else will fail.”
The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears, who flew to Atlanta from Canada to introduce the members of the National Spiritual Assembly, urges the friends to arise while there is time and win the goals of the Five Year Plan. Members of the National Assembly are seated on the platform behind Mr. Sears.
In a letter to the friends in Georgia, the National Assembly expressed its hope that “the excitement and spirit engendered by this significant meeting will precipitate a wave of spiritual activity on the part of all the believers in the nation, thereby ensuring the victorious fulfillment of our Five Year Plan goals.”
A total of 116 seekers, three of whom had declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh by the following morning, were present at the nine firesides given by the National Assembly members.
Attendance at the gatherings ranged as high as 43, with a large percentage of seekers at most of them. At one fireside, in Atlanta, there were three Bahá’ís and 30 seekers.
On Saturday afternoon, February 18, the National Spiritual Assembly met at the Atlanta Civic Center with the friends in Georgia and from nearby states.
The meeting was blessed by the presence of the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears who flew to Atlanta from Canada for “the great privilege of introducing... the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.”
Mr. Sears, who attended the meeting despite painful back and shoulder injuries suffered in a recent fall on ice, praised the National Assembly for its example of leadership and self-sacrifice, and urged the friends in Georgia and throughout the U.S. to arise while there is yet time to play their part in winning the inevitable victory in the Five Year Plan.
We should not doubt for an instant, he said, the power of Bahá’u’lláh to assure that victory, no matter how staggering the task or how short the time that remains in which to accomplish it.
The hosts of the Supreme Concourse, said Mr. Sears, stand ready to assist anyone who places his trust in the Blessed Beauty, Bahá’u’lláh, and arises to serve His Cause.
The National Spiritual Assembly, in a letter to its committees calling on them to devote a part of their meetings to teaching, expressed its confidence
Mrs. Maella Flournoy signs a declaration of interest card following a fireside in Marietta, Georgia, as (left to right) Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, vice chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly; Mrs. Flournoy’s daughter, Ann Haynes, a member of the North Georgia District Teaching Committee, and Mrs. Haynes’ daughter, Joanna, look on. Mrs. Flournoy’s parents, Paul and May Brown of Topeka, Kansas, have been Bahá’ís for many years.
Mr. Sears’ Appearance Caps Great Weekend[edit]
It was a weekend unlike any ever experienced by the Bahá’ís in Georgia.
Not only was the National Spiritual Assembly in Atlanta for its February meeting, its members were devoting a part of the time to teaching, speaking at well-attended firesides throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.
As if that weren’t enough drama and excitement for one weekend, a Saturday afternoon meeting at the Atlanta Civic Center at which the National Spiritual Assembly was to consult with the friends in Georgia and from nearby states was blessed by the presence of the Hand of the Cause of God William Sears who flew all the way from Canada for “the great privilege of introducing...the members of the National Spiritual Assembly.”
Mr. Sears warmly praised the National Assembly for its inspirational leadership in the last critical phase of the Five Year
National Spiritual Assembly member Richard Betts (seated center) chats with guests at a fireside in Decatur, Georgia.
Assembly[edit]
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that such an effort “will impress upon the Local Assemblies and the friends at large the urgency of the situation facing our community and spur them on to vigorous action in the teaching field.”
With about 1,000 Local Spiritual Assemblies presently formed, the U.S. Bahá’í community is faced with the task of forming about one each day to win the goal of 1,400 before Riḍván 1979. There also are more than 1,100 localities to open to reach the goal of 7,000.
The Universal House of Justice recently announced that Local Spiritual Assemblies formed at Riḍván 1979 would not be counted in the goals of the Five Year Plan.
The National Spiritual Assembly, in addition to its decision to undertake some sort of teaching activity at each of its meetings, has declared a moratorium on all nationally-sponsored events, except the National and District Conventions, during the final year of the Plan “so that the Local Assemblies and friends can concentrate on the local teaching work.”
The National Assembly’s February meeting was hosted by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Atlanta. The teaching activities were coordinated by the North Georgia District Teaching Committee.
Planning for the firesides began in mid-January when the friends in Georgia were notified of the National Spiritual Assembly’s decision to teach during its meeting there.
Once the District Teaching Committee had established sites for the firesides, seekers were contacted directly or by phone, articles were placed in local newspapers, and announcements were aired on several radio stations. The friends were assisted in publicizing the events by the Bahá’í Metromedia Council of Greater Atlanta whose representatives come from several communities in the metro area.
The friends in some communities also went into the streets to issue personal invitations to the firesides. Some seven declarations were recorded prior to the National Assembly’s arrival.
Clockwise from top left: Glenford E. Mitchell answers a question at a fireside in South DeKalb County; Daniel C. Jordan emphasizes a point during a fireside at the University of Georgia in Athens; Magdelene Carney (center) shares a lighter moment at a fireside in East Point; William Varner and Mrs. Ann Haynes of the North Georgia District Teaching Committee chart the progress of the state’s goals for the friends; Soo Fouts (seated) poses with seekers and District Teaching Committee Secretary Carole Miller (back row, left) in Roswell.
Following their meeting Friday and supper with members of the host Assembly in Atlanta, the National Assembly members were escorted to these firesides:
Daniel C. Jordan (Atlanta), Magdelene Carney (East Point), Richard Betts (Decatur), Dorothy Nelson (North Fulton County), James Nelson (Carrollton-Carroll County), Franklin Kahn (Atlanta), Glenford Mitchell (South DeKalb County), Soo Fouts (Roswell), Firuz Kazemzadeh (Marietta).
Dr. Jordan, who is chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly and director of the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Massachusetts, had addressed two classes and spoken at a fireside Thursday at the University of Georgia in Athens, while Dr. Carney, a professor in the Department of Education at the University of Massachusetts, gave a fireside that evening in Rome, Georgia.
On Sunday, February 19, Mr. Mitchell, the National Assembly secretary, met with the friends in Newton County, Georgia; Mrs. Fouts, the assistant secretary, went teaching with the friends in East Point.
The National Assembly members were visibly impressed with the careful arrangements made for firesides and other activities, and praised the believers in the Atlanta area for their exemplary efforts.
The first follow-up to the firesides was a public meeting Saturday evening at the Atlanta Civic Center that included a showing of the film, “Sands of Time,” about the presentation by the Bahá’ís of a statue of the great Chief Sequoyah to the Cherokee Indian Nation, and a talk by Auxiliary Board member Ben Levy from Florida.
Auxiliary Board member Donald Barrett emceed the public meeting and introduced Mr. Levy to the audience of around 200 that included more than 25 seekers.
Seekers who expressed an interest in the Faith during the National Assembly’s visit will be welcomed at any of the 20 firesides now being held each week in the Atlanta area.
Many of the friends in Georgia expressed confidence that the National Spiritual Assembly’s visit there and its decision to teach at its meetings will serve as a springboard to increased activity that will assure the winning of every goal of the Five Year Plan.
The warmth and friendliness shine through as goodbyes are said following one of the many successful firesides in the Atlanta area.
Year-end Surge Could Pull Fund Out of Red[edit]
We wish the National Bahá’í Fund contributions chart were more inspiring to look at this year. It is painful to see contributions at such a low level, especially when we realize that money plays such an important part in the life and vitality of the Cause. Nonetheless, we must trust in God, confident that we will accomplish our goals and achieve ultimate victory in the Five Year Plan.
In the meantime, to ease the effect of a lack of income, the National Spiritual Assembly has postponed a number of projects not directly related to the teaching work. By “tightening its belt,” the National Spiritual Assembly is holding this year’s expenses to 92 per cent of budget.
At the same time, revenues from estate bequests, not shown on the chart, have increased unexpectedly. The National Spiritual Assembly does not like to use this money to meet current expenses, but it sees no alternative at this time. Taking these factors into consideration, it is likely that the actual deficit could be close to $150,000 at Riḍván.
Nothing would make the National Spiritual Assembly happier than to have this projection proved wrong. It would be wonderful to start the last year of the Five Year Plan without a deficit. A year-end surge of contributions could provide the needed funds, but that would depend to a large extent upon the direct participation of individuals, the support of communities, and reliance upon the power of Bahá’u’lláh to assist us in overcoming these “obstacles.”
On the bright side, this year’s contributions from individuals are $150,000 higher than this time one year ago. More than 8,000 people have given to the National Fund at least once this year. Best of all, we are now averaging about 2,100 individual contributions per Bahá’í month compared to last year’s average of 1,300, but we have a long way to go before universal participation is achieved.
The responsibility of supporting the Fund rests with a small number of believers, but, according to the Universal House of Justice, we should consider this an honor, not a burden:
“Since only those who have openly proclaimed their recognition of Bahá’u’lláh are permitted to contribute financially to the establishment of His World Order, it is apparent that more, much more, is required from the few now so privileged. Our responsibilities in this field are very great, commensurate indeed with the bounty of being the bearers of the Name of God in this Day.”
Wellspring of Guidance, page 79.
According to Stephen O. Jackson, assistant to the Treasurer, this question is often asked of the Treasurer’s Office. “Almost all of the money contributed to the National Fund goes for administrative costs which help support teaching work. Often, administrative expenses do not sound good to us,” said Mr. Jackson. “We like to envision our contributions being applied directly to the teaching work, but contributions to the National Bahá’í Fund usually support the teaching work in an indirect way.”
As an example, Mr. Jackson cited the work done by the Data Processing Office. This office handles information for the Publishing Trust, the Office of the Treasurer, The American Bahá’í, and other branches of the National Spiritual Assembly. It also maintains the membership records of the entire American Bahá’í community, information which is of great value to the National Teaching Committee.
Recently, a group of Bahá’ís in Utah were uncertain as to the actual number of believers living in their community. They thought there were only seven people in their group, but the National Teaching Committee reviewed the membership lists and found three more people who lived in that area. The “lost” Bahá’ís were contacted, their addresses were verified, and the group was able to elect its Assembly! The Fund helped win this goal indirectly by providing staff, machines, computer tapes and printouts.
Mr. Jackson also referred to the job of filling all our international pioneering goals. The National Spiritual Assembly has assigned this task to the International Goals Committee. As part of its duties, the Committee must publicize those goals; coordinate with other National Spiritual Assemblies; arrange trips for traveling teachers; and recruit, train, and disperse pioneers.
“These tasks require a staff, and that means salaries, office space, typewriters, telephone calls, conferences, etc. We do have a number of direct expenses such as deputizing pioneers and helping them get to their posts, but these represent only a portion of our regular expenditures,” he noted.
More information about where the contributions are being spent can be found in the Bahá’í publications. Each month The American Bahá’í reports activities at the National Center and around the country — activities that are supported by the National Fund. The Bahá’í News and the Bahá’í National Review provide additional information. Each year the “Treasurer’s Report to the National Bahá’í Community” is printed in the Bahá’í National Review.
The primary work of the staff at the National Center is administrative — translating goals into plans and programs that will bring victories for the Cause of God. The National Fund supports all of these administrative activities, but the Fund has an even greater significance for each individual Bahá’í. This theme was expressed in a letter written on behalf of the Guardian:
“He wishes you particularly to impress the believers with...the importance of the institution of the National Bahá’í Fund which, in these early days of the administrative development of the Faith, is the indispensable medium for the growth and expansion of the Movement. Contributions to this fund constitute, in addition, a practical and effective way whereby every believer can test the measure and character of his faith, and to prove in deeds the intensity of his devotion and attachment to the Cause...”
(From a letter written on his behalf, published in “Bahá’í Procedure”, 1942 edition, pages 8–9)
Dr. Daniel C. Jordan, chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly and a noted educator, addresses a class at the University of Georgia in Athens.
Mr. Sears’ Appearance Ices Cake in Atlanta[edit]
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Plan, comparing it to “the heart...which pumps the vital life-blood into the body of the believers in America.”
The National Spiritual Assembly’s decision to set aside a part of each of its meetings to engage actively in teaching, he said, exemplifies the sort of “devotion, zeal and self-sacrifice” referred to by the beloved Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, when he spoke of the early heroes and heroines who “overcame every obstacle and won miraculous victories for the Faith of God.”
Mr. Sears reminded the friends that the Guardian referred to the National Spiritual Assembly as “the pivot round which revolve the activities of the believers throughout the American continent.”
He exhorted the friends to arise and follow its example, and assured them that the hosts of the Supreme Concourse stand ready at all times to assist any effort, no matter how small, undertaken with selflessness and love for Bahá’u’lláh.
“If there were not another Bahá’í” in the whole United States,” Mr. Sears said, the power of Bahá’u’lláh’s Faith is such that it would enable those who were listening to his voice to “win every goal of the first Seven Year Plan, the second Seven Year Plan, the Ten Year Crusade, the Nine Year Plan, and the Five Year Plan by Riḍván” if they would only rise up and dedicate their lives to the glorious Cause of God.
Mr. Sears was introduced by Dr. Robert Hatch, chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Atlanta which hosted the National Spiritual Assembly’s visit.
Following Mr. Sears’ remarks, members of the National Spiritual Assembly spoke to the friends on various aspects of teaching, and later answered questions from the audience of more than 300.
Also present at the Saturday meeting were Auxiliary Board members Donald Barrett and Ben Levy, along with National Teaching Committee member Larry Miller who lives in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell.
It was announced during the meeting that a total of 116 seekers had attended the nine firesides given the previous evening by members of the National Spiritual Assembly, and that three of them had declared their belief in Bahá’u’lláh.
The memorable weekend began early for some National Spiritual Assembly members. The chairman of the Assembly, Dr. Daniel C. Jordan, who is director of the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Massachusetts, addressed two classes on Thursday, February 16, at the University of Georgia in Athens, and spoke that same evening at a fireside there, while Dr. Magdalene Carney, who is a professor of education at the University of Massachusetts, spoke at a fireside Thursday evening in Rome, Georgia.
The Hand of the Cause of God William Sears (seated) shares a quip with National Spiritual Assembly members Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh (left) and Glenford E. Mitchell.
On Friday evening, following their regular meeting and supper with the host Assembly in Atlanta, the members of the National Assembly were escorted to firesides in Atlanta, East Point, Decatur, South DeKalb County, North Fulton County, Roswell, Marietta and Carrollton.
Attendance ranged as high as 43 with a large percentage of seekers at most of the firesides. At one of them, in Atlanta, there were three Bahá’ís and 30 seekers!
On Saturday afternoon, the National Assembly members spoke movingly of the warm spirit of love and unity that permeated each of the firesides, and expressed their deep appreciation to the friends in the Atlanta area for their efforts in helping to arrange them.
While the National Spiritual Assembly reconvened Saturday evening for another working session, a public meeting was held at the Atlanta Civic Center.
The film, “Sands of Time,” about the presentation by the Bahá’ís of a statue of the great Chief Sequoyah to the Cherokee Indian Nation, was shown, after which Donald Barrett introduced his fellow Auxiliary Board member, Ben Levy, who gave an introductory talk on the Faith.
Attendance at the public meeting was quite good, with more than 25 seekers among the more than 200 people present.
Many of the Georgia friends expressed confidence that the National Spiritual Assembly’s visit would lead to even greater teaching efforts as the Five Year Plan moves toward its conclusion at Riḍván 1979.
“We worked hard to make this weekend a success,” said one of them. “But we know the real work is only beginning. The Army of Bahá’u’lláh has many victories to win, and knowing the National Spiritual Assembly is standing shoulder to shoulder with us in the front lines should help give us the extra drive it’s going to take to assure the victory on every front.”
For Youth, Time Is Now[edit]
Like a Spiritual Steamroller — youth, youth clubs and college clubs are responding to the call from the National Youth Committee to have local teaching campaigns and rallies during the period February 6–19. But the Youth Committee insists that we must not stop here — we must sustain our momentum now, and each youth, youth club and college club is asked to continue and in some cases increase its efforts to achieve the goals of the Two Year Youth Program.
We encourage each of you (youth, youth clubs and college clubs) to vie with one another to serve the wonderful Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, and become part of the vanguard that brings entry by troops of new believers under Bahá’u’lláh’s Mighty Banner.
We ask all the youth from Maine to California, from Florida to Washington state, from all parts of this vast country to report their efforts and achievements to the Youth Committee — pictures are most welcome.
The Time Is Now for each of you to arise, and in the words of the Universal House of Justice: “...inspire you respond to challenge of Two Year Youth Program with enthusiasm vigour audacity perseverance enabling you achieve victories far outshining previous exploits.”
