The Bahá’í Centenary 1844-1944/The Development of Bahá’í Publications
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF Bahá’í' PUBLICATIONS
1. GROWTH on THE LITERATURE
EVERY great idea is reflected in a literature of its own. The concept of democracy has been discussed in many treatises and related types of literature. . . . A literature has grown up about great historical personalities. Witness the almost unceasing publication of books about Napoleon. . . . Certain cycles of stories and legends have been told and retold in different form. Thus we End a whole literature built around the legends of King Arthur and his knights. Similarly, the great religions of the world have each produced a vast body of literature, reflecting the myriad aspects in theory and application of the particular body of truth embodied in that faith.
The student approaching the Bahá’í teachings is amazed at the extensive bibliography of publications in English. The dates of publication go back to the beginning of the century, and the bibliography reveals a varied and constant out-pouring of literature on the Bahá’í Faith.
It is the purpose of this brief survey to give some idea of the growth of that literature and to comment on the authentic material now easily available to the student. To simplify the task of showing the historical development of Bahá’í literature in English, the discussion will be divided categorically. Reference to the extensive bibliography, found elsewhere in this volume, will enable the student to search more closely into specific books which could not be discussed within the limits of this survey. It should also be noted that no claim is made for completeness. Only a few specific publications can be mentioned; it is hoped that they are representative.
In the early days of the Bahá’í Faith in America, i.e., about the year 1900 and immediately after, the few scattered believers exchanged typewritten copies of prayers and
143
tablets from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. As soon as a new tablet was received from Haifa, the believer receiving it would send copies to known Bahá’ís in different parts of the country. The early centers in the large cities became points of distribution for tablets to isolated believers. We find many evidences of great earnestness and sacrifice in this period when the Bahá’í teachings were first being introduced into the United States. It is said that these early believers devoured each single paragraph and each tablet, no matter how brief, in their great desire to satisfy a newly awakened spiritual hunger.
One of the early centers of distribution was New York City. Here the New York Bahá’í Board of Counsel sent out typed, mimeographed, and printed pamphlets. In February, 1904, the Board of Counsel sent out a 128-page mimeographed folder of the teachings. The contents were divided as follows:
Vol. 1. Long Tablets by the Manifestation Vol.2. Tablets to the Kings and short Tablets by the Manifestation
Vol. 3. Tablets from the Master, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Writings. lectures, etc., by Believers
News letters and information regarding the Cause
Vol. 4.
Vol. I.
Difficult though many of the translations are in this early compilation, a great effort was being made to meet the need for a fuller knowledge. If it were possible to compare this compilation with all the literature on the Bahá’í Faith available in English up to that time. it would probably stand out as an historic effort.
Many of the early pamphlets were mere leaflets reproducing a Tablet from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Some of these recorded conversations
145 THE Bahá’í CENTENARY
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF BAHA’! PUBLICATIONS
between American "believers and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Most are undated and bear no reference to place of publication.
A deeply religious note concerning the "second coming" is reflected in a number of these leaflets. Three are headed, respectively: Prophecies and Warnings, Can Ye Nut Discern the Signs of flee Times? and Prop/n'ries—Signs of the Coming of the "Smt of Man." The contents in each case are a compilation of Biblical references and selections from the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Two of these state at the end: “Sincere seekers may address David . . ." (An address in New York City follows).
Among the early pamphlets are a number of the Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh printed in leaflet form. A survey of this type of publication would seem, however, to confirm the fact that the writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahi were given more prominence until the period following 1921 when the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, began his series of masterly translations of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh. This emphasis at that time is understandable when we realize that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was in constant correspondence with a number of American believers. We must also keep in mind the fact that an accurate as well as beautiful translation of the books of Bahá’u’lláh is an exceedingly difficult task.
Around the beginning of the century and until ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's release from prison in 1908, there was a steady stream of small parties of Americans to the prison-city of ‘Akká. Many of those who made this seven thousand mile pilgrimage to sit at the feet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote pamphlets and booklets concerning the experience. This part of Bahá’í literature has come to be known as "pilgrim’s reports."
Let us look at two samples.
A small 16-page pamphlet has a picture of a door on the cover and the verse from the New Testament: "Knock and it shall be opened unto you" (Matt. 7:7). Inside are two brief, simply written accounts of visits to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Each records the great love, hospitality. and unity which always marked the home of the Master.
In Galilee, by Thornton Chase, the first American Bahá’í, is a small book of this type. Here is a much longer account of
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the visit of a party of Americans to ‘Akki. The book is well illustrated with photographs of places in that vicinity associated with the lives of Bal::'I'u'llah and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Again there is reflection of the loving unity existent among the believers.
It is to be noted that the many pilgrims’ reports record conversation with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. While this was .1 great aid in giving an understanding of the teachings, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself, and the Guardian after Him. insisted that only His written words and those of His Father, Bahá’u’lláh, were to be considered authentic. This is not an effort to minimize the importance of the pilgrims’ reports, but to point out that they filled a great need and helped carry over until a sufficiently large body of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’! had been translated.
A number of the early pamphlets and books on the Bahá’í Faith were published by non-Bahá’í publishers. An example of this is Myron Phelps’ book. The Life and Teachings of ‘Abba’: Effendi, published by Putnam and Sons.
Many individual Bahá’ís published pamphlets and books. We have already mentioned the leaflets published by "David." Another individual who published extensively over a period of years was Charles Mason Remey. Mr. Remey published books on the Temples, lessons and lectures on the teachings, and many pamphlets. He also published accounts of teaching trips in mimeograph form. . . . These great efforts on the part of individuals represent a fine source of historical information and show the efforts made to produce an adequate body of literature.
Various centers in the United States formed publishing groups. The Board of Counsel in New York City has already been mentioned. Prior to 1908 a Bahá’í Publishing Society had been organized in Chicago.
With the coming of the administrative order under the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi. publishing has been centralized under the Bahá’í Publishing Committee. set up by the National Spiritual Assembly. This had made for efficiency, economy. and authenticity in Bahá’í literature. We may set the date 1921 as approximately the be
143 THE BAHA’I
ginning of authenticity in translation and publication of Bahá’í literature. The importance of the work accomplished by this Committee can hardly be overestimated. Another committee of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Reviewing Committee, was set up with the specific task of not only passing on the authenticity of all publications, but also of setting as high a literary standard as possible.
The present-day literature of the Bahá’í Faith in English falls into three classifications: first, the actual translations of the teachings and history of the Faith; second, commentaries on, and explanations of, the
- teachings; third, discussion of allied sub jects and literary expression of the Bahá’í spirit.
Of the translations of the teachings. those translations by the Guardian stand out as monumental renderings of the prose of Bahá’u’lláh into English. Rich in beauty and dynamic truth are his translations of Hidden Words, Tbe Book of Ct-rtitude, Gleanings from the Writings of Baba"u’lla'/.1, and Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh. How much easier now for a student to approach the spirit and teachings of Bahá’u’lláh! . . . Nor must we overlook the Guardian's translation of Dawn-Breakers: N¢bil’s Narrative of the Early Days of Ibo Beba"s' Revelation. Here, for the first time in English, we can appreciate the glorious figure of the Báb, majestic predecessor of Bahá’u’lláh. This volume provides a greater degree of completeness in understanding the Bahá’í Faith. Not only is Tbr DawnBrea/ters the most beautifully bound Bahá’í book ever published, but it is by far the most scholarly and completely annotated.
And we must not overlook the volumes of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablets, His compelling Mysterious Forces of Ci-tlilization, and the books of His recorded lectures.
The writings of Shoghi Effendi himself constitute a special branch of Bahá’í literature dealing with the subject of world order. We refer particularly to the series of
' long, general letters beginning in 1928 with
The World Order of Ba/Ja"u’llai/J.
In 1923 was published Babe"! Scriptures. a large compilation of the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the writings and talks of ‘Abdu'l CENTENARY
Bahsi. This was a noteworthy effort to bring together for the student the mass of Bahá’í literature then available in English. (In 1943 this was replaced by Babe’! World Fat‘!/J, a one-volume anthology containing selections not available in English in 1923.)
Commentaries on and explanations of the teachings have been many. The best of these is Bat/Ja"u’lla‘/J and the New Era by J. E. Esslemont, a book now translated and published in over thirty languages. The most literary of these books is T/Jc Promise of All Ages by Christophil, pen name of Archdeacon George Townshend of Dublin, Ireland. The pen of this gifted writer has produced another book, Tbr Hrarl of the Gospel, published in England, a few copies of which have just reached this country as this article is written. In both these volumes, Townshend approaches the Bahá’í Faith from the viewpoint of Christianity. He writes compellingly and convincingly. showing the Bahá’í Faith as the consummation of the teachings of Christ.
The monthly issues of World Order magazine provide a forum for the discussion of subjects allied to the Bahá’í teachings. Here we find articles on world federation. race relations. comparative religion and modern sociology. With a great amount of authentic literature now available. Bahá’í writers are able to discuss accurately the wide implications of their Faith in meeting with the many individual and social problems of the modern world. Here, too, in World Order, are many poetic expressions of the Bahá’í spirit, evidence of a still small. but growing artistic expression of Bahá’í ideals. . . . Perhaps the most noteworthy poetic effort is Howard Ives’ moving long poem, Song Celestial.
in concluding this brief survey. mention should be made of the successive volumes of THE Bahá’í WORLD. Here is a chronological account of the growth of the Bahá’í Faith throughout the world. The volumes are filled with articles, pictures. and reproductions of documents of great historic value. Included always are excerpts from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. To anyone wishing a good source for study of Bahá’í literature, history. and present-"day administration, the volumes are invaluable.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BAHA'I PUBLICATIONS
2. THE Bahá’í MAGAZINE
The American believers have issued regularly a magazine devoted to the exposition of the Bahá’í teachings since March, 1910.
The Bahá’í periodical first appeared on March 21 of that year and bore the title "Bahá’í News." Albert R. Windust and Gertrude Buikema were the editorial staff. This publication appeared every nineteen days, in accordance with the Bahá’í calendar in which the month has nineteen days. The issue of August 1, 1910 contained a Persian section: several pages of electroplates reproducing hand-lettered Persian script. This feature was continued until February, 1925, the next to the last number in Volume XV.
Beginning March 21, 1911, Volume II, the title was changed to "Star of the West" and this was retained until November, 1922, in Volume XIII, when the main title was "The Bahá’í Magazine," underneath it as a subtitle, "Star of the West.” A few years later the subtitle was dropped.
In April, 1935 the magazine was given its present title of "World Order,” employing the term which the Guardian had been identifying with the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in his communications to the American Bahá’ís for many years. "World Order" was designated as Volume One, Number One in a new series because it represented a union of "The Bahá’í Magazine" and "World Unity.” Prof. Stanwood Cobb and Horace Holley edited the new periodical.
The appearance of "Bahá’í News" rellected events of major importance in the growth of the Faith in America. It synchronized with the beginning of the Annual Conventions, the adoption of a preliminary constitutional basis for the activities, the first steps in the work of Temple construction (the purchase of land), and the deepening expectation of the Master’s visit to America, realized in 1912. Without an organ representing the interests of the entire Bahá’í community, transcending the local interests of any city or section, the all-important Temple work could not have become established on the foundation of general unity. Without a loyal and responsiblc center for the publication and dis 149
tribution of authentic Bahá’í literature, the believers would have been deprived of inspiration and knowledge required for the mighty tasks ahead. Above all, an instrument would not have been ready for the dissemination of reports of the Master's addresses to public audiences throughout North America or of His words of counsel and direction given to the believers in intimate gatherings. "Bahá’í News" was a milestone on the highway, a fertile seed which has already produced a harvest in many other Bahá’í communities of distant lands.
As the name implies, this first Bahá’í organ reported the activities of national. international and local Bahá’í concern. lt presented photographs of Bahá’í gatherings, Bahá’í sacred places, and of the Master, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. In these pages we find the official record of the transactions of the Annual Convention, the lists of Bahá’í centers, the officers and committees conducting national Bahá’í affairs, and the names of books and pamphlets made available through the Bahá’í Publishing Committee. Traveling believers could locate meetings in other cities. News of the Faith in far-distant land was gathered and given distribution. Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh were printed. The Master's replies to current questions were made available. Public Bahá’í lectures and special articles began to appear.
The Bahá’ís constituted one great family, and this was their intimate diary, personal letter, visit and old home week, as well as a door flung open upon the heavenly vista of the Sacred Scriptures of their Faith. Besides the Temple. other national functions and projects took life and power from the Bahá’í magazine: the publishing of books and pamphlets, the collection of Tablets and sacred relics for the Archives. the conduct of the Annual Convention and Bahá’í Congress. and the rapid development of teaching by individual believers, groups, committees and Assemblies from Maine to California.
In later years, particularly with the establishment of the present "Bahá’í News" as the organ of the National Spiritual Assembly, the magazine has become rather a depository of exposition and a library of
150 THE BAHA'I
excerpts from the Word than a conveyor of news.
Other editors active in the work have been Albert Vail, Dr. Zia Bagdadi and Mariam Haney.
The Bahá’í magazine from its inception possessed the recognition and received the loving encouragement of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. "Shouldst thou continue to remain firm and eternal, erelong thou shalt become the Star of the East and shalt spread in every country and clinic. . . . At last thou shalt become the first paper of the world of humanity Yet all these depend upon finmrrss, firmness, firmness,” He revealed in a Tablet dated 1910.
5. THE Bahá’í PUBLISHING Socuaw
The first quality of faith demonstrated in action is initiative. By the initiative, the courage and the sacrifice of individual Bahá’ís in the early days all the institutions and facilities of the Cause came into being and were fostered through the most difficult stages of their development. '
Bahá’í publishing centered in Chicago under the care of Thornton Chase, Arthur S. Agnew, Charles Greenleaf, and Albert R. Windust. The distribution of the printed literature was carried on until about 1910 by Mr. and Mrs. Agnew. who filled orders sent in from other centers and served as librarian at the meetings in Chicago. Their efforts represented the founding of an enterprise that has since become active and flourishing.
The publishing activity in those days had no backing from a general Bahá’í fund but sustained itself through rigid economy, unremitting labor and the support of those who had assumed this responsibility.
The Bahá’í literature available in English translation was at first very limited. One typewritten copy of "Hidden Words" existed prior to the year 1900 in North America. in the first number of "Bahá’í News," March. 1910 we find a notice of "Mysterious Forces of Civilization," imported from London. Other titles listed that year were "The Universal Religion—Bahaism," by M. Hippolite Dreyfus. "Some Answered Questions" edited by Laura Clifford Barney, and "The Bahá’í l’.e\-elation." by Thornton Chase, the
CENTENARY
first American Bahá’í and a potent lecturer and teacher, and "Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá," Volume One.
Volume One of the Tablets was followed several years later by Volumes Two and Three, a notable collection of the letters revealed ‘by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to Assemblies, groups and individual believers up to the year 1909. The collecting of these Tablets began in 1903 when Mr. Windust was appointed librarian of the Chicago Assembly. and his vision of the importance of assembling and preserving the precious documents founded the work of the national Bahá’í Archives i.n America. Mrs. Fanny Lesch. Mary Lesch, and Gertrude Builtema prepared the typewritten copies of the Tablets which Mr. Windust prepared for the printer and saw through the press.
During the year 1910, the publishing activity having expanded, Miss Mary Lesch took over the burden from Mrs. Agnew. For some seven or eight years thereafter, this activity centered in her home at 5205 Harper Avenue, then transferred to 4319 Lake Park Avenue, and finally installed in an office at $08 South Dearborn Street. Miss Lesch continued to conduct the work until April, 1924, when the National Spiritual Assembly transferred the activity to a committee in New York in order to relieve Miss Lesch of a burden which had become too great for any individual to bear. For some fourteen years she had been the American Bahá’í Publishing Society. Under her care the seedling had become a vigorous young tree. The centering of all Bahá’í activities under the central body named in the Master’s Will and Testament and established under the Guardian’s direction began a new era in Bahá’í publishing.
The first Publishing Committee of the National Assembly consisted of Mountfort Mills, Chairman, Roy C. Wilhehn, Treasurer, Horace Holley, Secretary, William H. Randall and Siegfried Schopflocher. Its first annual report, submitted to the Assembly for the information of the Annual Convention of 1924, mentioned the Committee's general aims and policies as well as its detailed activities for the year:
"Having for the past year been charged with the responsibility of carrying on the
THE DEVELOPMENT OF Bahá’í
work of publishing the Bahá’í literature, under your authority and supervision. we take the occasion afforded by the approaching National Convention to outline as fully as possible the details of our work and also our plans for its considerable extension in the future, that the delegates may carry back to their respective Assemblies full information respecting this aspect of the progress of the Cause. . . .
"It has been our view from the beginning of this appointment that a successful carrying out of the large spiritual and also material responsibilities placed upon us should before long result not only in broadcasting the Bahá’í Message in its purest expression, but also in due time and, we trust, before long—produce a legitimate cash surplus at the disposal of the National Spiritual Assembly for carrying on Bahá’í work in other fields. . . .
"The publishing work, at the point where this committee took up its activities, had already brought into print practically all that part of the Word which so far had been translated into the English language. Looking over the past records of the beloved Bahá’í Publishing Society, it is possible to witness clearly the long and inspiring list of its services and accomplishments for the Cause. Its publications have penetrated to all parts of the world, and under dificult and arduous conditions of quiet daily self-sacrifice its heroic workers—notably Mr. Agnew, Mr. Windust and Miss Mary Lesch —have been indirectly among the foremost teachers of the Cause. . . I
"In all, fifty-nine titles appear on the Price List of the Bahá’í Publishing Society, and it was the first task to make this literature rcadily accessible to the friends in every local Assembly. This was accomplished by sending to each Assembly an allotment of books in proportion to its number of members, with the result that of many of the important Bahá’í works, only a few copies are now left in print. . . . Having to choose between reprinting many books only a few at a time. or fewer books in larger and thus more economical editions, the Committee has adopted the latter principle. . . .
"The past year has marked the publishing of several important Bahá’í works: "Baha PUBLICATIONS IS!
u’llah and The New Era," by Dr. J. E. Esslemont in England; "Lessons in Religion," translated by Miss Sanderson of Paris and published at her expense as a contribution to the Girls’ School on Mount Carmel; "Unity Triumphant,” by Miss Herrick, of London; also published in order to devote its profits to the Cause; "Bahá’í Scriptures,” published by Brentano's, Inc., and distributed by the Publishing Committee to the local Assemblies practically at cost. Mention should also be made of the new 8page teaching folder, 25,000 copies of which have been printed by the Publishing Committee for the Teaching Committee at the
_ request of the National Spiritual Assembly."
Between 1924 and 1928, the Committee also issued or distributed: "Prornulgation of Universal Peace," Volume Two; "The Wisdom of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá”: "‘Abdu’l-Bahá in New York"; "Foundations of World Unity"; "Bahá’í Administration”; "The Divine Art of Living”; “Racial Amity," compiled by M. H. and M. M.; "The Spirit of World Unity”; "The Book of Assurance,” (The Kitab-i-lqan); "The Spiritual Opportunity of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada,” (The Tablets on teaching revealed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1916 and 1917); "Letters from Shoghi Effendi"; "Episodes in My Life,” by Monereh Khánum; "Bahá’u’lláh and His Message," by J. E. Esslemont; "Lessons in Religion," by Muhammad Ali Alkany; "Bahá’í: The Spirit of the Age," by Horace Holley; "The Bahá’í Religion"; "‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s First Days in America." by Juliet Thompson; "The Bahá’í Faith," by a Methodist Layman; "Bahá’í Persecutions in Persia"; "The Oneness of Mankind,” compiled by L. G. Gregory and Mariam Haney. During these years, the Committee was assisted by workers who, each for a period, carried on the work of distributing the books, Doris Holley, Annie L. Romer, and Marie Moore.
The publishing work entered a new era in 1928 when Marion Little was appointed Secretary and the manufacture of books and pamphlets was scheduled under an arrangement made with the printing firm of J. J. Little and lves. Prior to this the firm of Brentano’s, Inc., its publishing division headed by the late Charles J. Herold, had
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF BAHA’I PUBLICATIONS
acted for the Committee in the publishing of a number of works.
In fifteen years, from 1928 to 1943, the Committee, through the expert management of the work by Clara R. Wood, has published thirty-five new books and forty-three new pamphlets, twenty new study outlines, purchased fifteen different titles, imported seven books in foreign languages and printed ten foreign language works in this country. This in addition to the frequent reprinting of books and pamphlets out of stock. The distribution has been widespread, in the new centers of Central and South America as well as ‘to the older Assemblies in Europe and the East.
The most extensive single undertaking of the Committee has been the manufacture of "The Dawn-Breakers: Nabil’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation" —a work of 685 pages and numerous illustrations, including the precious ‘Tablets revealed by the Báb in His own hand to the Letters of the Living (His chosen disciples) and to Bahá’u’lláh. This book was printed in two editions, one limited to 150 numbered copics each autographed by Shoghi Effendi. The total cost involved was approximately $15,000.
Noteworthy also has been the series of volumes published biennially, "The Bahá’í World," the international survey of Bahá’í activities. The first volume, entitled "Bahá’í Year Book," was manufactured by the manager of "The Bahá’í Magazine," Allen B. McDaniel, but the subsequent books have been produced by the Publishing Committee. Volume VIII contains 1039 pages, colored frontispiece, insert maps and several hundred halftone plates.
A special service rendered by the Committee in connection with the Bahá’í ex 153
hibits conducted at the World's Fairs in San Francisco and New York was the production of the 376,000 pamphlets needed for the visitors who sought information about the Cause.
The largest edition of any one Bahá’í title has been the total copies produced over a period of years of the small compilation originally issued by Mr. Wilhelm. In successive printings it has gone through several changes in contents and title, and has besides been translated and printed in several foreign languages, to an estimated total of one half million copies. The three pamphlets composing a unit of selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, compiled by the National Spiritual Assembly in 1942, appeared in :1 total of 25,000 sets or 75,000 individual copies. Finally, a word is added concerning "Bahá’í World Faith,” the compilation replacing the "Bahá’í Scriptures" of 1923. 10,000 copies of this work of 565 pages were published in 1943.
In September, 1940, the Publishing Committee became the first national Bahá’í Committee to establish its office adjacent to the Bahá’í House of Worship, which the Guardian has designated as the center of all administrative activities of the Faith in North America.
The office records show that for ten years ending 1943 there have been distributed a total of 1,074,328 items, nearly 150,000 of which were books. the remainder pamphlets and study guides or outlines.
In 1935, when "The Bahá’í Magazine” was renamed "World Order," the business management was consolidated with the functions of the publishing work. The stock of books and pamphlets has all been transferred to Wilmette.
