Transcript:Dorothy Baker/Speaking at the 1953 Intercontinental Conference

Transcript of: Speaking at the 1953 Intercontinental Conference by Dorothy Baker

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[0:00] Of course, your pilgrimage in Haifa begins when you take the hand of the revered Guardian in that wonderful long lovely dinning room where he has dinner with the Western pilgrims, and you feel his love for us all. And it ends when your eyes rest for the last time on his beloved face. And then in between he crowds so much upon you, for the believers, the American believers and the believers around the world, that your feeling of inadequacy reduces you to a fleck of dust. But there was one thing in the case of my pilgrimage that stood preeminently above others, through the early days of it. It was the continual mention of the dark skinned races of world. Of course he touched upon the Eskimos, and he touched upon many of the new tribes and peoples who will be awakened. But for America, for the United States of America, he said one driving thing over and over, that if we did not meet the challenging requirement of raising to a vast number the believers of the Negro race, disasters would result. And second, that it was now for us to arise and reach the Indians of this country. In fact he went so far as to say on two occasions, that this dual task is the most important teaching work on American shores today.

[2:07] He told of Ali Nakhjavani. He spoke of the fact that this intrepid youth had gone into the jungles of Africa, as you have no doubt been hearing. And assisted by Philip Hainsworth of Britain, they lived with the Teso people. They ate the food of the Teso people. They slept on straw mats or leaves or whatever it is that you sleep on among the Teso people. The rain falls on your head and salamanders drop in your tea, if there is tea. And they stayed. And they did not say conditions do not warrant it because these people eat herbs things that would just kill us. They stayed. Is there an Ali Nakhjavani then in America? At the present, no, I mean up to the present. Is there a Philip Hainsworth? Up to the present, no.

[3:20] Now the dark skinned people he said would have an upsurge that is both spiritual and social. The spiritual upsurge will rapidly bring them great gifts because this is an act of God, and it is so intended. And all the worlds prejudice forces will not hold it back one hairs breath. The Bahá’ís will glorify it, and out stand it. The social repercussions erase depressions around the world will increase at the same time, and frightened the world's forces will see that the dark skinned peoples are really rising to the top. A cream that had latent gifts only to be brought out by divine bounties. Where do the Bahá’ís stand in this? Again and again, he pointed out that the Bahá’ís must be in the vanguard of finding them and giving them the Faith, for the social repercussions will at times become dreadful if we do not. And we shall be judged by God.

[4:34] I thought that I was rather a fanatic on the race question, at least strong liberal. But I sat there judged by my Guardian, and I knew it. My sights were lifted immeasurably and I saw the business[?] of these social repercussions coming because of our spiritual negligence through the years. And I saw the Indian tribes dotted about this continent, unredeemed, waiting, waiting for an Ali Nakhjavani. Are the African friends going to have to come and awaken us? Or the dark skinned races in our midst? God forbid that in even this coming year we fail in this, and the first solution is offered up by the Guardian.

[5:33] He wishes the appointment of two important national committees, immediately. One is to reach the negro minority of America with this great proof in vast numbers. Not just little publicity stunts either, but to make them believers. The second committee is to reach the Indian tribes of this continent. And some of us to draw out further light on the subject even questioned a great deal about the kind of psychology that might ensue if you had a committee just to reach the Negros. But he rather scoffed at it in a precious, twinkling kind of way, and firmly reiterated that without some special attention, we simply have not done it. And that the important thing is to do it.

[6:34] So you are to have now the great adventure of these two special committees to arouse all Americans, and to firmly place the Bahá’í Faith in annuals of the upsurge of these wonderful dark skinned peoples, where they belong, not only as friends, but as part and parcel of this new civilization which must come through their upsurge, and the establishment of these Bahá’í communities. I have a summary of little suggestive points for such committees and those who work with them and then after that I would like to suggest that our chairman call for suggestions of those who have worked especially with the Indians, for there we have no start, none whatever, we've lost everything. Now there's someone here from Portland, there's someone here from Albuquerque, up in Wisconsin there are those who have worked with the Indians, let us find out from them what they think would augment this work, so dear to the heart of the Guardian.

[7:39] And if you who have that interest could do some of these things it would help us begin. First, lets find out where they are, chart the largest negro populations and the Indian settlements of America. Second, list their prominent leaders and have the right people meet them immediately. Third, visit those tribes and sections with an eye to finding out their receptivity for the establishment of pioneers among them. Instead of wasting our time on the hopeless situations first, or seemingly so. With that third, fourth, send an Ali Nakhjavani to eat with them, to sleep and live with them. Or adjacent if you are not permitted to be in their actual settlements. And next, supply enough inspiring visiting teachers who will have tact and divine fire. Supply literature and helpful services and do not minimize the need for it. They will never retain their faith on a picture and a pamphlet. And set a goal immediately for assembly establishment, and work toward it consistently. God grant that we may raise up our heroes who will dedicate their lives to the Indians, to the great dark skinned races, to the Eskimos, to the Negro peoples so brilliant, so promising in our own national life. Which one will be our Ali Nakhjavani?