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National Assembly Clarifies Procedure
In Appealing Local Assembly Decisions
At this crucial stage in the history of our Faith it seems advisable to emphasize, to each local assembly and to each member of a community having a local spiritual assembly, an important principle of administration which has been too frequently overlooked.
This principle established the National Spiritual Assembly as the court of appeal from decisions of local assemblies when protested by one or more members of the community as unjust or as not conforming to the actual facts.
A court of appeal is not responsible for determining facts, but only for reviewing the local decision, based upon the facts assembled and submitted by the local assembly itself. On receiving an appeal from an individual member of the community, the National Spiritual Assembly will send a copy of it to the local assembly and request its opinion. When this is received the case will be studied in the light of the facts presented to the National Assembly and a final decision made.
This decision, whether approving or disapproving the original decision of the local assembly, will be communicated both to the local assembly and to the person or persons who made the appeal, and the decision of the National Assembly is final.
This procedure is set forth in both the national and local by-laws.
Any complaint received by the National Assembly from a member or members of a local community who have not first submitted their complaint to the local assembly will be returned to those making the protest and a copy of our letter will be sent
to the local assembly for its information. In such a case the local assembly is to call the person or persons in for consultation and act upon the complaint.
Too many letters are received by the National Spiritual Assembly which imply distrust of, or lack of confidence in, the local spiritual assembly, mostly because matters entrusted to it confidentially are spread abroad. We must all remember that assembly members are “trustees of the Merciful" and must act accordingly.
The National Spiritual Assembly, however, in any case involving two or more local communities, acts directly and deals with the problems as the court of original jurisdiction, since no local assembly has authority outside its own civil area.
While these matters may seem entirely technical, they have vital importance in establishing an orderly process and eliminating confusion among the believers. This process is therefore given special emphasis at the present time, when the believers and all the institutions of the Faith must become mature in order to concentrate effectively upon the remaining goals of the World Crusade.
—NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
Mailing Kit Prices Continued for Brief Period
In October Bahá’í News, the National Spiritual Assembly announced a special mailing campaign combining The Christian Century Magazine reprint of the article by Marcus Bach with The Lord of the New Age by Winston Evans, to continue through January, 1958.
(Continued on page 2)
Pioneer Couple Urgently Needed to Maintain Bahá’í Center in Gallup, Indian Capital of World
A Bahá’í couple is urgently needed to realize a unique pioneering opportunity in the heart of southwest Indian country. The pioneer presently living in and maintaining the Bahá’í Indian Center in Gallup, N. Mex., must leave because of ill health. In continuing the renting of the Center, which includes living quarters, a pioneering couple would be established at the hub of the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni reservations, as well as amid a large population of town-dwelling Indians, giving Gallup the name of “Indian
Capital of the world.”
Employment in a number of fields is available there. All new efforts for service and teaching among the Indians in Gallup will be reinforced by those of pioneers already established there and on the nearby reservation. For additional details interested Bahá’ís are urged to write at once to Mrs. Nancy Phillips, secretary; American Indian Service Committee; 736 Encanto Drive, S.E.; Phoenix, Ariz.
[Page 2]
In January Bahá’í NEWS, the National Spiritual Assembly urged the
friends to continue and to intensify
the mail campaign until there had
been the maximum distribution possible for each community. Their
original suggestion stated: “It is left
to the discretion of the assemblies
and g1‘0ups to determine the method
of building up the mailing list. However, this list must not be limited to
personal contacts or current mailing
lists. The use of telephone directories
and similar lists should be considered.”
There has been a good response to this appeal, but approximately 15,000 of the Christian Century reprints remain, together with a completely new printing of The Lord of the New Age. The latter item will continue as a permanent item in the stock of the Bahá’í Publishing Trust, but the special mailing kit prices will prevail on the combination offer until the remaining Christian Century reprints are all gone. This item will not be stocked in the future as a permanent item. Assemblies, groups, and isolated Bahá’ís are therefore urged to take advantage of the continuance of the kit price, until the reprints are gone.
Appeal To Students
Entering College In Fall
This plea is addressed to all students who might be entering college this fall. There are some colleges where Bahá’í students could pioneer in the United States and help fortify the Homefront, thereby fulfilling the Ten-Year Crusade.
Here is a list of colleges needing students most urgently at this time. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.; Northwestern University, Evanston, 111.; Miami University, Coral Gables, Fla.; Arizona State College, Tempe, Ariz.; University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.; Boise Junior College, Boise, Idaho; West Virginia State College, Institute, W. Va.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.; and South Carolina State College, Orangeburg, S. C.
For information concerning Bahá’í activity at these schools and other universities in the United States, please contact the Bahá’í College Bureau, Miss Barbara Roberts, secretary, P. O. Box 956, Stanford, Calif.
Memphis Bahá’ís Conduct Forums
to Attract Nationals From Abroad
When the Bahá’ís of Memphis, Tenn., read the beloved Guardian’s letter of July 16, 1956 (see Bahá’í NEWS, November 1956) saying that he did not feel that sufficient attention was being paid to the matter of contacting minorities in the United States, and that the Bahá’ís in the big cities and university towns should make a determined effort to extend friendship and hospitality to students and nationals from other countries “where the Bahá’ís are struggling so hard to establish the Faith,” they consulted on how they might take advantage of the opportunities provided by reason of their particular location.
The result was a decision to launch a program of monthly “Around the World Forums.”
The following excerpts from the report from the Local Spiritual Assembly of Memphis on the progress of the program through December may offer some excellent suggestions for other communities having equally good resources among the strangers in their midst whom, the Guardian stated in his letter, “are invariably lonely and often respond to kindness much more quickly than the established majority of the population.”
Foreign-born Bahá’ís Assist
“It so happens that we have Bahá’ís here who were born in foreign countries, and of the four meetings so far held, two of our speakers were Bahá’ís, and the speaker invited for January is also a Bahá’í, an iranian doctor, at present a resi dent neurosurgeon at the local Vet-’
erans Hospital.
“Last May we were happy to enroll a Nigerian, Dr. Ekanem A. Udoh, then teaching at LeMoyne College in Memphis. He left here in June to take a teaching position elsewhere, but returned to Memphis for a visit in September. As soon as we heard he would be here, we invited him to be our speaker for the first forum in September, and to tell us about his home land of Nigeria. He graciously accepted and gave his talk, “The Mystery in Darkness.”
“Dr. Udoh suggested that we invite Dr. Mou-ta Cheng, a Chinese professor of excellent education and culture, to address our October
APRIL 1958
meeting . . . His subject was “China, a Land of Eclectic Religion.”
“In November there was Mr. Isaac Menashe, born in Istanbul, Turkey, and presently in Memphis to learn the cotton business.
The interest of his audience was shown by the many questions they asked.
“In December we had a Bahá’í, Mrs. Ann Azordegan, born in Switzerland. . . . She told of “Christmas in Switzerland,” and charmed every one with this lovely story.
“After Dr. Azordegan, we hope to have a psychiatrist from Brazil, now resident at Gailor Hospital in Memphis, and in March, a young woman from Germany who is engaged in research at another hospital in Memphis. And we have no doubt there will be others to fill out the season.
“Since our audiences are small, usually between 15 and 20, we create a homey atmosphere by introducing each person as he arrives. Also, we have soft music from our record player.
The Oneness of Mankind
“The theme of the series is, ‘The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.’ After the prayer, the chairman explains very briefly the reason for the ‘Around the World Forums’: that Bahá’u’lláh, one hundred years ago, proclaimed that the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens, and that as time goes on, more and more people are realizing the truth of this statement; that there is much interest in people of other lands and much travel about the world, for business, for pleasure, for learning; in this process people are getting to know and to understand each other; that the Memphis Bahá’ís and their friends are taking a trip around the world in reverse, that is, instead of traveling to foreign lands, we are inviting friends from foreign lands to visit us and tell us about their countries and their people, and so we too, are getting to know and to understand each other.
“We have been so fortunate in that we have had excellent enthusiastic speakers, who have been able to give most interesting pictures of their lands, and to answer questions intelligently.
“All of the talks have brought good discussions for the Bahá’ís to present Bahá’í principles.
[Page 3]
U. S. SUPPLEMENT
lnvitafion to Other Activities
“After the questions and discussions are closed, we announce our Sunday morning devotions and our Thursday evening study, and extend an invitation to join in these activities.
“We then serve simple refreshments, providing a relaxed atmosphere in which to mingle and review the issues that have been raised.
“We have had notices of all these meetings in the local morning and/ or evening newspapers, and also in the weekly Tri-State Defender, a prominent Negro newspaper.
“We have mailed about 75 post card invitations to each of the events to people who have shown interest.
“Our meetings, of course, are integrated. All are invited, and our audiences are made up of Negro and white, something not very general in our southland. This is concrete evidence of our belief in the oneness of mankind, and there is always a wonderful spirit in these integrated meetings.
“And best of all, each meeting has produced teaching by the indirect teaching method, and in each meeting our audience has been made acquainted with Bahá’í beliefs and principles.
“In Memphis we feel that the harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Maybe some day there will come those who have the know-how to make contacts in the colleges, women’s clubs, etc. In the meantime we try to do the best with what we have, and hope at least that more and more in Memphis will hear of the Bahá’í Faith.”
"Child's Way" Magazine Designed for Children, Parents, Teachers
Have you started a Bahá’í children’s hour, or do you want to start one and need suggestions on techniques, subjects, and materials?
The back issues, as well as the current numbers, of Child’s Way are your most valuable resources. Here you find stories for the very young children as well as interesting material for junior youth, questions and answers to help you plan for class sessions, teaching tips and techniques with illustrations, and splen did articles and information for parents and teachers. There are also reports of children's activities from all parts of the country and abroad, as well as letters written by children themselves.
Even if the materials cannot be used now, a file of Chz'ld’s Way should be preserved for the future. It can be used over and over again even with the same children.
While each issue contains stories written expressly for children who can compile them into a personal looseleaf story book, the editors of Child’s Way direct most of their attention to the needs of parents and teachers of children, whether Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís; hence the regular receipt of the publication over a period of several years provides valuable information and illustrations of the Bahá’í principles of education that can be very valuable for the adult as well as the children.
Each Bahá’í community should see that the teachers of their children's classes have a subscription to the magazine. If there is no current child education program in the community, the assembly should subscribe anyhow, and thus have on hand material for immediate use when such a program is started.
A year’s subscription makes a very fine gift for non-Bahá’í friends who have children, as well as to Bahá’í and non-Bahá’í children themselves. The subscription price is $2.00 per year (for six issues). Address subscription to: Child’s Way, Box 245, Wilmette, Ill.
Kirkland Community Develops
Classes for Non-Bahá’í Children
Kirkland, Wash., is a small Bahá’í community with no Bahá’í children of their own. Some members would like to pioneer, but have not found it possible.
After hearing the reports of the delegates to the National Convention about the consultation on child education, these Kirkland Bahá’ís became fired with the idea of starting a children's hour. They had one particularly good contact with children in the neighborhood, the chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly who worked with youth in safety education. Therefore they decided to make the subject of safety the point of attraction.
3
Friends of the Bahá’ís who had children were notified that a class on safety was to be held. Only two came. After a talk on the subject, pictures of the Bahá’í Temple were shown. The following week four came, and this was the beginning. The attendance now varies from 15 to 22, and the children come from six different school districts, and vary in age from four to fourteen. This provides a problem in transportation, as the children are all gathered up at their schools and taken to the meeting place.
The interest has progressed from safety to Bahá’í education. The principle of consultation is employed with the children and teachers alike to decide the direction of their program, as well as to ascertain where they can get the materials they need, such as music, recordings, etc. A large map hangs on the wall, and any person visiting the class from outside the state may tell about his or her home and the children there, and place a red flag on the map to indicate where he comes from. Already there are red flags on countries outside of the United States.
When a child has a birthday, a simple birthday cake is provided and he is given a gift of a jumbo post card picture of the Bahá’í Temple mounted on yellow and blue construction paper. So eager are they to receive one of these pictures that the children begin reminding their teachers weeks in advance of the date of the next birthday.
Recently the Kirkland community held a “parents’ night,” during which the children’s work was on display, together with a listing of the future lessons and the Bahá’í books that are used. Since not all the parents could come on one particular night, the program was repeated each night for a week. If one of the children in the class came with the parents he was asked to say a prayer or read one from the charts hanging in the room.
Before the Christmas holidays the children were given extra prayers and pictures to take home to use during the period of several weeks during which the school was to be closed, but after one week there were so many telephone calls for resumption of the classes that they began without further delay. The fact that the classes have to be held on a different day each week could create a problem in regular attendance, but a note is sent home telling
the parents of the date of the next class, and yet the children frequently ask their parents to verify the date by telephone, so afraid are they of missing any of the sessions.
In sending the foregoing report on this unique method of pioneering in their own community, the Local Spiritual Assembly writes that it is too soon to see the results, but the parents are willing for the children to attend and not miss a class, all have asked for pamphlets at one time or another, and some have mentioned the change in their children at home or school. Thus the community is reaching people who would not likely respond to publicity, public meetings, or invitations to firesides. Although they still know little of the Faith, they are coming to know, respect and admire the teachers and the Bahá’ís.
NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS
A representative of the Albuquerque, N. Mex., Bahá’í community was invited to address the Philosophy of Religion class at the University of New Mexico on the Bahá’í Faith. This is the sixth time a Bahá’í has been requested to address this group.
The Columbian Club of Boise, Idaho, has placed the study of the world’s great religions on their study department program for the coming year. The Bahá’í Faith is represented in this group. The Women’s Club of Nampa, Idaho, is also giving this study a place on their calendar of projects for 1957-58.
WORLD CRUSADE BUDGET
Fifth Year: 1957-58 Annual Budget: . . . . . . ..$425,000.00
Total Requirements: May 1—February 28. . . .354,l70.00
Total Contributions: May 1——February 28. . . .265,400.00
——NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY
Thornton Chase Memorial
A memorial service at the grave of Thornton Chase, the first American believer, was held at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Los Angeles, Calif., on September 30. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked that his grave be visited annually on this date.
Bahá’í Prayers for Noted Producer
Bahá’í prayers were conducted for the noted pioneer motion picture producer, Jesse L. Lasky, on January 16, 1958 in his home, following the services at Hollywood Memorial Park, at the request of his wife, Bessie Lasky, and her daughter Betty. The service of prayers was given by members of the West Hollywood and Los Angeles communities.
In Memoriam
Mr. Ernest B. Schiemann Alhambra, Calif. December 19. 1957 Mrs. Louise Waterman Cambridge, Mass. January 4, 1958
APRIL 1958
Mr. Andrew Holmes New York, N.Y. December 26, 1957 Mrs. Lydia A. Southerton Highwood, Illinois January 22, 1958 Mr. Thomas Russell Long Beach, Calif. January 18, 1957 Mrs. Jeanne B. Medlock San Bernardino, Calif. December 13, 1957 Mr. Robert J. Sevier Davison, Michigan January 24, 1958 Mrs. Hazel Volz Kettering Village, Ohio January 20, 1958 Mrs. Mary E. Merry Los Angeles, Calif. January 25, 1958 Mr. William F. Storch Molokai, Hawaii December 25, 1957 Mrs. Farrel Love Niles Twp., Michigan February 15, 1958
Marriages
Alhambra, Calif.; Mrs. Martha Helm to Mr. Albert W. Kemph on January 4, 1958
Helena, Montana: Miss Sharon Hornick to Mr. Alan Erickson (non Bahá’í) on December 21, 1957
Phoenix, Arizona: Miss Marjorie Dumke to Mr. Leroy Blanchard on December 27. 1957
National City, Calif.; Mrs. Truella MacQuarrie to Mr. Eugene W. Hicks, Jr. on February 8. 1958
National City, Calif.; Mrs. Lillian R. Baker to Dr. Gayne V. Gregory on February 8, 1958
ASSEMBLY SECRETARIES
Mississippi
Jackson: Mrs. Virginia Johnson, 310 Shadowlawn Dr., 4. ADDRESS CHANGES
Southern California
Chula Vista: Mrs. Zelma J. Krug. 708—8th St. Santa Barbara: Mrs. Corrine Christensen, 531 E. Arrellaga South Bay J.D.: Mrs. Lila Parker, P.O. Box 655, Lomita
Colorado
Denver: Miss Anita Grasselly, 1933 Sherman St., Z. 3
Michigan
Pontiac: Mrs. Patricia Zabelski, 504 Granada Dr.
New Jersey
Hackensack: Mrs. Louann Kelsey, 94 Spring Valley Ave.
Western New York Hamburg Twp.: Mrs. Springs, N.Y.
May Rubeck, Nash Road, Athol
BAHA'I DIRECTORY CHANGES
Washington
Spokane: Mrs. Gladys Beasley, 2918 W. Hoffman Ave.
Wisconsin
Green Bay: Mrs. Janet Reimer, 905—l3th Ave. COMMITTEE ADDRESS CHANGE
ington
Area Teaching Committee—No1-thwestern States Mrs. Helen Wilks, Secty., 611 E. 204th St., Seattle 55, Wash ADDITIONS TO COMMITTEES
American Indian Service
Mr. Robert McKusick
National Bahá’í Youth
Miss Evelyn Baral
Area Youth Committee—North Atlantic States
Miss Patricia Wallace
Blue Ridge Summer School Committee
Mr. Kimball Kinney
