U.S. Supplement/Issue 34/Text

←Previous

U.S. Supplement Issue 34

Next→

Return to PDF view Proofread once

[Page 1]U. S. SUPPLEMENT

Bahá’í News

No. 34 BAHA’I YEAR 117 DECEMBER 1960

Local Assemblies Must Remind Youth of Bahá’í Status in Armed Forces

The National Spiritual Assembly again wishes to remind the local spiritual assemblies and area teaching committees of their responsibility to see that the Bahá’í youth in their areas know what they should do as Bahá’ís when drafted for military service in order to be assigned to non-combatant services.

All assemblies and area teaching committees should keep in their current file a copy of the instructions furnished by the National Spiritual Assembly for this purpose. It may be loaned or given to any youth who needs it and another copy for the files can be secured on request to the National Spiritual Assembly.

We suggest that local spiritual assemblies set up a calendar of matters that should be brought to the attention of the Bahá’í community from time to time at the Nineteen-Day Feasts, and that this particular item be made one of them.

Bahá’ís Reminded of Necessity to Withdraw from Masonry and Churches

In the September 1955 BAHA’I NEWS, page 4, the National Spiritual Assembly published the instruction of the beloved Guardian that any Bahá’í who is determined to retain membership in Free Masonry loses his voting rights, and that this directive is to be carried out by our Assembly in all areas under our direction. This was published as a notice to all the believers and the administrative bodies (national and local assemblies) functioning in and for the United States territories in the World Crusade.

The National Spiritual Assembly wishes to commend all those believers who were members of Free Masonry and its affiliated organizations at the time and who acted promptly in obedience to this instruction. The purpose in calling it to the attention of the Bahá’í community again is to point out that any believers who still retain their membership in the Masonic Order and the Eastern Star and other such orders have had ample time to sever such membership and any further delay makes it incumbent upon the National Assembly to deprive those believers of their Bahá’í membership.

Local spiritual assemblies have the obligation to report to the National Spiritual Assembly any members in their community who have not yet acted to carry out this directive.

This instruction applies also to any Bahá’ís who retain membership in any church.

The Guardian repeatedly made it clear that the Bahá’ís must learn to think internationally and not locally. If Bahá’ís all over the world belong to different kinds of societies or churches or political parties, the unity of the Faith will be destroyed because inevitably they will become involved in doctrines and policies that are in some way against our teachings and often against another group of people, another race, or another religious bloc in another part of the world. However high the local standards of such groups as Masonry may be, in other countries they are generally being influenced by the issues that are dividing nations. Therefore, Shoghi Effendi’s directives concerning membership in non-Bahá’í organizations were to impress upon the believers the necessity of disentangling themselves now or in the future from everything that would compromise the independent status and supra-national nature of the Bahá’í Faith.

—U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

World Religion Day

January 15, 1961

A Special Event for Proclaiming the Bahá’í Faith to the Public

Sponsored by the U.S. National Spiritual Assembly

Theme: One Universal Faith

Suggested Publicity Materials: Press release and poster from Bahá’í Press Service

Faith of Bahá’u’lláh: A World Religion from Bahá’í Publishing Trust

Reports: Newspaper clippings from U.S. communities are to be sent immediately to Bahá’í Press Service.

Written reports and photographs for publication in BAHA’I NEWS are to be sent as soon as possible to the Bahá’í News Editorial Committee. [Page 2]

WORLD CRUSADE BUDGET
Eighth Year: 1960-61

Annual Budget	$375,000.00
Total Requirements: May 1 to October 31	187,500.00
Total Contributions: May 1 to October 31	128,500.00
Requirements for October 1960	31,250.00
Received for October 1960	23,200.00
Special non-recurring gifts received during present Bahá’í year (not included above)	36,000.00

—U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

Three-Day Institute Held at Green Lake

One hundred-eighty persons attended the three-day institute held at Green Lake, Wis., on Oct. 7, 8, and 9. Many things combined to make this institute an outstanding success. Hand of the Cause Dhikru’lláh Khádem was present with his family, and provided a great spiritual uplift to all. There were three “perfect weather” fall days in which to attend the very interesting and instructive courses. Vivian Fellows explained “The Bible and Prophecy,” Riaz Khádem reviewed the “Drama of Bahá’í History,” and Dan and Nancy Jordan delighted all with their “Bahá’í Principles in Daily Living.” On Saturday evening Charles Wolcott gave a most informative public talk to an audience of over 200.

Persisting in Small Things Brings Rewards

For three years the Baton Rouge Bahá’ís have had a phone listing in the white and yellow sections and also free announcements in the newspaper. Last May a young man who had seen their ad in the paper came to the discussion group and now continues to study. Following this they received a phone call from another young man desiring to attend a meeting. He had heard a talk five years ago in Albuquerque. Coming to Baton Rouge recently, he wanted to contact Bahá’ís and continue his study of the Faith which he was able to do immediately through the telephone listing. A Bahá’í book in the public library aroused the interest of a woman who then contacted the Bahá’ís, bought some books for further study and attended her first fireside. Recently a man who had been scanning church listings in the telephone book was attracted by the Bahá’í listing and called to ask questions.

Baton Rouge Assembly writes: “Perhaps large Bahá’í communities have had such things happen to them, but we are only ten. We feel that continuous advertising, telephone listings, and books in the public libraries are very important, and we would like to share this with other communities, especially the small ones throughout the United States. It has taken three years for these things to happen, but suppose we had done none of them?”

Membership Restored

Miss Annabelle Ivory, whose withdrawal from Bahá’í membership was reported in the May issue of the U.S. SUPPLEMENT OF BAHÁ’Í NEWS, has requested restoration of her voting rights and this has been granted. Miss Ivory is now living in Teaneck, N.J.

—U.S. NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

BAHÁ’Í DIRECTORY CHANGES

ASSEMBLY SECRETARIES

Northern California Fair Oaks J. D.: Mrs. Margaret Sprattling, 9519 Golden Dr., Orangeville

Southern California Glendale: Mrs. Garnette Whitefield, 210 Spencer St., Z 2 (new address) Whittier J. D.: Mrs. Anne Gordon, 6226 S. Redman Ave., Whittier

Minnesota Minneapolis: Mrs. Catherine Hanson, 586 Aurora Ave., (new address)

New Hampshire Portsmouth: Mrs. Lois Newman, 147 State St.

New Jersey Hackensack: Mrs. Katherine de Forge, 424 W. Anderson St.

Nebraska Lincoln: Mrs. Barbara Tilman, 2935 Orchard St., Z 3

Ohio Columbus: Mrs. Ethel Gloeckner, 713 Jenkins Ave., Z 7

Oregon Astoria: Mrs. Rosella Hayles, c/o Mrs. Doris Miller, 153 Kensington (new address)

Utah Salt Lake County: George S. Larimer, 1601 Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake City

Western Washington South King Co. Comm. Dist.: Mrs. Opal Conner, Secty. pro-tem, 11705 - 15th Ave., S.W., Seattle 88

COMMITTEE SECRETARY

Area Teaching Committee—Central States Mrs. Marguerite Sherwood, 9157 N. Tennyson Dr., Milwaukee 17, Wis.

ADDITIONS TO COMMITTEES

Interracial Service James R. Harrington

Area Teaching Committee—Central States Mrs. Nancy Jordan

Area Teaching Committee—Tennessee Valley States Mrs. Eunice Shurcliff John Shurcliff Miss Mary Roche Watkins

Area Teaching Committee—Gulf States Miss Emmy Lou Patton

Area Teaching Committee—North Central States Mrs. Vera D. Esinhart

RESIGNATIONS FROM COMMITTEES

Temple Children’s School Mrs. Gertrude Marks