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[Page 331]

WORLD ORDER

THE BAHÁ’Í MAGAZINE

January, 1942

• Equality of the Sexes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Symposium   333

• America’s Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘Abdu’l-Bahá   347

• Magnified, O Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bahá’u’lláh   348

• A Bahá’í Pioneer in Paraguay, III . . . . . . . . . . Elisabeth Cheney   349

• Religion and the Evolution of World Unity . . . . . . Shoghi Effendi   355

• Temple by the Lake, Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clara Edmunds-Hemingway   362

• Bahá’í Lessons . . .   363   • With Our Readers . . .   365

FIFTEEN CENTS

[Page 332]

HUMANITY HAS EMERGED FROM ITS FORMER STATE OF LIMITATION AND PRELIMINARY TRAINING. MAN MUST NOW BECOME IMBUED WITH NEW VIRTUES AND POWERS, NEW MORAL STANDARDS, NEW CAPACITIES. NEW BOUNTIES, PERFECT BESTOWALS, ARE AWAITING AND ALREADY DESCENDING UPON HIM. THE GIFTS AND BLESSINGS OF THE PERIOD OF YOUTH, ALTHOUGH TIMELY AND SUFFICIENT DURING THE ADOLESCENCE OF MANKIND, ARE NOW INCAPABLE OF MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF ITS MATURITY. —‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ.

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CHANGE OF ADDRESS SHOULD BE REPORTED ONE MONTH IN ADVANCE

WORLD ORDER is published monthly in Wilmette, Ill., by the Publishing Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. EDITORS: Garreta Busey, Stanwood Cobb, Alice Simmons Cox, Horace Holley, Bertha Hyde Kirkpatrick. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Marcia Steward Atwater, Hasan M. Balyusi, Dale S. Cole, Genevieve L. Coy, Mae Dyer, Shirin Fozdar, Marzieh Gail, Inez Greeven, Annamarie Honnold, G. A. Shook.

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SUBSCRIPTIONS: $1.50 per year, for United States, its territories and possessions; for Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Central and South America. Single copies, 15c. Foreign subscriptions, $1.75. Make checks and money orders payable to World Order Magazine, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois. Entered as second class matter April 1, 1940, at the post office at Wilmette, Ill., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1941 by Bahá’í Publishing Committee. Title registered at U. S. Patent Office.

JANUARY 1942, VOLUME VII, NUMBER 10

[Page 333]

WORLD ORDER

THE BAHÁ’Í MAGAZINE

VOLUME VII   JANUARY, 1942   NUMBER 10

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Equality of the Sexes:

A Symposium

THE RELEASE OF NEW SPIRITUAL POWER

ACHIEVES EMANCIPATION OF WOMEN

I

INTRODUCTION

Gertrude Atkinson

IN The Book of Certitude by Bahá’u’lláh we read, “And among the evidences of the truth of His [the Báb’s] manifestation were the ascendancy, the transcendent power, and supremacy which He, the Revealer of being and Manifestation of the Adored, hath, unaided and alone, revealed throughout the world. No sooner had that Eternal Beauty revealed Himself in Shíráz, in the year sixty, and rent asunder the veil of concealment, than the signs of the ascendancy, the might, the sovereignty, and power, emanating from that Essence of Essences and Sea of Seas, were manifest in every land. So [Page 334] much so, that from every city there appeared the signs, the evidences, the tokens, the testimonies of that Divine Luminary. How many were those pure and kindly hearts which faithfully reflected the light of that eternal Sun, and how manifold the emanations of knowledge from that Ocean of divine wisdom, which encompassed all beings?” And further, from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy, we read, “The Sun of reality has risen from the eastern horizon. Its light and heart are being felt in all regions. Just as the rays of the phenomenal sun are infinite, likewise the rays of the Sun of Reality are infinite. The following summary contains but a few of the rays which may be likened unto great principles, shining into the consciousness of man:—

“1. The first is the independent investigation of reality.

2. The second is the banishment of all prejudice.

3. The third is the oneness of the world of humanity.

4. The fourth is the oneness of the foundation of all religions.

5. The fifth is the unity of science and religion.

6. The sixth is the universal auxiliary language.

7. The seventh is universal education.

8. The eighth is the equality of the sexes.

9. The ninth is the parliament of man.

10. The tenth is universal peace.”

As we meditate upon these excerpts from the Bahá’í teachings, we realize that the Revealed Word of Bahá’u’lláh is light, shining into the consciousness of man, making him dynamic, for the purpose of bringing into being what has been revealed. Bahá’u’lláh affirms, “Every word that proceedeth [Page 335] out of the mouth of God is endowed with such a potency as can instill new life into every human frame, if ye be of them comprehend this truth. . . . No sooner is this resplendent word uttered, than its animating energies, stirring within all created things, give birth to the means and instruments whereby such arts can be produced and perfected. All the wondrous achievements ye now witness are the direct consequences of the Revelation of this Name.”

It is a rewarding experience to explore the history of the last century in the light of the foregoing passages from the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh and the teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Scientists, sociologists and thinkers in various fields attest that during the past one hundred years mankind has made more progress in all directions than was made in the entire period of known history that preceded it.

As we survey this span of modern history from the Revelation of the Báb in 1844 to the present time, we observe the dynamic development of society, through the power of the Creative Word, from the stage of the “mustard seed” and early process of germination to the considerable growth of today. “Those pure and kindly hearts which faithfully reflected the light of that Eternal Sun” can be observed, applying the spiritual power thus released, according to the new laws and principles, albeit unaware of the Source of such spiritual power. In the realm of education we see the work of Froebel, Montessori and F. D. Maurice, to cite only a few examples. In economics we can trace the beginnings of cooperation in the work of the Rochdale Pioneers, and of Frederick W. Raiffeisen and the Danish Folk School Movement. [Page 336] Each of the twelve principles already enumerated in the excerpt from Divine Philosophy can be made the basis of historical research into the century beginning in 1844; and the initial steps and early development of certain social expressions of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh as found outside of the Bahá’í community itself can be traced.

In the ensuing articles of this symposium this historical treatment will be given to the Bahá’í principle of the “equality of the sexes.” The release of spiritual power for the achievement of such equality will be seen in the sacrifice of Ṭáhirih, “the Pure,” in Persia, and in the struggles and sacrifices of the early builders in the Women’s Movement in the United States of America and in England.

II

THE TRUMPET SOUNDS IN ÍRÁN

Maye Harvey Gift

WOMEN in Írán a century ago—and now!

One hundred years ago: the scene, a gloomy waste of tragedy—bleak hopelessness, sodden acquiescence, petty vanity, thwarted emotions, repressed potentialities, stifled rebellion,— bitterness, futility. This was woman’s world. And no wonder —her birth was a calamity, her education a sin, her premature marriage a relief, her beating and summary divorce a commonplace.

At times these queries would tremble on the threshold of her consciousness: Could it be the Apostle of God taught that woman has a soul? that Paradise can open unto her? Did the Laws of the holy Qur’án provide for her a station of dignity and peace? Was there such a paragon of womanhood as [Page 337] Fáṭimih, revered wife and mother of the holy Imáms, or was she a mere phantom of hopeless longing? From an abyss of wretchedness, woman cried out with a thousand tongues, “O God! when will help come? Will it ever come?”

One of Írán’s poets wrote, “It is the veil that has demoralized our women. . . . It is a shroud. . . . If women are shrouded in burial costumes then half of our nation is dead.” Over the surface of Írán spread the pall of vacuity, of death. Underneath were slumbering potential volcanic fires.

Then suddenly these hidden fires burst forth. The Báb proclaimed the promised Day of God. Ṭáhirih arose. The beautiful, wealthy, cultured Ṭáhirih,—Ṭáhirih of the white silk dress, Ṭáhirih of exotic perfumes and jewels, Ṭáhirih the lover of tempting sweetmeats! The gifted poetess of her people! Yet the appearance of this completely feminine inmate of the harem was as an earthquake, disrupting the ordered life of Írán; reverberating in far distant lands, shaking the edifice of antiquated customs everywhere. It was as if the lightning appearing in the east had shone forth unto the west.

Marianna Hainisch, mother of the former president of Austria, says of Ṭáhirih, “The greatest ideal of womanhood all my life has been Ṭáhirih (Qurratu’l-‘Ayn) of Qazvín, Írán. I was only seventeen years old when I heard of her life and her martyrdom, but I said, ‘I shall try to do for the women of Austria what Ṭáhirih gave her life to do for the women of Persia.’” In admiration Madame Hainisch’s close friend, Marie von Najmajer, penned the classic epic poem, “Qurratu’l-‘Ayn.” These two women became outstanding in [Page 338] Austria’s struggle for the freedom and education of women.

And Ṭáhirih, first woman on earth to champion the new divine law of the equality of the sexes—how did she regard her mission? Behold her at the Conference of Badasht,— where fettering customs were being shattered,—when she appeared before Bahá’u’lláh and the eighty Companions. She, who was regarded as the very incarnation of the chaste and holy Fáṭimih—even to gaze upon her shadow was improper. And there she stood,—unveiled! Consternation reigned! Such a thing was inconceivable. One man cut his throat and ran screaming away. Others rushed after him, forsaking the infant Faith of God. Ṭáhirih remained undeterred. Her voice rang out. “I am that Word which the Qá’im is to utter, that Word which shall put flight the chiefs and nobles of the earth. A blast of the Trumpet of the Resurrection, it is I!”

Although martyrdom cut short the life of this incomparable woman, the object of her existence had been realized. The emancipation of woman could neither be stifled nor stayed. With the divine impetus of the vaster, more compelling Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, following that of the Báb, the true station of woman became increasingly recognized and appreciated. Throughout Írán men and women alike arose to work for this vitalizing ideal. What matter that they faced the age-old impenetrable wall of ecclesiastical hostility! What matter that the mullás exercised unchallengeable sway over the Crown and indeed the entire State! The Will of God was not to be frustrated. Women organized secret societies. They created public opinion favoring the uplift of their sex, and the education of Írán’s future mothers.

[Page 339] Three score years elapse. The first Íránian school for girls is being opened by Tuba Khánum. Enraged mullás declare her heretic; teacher and pupils are waylaid and beaten. The undaunted teacher appeals to the Cabinet, and the enlightened men therein provide an escort of soldiers. Education marches on!

Four score years elapse. Is this that same backward Írán which now under Riḍa Khán (Sháh) passes a modern marriage-reform bill? No husband can marry a second wife without consent of the first. No boy under eighteen nor girl under sixteen can be married. All young people are granted opportunity for acquaintance and social association before marriage. Provision is made for woman to secure divorce. All marriages and divorces must have civil registry. Can this have come to pass?

Another scene. The holy shrine at Qum on New Year’s day. The consort of the Sháh in Paris gown. Unwittingly her veil is brushed aside. The outraged mullá bars her entrance to the shrine. She telephones the Sháh. He speeds his car up to the door and beats the mullá with a riding crop. The multitude of pilgrims stand aghast. How have the mighty fallen!

In ten years more Írán’s Queen travels unveiled in Europe without censure. And her government not only issues a sweeping edict abolishing the veil throughout the land, but takes stern measures against those refusing to abandon the old custom. By government decree likewise women move with complete freedom at home and abroad,—on the streets, to their tea places, their clubs and the cinema, and in mixed social gatherings.

Today, after the lapse of one hundred years, the shrouded women of Írán have risen from their graves—risen to work [Page 340] in the professions, in labor circles, in the women’s national movement, for health and for the schools.

Down the corridor of the years echoes Ṭáhirih’s early prophetic utterance, “Oh, when will the day come when new laws will be revealed on earth! I shall be the first to follow God’s new teachings and to give my life for my sisters.” With the appearance of the Message of God for this age came her opportunity, and the seeds of her glorious martyrdom shall continue to yield an eternal fruitage.

III

THE SCENE IN ENGLAND

Della C. Quinlan

EACH AGE regards the preceding one as being peopled entirely with old fogies whose one purpose in life was to thwart the new ideas seeking expression. It has long been the fashion to regard with peculiar contempt the past century as exemplifying to an extreme degree the tendency to block the path of progress. To mention the “Victorian Age” is inevitably to call up a picture of a stern old conservative completely opposed to any change whatever, be it good or bad.

How untrue this picture is! The slightest unbiased investigation will astonish you with the ferment of new ideas beginning in the earliest days of the nineteenth century, boiling over into the twentieth century and still engaging our alarmed attention. One need only investigate the sphere generally considered the most conservative, that of the life of [Page 341] women, to be given a new picture of that staid and quiet time: one of women sometimes quietly but more often quite tumultuously turning their sphere inside out and the other way to.

In England the last century opened with women in a position which we can scarcely realize today. Those above the classes where work was an economic necessity lived a life so stifled, so inane that the old nursery rhyme “to sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam” presents it completely. This was the life of the “fortunate” English women when that divine ferment was set up in the world of hearts and minds by the rending of the “veil of concealment.”

No sooner had the Báb announced that a new Day of God had dawned than certain of these women, guarded from the world, with no need to concern themselves with the misfortunes of others, began to express their dissatisfaction with the life they were compelled by the pressure of public opinion to live. They began to look at the world around them with real attention; their consciences were awakened, and they saw “That the world was unsatisfactory in a great many ways: . . . that old people were poor and hungry, that children were wild and ragged, and that rain came in through the cottage roofs: and then they realized that they themselves, being ‘only women’ were powerless to do any substantial good. And from that illumination the Women’s Movement sprang.”

They started in with philanthropic work but soon found that being without power they must invade man’s world in order to make effectual and lasting any of the good they were trying to do. The story of their struggle to obtain that necessary [Page 342] power deprives anyone acquainting themselves with it of the old picture of a Victorian Age completely given over to conservative ideas. In its place you have a picture of women attacking the problems of poverty, of education, of prostitution, of entrance into the professions. To whatever phase of life you direct your attention there you see the ferment of women’s activity.

One of the earliest to break away from the conventional English feminine life was Florence Nightingale. Her life and writings are an epitome of the feelings and the struggles of the women of that century. She was born of wealthy parents and had every worldly advantage. But she was one of the women whose inner ear was attuned to the spiritual world. She heard the call being raised from far away Shíráz, and the life she was expected to live became impossible to her. The words which she uses in speaking of that life are even bitter with revolt:

“Why have women passion, intellect, moral activity—these three—and a place in society where no one of the three can be exercised?

“To have no food for our heads, no food for our hearts, no food for our activity, is that nothing? If we have no food for the body, how do we cry out, how all the world hears of it, how all the newspapers talk of it, with a paragraph headed in great capital letters, DEATH FROM STARVATION! But suppose one were to put a paragraph in the Times, Death of Thought from Starvation, or Death of Moral Activity from Starvation, how people would stare, how they would laugh and wonder!”

A drawing of Florence Nightingale by Lady Eastlake [Page 343] shows us a typical Victorian lady. The hair is straight and smooth, parted in the middle, the face a lovely oval, the shoulders sloping. But behind that extremely feminine appearance a fire raged that consumed the rigid conventions of a woman’s sphere.

I have said that her ear was attuned to the call being raised from Shíráz. And I add that it was her response to this call that invested her with the power she manifested to withstand through long years her family’s opposition, the power to break down the official barriers set up in her path; the power to endure the indifference and inefficiency of her associates. These assertions may seem unwarranted. I make them because of certain arresting words to be found among her writings which bear the hallmark of that Call. She was very conscious of the importance of achievement. In her feeling for action as an immediate successor of thought she reminds one of that brilliant Letter of the Living, Ṭáhirih. They both make it the test of integrity. Here are words like those of Ṭáhirih’s to Vaḥíd upon a certain occasion: “I had so much rather live than write; writing is only a substitute for living. . . . I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.”

To become acquainted with the valiant history of the English women who labored during the time when the light of a new and unique Day of God was first breaking upon this world of ours, is to become fully aware of the immense power for breaking up old patterns of life which the Manifestation brings with Him.

Who started this idea that the Victorian Age was staid and stodgy? In reality it was aquiver with life.

[Page 344]

IV

THE SCENE IN AMERICA

Annamarie K. Honnold

ALREADY the early years of the nineteenth century felt the warmth of a rising Sun. When the dawn came through the Báb in 1844, a new age came to birth. Man was reawakened as dynamic and vitalizing forces were released. The succeeding decades saw reform follow reform. Today, we know that one swift century changed the face of our planet.

The new Dispensation proclaimed a way of life unknown to the people of the world. One of the necessary reforms concerned the status of women. In decadent Persia, where women were greatly repressed, the Báb arose to declare that in the new age women were to walk with greater freedom. Ṭáhirih, one of His most ardent followers, put that call into the realm of action. Bahá’u’lláh dedicated His life to a Cause advocating the oneness of all people, a principle which, among its many phases, regards men and women as equals. And His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, speaking in Paris on one occasion, said, “Woman must endeavour . . . to attain greater perfection, to be man’s equal in every respect, to make progress in all in which she has been backward, so that man will be compelled to acknowledge her equality of capacity and attainment.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has also said, “. . . the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals—or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more properly balanced.”

[Page 345] Practically coinciding with the first Bahá’í century, 1844 to 1944, we have what in this country has been called the “woman’s century,” dating from 1840 to 1940. Indeed no one century ever gave men the many rights and the great liberation which this period gave to the American women. These women caught the spirit of the new age. And today they have walked far on the road to emancipation.

Woman’s new rights have been so taken for granted that we have all but forgotten the status of the American women in the early part of the nineteenth century. At that time in accord with the common law of the United States “husband and wife were one and that one the husband?” The wife’s person was owned by the husband. High schools and colleges were not open to women. Public appearances by woman were frowned upon. For example, Angelina Grimké dared to rise in a hall in Philadelphia to denounce slavery. She was jeered at but was permitted to finish her address whereupon the hall was burned to the ground.

The First World Anti-Slavery Convention was held in London in 1840. The presence of eight women in the delegation from the United States caused a tremendous stir in London. In sincere consternation, one man, an American, declared that to admit women into the Convention would be to violate the ordinance of Almighty God. The body took a vote, and the women who had travelled some three thousand miles as accredited delegates were shown to seats behind a low curtain and were not recognized. The irony of this situation at an “anti-slavery convention” is obvious.

[Page 346] But times were ripe for reforms and conventions. In 1848 the first woman’s rights convention was held. Women were seeking the right to vote, and the same compensation as men for an equal amount of work. A great social struggle was set in motion. Like a rolling snowball it increased in size and gathered momentum. The obstacles were innumerable and titanic. Only in 1920, with the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Federal Constitution, were American women given the franchise. And with this the social battle had just begun.

The Woman’s Centennial Congress, marking the close and celebrating the progress of a century commencing in 1840, met in New York City in November, 1940. At that time, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, one of the most dynamic of the workers for woman’s rights, turned back the pages of history. In 1840 there was but a handful of women working with outstanding success in careers outside of the home. In 1940 she was able to list from among the thousands of career women one hundred who are especially prominent in various fields, including public service, education, science, medicine, social service, law, engineering, and business. One of the most distinguished women in this country in the field of public service, said, concerning our women, that “Life has moved ahead at such a pace that in order to do an adequate job in their own communities, where their efforts should be centered mainly, it is incumbent on women to study the problems of the farmer and the laborer, as well as their own situations, and to try to understand how the welfare of each is integrated with that of the other groups.”

Yes, though medical schools will not take women above a [Page 347] ratio of one girl to ten men and “first-rate” law firms very seldom employ women attorneys, the feminine part of our population has gone a long way on the road to emancipation.

The progress made in one short century has been nothing short of astounding. As woman demonstrates her capacity and ability in the many fields of service, the civilization in which she lives becomes less masculine and more feminine and is thus more evenly balanced. Why has all this change come so swiftly when previous centuries were dormant and unconcerned about this situation? What spirit is moving in the world, tearing down the status quo? It seems strange that these questions do not stir in the minds of all people, demanding answers. But the Bahá’í turns to Bahá’u’lláh and to the regenerating forces He has released into the world. And there he finds the answers.

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AMERICA’S MISSION

May this American Democracy be the first nation to establish the foundation of international agreement. May it be the first nation to proclaim the unity of mankind. May it be the first to unfurl the Standard of the Most Great Peace.

—‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

[Page 348]

MAGNIFIED, O Lord my God, be Thy Name, whereby the trees of the garden of Thy Revelation have been clad with verdure, and been made to yield the fruits of holiness, during this Springtime when the sweet savors of Thy favors and blessings have been wafted over all things, and caused them to bring forth whatsoever had been preordained for them in the Kingdom of Thine irrevocable decree and the Heaven of Thine immutable purpose. I beseech Thee by this very Name not to suffer me to be far from the court of Thy holiness, nor debarred from the exalted sanctuary of Thy unity and oneness.

Ignite, then, O my God, within my breast the fire of Thy love, that its flame may burn up all else except my remembrance of Thee, that every trace of corrupt desire may be entirely mortified within me, and that naught may remain except the glorification of Thy transcendent and all-glorious Being. This is my highest aspiration, mine ardent desire, O Thou Who rulest all things, and in Whose hand is the kingdom of the entire creation. Thou, verily, doest what Thou choosest. No God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.

—BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

[Page 349]

A Bahá’í Pioneer in Paraguay

Elisabeth H. Cheney

III

EVERY kind of human and sanitary service is needed here. There is no sewer system and no public water system in Asunción or in any other Paraguayan city. Filth runs or stands in the open gutters. Water is obtained from open topped wells and all of it is more or less polluted. There is a great deal of illness here. Practically all the children and many of the older people suffer from tape-worms from eating unclean food. The government is trying to curb the spread of leprosy by requiring that all lepers be segregated in hospitals for treatment. This has been a law in Asunción for several years, but it has not been applied in the country districts before. If the hospitals had modern sanitation, or even trained nurses, many lives might be saved. There are doctors in Paraguay but not one trained nurse.

There is no provision for destitute children. They are like lost puppies or kittens, begging their food from door to door. Many small children of seven to ten years earn their living by hard manual labor. There is a home for some of the destitute aged people, but this is so badly provided that some have no beds or hammocks to sleep in and some quite literally have no clothing to wear, while the food provided is poor and insufficient to maintain health. There is an institution of a sort for adult blind people, but none for children and there are many blind children. There are no public libraries and there is just beginning to be public education, but [Page 350] the schools are as yet wholly inadequate to care for the needs of the young people. One can scarcely imagine a country more in need of the Bahá’í Faith and every branch of Bahá’í service than Paraguay.

There is natural wealth in this country, but capital is needed to build roads and initiate industries, and in a land where only two presidents in 128 years have been permitted to complete their two-year terms in office without being overthrown by a revolution, capital is not greatly attracted.

As in many South American countries, the Roman Catholic Church has a strong hold in Paraguay. . . . The Theosophical Society was recently forbidden to hold further meetings in this country. Because of conditions here this servant has carefully avoided all publicity and all public talks of every kind.

Bahá’u’lláh has accomplished much in bringing some dozen hearts along the spiritual path in the past eight weeks, since this servant arrived to be an inadequate channel for His grace, and in attracting hearts of about a dozen more, even under the greatest of difficulties. I could not do this. All I can do is to confess my utter powerlessness before God, and to beseech His power, His love and His bounty for this unhappy country. This servant beseeches the prayers of the friends for the growth of the Faith throughout the Americas and all the world.

Asunción, February 26, 1941.

It is the first day of the Fast. I had broached the subject to Sra. de Morinigo last night rather fearing opposition, because changes of hours for meals are not very convenient when one operates a pension. To my relief and pleasure I found her very eager to cooperate, so that I was able to have coffee and toast at five this morning. This evening at sunset Sra. de Morinigo came into my rooms and said with tears in her [Page 351] eyes, “This is a very great sacrifice to make in this climate.”

And I answered, “It is very little to do to help Paraguay. I would give my life also, if it should be necessary.”

She seemed profoundly touched and I discovered she had been busy calling up her friends inviting them to the Tuesday class. So a possible difficulty turned into a bounty instead.

And now I want to tell you what I have learned about María Casati, the first Paraguayan Bahá’í. Night before last Sra. Josefina Pla and Sra. Franchia went with me to call on María Casati’s mother, with whom María was staying at the time of her death. The mother is a tiny little creature of seventy-seven years of age, but very alert and intelligent. She lives in the house where “La Escuela Profesional Feminina,” founded by her daughter, is still operated. From the little mother and the two friends I was able to get a picture of a great and indomitable soul; one who dedicated all her life to the service of mankind, asking only the privilege of serving. And the reason María Casati had not taught the Cause here was because the revolution did not permit her to return from exile until she was near the point of death from cancer. The government finally granted her land at Alverdi to form a colony of abandoned European war orphans toward whom her heart yearned, but the doctors had already diagnosed cancer. María Casati insisted upon an immediate operation, for her one thought was to get well quickly, to establish the colony for the children and to teach the Bahá’í Faith. When the operation was performed the doctors discovered that the case was far beyond any medical help and she died in the hospital at Asunción just three weeks before my arrival here.

During the days that she lay ill in her home in this city, she had an opportunity to share a little of the Bahá’í Faith with her mother, with Sra. Franchia and one or two others. [Page 352] She told them how much she loved Bahá’u’lláh and what He meant in her life. And she also told them that she had taught this Faith in Formosa where she had established a school for girls, and also taught in the public schools. One of these days a pioneer should go to Formosa in the Argentine and follow up the work which she began. It is a twelve-hour journey down the river from Asunción and across the border in the Argentine. It seems sad that she was permitted at last to return home only to die, and not to go on with the work which she had planned. Only God can know the wisdom of these things. I pray that the passing of this truly great soul may shower a bounty upon Paraguay, as the passing of dear May Maxwell gave a very great bounty to Buenos Aires.

I have written a little story of María Casati’s life and am sending it to Mrs. French for use in The Bahá’í World. Others will want to know the story of this truly great Bahá’í woman who was the first Paraguayan Bahá’í. Her beloved teacher was Frances Stewart and Sra. Franchia has in her possession much correspondence which Mrs. Stewart had sent to her pupil and which María Casati had always saved.

Asunción, March 2.

Last night we had the first feast of attraction ever held in Paraguay. There were twenty-two present from among the group who have been studying the Bahá’í Faith. There would have been exactly thirty guests, but three were out of town and five were ill. Everyone seemed to be just as radiantly happy to be here as I was to have them. Little Mazie Gipps said afterwards that she had never before been so happy during all the time she had been in Paraguay. She is just in the process of discovering a God of wisdom, benevolence and deep heart-warming love, through Bahá’u’lláh, to take the [Page 353] place of the fearsome, cruel fancy which had been created in the sensitive mind of a little child, and that she had never lost after growing up.

Among interesting people present was Sr. M. most noted of the Paraguayan poets and writers. He is a lovely soul, very humble instead of being puffed up about himself like so many of our northern writers. Among educators of note were three professors at the university and the director of the Ateneo. A well known painter and his wife were present, also a prominent scientist and business men of considerable importance including the owner of the chief commercial airline and the general manager of the railroad. Sra. Pla was present and wrote a little note of greeting to the Bahá’ís of North America which was approved and signed by everyone before I saw it. One dear friend was ill but sent a huge bouquet of roses to represent her at the feast. There were four other bouquets of roses and one of crimson and gold dahlias. A bouquet here consists of four or five dozen flowers.

At the close of the material feast we had a spiritual one also and each of the friends read some of the verses written by Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. These included a number of the “Hidden Words” which are quoted in the New Era. Even this servant read some verses in Spanish, and gave two brief talks in Spanish, one explaining the real meaning of the Bahá’í New Year, and the other acknowledging the good wishes and friendly greetings of the student group. They seemed delighted, especially those who had known me in the very first days when I could scarcely speak Castilian at all. Sr. P. closed the series of readings with one of the beautiful “Hidden Words.” He has a simple sincerity that comes direct from his pure heart. When he had finished, there was such a silence that one could have heard a pin drop in the room, [Page 354] while the friends meditated on the verses that they had heard. I pray that through this feast Bahá’u’lláh will so greatly attract the hearts and spirits, that all will grow toward Him. Some will develop more quickly than others, of course, for some are more advanced spiritually.

The upper class here in Paraguay includes the people of pure or nearly pure Spanish descent and also descendents of a few European families, most of whom came to this country twenty years or more ago. Many of these people are interested only in material things, such as politics, making money or seeking power, just like other people all over the world today. However, among the educators, the writers, the artists, and some of the business men, there are pure hearts and minds and spirits which possess capacity. Some of these people are poor in material things, or comparatively so, but it is among them that I have seen potential spiritual wealth. Throughout, I have prayed for the guidance of Bahá’u’lláh at every step, and it is among these people that He has opened the doors and attracted the hearts. From what I have seen of Paraguay, I believe it is the sincere ones in this class who must initiate any spiritual teaching in this land by first investigating it themselves and then becoming teachers of others, each one according to his own capacity. The group last night was a real Bahá’í group for nine nationalities were represented, though the majority were Paraguayans of Spanish descent. The nine nations represented by one person or two were England, Russia, France, Roumania, Holland, the United States (myself), Hungary, Italy and the Spanish Paraguayans.

Asunción, March 22.

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Excerpts from letters written by Miss Cheney to a friend in the United States. The first selection of excerpts was published in the November number.

[Page 355]

Religion and the Evolution of World Unity

Shoghi Effendi

THE Revelation associated with the Faith of Jesus Christ focussed attention primarily on the redemption of the individual and the moulding of his conduct, and stressed, as its central theme, the necessity of inculcating a high standard of morality and discipline into man, as the fundamental unit in human society. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find any reference to the unity of nations or the unification of mankind as a whole. When Jesus spoke to those around Him, He addressed them primarily as individuals rather than as component parts of one universal, indivisible entity. The whole surface of the earth was as yet unexplored, and the organization of all its peoples and nations as one unit could, consequently, not be envisaged, how much less proclaimed or established. What other interpretation can be given to these words, addressed specifically by Bahá’u’lláh to the followers of the Gospel, in which the fundamental distinction between the Mission of Jesus Christ, concerning primarily the individual, and His own Message, directed more particularly to mankind as a whole, has been definitely established: “Verily, He (Jesus) said: ‘Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.’ In this day, however, We say: ‘Come ye after Me, that We may make you to become the quickeners of mankind.’”

The Faith of Islám, the succeeding link in the chain of Divine Revelation, introduced, as Bahá’u’lláh Himself testifies, [Page 356] the conception of the nation as a unit and a vital stage in the organization of human society, and embodied it in its teaching. This indeed is what is meant by this brief yet highly significant and illuminating pronouncement of Bahá’u’lláh: “Of old (Islamic Dispensation) it hath been revealed: ‘Love of one’s country is an element of the Faith of God.’” This principle was established and stressed by the Apostle of God, inasmuch as the evolution of human society required it at that time. Nor could any stage above and beyond it have been envisaged, as world conditions preliminary to the establishment of a superior form of organization were as yet unobtainable. The conception of nationality, the attainment to the state of nationhood, may, therefore, be said to be the distinguishing characteristics of the Muḥammadan Dispensation, in the course of which the nations and races of the world, and particularly in Europe and America, were unified and achieved political independence.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself elucidates this truth in one of His Tablets: “In cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved. Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and the same continent association and interchange of thought were well-nigh impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all the peoples and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day, however, means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents of the earth have virtually merged into one . . . In like manner all the members of the human family, whether peoples or governments, cities or villages, have become increasingly interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible, inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened [Page 357] every day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century—the century of light—has been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day. Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage of man.”

“Behold,” He further explains, “how its light is now dawning upon the world’s darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will erelong be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the cornerstone of the foundation itself, and which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendor. The fifth candle is the unity of nations—a unity which, in this century, will be securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races, making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and every one of these will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will aid and assist in their realization.”

“One of the great events,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in His “Some Answered Questions” affirmed, “which is to occur in the Day of the manifestation of that Incomparable Branch (Bahá’u’lláh) is the hoisting of the Standard of God among all nations. By this is meant that all nations and kindreds will be gathered together under the shadow of this Divine Banner, which is no [Page 358] other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become a single nation. Religious and sectarian antagonism, the hostility of races and peoples, and differences among nations, will he eliminated. All men will adhere to one religion, will have one common faith, will be blended into one race, and become a single people. All will dwell in one common fatherland, which is the planet itself.”

This is the stage which the world is now approaching, the stage of world unity, which, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá assures us, will, in this century, be securely established. “The Tongue of Grandeur,” Bahá’u’lláh Himself affirms, “hath . . . in the Day of His Manifestation proclaimed: ‘It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.’” “Through the power,” He adds, “released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men’s hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God’s Holy Book.”

THE WIDER, INCLUSIVE LOYALTY

A word of warning should, however, be uttered in this connection. The love of one’s country, instilled and stressed by the teaching of Islám, as “an element of the Faith of God” has not, through this declaration, this clarion-call of Bahá’u’lláh, been either condemned or disparaged. It should not, indeed it cannot, be construed as a repudiation, or regarded in the light of a censure pronounced against, a sane and intelligent patriotism, nor does it seek to undermine the allegiance and loyalty of any individual to his country, nor does it conflict with the legitimate aspirations, rights, and duties of any individual state or nation. All it does imply and proclaim is the insufficiency of patriotism, in view of the fundamental changes effected in the economic life of society and the interdependence [Page 359] of the nations, and as the consequence of the contraction of the world, through the revolution in the means of transportation and communication—conditions that did not and could not exist either in the days of Jesus Christ or of Muḥammad. It calls for a wider loyalty, which should not, and indeed does not, conflict with lesser loyalties. It instills a love which, in view of its scope, must include and not exclude the love of one’s own country. It lays, through this loyalty which it inspires, and this love which it infuses, the only foundation on which the concept of world citizenship can thrive, and the structure of world unification can rest. It does insist, however, on the subordination of national considerations and particularistic interests to the imperative and paramount claims of humanity as a whole, inasmuch as in a world of interdependent nations and peoples the advantage of the part is best to be reached by the advantage of the world.

The world is, in truth, moving on towards its destiny. The interdependence of the peoples and nations of the earth, whatever the leaders of the divisive forces of the world may say or do, is already an accomplished fact. Its unity in the economic sphere is now understood and recognized. The welfare of the part means the welfare of the whole, and the distress of the part brings distress to the whole. The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh has, in His own words, “lent a fresh impulse and set a new direction” to this vast process now operating in the world. The fires lit by this great ordeal are the consequences of men’s failure to recognize it. They are, moreover, hastening its consummation. Adversity, prolonged, world-wide, afflictive, allied to chaos and universal destruction, must needs convulse the nations, stir the conscience of the world, disillusion the masses, precipitate a radical change in the very conception of society, and coalesce ultimately the disjointed, the bleeding limbs of [Page 360] mankind into one body, single, organically united, and indivisible.

WORLD COMMONWEALTH

To the general character, the implications and features of this world commonwealth, destined to emerge, sooner or later, out of the carnage, agony, and havoc of this great world convulsion, I have already referred in my previous communications. Suffice it to say that this consummation will, by its very nature, be a gradual process, and must, as Bahá’u’lláh has Himself anticipated, lead at first to the establishment of that Lesser Peace which the nations of the earth, as yet unconscious of His Revelation and yet unwittingly enforcing the general principles which He has enunciated, will themselves establish. This momentous and historic step, involving the reconstruction of mankind, as the result of the universal recognition of its oneness and wholeness, will bring in its wake the spiritualization of the masses, consequent to the recognition of the character, and the acknowledgment of the claims, of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh—the essential condition to that ultimate fusion of all races, creeds, classes, and nations which must signalize the emergence of His New World Order.

Then will the coming of age of the entire human race be proclaimed and celebrated by all the peoples and nations of the earth. Then will the banner of the Most Great Peace be hoisted. Then will the world-Wide sovereignty of Bahá’u’lláh —the Establisher of the Kingdom of the Father foretold by the Son, and anticipated by the Prophets of God before Him and after Him—be recognized, acclaimed, and firmly established. Then will a world civilization be born, flourish, and perpetuate itself, a civilization with a fullness of life such as the world has never seen nor can as yet conceive. Then will [Page 361] the Everlasting Covenant be fulfilled in its completeness. Then will the promise enshrined in all the Books of God be redeemed, and all the prophecies uttered by the Prophets of old come to pass, and the vision of seers and poets be realized. Then will the planet, galvanized through the universal belief of its dwellers in one God, and their allegiance to one common Revelation, mirror, within the limitations imposed upon it, the effulgent glories of the sovereignty of Bahá’u’lláh, shining in the plenitude of its splendor in the Abhá Paradise, and be made the footstool of His Throne on high, and acclaimed as the earthly heaven, capable of fulfilling that ineffable destiny fixed for it, from time immemorial, by the love and wisdom of its Creator.

Not ours, puny mortals that we are, to attempt, at so critical a stage in the long and checkered history of mankind, to arrive at a precise and satisfactory understanding of the steps which must successively lead a bleeding humanity, wretchedly oblivious of its God, and careless of Bahá’u’lláh, from its calvary to its ultimate resurrection. Not ours, the living witnesses of the all-subduing potency of His Faith, to question, for a moment, and however dark the misery that enshrouds the world, the ability of Bahá’u’lláh to forge, with the hammer of His Will, and through the fire of tribulation, upon the anvil of this travailing age, and in the particular shape His mind has envisioned, these scattered and mutually destructive fragments into which a perverse world has fallen, into one single unit, solid and indivisible, able to execute His design for the children of men.

Ours rather the duty, however confused the scene, however dismal the present outlook, however circumscribed the resources we dispose of, to labor serenely, confidently and unremittingly to lend our share of assistance, in whichever way [Page 362] circumstances may enable us, to the operation of the forces which, as marshaled and directed by Bahá’u’lláh, are leading humanity out of the valley of misery and shame to the loftiest summits of power and glory.

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The sixth and concluding excerpt from The Promised Day Is Come by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith.

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TEMPLE BY THE LAKE

Bahá’í Temple, domed from gray to white,

Is tipped with folded wings, all angel-wise,

Symbolic of the peace of prayer that lies

In sanctuaries, be it day or night.

How intricately lovely to our sight,

Few things more exquisite beneath the skies—

A symphony to rest one’s weary eyes

Or fill a heavy heart with quick delight.

Nonagonal, its delicate design,

With infinite detail of wonder, shows

Devotion from a people at a shrine,

Whatever one’s belief, religion grows

When great harmonic beauty looms divine;

Then blessing from God’s heaven overflows.

—Clara Edmunds-Hemingway.

(Reprinted from The Chicago Tribune with permission from the editor.)

[Page 363]

BAHÁ’Í LESSONS

Race Unity

I. Spiritual Truth of Oneness of Mankind.

A. Former Prophets indicated men are brothers under one God. (Read PUP 95-96, 293; ASM 51.)

1. Jewish, Mal 2:10; Deut 6:4; Gen 1-5 (creation).

2. Christian, John 10:16; Acts 17:24, 26.

3. Islámic, Qur’án 2:209, 158 (Rodwell pp. 360, 355; Sale 29, 23); 10:20 (Rodwell pp. 276-7; Sale 201).

B. Bahá’í Message proclaims oneness of mankind, PUP 62-63; WOB 42-44, 47, 202-3; B-NE 96, 57-58, 196-8.

1. All men created in image of God, Gl 65, 177-9; PUP 66-67, 256-7, 329-30, 398; ADJ 31-32.

2. Certain human differences do exist.

a. Color variations not important.

1) Color sole point of racial difference, PUP 64-65.

2) Color not cause of strife in nature, PUP 42, 54.

3) Man originated race distinctions, PUP 227, 281, 293.

4) Color not cause for distinction in Kingdom of God, PUP 41-42, 420-1, 109; ADJ 31-32.

b. Diversity should be cause of love, harmony, beauty, PUP 42, 422; WOB 41-42; ADJ 31, 32.

c. Capacities and character only true distinction, Gl 187 (184-8); PUP 22, 67, 422-3; Wisdom 138; SAQ 247-51.

3. Human unity to be manifest in World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, WOB 39, 41, 203-6.

II. Grave Importance of Modern Race Problems.

A. All race prejudice harmful, PUP 293, 310, 281; PD 117.

B. Colored-white enmity critical.

1. Threatens strife, ADJ 33.

2. Unity would assure World’s peace, PUP 43 (ADJ 33).

C. Necessity of race unity for welfare, peace, Gl 96, 286; PUP 259.

[Page 364] III. Bahá’í Solution for Race Problems: Human Unity.

A. Spiritual power needed, Gl 254-5; PUP 65; ADJ 33.

1. Holy Spirit (Word) overcomes limitations, PUP 2-5, 315, 244-5; ASM 17-18; ADJ 45-46.

2. Bahá’u’lláh brings unifying power of Spirit, Gl 103, 95-96, 203, 286; PUP 158-9, 101, 197; WOB 197-8; PD 118.

3. Spiritualization of masses essential, PD 128.

B. Courageous action commanded.

1. Bahá’u’lláh calls to love, fellowship, Gl 333, 217, 288.

2. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains responsibilities, PUP 42-43, 54, 374, 65-66, 108-9; ADJ 30-33; Wisdom 128-9.

C. Further suffering necessary, WOB 193-4, 201-2; PD 119-121.

D. Bahá’u’lláh’s Divine Economy essential, WOB 19-20.

IV. Guardian calls for vigorous action in America.

A. States race problem most challenging issue, ADJ 28.

1. Obligation to eliminate prejudice, ADJ 28-30.

2. New principle of minority treatment, ADJ 29-30.

3. Example set by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, ADJ 28-29; BA 119.

B. Declares deeds must reveal freedom from prejudice.

1. “Hall-mark,” BA 120; “Watchword,” ADJ 30; “Keynote,” ADJ 30.

2. Enhance growth of Cause, BA 119-120; ADJ 28-29.

3. Responsibility for both races, ADJ 28, 30, 33-34, 45; BA 120-121.

C. Urges enrollment from specific races, ADJ 45-46.

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Note: The use of Bahá’í Lessons each month does not require all of the Bahá’í books for which references are given. But when all the books are available the student can more thoroughly acquaint himself with all of the teachings on a given subject. He can also familiarize himself with definite passages of Bahá’í literature as well as with the teachings. The abbreviations given in italics to indicate Bahá’í books are some form of abbreviation of the title of the book, e.g. BA means Bahá’í Administration.

[Page 365]

WITH OUR READERS

WRITERS and correspondents will please notice that the inside front cover shows a change in the address of the editorial office of World Order. Mrs. Alice Cox now has charge of the correspondence and of seeing the magazine through the press. Also Miss Garreta Busey of Urbana, Illinois, is a valued addition to the editorial committee.

Any news which comes through from our friends in other continents is welcome. The following letter has just come to hand from Mr. Arnold van Ogtrop, one of our Holland believers. It is written from Sweden. “I am planning to return to Holland next month. I have decided not to renew my subscription, as to send money from Holland to the U. S. A. needs a license, which costs more than the subscription itself. . . . I am sorry, because I think it has improved very much, and then it is the only contact which I have with the Bahá’í World. . . . I suggest that an American believer should write an article on the functioning of your Assemblies; their administration and so on. To many Bahá’ís who haven’t been so fortunate as to live in a town with a Bahá’í Assembly, this functioning is a very vague thing, and I am sure it will interest non-Bahá’ís also.”

We hope that some one will act on Mr. Ogtrop’s suggestion and send us a live article telling how your assembly functions.

From Mrs. Randolph Bolles we receive other bits of news from our friends across the water. She says: “The French believers write from Hyérers, France, that they suffer patiently because they know that this will lead to the New World Order and from Jugoslavia they say the same thing. The German believers write that they see each other, a few at a time, in the former German Summer School, which they own.”

* * *

The following account of the last days of a true Bahá’í who has recently passed from this life bears witness to the power of the Most Great Name. It is sent by Willard Hatch. “Mr. Harry Raver, a blind Bahá’í, member of [Page 366] the Los Angeles Community, inaugurated the ‘Busy Blind’ once-a-week program over the local radio. He had many Bahá’í speakers and the name of Bahá’u’lláh was frequently mentioned on this program. September 4, Mr. Raver was listening to the radio about 11 p. m. and fell asleep. He lived alone, without help. A housebreaker came through his unlocked door, beat him over the head severely, unmindful of his protestations that he was blind, and robbed him of his wallet containing $40. Before losing consciousness, Mr. Raver, after the assailant left, called a friend who notified the police with whom Mr. Raver pleaded for mercy for his assailant, should the police find him. He was then taken to the General Hospital and fell into a coma which kept him apparently senseless, even when stuck with a pin, except when the name of Bahá’u’lláh was mentioned. On hearing this Name, to the astonishment of the hospital attendants, Mr. Raver would and did, on several occasions rouse from his coma, ask who wanted to know about Bahá’u’lláh, and were they being given information and literature. He would then lapse immediately into unconsciousness. On September 14 Mr. Raver died.”

* * *

We all like a word of appreciation now and then. Such a word has come from Mr. Charles Frink. He says in part: “I read it not once but several times. Why? Because I found an excellent example of what is expected of the protagonists of the Bahá’í Faith. I am referring to Mrs. Marzieh Gail’s article in the May, 1941 issue of this magazine. The article, entitled ‘The Bahá’í Cause Today’ proves to be a timely rebuttal of the Rev. W. Miller’s rather superficial, if not desultory criticism of the Bahá’í Faith. Attacks of this kind, and many more to come, are to be expected. The Bahá’ís, we are told, are to be ‘bitterly assailed by ministers and priests.’ And strange as it may seem, confirmed Bahá’ís will welcome these attacks, because it is said, ‘Opposition strengthens the Cause’.”

* * *

How far has the world progressed in recognizing the equality of men and women? Our leading article, in the form of a symposium, answers the question in part. Mrs. Gertrude Atkinson of Larchmont, New York, gives us an introduction to [Page 367] this important Bahá’í teaching. Mrs. Atkinson is an ardent student of many aspects of the Bahá’í Faith.

Mrs. Maye Harvey Gift of Peoria, Illinois, tells of the progress of Íránian women. She is indebted for part of her material to Mrs. Shirin Fozdar of Kotah Junction, India, one of our contributing editors. Our readers are acquainted with Mrs. Gift and remember especially her contribution, “By the Mouth of His Prophets,” in the November, 1940, issue of World Order. Mrs. Della C. Quinlan, who contributed the article, “A World Language for a World Order,” in the recent December issue, gives the picture of women’s station in England. Her home is in Brooklyn, New York. Mrs. Annamarie Honnold, also one of our contributing editors whose name is familiar to our readers, now lives in Arlington, Virginia. She edited the symposium.

We continue excerpts from the vital letters of Miss Cheney setting out her experiences in carrying the Bahá’í message to the people of Paraguay. These give us stirring examples of the divine assistance which comes to those who arise to serve. After nine months of service in Paraguay Miss Cheney was obliged to return to her home in Lima, Ohio, for medical care.

The last of the excerpts which we shall print from The Promised Day Is Come, Shoghi Effendi’s latest letter to the American believers, appears in this issue. We know of no other publication which reveals the deep causes of world conditions and the bright hopes of the future. The complete letter may be obtained from the Bahá’í Publishing Committee, Wilmette, Illinois.

Those who wish to make a special study of the Bahá’í teachings on Race Unity or who are arranging programs on the subject will find great help in the outline which Mrs. Maye Harvey Gift and Mrs. Alice S. Cox, members of the National Study Outline Committee, have prepared for Bahá’í Lessons in this issue. These valuable outlines should be preserved for reference.

There are no doubt believers who have prepared study outlines for use in their own communities or at summer schools, some of which might be easily adapted to the Bahá’í Lessons form to appear [Page 368] on two pages of the magazine. Mrs. Cox will be glad to receive any such as these for consideration by the editors. Also welcome would be suggestions from believers about topics upon which they feel the need of study material.

The lovely poem appearing in this issue, “Temple by the Lake” written by Clara Edmunds-Hemingway, will delight our readers. Appearing first as it did in a column of The Chicago Tribune, it is another evidence, both beautiful and concrete, of the spiritual influence of Bahá’u’lláh over the minds and hearts of mankind. Truly is the first Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in the western hemisphere giving His Message to the public today! To the writer of the poem for her contribution and to the newspaper for its permission to reprint we extend our word of appreciation.

The potent words of Bahá’u’lláh inscribed over the nine entrances of the Temple at Wilmette were recorded on the back cover of this magazine last month and will be repeated in the same location in another issue before long. This month a statement of the universal principles of the Faith by Shoghi Effendi has been used instead.—The Editors.

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CORRECTION

The editors greatly regret the error which appeared in the poem by Ella Louise Rowland on page 274 of the November, 1941, issue of World Order. The poem should read:

If I may serve through selflessness to gain

Acceptance, Lord, throughout eternity,

Then guide me evermore Thy love to feel

And strengthen, lift me for this great Ordeal!

If I have sought a station not designed

For one so fraught with memories of sin,

Then Lord, instruct me through Thy Word,

Thy prayers some other souls to win.

[Page 369]

BAHÁ’Í LITERATURE

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, selected and translated by Shoghi Effendi. The Bahá’í teachings on the nature of religion, the soul, the basis of civilization and the oneness of mankind. Bound in fabrikoid. 360 pages. $2.00.

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, translated by Shoghi Effendi. Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh toward the end of His earthly mission, this text is a majestic and deeply-moving exposition of His fundamental principles and laws and of the sufferings endured by the Manifestation for the sake of mankind. Bound in cloth. 186 pages. $1.50.

Kitáb-i-Íqán, Translated by Shoghi Effendi. This work (Book of Certitude) unifies and coordinates the revealed Religions of the past, demonstrating their oneness in fulfillment of the purpose of Revelation. Bound in cloth. 198 pages. $2.50.

Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh, selected and translated by Shoghi Effendi. The supreme expression of devotion to God; a spiritual flame which enkindles the heart and illumines the mind. 348 pages. Bound in fabrikoid. $2.00.

Some Answered Questions. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s explanation of questions concerning the relation of man to God, the nature of the Manifestation, human capacities, fulfillment of prophecy, etc. Bound in clothe. 350 pages. $1.50.

The Promulgation of Universal Peace. In this collection of His American talks, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá laid the basis for a firm understanding of the attitudes, principles and spiritual laws which enter into the establishment of true Peace. 492 pages. Bound in cloth. $2.50.

Bahá’í Prayers, a selection of Prayers revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, each Prayer translated by Shoghi Effendi. 72 pages. Bound in fabrikoid, $0.75. Paper cover, $0.35.

The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, by Shoghi Effendi. On the nature of the new social pattern revealed by Bahá’u’lláh for the attainment of divine justice in civilization. Bound in fabrikoid. 234 pages. $1.50.

BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING COMMITTEE

110 LINDEN AVENUE, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

[Page 370]

The Bahá’í Faith

RECOGNIZES THE UNITY OF GOD AND HIS PROPHETS,

UPHOLDS THE PRINCIPLE OF AN UNFETTERED SEARCH AFTER TRUTH,

CONDEMNS ALL FORMS OF SUPERSTITION AND PREJUDICE,

TEACHES THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF RELIGION IS TO PROMOTE CONCORD AND HARMONY, THAT IT MUST GO HAND IN HAND WITH SCIENCE, AND THAT IT CONSTITUTES THE SOLE AND ULTIMATE BASIS OF A PEACEFUL, AN ORDERED AND PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY. . . .

INCULCATES THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGEs FOR BOTH SEXES,

ADVOCATES COMPULSORY EDUCATION,

ABOLISHES ECTREMES OF POVERTY AND WEALTH,

EXALTS WORK PERFORMED IN THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE TO THE RANK OF WORSHIP,

RECOMMENDS THE ADOPTION OF AN AUXILIARY INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE, . . .

PROVIDES THE NECESSARY AGENCIES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND SAFEGUARDING OF A PERMANENT AND UNIVERSAL PEACE.

—SHOGHI EFFENDI.