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****************The First Mashriqu'1 Adhk~r of the West. Wilmette, Illinois.
Page 6Prepared under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada with the approval of Shoghi Effendi
Volume IXCopyright 1945, by National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Reprinted 1981N 0 T F: The spelling of the Oriental words and proper names used in this issue of THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD is according to the system of transliteration established at one of the
International Oriental Congresses.Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith this work is dedicated in the hope that it will assist his efforts to promote that spiritual unity underlying and anticipating the ttMost Great Peace"
BAHA 'U'LL RHII. International Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and 'West 13
III. Excerpts from the Bahá'í Sacred Writings 105
1. Words of Bahá'u'lláh 105IV. The Seven Year Plan 173
1. The Temple of Light, by Allen B. McDaniel173 2. Uniting the Americas, by Garreta Busey 186 3. Teaching in North America, by Leroy loas199
PART TWOI. The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh 223
1. PresentDay Administration of the Bahá'í Faith 223
Introductory Statement 223A Procedure for the Conduct of the Local Spiritual Assembly 231
The Annual Bahá'í Convention 237The NonPolitical Character of the Bahá'í Faith 239
Concerning Membership in NonBahá'í Religious Organizations 240
Bahá'ís and War 245A Commentary on The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 248
The Promised Day Is Come 261Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi 289
Statement on World Order by Shoghi Effendi 312
Messages from the Guardian, 19401944 3152. The Spirit and Form of the Bahá'í Administrative Order 339
ForewordCertification of Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada 340 Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly ly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada 341 Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly ly of the Bahá'ís of Persia 354 Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly ly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and Austria 360 xi
Page 12Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assem bly of the Bahá'ís of 'Ir&q 368 Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and SAdAn 375 ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of
New York 377Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York 381 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Berkeley, Calif 387 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Binghamton, N. Y 390 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Flint, Mich 393 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Helena, Mont 398 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Honolulu, T. H 400 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Indianapolis, md 407 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Miami, Fla 412 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Oakland, Calif 416 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pasadena, Calif 419 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Richmond Highlands, Wash 426 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Springfield, Ill 431 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Paul, Minn 435 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Urbana, Ill 440 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Evanston, Ill 443 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ahmedabad, India 444 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Andheri, India 446 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bangalore, India 447 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Jiaroda, India 449 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hyderabad, Sind, India 450 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Panchagani, India 452 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Serampore, India 453 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Vellore, India 455
Page 13Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Jos6, Costa Rica 456 Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Quetta BaliichistAn 459 Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia 460 Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and SudAn 461 Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'IrAq 462 Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia 463 Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and Si~d~n 464 Minister's License issued by the State of Ohio authorizing the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Lima to solemnize Bahá'í
Marriages 465Minister's License issued by the State of Ohio authorizing the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Cincinnati to solemnize
Bahá'í Marriages 466Minister's License issued by the State of Ohio authorizing the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Cleveland to solemnize
Bahá'í Marriages 467Text in Persian of the Outline of Bahá'í Laws regarding Matters of Personal Status submitted for recognition to the Egyptian Government nment by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
Egypt and Si~dAn 468Text of Letter from the United States War Department granting permission to use the Bahá'í emblem of the Greatest Name on Bahá'í graves 475 Text of Letter from the Egyptian Ministry of Health Allotting a Burial Ground for the Bahá'í Community of Cairo 476 Facsimile of Document Related to the Formation of the First Bahá'í Association Established in Persia, 1319, A. H 477 Trust Deed by which Villa Safwan at Port-Fouad was conveyed to the property of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt on December 27th, 1943 478 3. The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar 481
Foreword 481The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar 482
The Bahá'í Temple, House of Worship of a World Faith 485
The Bahá'í Temple and the Development of the Faith in America 492
The Realization of the Architect's Design 498
4. Bahá'í Calendar and Festivals 503
Foreword 503Bahá'í Feasts, Anniversaries and Days of Fasting 503
Bahá'í Holy Days on which work should be suspended 504
Additional Material Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II)
regarding the Bahá'í Calendar 504 Historical Data Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding
Bahá'u'lláh 5075. Youth Activities Throughout the Bahá'í World 511
Introductory Statement 511A Tribunal Grants English Bahá'í Exemption from Combatant
Service 535With Our Youngest Bahá'í Youth: The Children 539
Bahá'í Education, a Compilation 542II. References to the Bahá'í Faith 553
1. Dowager Queen Marie of Rumania 5532. Prof. E. G. Browne, MA., M.B., Cambridge University 556 3. Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, D.Litr., Manchester College, Oxford 559 4. Rev. T. K. Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D., Oxford University, Fellow of British ish Academy 559 5. Prof. Arminius Vamb6ry, Hungarian Academy of Pesth 560
6. Sir Valentine Chirol 5618. Prof. Jowett, Oxford University 562 9. Alfred W. Martin, Society for Ethical Culture, New York 562 10. Prof. James Darmesteter, tcole des Hautes trudes, Paris 563
11. Charles Baudouin 56312. Dr. Henry H. Jessup, D.D 565 13. Right Mon. The Earl Curzon of Kedlesron566 14. Sir Francis Younghusband, K.C.S.L, K.C.I.E 567 15. The Christian Commonwealth, Anonymous 568 16. Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, B.A 568 17. Herbert Putnam, Congressional Library, Washington, D. C 569
18. Leo Tolstoy 56919. Dr. Edmund Privat, University of Geneva570 20. Dr. Auguste Forel, University of Zurich571
21. General Renato Piola Caselli 57122. Rev. Frederick W. Gakes 571 23. Renwick J. C. Millar 572 24. Charles H. Prisk 572 25. Prof. Han Prasad Shastri, D.Litt 573
26. Shri Purohit Swami 57327. Prof. Herbert A. Miller, Bryn Mawr College 573 28. Viscount Herbert Samuel, G.C.B., M.P 574 Lord Samuel of Carmel, G.C.B., C.B.E 574 29. Rev. K. T. Chung 575 30. Prof. Dimitry Kazaroy, University of Sofia 575 31. Rev. Griffith J. Sparham 576
32. Ernest Renan 57733. The Hon. Lilian Helen Montague, J.P., D.H.L 578 34�L Prof. Norman Bentwich, Hebrew University, Jerusalem S78 35. tmile Schreiber, Publicist 578
36. Miss Helen Keller 58137. Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, Doyen of Jurisprudence of Japan 581 38. Sir IFlinders Petrie, Archaeologist 581
39. Former President Masaryk of Czechoslovakia 581
Page 1541. Dr. Herbert Adams Gibbons 581 42. H.R.H. Princess Olga of Yugoslavia 582
43. Eugen Relgis 58246. Princess Marie Antoinette de Brogue Aussenac 583
47. Late President David Starr Jordan, Leland Stanford University 5 8 3 48. Prof. Bogdan Popovitch, University of Belgrade. Yugoslavia 583
49. Ex-Governor William Suizer 58351. Prof. Yone Noguchi 583 52. Prof. Raymond Frank Piper 583
53. Angela Morgan 58455. Prof. Dr. Jan Rypka, Charles University, Praha, Czechoslovakia 584 �6. A. L. M. Nicolas 584
57. President Eduard Bene~ of Czechoslovakia58558. Sir Ronald Storrs, N.y.C., M.G., C.B.E 585 59. Col. Raja Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh, Raja of Bajang (Nepal) 585 60. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 587 61. Rt. Hon. M. R. Jayakar 587 62. Prof. Benoy Kurnar Sarkar, M.A., Ph.D 588 63. Mrs. Sarojinu Naidu 588
64. Jules Bois 5885. Mary J. Revell 602 6. Dr. M. SMih 606 7. Oswald A. Whitaker 606
8. Hilda Gilbert 6079. Elizabeth R. Greenleaf 608
10. Howard Colby Ives 608
11. Mirza 'Abdu'1-Rahim Khin H~fizu's � Sihhih 613
12. Matthew Kaszab 614
13. Mabel Rice-Wray Ives 616
14. Bridget Hill 623
15. Richard Marlow 624
16. Ijaji 'Au Yazdi 624
17. Mrs. Margaret Dixon 625
18. Ida Boulter Slater 626
19. Frank E. Osborne 628 20. Jame& F. Morton 629
21. Harry Raver 630
22. Sydney Sprague 633
23. Carole Lombard Gable 635
24. Mir 'Au Asgliar Earidi Uskiji 637
25. Narayenrao Rangnath Vakil 637
Page 161. Bahá'í Directory, 194344 651
1. Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies 6513.Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada659 4.Local Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and Localities Where Isolated Believers Reside in the U. S. A. and Canada 660
5. Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia 6726.Directory of Leading Assemblies in Bahá'í Administrative Divisions
of Persia 6767.Directory of Localities in India Where Bahá'ís Reside 677
II.Bahá'í Bibliography 679
1. Alphabetical List of Bahá'u'lláh's Best Known Writings 679
2. List of the Mb's Best Known Works 6803. Bahá'í Publications of North America 681
a. Writings of Bahá'u'lláh 681 b. Writings of the Lb 681
Page 18xviii CONTENTS Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá d. Works Compiled from Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá e. Works Compiled from Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Rib and
'Abdu'1 � Bahaf. Works compiled from Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi g. Writings of Shoghi Effendi h. Writings on the Bahá'í Faith
1. Bahá'í Reprintsp PAmphlets k. Outlines and Guides for Bahá'í Study Courses
1. Children's Coursesm. Bahá'í Literature in Foreign Languages n. Periodicals
3A. Bahá'í Publications of America That Are Out of Print
4. Bahá'í Publications of Great Britainb. Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá c. Works Compiled from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Bahad. Writings of Shoghi Effendi e. Writings on vh~ Baha Faith f. Bahá'í Literature in Pamphlet Form
4A. Publications of Great Britain Out of Print681 682 683 683 683 684 686 686 687 687 688 688 689 696 696 696 696 696 � 696 � 697 � 697 698 699 699 700 � 700 � 700 700 700 701 ...701 702 704 � 704 �705 �705 705 � 705
Publications in Maori29. Bahá'í Publications in Oriental Languages 706
a. Persian 706 b. tJrdu 707 c. Arabic 708 d. Turkish 708 e. Burmese 708 f. Chinese 708 g. Hebrew 708 li. Tartar 708 i. Gujrati 708 j. Japanese 709 k. Armenian 709
1. Tamil 709m. Kurdish 709 n. Sindhi 709 o. Bengali 709 p. Hindi 709 q. Abyssinian 709 30. Languages in which Bahá'í Literature is being translated 709 a. Kinarese 709 b. Latyjan 709
C. Lithuanian 709d. Mahratti 709 e. Malayan 709 f. Oriya 709 g. Punjabi 709 h. Pushtoo 709 i. Rajasthani 709
I. Singhalese 70931. Bahá'í Literature in Braille (for the blind) 709 a. America 709 b. France 710 c. Czechoslovakia 710 d. Japan 710
32. Bahá'í Periodicals 710
33. References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books and Pamphlets Published
Under Non-BaIP'i Auspices 711
1. American 71110. Hungarian 718
Page 2034. References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines by non-Bahá'í Authors 719 35.References to the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'ís in non-Bahá'í Publications 721 36. References to the Baha Faith in Encyclopedias and Reference Books 722
III. Transliteration of Oriental 'Words Frequently Used in Bahá'í Literature 723
Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of Persian Alphabet and Notes on the Pronunciation of Persian Words 725
IV. Definitions of Orienal Terms Used in Bahá'í Literature 727
PART FOURI. Articles and Reviews 733
1. The Bahá'í Principle of Civilization, by Horace Holley 733 2. Joined by God, by George Townshend 741 3. Lessons in World Crisis, by Akin Locke 745 4. The Concept and Goals of Human Progress, by Stanwood Cobb. 747 5. The Beloved Returns, by Helen Bishop 758 6. Reflected in the West, by Garreta Busey 767 7. The Bali Li Faith in the Colleges, by Dorothy Baker 773 8. Ways to Wholeness, by Raymond Frank Piper776 9. Science and the Open Mind, by Glenn A. Shook 788 10. The Prayers of Bahá'u'lláh, by Ruhiyyih Khan~m 792 11. Two Glimpes of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Roy C. Wilhelm 802 12. The Lesser and the Most Great Peace, by George Orr Latimer 809 13. The White Silk Dress, by Marzieh Gail 814 14. Charter for World Peace, by Alice Simmons Cox 821 15. The Bahá'í Faith and Problems of Color, Class and Creed, by
Elsie Austin 82916. Broadcasting the Bahá'í Message, by Mildred Mottahedeh 831 17. Our Heritage from Bahá'u'lláh, by William Kenneth Christian 834 18. hUm and the Scientific Spirit, by Robert L. Gulick, Jr 840 19. Mirza Abu'1-Fadl in America, by Ali-Kuli Khan and Marzieh Gail 855 20. The "Bab" Movement, Flowering from Islamic Soil, by Ernest G.
Dodge 86021. By the Mouth of His Prophets, by Maye Harvey Gift 869 22. The Importance of the Baha Faith Today, by George W. Goodman 874 23. Accelerated Progress in Race Relations, by Louis G. Gregory 876 24. Chile and Three Crucial Years, by Marcia Steward 880 25. Pioneer Journey, by Virginia Orbison 896 26. Conquistadores, by Flora Hates 900 27. Haiti, the Magic Isle, by Amelie Pumpelly Bates 910 28. El Peru, by Eve B. Nicklin 914 29. The Story of the Bahá'í Faith in Cuba, by Eugenio Gin6s 916 30. Alaska, Our New Frontier, by Orcella Rexford 918 31. La Fe Bahá'í in Guatemala, by Edelberto Torres 9?2
32. La Aurora de un Nuevo Dia, by Diego 13. Garcia Monge 926
H.Verse 929
III.Music 943
IV. Contents of The Bahá'í World, Vol. LVIII 959 V. Maps of Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America, India and Burma, Teaching Regions of the United States of America and Canada, and of the Bahá'í World 993
Page 21Design for the Completion of the Sepulcher of the BAU on Mt. Carmel, Haifa,
Palestine 111The First Mashriqu'1 Adhkh of the West. Wilmette, Illinois v Views of the Shrine of the Báb on Mt. Carmel 3 Behind the Shrine building 3 The marble sarcophagus prepared by the Burmese Bahá'ís to receive the remains of the Báb
A Group of Early Persian Bahá'í Sufferers for the Faith 14
Attendants at the Australian Bahá'í Summer School, held at Yerrinbool, 1942
Session 20Attendants at the Australian Bahá'í Summer School, held at Yerrinbool, 1943
Session 21A group of early believers taken in 1898 in the studio of Arthur P. Dodge, in
New York City 22The ttBoard of Counsel" of the Bahá'í Assembly of New York City, 1900 23 Believers gathered at a Bahá'í Summer Conference held in Ontario, Canada 27 First Canadian Bahá'í Summer Conference. Held in Montreal, 1941 28 The Ha~iratu'1-Quds of the BaM'is-of Persia. The recently completed National Administrative Headquarters, situated in the outskirts of Tihr&n 29
The Main Entrance of the Persian National Bahá'í Headquarters 35
Views of the gardens surrounding the newly finished National Bahá'í Administrative tive Headquarters in Tihr&n 3 8 Bahá'ís Gathered at the Auckland, New Zealand, Bahá'í Summer School of 1942 and 1943 40 The Ija~iratu'1-Quds of the Bahá'ís of India. Newly purchased National Administrative tive Headquarters, situated in Delhi 43 Construction work on the National Administrative Headquarters of the Bahá'ís of Egypt, situated in Cairo 47 A corner of the Assembly Hall of the new Egyptian National Bahá'í Headquarters 48 Building recently purchased by the Bahá'ís of Bombay, India, to serve as their local headquarters 49 Haziratu'1-Quds of the Bahá'ís of Australia. Building recently purchased for the National Bahá'í Headquarters, situated in Sydney, New South Wales 50 Temerity Ranch, Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the Bahá'í International School is held annually 54
The Bahá'í Center Owned by the Bahá'ís of Cincinnati, Ohio 58
The Grave of May Maxwell in Buenos Aires, Argentina. One of the earliest Bahá'ís of the Western World, who established the first Bahá'í group on European soil, in Paris, 1899 62 The Grave of Martha Root, in Honolulu, Hawaii. America's Outstanding Bahá'í Teacher, through whom Queen Marie of Rumania was led to embrace the
Faith 65The Grave of Keith Ransom-Kehier in Isflh&n, Persia 68
xx,The Grave of Hyde Dunn, in Sydney, Australia 72 The Grave of lI&ji GhulAm-RidA, in Tihrfr, Persia. Styled Amin-Amin by 'Abdu'l-Bahá The Grave of Dr. Susan I. Moody, in Tihr&n, Persia 78 Bahá'ís gathered on the occasion of the reinterment of the remains of Mirza Abu'1-Fadl in the new Bahá'í Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt 82 Bahá'ís gathered in the new Bahá'í Cemetery in Ism6iiliyyih, Egypt 83
Cairo Bahá'ís Gathered to Reinter Mrs. Gctsinger's Remains 87
Memorial Erected at the Grave of Mathew Kaszab, Brownsville, Texas 91 Students, Bahá'í Youth Academy, San Salvador 95 Bahá'ís Gathered to Celebrate the Feast of Ridvan in San Salvador, 1943 96
Bahá'ís and Visiting Believers in Baha, Brazil 99
Bahá'u'lláh's Passport 110
An old photograph of the Barrack Square in Tabriz, where the Báb was martyred in 1850. Around the border is written a poem in Persian 119 The Citadel in Tabriz where the BTh was at one time detained 126 The Grave Stone of the 'Wife of the Bib, at present preserved in one of the rooms of His House, in Shir4z 127 The Marble Monument erected on the Grave of Bahá'í Khinum, the Sister of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, on Mt. Carmel, Haifa 131 The Twin Monuments erected over the graves of the Mother and Brother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá 131 View of the resting places of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Family, on Mt. Carmel 140 Views of the Gardens surrounding the Graves of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Family on
Mt. Carmel 149Views of the Graves of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Mother and Brother 15 8 The New Entrance to the Garden surrounding the Resting Places of the Sister, Mother, Brother, and Wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, on Mt. Carmel, Haifa 165 Two Views of the Interior of the International Archives. Recently opened auxiliary iary archives building in the Garden surrounding the Resting Places of Abdu'l-Bahá'í family, on Mt. Carmel and containing relics associated with His Sister, Mother, and Brother 168
Detail of Main Story Ornamentation of the Bahá'í Temple 174
Castings of the steps of the Bahá'í Temple being prepared and cured prior to being placed in position out of doors 175 The Temple steps being placed in position, in September, 1942 176 Castings of the Greatest Name which go over the nine Main Entrances of the
Temple 178One of the arches which go over the nine Main Entrances 179 Working on the Main Story Pylons of the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill., during
April, 1940 180Ornamentation of the Main Story of the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill., being placed in position, April, 1941 182 Preparing to place the steps in position on the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill.,
July, 1942 184The Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill., as it appeared in November, 1938 185
Bahá'í Students in Ascuncion, Paraguay 187
Page 23Bahá'í Youth Group of Havana, Cuba, 1944 190 Bahá'í Youth Day being celebrated by the Bahá'ís of Santiago de Chile 191
The 32nd Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April
2528, 1940 201The 33rd Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April
2427, 1941 203The 34th Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April
30-May 3, 1942 206 First Alaskan Bahá'í Assembly, formed in Anchorage, 1943 208
The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Buenos Aires, Argentina 224
A Gathering of the Bahá'ís of Tegucigalpa, Honduras 241 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Havana, Cuba, 1943 242 First Bahá'í Study Group of Caracas, Venezuela, 1944 250
Some of the First Bahá'ís of La Paz, Bolivia 250
First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bogota, Colombia, 1944 255 First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 1942 256
Kaiser Wilhelm I 262
Pope Pius IX 263
Kaiser Francis Joseph of Austria 268
Queen Victoria 269
Napoleon III 277
N4siri'd-Din ShAh 277
Tsar Alexander II 277
Sult4n 'Abdu'1-'Aziz 277
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Salvador, El Salvador 291
First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 19421943 299
Bahá'ís of Nicaragua 300
A view of the National Archives of the Bahá'ís of 'Jriq in their Ua~iratu'1-Quds in Baghdad 306 Bahá'ís of Buenos Aires, Argentina, celebrating a Nineteen Day Feast in their Center, November, 1942 307 Proc& Verbal by which the burial ground at Ismailia was transferred to the property of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ismailia on August 10th, 1940 316 Laying Foundation Stone of Ua~iratu'1-Quds at Cairo, Egypt, October, 1941 319 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Berkeley, Calif 386 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Binghamton, N. Y 389 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Flint, Michigan 392 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Helena, Montana 397 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Honolulu, Hawaii 399 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Indianapolis, Indiana 406 Spiritual Assembly of the Bábi'is of Miami, Florida 411 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Oakland, Calif 415 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Pasadena, Calif 418 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Springfield, Illinois 430 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Paul, Minnesota 433
Page 24xxiv ILLUSTRATIONS rACE Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Urbana, Illinois 439 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Evanston, Illinois 442 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Alimedabad, India 445 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Andlieri, India 445 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Bangalore, India 448 Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Baroda, India 448 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Hyderabad, Sind, India 451 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Panchagani, India 451 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Serampore, India 454 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Vellore, India 454 First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Jos6, Costa Rica, 1941 455 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Quetta, Bahkhist4n 458
The Completed Exterior of the First Mashriqu'I Adhk4r of the Western World 480
A View of the Temple from Lake Michigan 480 A Glimpse of the "Mother Temple of the West," Seen Through the Trees 488 One of the Nine Great Doors of the Temple Open to People of Every Race, Class and Creed 488
Youth of Honolulu � 18Some of the Youth Present at the Annual MidWest Bahá'í Youth Conference
Held at the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Iii., 1943 534 Bahá'í Children's Class, Tegucigalpa, Honduras540 Bahá'í Center Dedicated by the Spiritual Assembly and Bahá'í Community of Honolulu, T. H., October 20, 1941 546 Bahá'í Fellowship House on property of Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Schneider, Richmond Highlands, Washington, dedicated November 10, 1940 547 The late Major General W. P. Hill, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O 557
John Henry Hyde Dunn 594Dr. M. SAlili 606 0. A. Whitaker (shown with his daughter) 607
Elizabeth R. Greenleaf 608Sydney Sprague 634
Carole Lombard Gable 636
Mir 'Au Asghar Faridi Uskiji 637
Narayenrao Rangnath Vakil 638
Alma Knobloch 641
Philip Effendi Naimi 643
Muhammad Effendi Mussa 644
Bahá'í Youth Group, Delhi, India, 1944 653
The "Hilda Gilbert" Hut at Bolton Place, Yerrinbool Bahá'í Summer School 657
Bab~'i Memorial Hall, Yerrinbool, Australia, erected in memory of Father Dunn 657
Bolton House, Yerrinbool 657
Attendants at the Baha Summer School held in the British Isles, Session of 1943 664
Believers Attending Sessions of the Summer School in India 673
Bahá'ís of K&bul, AfgiPnist~n, 1943 682 Some of the Bahá'ís who attended the Báb~i'i Winter School of 1941 in Adelaide,
South Australia 683Bahá'í Children of Cairo, Egypt, 1943 693 Persian Bahá'ís in BaghdAd who scattered as pioneers to various centers in 'Ir&q and adjoining Arabian countries 694 Annual Bahá'í Race Unity Banquet, Chicago, Iii., 1942 735 Believers Celebrating Bahá'í Youth Day, San Salvador, 1941 737 University Students Attending a Bahá'í Study Class, Ciudad Trujillo, San
Domingo, 1942 738Bahá'í Youth Gathered at the 1940 Bahá'í Convention, in Wilmette, Ill 739
Morning Session of MidWinter Eastern States Youth Conference, New York
City, 1940 742Bahá'í Youth Regional Conference held in Hall of Religious Conference, Los
Angeles City College, 1940 743Some of the Participants of the 1941 Session of Bahá'í International School, Temerity Ranch, Colorado, U. S. A 746 Attendants at the Summer Youth Session of 1940, at Louhelen Bahá'í Summer School, Davison, Michigan 747 Bahá'í Youth at 1940 Convention. View taken on Roof of Hotel Orrington, Evanston, Ill., U. S. A 750 Baha Youth Group, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1941751
Study Class conducted by Miss Adelaide Sharp in Tihr~n, Persia 754
Bahá'í Youth Gathering, New Zealand 755
First Bahá'í Youth Conference of India, RidvTh, 100 A. B. (1943, A. D.) 756 Bahá'í Temple Exhibit, San Francisco Flower Show, San Francisco City Hall, August 27, 28, 1941 758 Exhibition in the Baha Temple, Wilmette, Ill., during the 1943 Convention, showing progress in various phases of Bahá'í activity 762 Temple model displayed at Keen's Flower Shop, Phoenix, Arizona, 1942 764 Bahá'í display in a store in Wilmette, III., during the Convention of 1942 768 Bahá'í Book Exhibit, Gordian Book Store, Wilmette, Ill., on display during the 1942 Convention session 769
Page 26Baha Temple Model displayed at San Jose County Fair, California, October, 1941, expressing the theme of United Prayer f or All Nations 772
Baha Book Display in Main Lobby of Racine Public Library, 1940 773
Bahá'í Temple Model Exhibit at Turner Art Galleries, Denver, Cob 778 Bahá'í Exhibit in Flower Shop at Ridgewood, N. J779 Bahá'í Display in Shotwell's Floral Shop, Fargo, North Dakota, 1941 782 Exhibit of Temple Model, Little Rock, Ark., 1941783 The Annual Bahá'í Amity Banquet, Chicago Women's Club � April 23, 1941,
Chicago, Ill 786Delegates and Friends present at the 14th Annual Baha Convention held in Poona, India, Ridvan 100 A. B 790 Báb Temple Model Exhibited in Knox Flower Shop, Helena, Montana, 1940 Bahá'í Temple Model displayed in Sears-Roberts store, Augusta, Ga 795 Bahá'í Book Exhibit, Peoria, IlL Arranged by the Spiritual Assembly, this exhibit was displayed in the window of Jacquin & Co. during the autumn of 1940 798 Bahá'í Temple Model on display in the Florist Shop of Louise Bates, Beverly Hills, Calif., 1940 799 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Doorway during the days of imprisonment in 'Akka, Palestine 803 Race Unity Banquet held at City Club of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 29, 1943 810 Bahá'í Temple Model and Book Exhibit, Yonkers Public Library, December 18, 1939-January 20, 1940 814 Bahá'í Exhibit, Bohnert's Floral Shoppe, Charleston, West Virginia 815 Window Display of Temple Model and Bahá'í Books in Santa Rosa, California, During the Geyserville Summer School SessiBahá'í Exhibit, Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, 1940 Temple Model Exhibit Conducted at Thorsted Floral Co., Oakland, CalifTemple Model on Display at Meyers, Florist, New Haven, Conn. Haitian Peasant 'Women Map of the Bahá'í Community in Mexico and West Indies Map of the Bahá'í Community in Central America 997 Map of the Bahá'í Community in South America 999 Map of the Bahá'í Community in India and Burma1003 Map of Teaching Regions of the WorldInside back coveMap of Teaching Regions of the United States and Canada Inside back cover
Page 27DURING the past eighteen years the Bahá'í community of East and West has learned to anticipate each successive volume of THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD (the first number was entitled "Bahá'í Year Book") as the best means by which the individual believer may keep abreast of the steady development of the Faith throughout the world. This work, in its illustrations as well as in its text,.has recorded as completely as possible the progress of current Bahá'í events and activities over an area now embracing more than sixty countries. In addition, each volume has presented those c(historical facts and fundamental l principles that constitute the distinguishing features of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh to this age."
The existence of so many evidences of a newly revealed Faith and Gospel for a humanity arrived at a turning point in its spiritual and social evolution has likewise a profound significance for the non-BaM'i student and schotir who desires to investigate the world religion founded by the Rib and Bahá'u'lláh. For in these pages the reader encounters both the revealed Word in its spiritual power, and the response which that utterance has evoked during the first ninety years of the Bahá'í era. He will find what is unparalleled in religious history � the unbroken continuity of a divine Faith from the Manifestation onward through three generations of human experience, and will be able to apprehend what impregnable foundations the Bahá'í World Order rests upon in the life and teachings of the Bib and Bahá'u'lláh, the life and interpretation of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, , and (since the year 1921) in the development of an administrative order under the direction of the Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi.
It is the avowed faith of Bahá'ís that this Revelation has established upon earth the spiritual impulse and the definite principles necessary for social regeneration and the attainment of one true religion and social order throughout the world. In THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD, therefore, those who seek a higher will and wisdom than man possesses may learn how, amid the trials and tribulations of a decadent society, a new age has begun to emerge from the world of the spirit to the realm of human action and belief.
Page 28Mrs. Stuart W. French, Chairman, 786 Chester Ave., San Marino, Calif6rnia.
Mrs. Ruth Brandt, 9313 Olympic Blvd., Beverley Hills, California.
Mrs. Mariam Haney, 1763 Columbia Road, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Charles Bishop, Geyserville, California.
Mrs. Marzieh Nabil Gail, 1207 Montgomery St., San Francisco, California.
Miss Florence Mattoon, 105 Sixth St., W'ilmette, Illinois.
Mr. Louis Gregory, Eliot, Maine.Mr. Kenneth Christian, State College of Agriculture, Morrisville, New York.
Mrs. Victoria Bedikian, Photograph Editor, Box 179, Montclair, New Jersey.
SWITZERLAND �Mine. Elizabeth Hesse, 96 Blvd. Maurice Barr&, Neuilly s. Seine, Paris, France.
GREAT BRITAIN �Mr. David Hofman, 46 Bloomsbury St., W.C. 1, London, England.
tIRAQ � Mr. Jamil Baghd4di, P. 0. Box 5, Baghdad.Miss Adelaide Sharp, Pahiavi St., Kucheh Bageroff, TilirAn.
INDIA AND BURMA �Mr. Abbassaly Butt, 13 Haig Square, New Delhi, India.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND �Miss Hilda Brooks, 17 Gurney St., Duiwich Road, Adelaide, Australia.
EGYPT �Mr. Muhammad Mustail, Bahá'í Bureau, it 0. Box 13, Daher, Cairo.
CHINA AND JAPAN �Miss Agnes Alexander, 536 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, Ill.
Page 30Dr. Garreta H. Busey, Chairman, 503 "West Elm Street, Urbana, Illinois.
Mrs. Mabel H. Paine, Secretary, 606 Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, Illinois.
Mrs. Anna Kunz, 714 Iowa Street, Urbana, Illinois.
Miss Jessie E. Rev-elI, 1522 'West Poplar Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Mrs. Marzieh Gail, 2543 Chilton Way, Berkeley, California.
Robert Gulick, Jr., 305 Riverside Driye, Apartment lA, New York City.
Miss Virginia Orbison, 1505 B Windsor Road, Glendale, Calif.
Louis Gregory, Green Acre, Eliot, Maine.Mrs. Margaret Ruhe, 463 Gift Avenue, S.E., Atlanta, Georgia.
PERSIA �Miss Adelaide Sharpe, Pahiavi Street, Kucheli Bageroff, Tihr~n.
INDIA AND BURMA �Mr. Abbassaly Butt, 13 Haig Square, New Delhi, India.
EGYPT �Muhammad MugafA, Bahá'í Bureau, P. 0. Box 13, Daher, Cairo.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND �Miss Hilda Brooks, P. 0. Box 447D, G. P. 0., Adelaide, Australia.
'IRAQ � Jamil Baghd~di, P. 0. Box 5, BaghdAd.Mrs. Dorothy Ferraby, 46 Bloomsbury Street, London, England.
Page 31The Tabernacle of Unity has been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers.
Of one tree are ye all the fruit and of one bough the leaves. The world is but one country and mankind its citizens." � BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
UPON the spiritual foundation established by Bahá'u'lláh during the forty year period of His Mission (18531892), there stands today an independent religion represented by nearly eight hundred local communities of believers.
These communities geographically are spread throughout all five continents. In point of race, class, nationality and religious origin, the followers of Bahá'u'lláh exemplify well-nigh the whole diversity of the modern world. They may be characterized as a true cross section of humanity, a microcosm which, for all its relative littleness, carries within it individual men and women typifying the macrocosm of mankind.
None of the historic causes of association served to create this worldwide spiritual community. Neither a common language, a common blood, a common civil government, a common tradition nor a mutual grievance acted upon Bahá'ís to supply a fixed center of interest or a goal of material advantage. On the contrary, membership in the Bahá'í community in the land of its birth even to this day has been a severe disability, and outside of fdn the motive animating believers has been in direct opposition to the most inveterate prejudices of their environment. The
Cause of Bahá'u'lláhhas moved forward without the reinforcement of wealth, social prestige or other means of public influence.
Every local Bahá'í community exists by the voluntary association of individuals who consciousiy overcome the fundamental sanctions evolved throughout the centuries to justify the separations and antagonisms of human society. In America, this association means that white believers accept the spiritual equality of their Negro fellows. In Europe, it means the reconciliation of Protestant and Catholic upon the basis of a new and larger faith. In the Orient, Christian, Jewish and Muhammadan believers must stand apart from the rigid exclusiveness into which each was born.
The central fact to be noted concerning the nature of the Bahá'í Faith is that it contains a power, fulfilled in the realm of conscience, which can reverse the principle momentum of modern civilization � the drive toward division and strife � and initiate its own momentum moving steadily in the direction of unity and accord. It is in this power, and not in any criterion upheld by the world, that the
Faith of Bahá'u'lláhThe forms of traditional opposition vested in nationality, race, class and creed are not the oniy social chasms which the Faith has bridged. There are even more implacable, if less visible differences between types and temperaments, such as flow inevitably from
Page 2the contact of rational and emotional individuals, of active and passive dispositions, undermining capacity for cobperation in every organized society, which attain mutual understanding and harmony in the Bahá'í community.
For personal congeniality, the selective principle elsewhere continually operative within the field of voluntary action, is an instinct which Bahá'ís must sacrifice to serve the principle of the oneness of mankind.
A Bahá'í community, therefore, is a constant and active spiritual victory, an overcoming of tensions which elsewhere come to the point of strife.
No mere passive creed nor philosophic gospel which need never be put to the test in daily life has produced this world fellowship devoted to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
The basis of self-sacrifice on which the Bahá'í community stands has created a religious society in which all human relations are transformed from social to spiritual problems.
This fact is the door through which one must pass to arrive at insight of *hat the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh means to this age.
The social problems of the age are predominantly political and economic.
They are problems because human society is divided into nations each of which claims to be an end and a law unto itself and into classes each of which has raised an economic theory to the level of a sovereign and exclusive principle.
Nationality has become a condition which overrides the fundamental humanity of all the peoples concerned, asserting the superiority of political considera-dons over ethical and moral needs. Similarly, economic groups uphold and promote social systems without regard to the quality of human relationships experienced in terms of religion. Tension and oppositions between the different groups are organized for dominance and not for reconciliation.
Each step toward more complete partisan organization increases the original tension and augments the separation of human beings; as the separation widens, the element of sympathy and fellowship on the human level is eventually denied.
In the Bahá'í community the same tensions and instinctive antagonisms exist, but the human separation has been made impossible.
The same capacity for exclusive doctrines is present, but no doctrine representing one personality or one group can secure a hearing. All believers alike are subject to one spiritually supreme sovereignty in the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
Disaffected individuals may withdraw. The community remains. For the Bahá'í teachings are in themselves principles of life and they assert the supreme value of humanity without doc-trifles which correspond to any particular environment or condition. Thus members of the Bahá'í community realize their tensions and ~oppositions as ethical or spiritual problems, to be faced and overcome in mutual consultation.
Their faith has convinced them that the "truth" or "right" of any possible situation is not derived from partisan victory but from the needs of the commu-niry as an organic whole.
A Bahá'í community endures without disruption because only spiritual problems can be sohied. When human relations are held to be political or social problems they are removed from the realm in which rational will has responsibility and influence. The ultimate result of this degradation of human relationships is the frenzy of desperate strife � the outbreak of inhuman war.
2. THE RENEWAL OF FAITHreTheref ore the Lard of Mankind has caused His holy, divine Manifestations to come into the world. He has revealed His heavenly books in order to establish spiritual brotherhood, and through the power of the Holy Spirit has made it possible for perfect fraternity to be realized among mankind." � 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ.
In stating that the Cause historically was not an of Bahá'u'lláh is an independentoffshoot of any prior social religion, two essential principle or community.
facts are implied. The teachings of Bahá'u'lláh The first fact is that are no artificial synthesis assembled the Bahá'í Cause from the modern library of inter
Page 3The fa~ade of the Shrine is seen at the left; it overlooks the Port of Haifa and the Bay of 'Akka.
Behind the Shrine building, in the center of the picture, may be seen the clump of cyprus trees marking the place where Bahá'u'lláh stood and pointed out to 'Abdu'l-Bahá the site of the Báb's Sepulcher, and instructed Him to purchase the land for it.
Page 4The marble sarcophagus prepared by the Burmese Bahá'ís to receive the remains of the Báb. This picture was taken in Burma previous to its shipment to Palestine.
national truth, which might be duplicated from the same sources. Bahá'u'lláh created a reality in the world of the soui which never before existed and could not exist apart from
Him.The second fact is that the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is a religion, standing in the line of true religions: Christianity, Muhammadanism, Judaism, and other prophetic Faiths. Its existence, like that of early Christianity, marks the return of faith as a direct and personal experience of the will of God. Because the divine will itself has been revealed in terms of human reality, the followers of Bahá'u'lláh are confident that their personal limitations can be transformed by an inflow of spiritual re~nforcement from the higher world. It is for the privilege of access to the source of reality that they forego reliance upon the darkened self within and the unbelieving society without.
The religious education of Bahá'ís revolutionizes their inherited attitude toward their own as well as other traditional religions.
To Baha'is, religion is the life and teachings of the prophet. By identifying religion with its founder, they exclude from its spiritual reality all those accretions of human definition, ceremony and ritualistic practice emanating from followers required from time to time to make compromise with an unbelieving world. Furthermore, in limiting religion to the prophet they are able to perceive the oneness of God in the spiritual oneness of all the prophets.
The Bahá'í horn into Christianity can wholeheartedly enter into fellowship with the Bahá'í born into Muhammadanism because both have come to understand that Christ and Muhammad reflected the light of the one God into the darkness of the world. If certain teachings of Christ differ from certain teachings of Moses or Muhammad, the Bahá'ís know that all prophetic teachings are divided into two parts: one, consisting of the essential and unalterable principles of love, peace, unity and co5peration, renewed as divine commands in every cycle; the other, consisting of external practices (such as diet, marriage and similar ordinances) conforming to the requirements of one time and place.
This Bahá'í teaching leads to a profounder analysis of the process of history.
The followers of Bahá'u'lláh derive mental integrity from the realization made so clear and vivid by 'Abdu'l-Bahá that true insight into his
Page 5tory discloses the uninterrupted and irresistible working of a Providence not denied nor made vain by any measure of human ignorance and unfaith.
According to this insight, a cycle begins with the appearance of a prophet or manifestation of God, through whom the spirits of men are revivified and reborn. The rise of faith in God produces a religious community, whose power of enthusiasm and devotion releases the creative elements of a new and higher civilization.
This civilization comes to its fruitful autumn in culture and mental achievement, to give way eventually to a barren winter of atheism, when strife and discord bring the civilization to an end. Under the burden of immorality, dishonor and cruelty marking this phase of the cycle, humanity lies helpless until the spiritual leader, the prophet, once more returns in the power of the Holy
Spirit.Such is the Bahá'í reading of the book of the past.
Its reading of the present interprets these world troubles, this general chaos and confusion, as the hour when the renewal of religion is no longer a racial experience, a rebirth of one limited area of human society, but the destined unification of humanity itself in one faith and one order.
It is by the parable of the vineyard that Bahá'ís of the Christian 'West behold their tradition and their present spiritual reality at last inseparably joined, their faith and their social outlook identified, their reverence for the power of God merged with intelligible grasp of their material environment. A human society which has substituted creeds for religion and armies for truth, even as all ancient prophets foretold, must needs come to abandon its instruments of violence and undergo purification until conscious, humble faith can be reborn.
3. THE BASIS OF UNITYveThe best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if than desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee." � BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
Faith alone, no matter how wholehearted and sincere, affords no basis on which the organic unity of a religious fellowship can endure. The faith of the early Christians was complete, but its degree of inner conviction when projected outward upon the field of action soon disclosed a fatal lack of social principle. Whether the outer expression of love implied a democratic or an aristocratic order, a communal or individualistic society, raised fundamental questions after the crucifixion of the prophet which none had authority to soive.
The BaN'i teaching has this vital distinc-don, that it extends from the realm of conscience and faith to the realm of social action. It confirms the substance of faith not merely as a source of individual development but as a definitely ordered relationship to the community.
Those who inspect the Bahá'í Cause superficially may deny its claim to be a religion for the reason that it lacks most of the visible marks by which religions are recognized.
But in place of ritual or other formal worship it contains a social principle linking people to a community, the loyal observance of which makes spiritual faith coterminous with life itself. The Baha'is, having no professional clergy, f or-bidden ever to have a clergy, understand that religion, in this age, Consists in an "attitude toward God reflected in life."
They are therefore conscious of no division between religious and secular actions.
The inherent nature of the community created by Bahá'u'lláh has great significance at this time, when the relative values of democracy, of constitutional monarchy, of aristocracy and of communism are everywhere in dispute.
Of the Bahá'í community it may be declared definitely that its character does not reflect the communal theory. The rights of the individual are fully safeguarded and the fundamental distinctions of personal endowment natural among all people are fully preserved. Individual rights, however, are interpreted in the light of the supreme law of brotherhood and not made a sanction for selfishness, oppression and indifference.
On the other hand, the Bahá'í order is not a democracy in the sense that it proceeds
Page 6from the complete sovereignty of the people, whose representatives are limited to carrying out the popular will. Sovereignty, in the Bahá'í community, is attributed to the Di'vine prophet, and the elected representatives of the believers in their administrative function look to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh for their guidance, having faith that the application of His universal principles is the source of order throughout the community.
Every Bahá'í administrative body feels itself a trustee, and in this capacity stands above the plane of dissension and is free of that pressure exerted by factional groups.
The local community on April 21 of each year elects by universal adult suffrage an administrative body of nine members called the
Spiritual Assembly. Thisbody, with reference to all Bahá'í matters, has sole power of decision.
It represents the collective conscience of the community with respect to Baha activities.
Its capacity and power are supreme within certain definite limitations.
The various local communities unite, through delegates elected annually according to the principle of proportionate representation, in the formation of a National Spiritual Assembly for their country or natural geographical area. This National Spiritual Assembly, likewise composed of nine mem-hers, administers all national Bahá'í affairs and may assume jurisdiction of any Local matter felt to be of more than local importance. Spiritual Assemblies, local and national, combine an executive, a legislative and a judicial function, all within the limits set by the Bahá'í teachings. They have no re-~emb1ance to religious bodies which can adopt articles of faith and regulate the processes of belief and worship.
They are primarily responsible for the maintenapce of unity within the Bahá'í community and for the release of its collective power in service to the Cause.
Membership in the Bahá'í community is granted, on personal declaration of faith, to adults.
Nine National SpiritualAssemblies have come into existence since the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921. Each
National Spiritual Assemblywill, in future, constitute an electoral body in the formation of an International Spiritual Assembly, a consummation which will perfect the administrative order of the Faith and create, for the first time in history, an international tribunal representing a worldwide community united in a single Faith.
Bahá'ís maintain their contact with the source of inspiration and knowledge in the sacred writings of the Faith by continuous prayer, study and discussion. No believer can ever have a finished, static faith any more than he can arrive at the end of his capacity for being.
The community has but one meeting ordained in the teachings � the general meeting held every nineteen days, on the first day of each month of nineteen days given in the new calendar established by the Báb.
This Nineteen Day Feastis conducted simply and informally under a program divided into three parts.
The first part consists in the reading of passages from writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Báb and 'Abdu'1-Bah6,----a devotional meeting. Next follows general discussion of Bahá'í activities � the business meeting of the local community. After the consultation, the community breaks bread together and enjoys fellowship.
The experience which Bahá'ís receive through participation in their spiritual world order is unique and cannot be paralleled in any other society. Their status of perfect equality as voting members of a constitu-. tional body called upon to deal with matters which reflect, even though in miniature, the whole gamut of human problems and activities; their intense realization of kinship with believers representing so wide a diversity of races, classes and creeds; their assurance that this unity is based upon the highest spiritual sanction and contributes a necessary ethical quality to the world in this age � all these opportunities for deeper and broader experience confer a privilege that is felt to be the fulfillment of life.
Page 7man is left in his natural state, he will become lower than the animal and continue to grow more ignorant and imperfect. The savage tribes of Central Africa are evidence of this.
Left in their natural condition, they have sunk to the lowest depths and degrees of barbarism, dimly groping in a world of mental and moral obscurity. God has purposed that the darkness of the world of nature shall be dispelled and the imperfect attributes of the natal self be effaced in the effulgent reflection of the Sun of TrUIh." � 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ.
The complete text of the Bahá'í sacred writings has not yet been translated into English, but the present generation of be � lievers have the supreme privilege of possessing the fundamental teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, together with the interpretation and lucid commentary of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and more recently the exposition made by Shoghi Effendi of the teachings concerning the world order which Bahá'u'lláh came to establish. Of special significance to Baha of Europe and America is the fact that, unlike
Christianity, the Causeof Bahá'u'lláh rests upon the Prophet's own words and not upon a necessarily incomplete rendering of oral tradition. Furthermore, the commentary and explanation of the Bahá'í gospel made by 'Abdu'l-Bahá preserves the spirtual integrity and essential aim of the revealed text, without the inevitable alloy of human personality which historically served to corrupt the gospel of Jesus and Muhammad. The Baha'i, moreover, has this distinctive advantage, that his approach to the teachings is personal and direct, without the veils interposed by any human intermediary.
The works which supply the Baha teachings to English-reading believers are: "The Kitáb-i-fqin" (Book of Certitude), in which Bahá'u'lláh revealed the oneness of the Prophets and the identical foundation of all true religions, the law of cycles according to which the Prophet returns at intervals of approximately one thousand years, and the nature of faith; ccHidd 'Words," the essence of truths revealed by Prophets in the past; prayers to quicken the soul's life and draw individuals and groups nearer to God; "Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh" (Tar~z~t, The Tablet of the World, Ka1im~t, Tajalli-yit, BisMr4t, IslirAqit), which establish social and spiritual principles for the new era; "Th Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh" (Tablet of the Branch, Kitáb-i-'Ahd, Lawlj-i-Aqdas), the appointment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the Interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, theTesta-ment of Bahá'u'lláh, and His message to the Christians; "Epistle to the Son of the 'Wolf," addressed to the son of a prominent fr&nian who had been a most ruthless oppressor of the believers, a Tablet which recapitulates many teachings Bahá'u'lláh had revealed in earlier works; tcGleanings from the 'Writings of Bahá'u'lláh." The significant Tablets addressed to rulers of Europe and the Orient, as well as to the heads of American Republics, about the year 1870, summoning them to undertake measures for the establishment of Universal Peace, constitute a chapter in the compilation entitled (cBah?i Scriptures."
The largest and most authentic body of Bahá'u'lláh's Writings in the English language consists of the excerpts chosen and translated by Shoghi Effendi, and published under the title of "Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh."
In 'tPrayers and Meditationsby Bahá'u'lláh," Shoghi Effendi has similarly given to the Bahá'í Community in recent years a wider selection and a superb rendering of devotional passages revealed by Bahá'u'lláh.
The published writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are: "Some Answered Questions," dealing with the lives of the Prophets, the interpretation of Bible prophecies, the nature of man, the true principle of evolution and other philosophic subjects;
!CMtiForces of Civilization," a work addressed to the people of Inin about forty years ago to show them the way to sound progress and true civilization; "Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá," three volumes of excerpts from letters written to individual believers and Bahá'í communities, which illumine a vast range of subjects; "Promulgation of Universal Peace," in two volumes, from stenographic records of the public addresses delivered by the Master to audiences in Canada and the United
Page 8States during the year 1912; "The Wisdom of 'Abdu'l-Bahá," a similar record of His addresses in Paris; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in London"; and reprints of a number of individual Tablets, especially that sent to the Committee for a Durable Peace, The Hague, Holland, in 1919, and the Tablet addressed to the late Dr. Forel of Switzerland. The Will and Testament left by 'Abdu'l-Bahá has special significance, in that it provided for the future development of Baha administrative institutions and the
Guardianship.The most comprehensive selection of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá now available in the English language is CCBhi~i World
Faith."To these writings is now to be added the book entitled CtB ii'" Administration," consisting of the general letters written by Shoghi Effendi as Guardian of the Cause since the Master's death in 1921, which explain the details of the administrative order of the Cause, and his letters on World Order, which make clear the social principles imbedded in
Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation.These latter letters were in 1938 published in a volume entitled "The
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh."Here the Guardian defines the relation of the Faith to the current social crisis, and sums up the fundamental tenets of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a work which gives to each believer access to a clear insight on the significance of the present era, and the outcome of its international perturbations, incomparably more revealing and at the same time more assuring than the works of students and statesmen in our times.
After laying the basis of the administrative order, and explaining the relations between the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and the current movements and events which transform the world, the Guardian has written books of more general Bahá'í import.
In "The Advent of Divineexpounded the significance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í teaching plan for North America against a background of ethical and social regeneration required for Bahá'í service today.
ccThe Promised Day Is Come" examines the history of the Faith in its early days when the world repudiated the BTh and Bahá'u'lláh and inflicted supreme suffering upon them and their followers, and develops the thesis that war and revolution come as penalty for rejection of the Manifestation of God.
The literature has also been enriched by Shoghi Effendi's recent translation of ttrne Dawn-Breakers," Nabil's Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá'í Revelation, a vivid eyewitness account of the episodes which resulted from the announcement of the BTh on May 23,
1844. "The Traveller'sNarrative," translated from a manuscript given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the late Prof. Edward G. Browne of Cambridge University, is the only other historical record considered authentic from the Bahá'í point of view.
When it is borne in mind that the term ~'re1igious literature" has come to represent a wide diVersity of subject matter, ranging from cosmic philosophy to the psychology of personal experience, from efforts to understand the universe plumbed by telescope and microscope to efforts to discipline the passions and desires of disordered human hearts, it is clear that any attempt to summarize the Bahá'í teachings would indicate the limitations of the person making the summary rather than offer possession of a body of sacred literature touching the needs of man and society at every point. The study of Bahá'í writings does not lead to any simplified program either for the soiu-tion of social problems or for the development of human personality. Rather should it be likened to a clear light which illumines whatever is brought under its rays, or to spiritual nourishment which gives life to the spirit. The believer at first chiefly notes the passages which seem to confirm his own personal beliefs or treat of subjects close to his own previous training.
This natural but nevertheless unjustifiable oversimplification of the nature of the Faith must gradually subside and give way to a deeper realization that the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are as an ocean, and all personal capacity is but the vessel that must be refilled again and again. The sum and substance of the faith of Bahá'ís is not a doctrine, not an organiza-man, but their acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh as Manifestation of God. In this acceptance lies the mystery of a unity that is general, not particular, inclusive, not exclusive, and
Page 9limited in its gradual extension by no boundaries drawn in the social world nor arbitrary limitations accepted by habits formed during generations lacking a true spiritual culture.
What the believer learns reverently to be grateful for is a source of wisdom to which he may turn for continuous mental and moral development � a source of truth revealing a universe in which man's life has valid purpose and assured realization.
Human history begins to reflect the working of a beneficent Providence; the sharp outlines of material sciences gradually fade out in the light of one fundamental science of life; a profounder sociology, connected with the inner life, little by little displaces the superficial economic and political beliefs which like waves dash high an instant oniy to subside into the moveless volume of the sea.
CCTj~ divine reality," 'Abdu'l-Bahá has said, ttj~ unthinkable, limitless, eternal, immortal and invisible. The world of c~reation is bound by natural law, finite and mortal. The infinite reality cannot be said to ascend or descend.
It is beyond the understanding of men, and cannot be described in terms which apply to the phenomenal sphere of the created world. Man, then, is in extreme need of the oniy power by which he is able to receive help from the divine reality, that power alone bringing him into contact with the source of all life.
ttAn intermediary is needed to bring two extremes into relation with each other. Riches and poverty, plenty and need: without an intermediary there could be no rela-. tion between these pairs of opposites. So we can say that there must be a Mediator between God and man, and this is none other than the Holy Spirit, which brings the created earth into relation with the tUnrbink-able One,' the Divine reality. The Divine reality may be likened to the sun and die Holy Spirit to the rays of the sun. As the rays of the sun bring the light and warmth of the sun to the earth, giving life to all created things, so do the Manifestations bring the power of the Holy Spirit from the Divine Sun of Reality to give light and life to the souls of men."
In expounding the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh to public audiences in the West, 'Abdu'l-Bahá frequently encountered the attitude that, while the liberal religionist might well welcome and endorse such tenets, the Bahá'í teachings after all bring nothing new, since the principles of Christianity contain all the essentials of spiritual truth. The believer whose heart has been touched by the Faith so perfectly exemplified by 'Abdu'l-Bahá feels no desire for controversy, but must needs point out the vital difference between a living faith and a passive formula or doctrine. What religion in its renewal brings is first of aLL an energy to translate belief into life. This impulse, received into the profoundest depths of consciousness, requires no startling ttnewness" of concept or theory to be appreciated as a gift from the divine world.
It carries its own assurance as a renewal of life itself; it is as a candle that has been lighted, and in comparison with the miracle of light the discussion of religion as a form of belief becomes secondary in importance. Were the Bahá'í Faith no more than a true revitalization of the revealed truths of former religions, it would by that quickening quality of inner life, that returning to God, still a~sert itself as the supreme fact of human experience in this age.
For religion returns to earth in order to reestablish a standard of spiritual reality. It restores the quality of human existence, its active powers, when that reality has become overlaid with sterile rites and dogmas which substitute empty shadow for substance.
In the person of the Manifestation it destroys all those imitations of religion gradually developed through the centuries and summons humanity to the path of sacrifice and devotion.
Revelation, moreover, is progressive as well as periodic. Christianity in its original essence not only relighted the candle 0f faith which, in the years since Moses, bad become extinguished � it amplified the teachings of Moses with a new dimension which history has seen exemplified in the spread of faith from tribe to nations and peoples. Bahá'u'lláh has given religion its world dimension, fulfilling the fundamental purpose of every previous Revelation.
His Faith stands at the reality within Christianity, within Muhammadanism, within the religion of
Page 10Moses, the spirit of each, but expressed in teachings which relate to all mankind.
The Bahá'í Faith, viewed from within, is religion extended from the individual to embrace humanity.
It is religion universalized; its teaching for the individual, spiritually identical with the teaching of Christ, supplies the individual with an ethics, a so � cioiogy, an ideal of social order, for which humanity in its earlier stages of development was not prepared. Individual fulfillment has been given an oblective social standard of reality, balancing the subjective ideal derived from religion in the past. Bahá'u'lláh has removed the false distinctions between the "spiritual" and "material" aspects of life, due to which religion has become separate from science, and morality has been divorced from all social activities.
The whole arena of human affairs has been brought within the realm of spiritual truth, in the light of the teaching that materialism is not a thing but a motive within the human heart.
The Bahá'í learns to perceive the universe as a divine creation in which man has his destiny to fulfill under a beneficent Providence whose aims for humanity are made known through Prophets who stand between man and the Creator. He learns his true relation to the degrees and orders of the visible universe; his true relation to God, to himself, to his fellow man, to mankind.
The more he studies the Bahá'í teachings, the more he becomes imbued with the spirit of unity, the more vividly he perceives the law of unity working in the world today, indirectly manifest in the failure which has overtaken all efforts to organize the princi-pie of separation and competition, directly manifest in the power which has brought together the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in East and West. He has the assurance that the world's turmoil conceals from worldly minds the blessings long foretold, now forgotten, in the sayings which prophesied the coming of the Kingdom of God.
The Sacred Literatureof the Baha Faith conveys enlightenment. It inspires life. It frees the mind, it disciplines the heart.
For believers, the Word is not a philosophy to be learned, but the sustenance of king throughout the span of mortal existence.
~tThe Baha Faith," ShoghiEffendi stated in a recent letter addressed to a public official, "recognizes the unity of God and of 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 progres-sire society.
It inculcates the principle of equal opportunity, fights and privileges for both sexes, advocates compulsory education, abolishes extremes of poverty and wealth, recommends the adoption of an auxiliary international language, and provides the nec � essary agencies for the establishment and safeguarding of a permanent and universal peace.
~ Those who, even courteously, would dismiss a Faith so firmly based, will have to admit that, whether or not by their test the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are new, the world's present plight is unprecedented, came without warning save in the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and day by day draws nearer a climax which strikes terror to the responsible student of current affairs.
Humanity itseff now seems to share the prison and exile which an unbelieving generation inflicted upon the Glory of God seventy years ago.
5. A BACKGROUND OF HEROIC SACRIFICECr0 My beloved friends! You are the bearers of the name of God in this Day. You have been chosen as the repositories of His mystery. It behooves each one of you to manifest the attributes of God, and to exemplify by your deeds and wards the signs of His righteousness, s, His power and glory. Ponder the words of Jesus addressed to His disciples, as He sent them forth to propagate the Cause of God." � Tnr Bab.
The words of Bahá'u'lláh differ in the pliers because they have been given substance minds of believers from the words of philoso-in the experience of life itself. The history
Page 11of the Faith stands ever as a guide and commentary upon the meaning and influence of the written text.
This history, unfolded contemporaneously with the rise of science and technology in the West, reasserts the providential element of human existence as it was reasserted by the spiritual consecration and personal suffering of the prophets and disciples of former times.
The world of BUm one hundred years ago lay in a darkness corresponding to the most degraded epoch of Europe's feudal age.
Between the upper and nether millstones of an absolutist state and a materialistic church, the people of tr~n were ground to a condition of extreme poverty and ignorance.
The pomp of the civil and religious courts glittered above the general ruin like firedamp on a rotten log.
In that world, however, a few devoted souis stood firm in their conviction that the religion of Mubammad was to be purified by the rise of a spiritual hero whose coming was assured in their interpretation of His gospel.
This remnant of the faithful one by one became conscious that in 'Au-Muhammad, since known to history as the Mb (the "Gate"), their hopes had been realized, and under the BTh's inspiration scattered themselves as His apostles to arouse the people and prepare them for the restoration of Islim to its original integrity. Against the Báb and His followers the whole force of church and state combined to extinguish a fiery zeal which soon threatened to bring their structure of power to the ground.
The ministry of the Báb covered only the six years between 1844 and His martyrdom by a military firing squad in the public square at Tabriz on July 9, 1850.
In the Bib's own written message He interpreted His mission to be the fulfillment of past religions and the heralding of a world educator and unifier, one who was to come to establish a new cycle.
Most of the Mb's chosen disciples, and many thousands of followers, were publicly martyred in towns and villages throughout the country in those years. The seed, however, had been buried too deep in hearts to be extirpated by any physical instrument of oppression.
After the Báb's martyrdom, the weight of official wrath fell upon ~usayn-'ALi, around whom the Báb's centered their hopes. Ilusayn-'Ali was imprisoned in TihrAn, exiled to Baghdad, from Baghd&d sent to Constantinople under the jurisdiction of the Sultan, exiled by the Turkish government to Adrianople, and at length imprisoned in the desolate barracks at 'Akka.
In 1863, while delayed outside of Eagh-d~id for the preparation of the caravan to be dispatched to Constantinople, Husayn-'Au established His Cause among the B~bis who insisted upon sharing His exile.
His declaration was the origin of the Bahá'í Faith in which the Bib's Cause was fulfilled. The B~bis who accepted ~usayn-'Au as Bahá'u'lláh (the Glory of God) were fully conscious that His mission was not a development of the BThi movement but a new Cause for which the BTh had sacrificed His life as the first of those who recognized the Manifestation or Prophet of the new age.
During forty years of exile and imprisonment, Bahá'u'lláh expounded a gospel which interpreted the spiritual meaning of ancient scriptures, renewed the reality of faith in God and established as the foundation of human society the principle of the oneness of mankind.
This gospel came into being in the form of letters addressed to individual believers and to groups in response to questions, in books of religious laws and princi-pies, and in communications transmitted to the kings and rulers calling upon them to establish universal peace.
This sacred literature has an authoritative commentary and interpretation in the text of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í writings during the years between Bahá'u'lláh's ascension in 1892 and 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í departure in 1921, Bahá'u'lláh having left a testament naming 'Abdu'l-Bahá (His eldest son) as the Interpreter of His Book and the Center of His Covenant.
The imprisonment of the Bahá'í community at 'Akka ended at last in 1908, when the Young Turks party overthrew the existing political r6gime.
For three years prior to the European War, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, then nearly seventy years of age, journeyed throughout Europe and America, and broadcast in public ad
Page 12dresses and innumerable intimate gatherings the new spirit of brotherhood and world unity penetrating His very being as the consecrated Servant of Baha. The significance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í commentary and explanation is that it makes mental and moral connection with the thoughts and social conditions of both East and West.
Dealing with matters of religious, philosophical, ethical and sociological nature, 'Abdu'l-Bahá expounded all questions in the light of His conviction of the oneness of God and the providential character of human life in this age.
The international Bahá'ícommunity, grief-stricken and appalled by its ioss of the wise and loving CCMaster~~ in 1921, learned with profound gratitude that 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a will and testament had provided for the continuance and future development of the Faith. This testament made clear the nature of the Spiritual Assemblies established in the text of Bahá'u'lláh and inaugurated a new center for the widespread community of believers in the appointment of His grandson. Shoghi Effendi, as Guardian of the Bahá'í
Faith.During the years of general confusion since 1921, the Bahá'í community has car-ned ned forward the work of internal consolidation and administrative order and has become conscious of its collective responsibility for the promotion of the blessed gospel of Bahá'u'lláh.
In addition to the task of establishing the structure of local and national Spiritual Assemblies, the believers have translated Baha literature into many languages, have sent teachers to all parts of the world, and have completed the exterior ornamentation of the Bahá'í House of Worship on Lake Michigan, Wilmette.
During the seven years since 1937, the final period of the first Bahá'í Century, the American believers have concentrated upon three major tasks: completion of the Temple exterior; formation of a Spiritual Assembly in each State of the United States and each Province of Canada; and the establishment of a nucleus in every independent country of Central and
South America.In the general letters issued to the Bahá'í community by Shoghi Effendi in order to execute the provisions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í testament, believers have been given what they are confident is the most profound and accurate analysis of the prevailing social disorder and its true remedy in the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
Page 13THROUGHOUT the period from 1940 to 1944 represented in this volume the Bahá'í community has been surrounded by a world at war. "War has created the environment in which this spiritual body has dwelt. War has established the conditions under which the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, losing their physical unity, have learned the true meaning of their unity in spirit and in truth. As communication and travel slackened and ceased, their realization of essential oneness quickened.
As the pressure of a struggling society intensified, longing for the Kingdom of peace and fellowship filled their hearts. As many nations and peo-pies committed their very existence to human policy exploiting hope for lasting power and wealth and expanded authority, the Bahá'ís developed clearer understanding of the import of a Divine policy committed to the whole of mankind. As sectarian creeds were made aware of their impotence in the face of a dire world need, the Bahá'í Faith found sustenance in witnessing the fulfilment of the prophecies of all the ancient Prophets, and inspiration in the surpassing power released by Bahá'u'lláh's Tablets to the Kings.
These Tablets, unique in the world's sacred literature, have for the Bahá'ís been the expression of an Authority and a Power SuperIor to the events of this time, superior to the human forces attempting to ride these events and guide them to limited, partisan goals, superior to the shifting waves of popular hopes and fears: the sign, no less, that the ultimate victory of the spirit is to be achieved on earth.
Therefore, as each national Bahá'í community has concentrated effort upon certain definite tasks, such as the spread of the Faith to new countries and areas or the construction of a befitting Hazir6xu'1-Quds or national administrative center, and every local community has multiplied its range of action, the Bahá'ís as a spiritual body, a religious world commonwealth, have been experiencing a profound humility and renewal. The Guardian's providential gift of the Tablets to the Kings through the chosen passages forming so vital a part of his work !cThe Promised
Day Is Come" armed the Baha'isagainst the psychic onslaught of war itself, and created an inner peace which nothing in the world can assail.
J~ C7}~C Promised Dayasserted the spiritual power of his station as Guardian of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh by meeting, once and for all, the challenge made by terror, death and devastation to the minds and hearts of men.
He has written the justification of faith, restored the integrity of rc4igion in human experience, and disclosed the unique and universal character of the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh.
In this volume the world has light for its darkness, healing for its hurt, guidance for its future, justice for its wrongs, purification for its evil. There can be no more suitable introduction to a summary of international Bahá'í activity from 1940 to 1944 than a presentation of
Page 14A Group of Early Persian Bahá'í Sufferers for the Faith.
On the left: JinAbi-i-Varq~ and his son Riiliu'lIAh, who were later martyred.
On the extreme right: Ifl&ji im~n-i-Zanj&ni, a survivor of the Zanj~n upheaval.
key passages from the Guardian's book, written in the form of a communication addressed to the Bahá'ís throughout the West dated March 28, 1941.
CtA tempest, unprecedented in its violence, unpredictable in its course, catastrophic in its immediate effects, unimaginably glorious in its ultimate consequences, is at present sweeping the face of the earth.
Its driving power is remorselessly gaining in range and momentum.
Its cleansing force, however much undetected, is increasing with every passing day. Humanity, gripped in the clutches of its devastating power, is smitten by the evidences of its resistless fury.
It can neither perceive its origin, nor probe its significance, nor discern its outcome. Bewildered, agonized and helpless, it watches this great and mighty wind of God invading the remotest and fairest regions of the earth, rocking its foundations, deranging its equilibrium, sundering its nations, disrupting the homes of its peo pies, wasting its cities, driving into exile its kings, pulling down its bulwarks, uprooting its institutions, dimming its light, and harrowing up the souis of its inhabitants.
tThe time for the destruction of the world and its people,' Bahá'u'lláh's prophetic pen has proclaimed, thath arrived. The hour is approaching,' He specifically affirms, twhcn the most great convulsion will have appeared.'
"The powerful operations of this titanic upheaval are comprehensible to none except such as have recognized the claims of both Bahá'u'lláh and the BTh."
ttThis judgment of God, as viewed by those who have recognized Bahá'u'lláh as His Mouthpiece and His greatest Messenger on earth, is both a retributory calamity and an act of holy and supreme discipline.
It is at once a visitation from God and a cleansing process for all mankind.
Its fires punish the perversity of the human race, and
Page 15weld its component parts into one organic, indivisible, world-embracing community. Mankind, in these fateful years, which at once signalize the passing of the first century of the Bahá'í Era and proclaim the opening of a new one, is as ordained by Him Who is both the Judge and the Redeemer of the human race, being simultaneously called upon to give account of its past actions, and is being purged and prepared for its future mission. It can neither escape the responsibilities of the past, nor shirk those of the future."
These great oppressions,' He, moreover, foreshadowing humanity's golden age, has written, tare preparing it for the advent of the
Most Great Justice.'is indeed the Justice upon which the structure of the Most Great Peace can alone, and must eventually, rest, while the Most Great Peace will, in turn, usher in that Most Great, that World Civilization which shall remain forever associated with Him 'Who beareth the Most Great
Name."(Cror a whole century God has respited mankind, that it might acknowledge the Founder of such a Revelation, espouse His Cause, proclaim His greatness, and establish His Order.
In a hundred volumes, the repositories of priceless precepts, mighty laws, unique principles, impassioned exhortations, reiterated warnings, amazing prophecies, sublime invocations, and weighty commentaries, the Bearer of such a Message has proclaimed, as no Prophet before Him has done, the Mission with which God had entrusted Him. To emperors, kings, princes and potentates, to rulers, governments, clergy and peoples, whether of the East or of the West, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Zor � oastrian, He addressed, for well-nigh fifty years, and in the most tragic circumstances, these priceless pearls of knowledge and wisdom that lay hid within the ocean of His matchless utterance."
~~Unmitigated indifference on the part of men of eminence and rank; unrelenting hatred shown by the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the Faith (i. e., Is1~m) from which it had sprung; the scornful derision of the people among whom it was born; the utter contempt which most of the kings and rulers who had been addressed by its Author mani fested towards it; the condemnations pronounced, the threats hurled, and the banishments decreed by those under whose sway it arose and first spread; the distortion to which its principles and laws were subjected by the envious and the malicious, in lands and peoples far beyond the country of its origin � all these are but the evidences of the treatment meted out by a generation sunk in self-content, careless of its God, and oblivious of the omens, prophecies, warnings and admonitions revealed by His Messengers.
CCTO the mounting tide of trials which laid low the Bib, to the long-drawn-out calamities which rained on Bahá'u'lláh, to the warnings sounded by both the Herald and the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation, must be added the sufferings which, for no less than seventy years, were endured by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, as well as His pleas, and entreaties, uttered in the evening of His life, in connection with the dangers that increasingly threatened the whole of mankind."
"How often and how passionately did He appeal to those in authority and to the public at large to examine dispassionately the precepts enunciated by His Father? With what precision and emphasis He unfolded the system of the Faith He was expounding, elucidated its fundamental verities, stressed its distinguishing features, and proclaimed the redemptive character of its principles?
How insistently did He foreshadow the impending chaos, the approaching upheavals, the universal conflagration which, in the concluding years of His life, had oniy begun to reveal the measure of its force and the significance of its impact on human society?"
ttAfter a revolution of well-nigh one hundred years what is it that the eye encounters as one surveys the international scene and looks back upon the early beginnings of Bahá'í history? A world convulsed by the agonies of contending systems, races and nations, entangled in the mesh of its accumulated falsities, receding farther and farther from Him Who is the sole Author of its destinies, and sinking deeper and deeper into a fratricidal carnage which its neglect and persecution of Him Who is its
Page 16A Faith, still proscribed, yet bursting through its chrysalis, emerging from the obscurity of a century-old repression, face to face with the awful evidences of God's wrathful anger, and destined to arise above the ruins of a smitten civilization."
rCWe are indeed living in an age which, if we would correctly appraise it, should be regarded as one which is witnessing a dual phenomenon. The first signalizes the death-pangs of an order, effete and godless, that has stubbornly refused, despite the signs and portents of a century-old Revelation, to attune its processes to the precepts and ideals which that Heaven-sent Faith proffered it. The second proclaims the birth-pangs of an Order, divine and redemptive, that will inevitably supplant the former, and within whose administrative structure an embryonic civilization, incomparable and world-embracing, is imperceptibly maturing.
The one is being rolled up, and is crashing in oppression, bloodshed, and ruin. The other opens up vistas of a justice, a unity, a peace, a culture, such as no age has ever seen.
"For the trials which have afflicted the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh a responsibility appalling and inescapable rests upon those into whose hands the reins of civil and ecclesiastical authority were delivered. The kings of the earth and the world's religious leaders alike must primarily beat the brunt of such an awful responsibility. tEvery one well knoweth,' Bahá'u'lláh Himself testifies, tthat all the kings have turned aside from Him, and all the religions have opposed Him'."
"It should not be forgotten that it was the kings of the earth and the world's religious leaders who, above all other categories of men, were made the direct recipients of the Message proclaimed by both the B&b and Bahá'u'lláh.
It was they who were deliberately addressed in numerous and historic Tablets, who were summoned to respond to the Call of God, and to whom were directed, in clear and forcible language, the appeals, the admonitions and warnings of His persecuted Messengers. It was they who, when the Faith was born, and later when its mission was proclaimed, were still, for the most part, wielding unquestioned and absolute civil and ecclesiastical authority over their subjects and followers. It was they who, whether glorying in the pomp and pageantry of a kingship as yet scarcely restricted by constitutional limitations, or entrenched within the strongholds of a seemingly inviolable ecclesiastical power, assumed ultimate responsibility for any wrongs inflicted by those whose immediate destinies they controlled. It would be no exaggeration to say that in most of the countries of the European and Asiatic continents absolutism, on the one hand, and complete subservience to ecclesiastical hierarchies, on the other, were still the outstanding features of the political and ligious life of the masses.
These, dominated and shackled, were robbed of the necessary freedom that would enable them to either appraise the claims and merits of the Message proffered to them, or to embrace unreservedly its truth."
t~The magnitude and diversity of the theme, the cogency of the argument, the sublimity and audacity of the language, arrest our attention and astound our minds. Emperors, kings and princes, chancellors and ministers, the Pope himself, priests, monks and philosophers, the exponents of learning, parliamentarians and deputies, the rich ones of the earth, the followers of all religions, and the people of Baha � all are brought within the purview of the Author of these Messages, and receive, each according to their merits, the counsels and admonitions they deserve."
c(The transcendent majesty and unity of an unknowable and unapprachable God is extolled, and the oneness of His Messengers proclaimed and emphasized. The uniqueness, the universality and potentialities of the Bahá'í Faith are stressed, and the purpose and character of the Báb Revelation unfolded.
The significance of Bahá'u'lláh's sufferings and banishment is disclosed, and the tribulations rained down upon His Herald and upon His Namesake recognized and lamented."
ctAppeals for the application of the highest principles in human and international relations are forcibly and insistently made, and the abandonment of discreditable practises and conventions, detrimental to the
Page 17happiness, the growth, the prosperity and the unity of the human race, enjoined. Kings are censured, ecclesiastical dignitaries arraigned, ministers and plenipotentiaries condemned, and the identification of His advent with the coming of the Father Himself unequivocally admitted and repeatedly announced.
The violent downfall of a few of these kings and emperors is prophesied, two of them definitely challenged, most are warned, all are appealed to and exhorted."
"The decline in the fortunes of the crowned wielders of temporal power has been paralleled by a no less startling deterioration in the influence exercised by the world's spiritual leaders. The colossal events that have heralded the dissolution of so many kingdoms and empires have almost synchronized with the crumbling of the seemingly inviolable strongholds of religious orthodoxy. That same proces.s which, swiftly and tragically, sealed the doom of kings and emperors, has operated in the case of the ecclesiastical leaders of both Christianity and IsUm, damaging their prestige, and, in some cases, overthrowing their highest institutions.
cPower hath been seized' indeed, from both tkings and ecciesi-astics.' The glory of the former has been eclipsed, the� power of the latter irretrievably lost."
"This great retributive calamity, for which the world's supreme leaders, both secular and religiqus, are to be regarded as primarily answerable, as testified by Bahá'u'lláh, should not, if we would correctly appraise it, be regarded solely as a punishment meted out by God to a world that has, for a hundred years, persisted in its refusal to embrace the truth of the redemptive Message proffered to it by the supreme Messenger of God in this day. It should be viewed also, though to a lesser degree, in the light of a divine retribution for the perversity of the human race in general, in casting itself adrift from those elementary principles which must, at all times, govern, and can alone safeguard, the life and progress of mankind. Humanity has, alas, with increasing insistence, preferred, instead of acknowledging and adoring the Spirit of God as embodied in His religion in this day, to worship those false idols, untruths and half-truths, which are obscuring its religions, corrupting its spiritual life, convulsing its political institutions, corroding its social fabric, and shattering its economic structure.
t~Not only have the peoples of the earth ignored, and some of them even assailed, a Faith which is at once the essence, the promise, the reconciler, and the unifier of all religions, but they have drifted away from their own religions, ~and set up on their subverted altars other gods wholly alien not oniy to the spirit but to the traditional forms of their ancient faiths."
crThe chief idols in the desecrated temple of mankind are none other than the triple gods of Nationalism, Racialism and Communism, at whose altars governments and peoples, whether democratic or totalitarian, at peace or at war, of the East or of the West, Christian or Islamic, are, in various forms and in different degrees, now worshipping. Their high priests are the politicians and the worldly-wise, the socalled sages of the age; their sacrifice, the flesh and blood of the slaughtered ifiultitudes; their incantations outworn shibboleths and insidious and irreverent formulas; their incense, the smoke of anguish that ascends from the lacerated hearts of the bereaved, the maimed, and the homeless.
~The theories and policies, so unsound, so pernicious, which deify the state and exalt the nation above mankind, which seek to subordinate the sister races of the world to one single race, which discriminate between the black and the white, and which tolerate the dominance of one privileged class over all others � these are the dark, the false, the crooked doctrines for which any man or people who believes in them, or acts upon them, must, sooner or later, incur the wrath and chastisement of God."
"Contrasting with, and irreconcilably opposed to, these engendering, world-con-vulsing doctrines, are the healing, the saving, the pregnant truths proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, the Divine Organizer and Saviour of the whole human race � truths which should be regarded as the animating force and the hallmark of His
Revelation:kind its citizens.' tLet not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he ioves his kind.' And again: 'Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.' tEnd your minds and wills to the education of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, that imply all mankind may become the upholders of one order, and the inhabitants of one city �Ye dwell in one world, and have been created through the operation of one Will.'
"The flames which His Divine Justice have kindled cleanse an unregenerate humanity, and fuse its discordant, its warring elements as no other agency can cleanse or fuse them.
It is not only a retributive and destructive fire, but a disciplinary and creative process, whose aim is the salvation, through unification, of the entire planet. Mysteriously, slowly, and resistlessly God accomplishes His design, though the sight that meets our eyes in this day be the spectacle of a world hopelessly entangled in its own meshes, utterly careless of the Voice which, for a century, has been calling it to God, and miserably subservient to the siren voices which are attempting to lure it into the vast abyss."
ttThe world is, in truth, moving on to � wards 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, dent 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, worldwide, 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, bleeding limbs of mankind into one body, single, orgaixically united, and {ndivisible."
The text from which these few excerpts are taken contains many selections from Bahá'u'lláh's Tablets to the Kings and His Messages addressed to the official heads of religions. They arc not cited here for the reason that these Tablets are reproduced elsewhere in the present volume.
What appears above is the fundamental Bahá'í position in relation to the whole movement of world events.
A survey of actions and events within the worldwide Bahá'í community, while it must necessarily reveal the shock and perturbation caused by the general dislocation of life today, will disclose at least a portion of the arc of progress and evolution which the Bahá'í community makes in every period in attainment of its destined goal.
Three separate but interconnected lines of development will be noted by every person aware of the nature of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh: first, an increase in the number of declared believers; second, the formation of new institutions and the strengthening of existing institutions within the local, national and international Bahá'í commun-fry, adapting the Bahá'í body to a condition of approaching maturity; and third, a greater degree of recognition by civil and ecclesiastical institutions that the Faith is an independent, a revealed religion bearing within it a potency which, by successive stages and degrees, must eventually challenge the truth, the vir;ue, the power and the authority of every social organization on earth. The history of the Bahá'í community is not a record of incident but a reflection of the divine will, divine, integral and supreme no matter how weak and ineffective the instruments through which it works at any given time, in any particular place.
NATIONAL BABEl HEADQUARTERSThe social organism, like the individual personality, operates by qualities whose effective functioning requires instruments. Every social institution is inherently the projection of a quality within the life of civilization.
A spiritually conscious order will therefore create the means by which it can manifest the truths and the virtues which lie within its collective soul. As it
Page 19has understanding, so it will build schools; as it has devotion, so it will create houses of worship; as it has justice, so it will create courts of law; as it has will, so it evolves government.
But while the capacity remains latent and ineffective without the institution, so the institution becomes negative and parasitic without the flow of sustaining life from the quality it is supposed to manifest.
False is the mysticism which remains aloof from the instruments of civilization because it feels that the qualities by themselves are perfect and complete; materialistic is the man who has confidence in the institutions, because of their avowed functions, when their connection with the spirit has become broken.
The Bahá'í community is an organism imbued with certain spiritual realities which seek expression and influence in human life. Therefore it is an organism possessing a society-building power.
The Bábi'is in all countries, whatever the stage of their collective development, are actively concerned with their administrative agencies, whether Assemblies or Committees, because without the organs of a true society their spiritual experience could not maintain its vital integrity. To remain honest, a man must strive to assure the dominion of honesty throughout the area of his social existence. The point at which he ceases to strive is the point where his honesty fails and finds justification in dogma and myth.
During the period under consideration, the Bahá'í community expressed itself in the development of a Uaziratu'1-Quds, or Headquarters, in the various countries possessing a National Spiritual Assembly. This action discloses a turning point in their evolution, marking the commencement of a new stage in the history of the Faith.
From Persia the Assemblyreports that the central auditorium of the Haziratu'1-Quds, in Tihr~n, has been completed.
The circular auditorium is three stories in height, with two tiers of loges. The grounds have been landscaped, and much work has been done on the building. The Persian Bahá'ís plan to equip their National Office with every modern facility, including air-condi-tioning and indirect lighting.
The structure has become a landmark in the city where less than one hundred years ago Bahá'u'lláh was condemned as heretic and rebel, and thrust for months into the depths of a dungeon used for the vilest criminals of the realm.
Outside Tihr4n, the local Assemblies of Persia also have their iIa?iratu'1-Quds, the National Spiritual Assembly contributing to the local building fund when the local community itself needs assistance.
The Bahá'ís of Egypt laid the foundation stone of their Headquarters in Cairo in 1940, their funds permitting at that time only the construction of the first story intended for administration. The encouragement and contributions received from the Guardian, however, together with donations offered by other National Assemblies, so stimulated the spirit of sacrifice among the believers that the three story building, surmounted by a dome, was finished before the end of the first Bahá'í century.
The most complete description of a Ijaziratu'1-Quds comes in the report of the
National Spiritual Assemblyof 'Iraq, the administrative section of whose Headquarters had been constructed in Baslid~d by September, 1939. Since 1940, the building has been furnished and equipped. From the Assembly's report we cite these interesting facts: "The office rooms of both the National Spiritual Assembly and the Local Spiritual Assembly of Eaghd~d were provided with metal cases to contain dbcuments and records; typewriters; a duplicating machine; telephones, and other necessities. The room for the public meetings accommodates quite a number of attendants. The national library is furnished with modern book cases and shelves, and is provided with Bahá'í literature in many different languages, the nucleus of which had been graciously donated by the Guardian. This institution, which is being constantly enlarged through its own budget and provided with the latest Bahá'í publications, is playing an important role in the promotion of teaching work. The national archives, instituted by the expressed wish of the Guardian, and blessed by his gift of a picture of the inner Shrine of the Rib, has by now grown fairly rich with various sacred objects offered by the
Page 20Attendants at the Australian Bahá'í Summer School, held at Yerrinbool, 1942 Session.
believers for preservation from damage or loss. The room is beautifully furnished with modern cases and shelves which befit the sacred objects. The contents are arranged as follows: "Manuscripts comprising original Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá together with original letters and messages of the Guardian.
~'C1othes and personal articles of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, among which is a shirt of Bahá'u'lláh which He wore at the time the tragic martyrdom of the Purest Branch occurred in the Most Great Prison.
This shirt bears stains of the blood of that Youthful Martyr. Another sacred object is a handkerchief stained with blood believed to be of Bahá'u'lláh, which flowed out of His mouth after drinking the poisoned water given Him by the treacherous Mirza Yahy4.
The Guardian asked that these sacred relics be safely preserved in the archives, saying that these precious objects bless and protect the Baha community in 'Iraq.
c!Portraits and photographs of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, together with pictures of early believers, of martyrs, and of Bahá'í historic places.
Most sacred among these objects are locks of the hair of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
EcThus this Bahá'í spiritual and adminis trative center has, by reason of its splendid design, its priceless contents, and its spiritual atmosphere, proved to be an effective factor in promoting the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and enhancing its prestige."
Attached to, and forming a component part of, the Bahá'í Headquarters at
BaghdAd is a Guest Housewhich was virtually completed in April, 1944, a large two-storied building which can accommodate a considerable number of Bahá'í travelers and guests. The unfinished portion awaits the release of building material by the civil authorities.
Linking these two sections will be a spacious assembly hail or auditorium, the last part of the construction plan approved by the Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'IrAq, delayed on account of the shortage of building materials at this time.
The student of Bahá'í history will recall the time spent by Bahá'u'lláh with His family and followers in Baha, the Declaration of His Mission outside that city, and the designation of His House as the point of pilgrimage for the Bahá'ís of East and West.
To the Baha of 'Iraq the Guardian wrote at the time the completion of the first section of the Headquarters was being celebrated: CCThe country of 'IrAq will be the arena of the dawning of Light and the first link to connect Persia, the
Page 21Attendants at the Australian Bahá'í Summer School, held at Yerrinbool, 1943 Session.
cradle of the Faith of God, with the Holy Land, the point of adoration of the people of Bah~."
The formation of a Headquarters by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma has been one of the effects of the completion of the exterior of the Bahá'í House of Worship in North America. On January 15, 1943, the Assembly received a message from Shoghi Effendi informing the members that this event necessitated that they direct attention to the establishment of an administrative center for the Faith in India. The city of Delhi was designated.
The Guardian himself contributed to the building fund, and with active participation by the local Assemblies of India and other National Spiritual Assemblies, it become possible, despite the difficulties of the war period, to purchase a house for the centralizing of the Assembly activities.
ttln previous years," as the report states, "the National Office used to shift with (the residence of) the elected Secretary.
As rapidly as possible, the stock of the Publishing Committee has been transferred from Lahore, and the Assembly records are being centralized and permanently arranged. in India, three local Spiritual Assemblies have likewise pur chased property for use as a Local lja4ratu'1-Quds, in Bombay, Andheri, and
Quetta."How profoundly stirred we were, how honored, what a stimulus and tonic to the Australian and New Zealand Bahá'í community," the Assembly reports concerning the immediate and beneficial effects of the Guardian's action in donating funds for the establishment of a
National Bahá'í Headquartersin Sydney. c(W had been considering how to befittingly celebrate the end of the first Bahá'í century; now a munificent centenary gift was being made to us by our beloved Guardian."
Their joy and spirit of accomplishment was further deepened by receipt of contributions from their sister-Assemblies of other lands, the total amounting to �4,024/9 in Australian currency, or some $20,000 � truly, a most impressive evidence of spiritual solidarity manifested in the darkest days of world war. After extensive search, a property was purchased within the municipal area of Sydney which the Assembly considers an ideal choice. "Now we have realized more than ever before, the meaning of Bahá'í unity. We rejoice in the reality of our spiritual union with the believers throughout the world."
Page 22A group of early believers taken in 1898 in the studio of Arthur P. Dodge, in New York City. Left to right: E~zabeth Ann Dodge, Arthur P. Dodge, Anna Mason Hoar, W. H. Hoar. (Paul Dodge seated on floor.)
The Bahá'ís of North Americahad established National Headquarters some months before the period of the present survey in the studio constructed on land connected with the House of Worship by its architect, the late Louis J. Bourgeois, as reported in volume VIII. There are at present, therefote, six National Bahá'í Headquarters in existence symbolizing both to the public and to the Bahá'í community itself that the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is a process of continuous growth and activity which little by little manifests the organic oneness of the human race. The Bahá'ís have traversed a great part of the road leading to the institution of the
Universal House of Justice.The Guardian wrote concerning this step in a letter dated July 4, 1939: � "The readiness of your Assembly to transfer the National Bahá'í Secretariat to the vicinity of the Temple in Wilmette has evoked within me the deepest feelings of thankfulness and soy. Your historic decision, so wise and timely, so surprising in its suddenness, so far-reaching in its consequences, is one that I cannot but heartily and unreservedly applaud. To each one of your brethren in the Faith, throughout the United States and Canada, who are witnessing, from day to day and at an ever-hastening speed, the approaching completion of their National House of Worship, the great Mother Temple of the West, your resolution to establish within its hallowed precincts and in the heart of the North American continent the Administrative Seat of their beloved Faith cannOt but denote henceforth a closer association, a more constant communion, and a higher degree of coordination between the two primary agencies providentially ordained for the enrichment of their spiritual life and for the conduct and regulation of their administrative affairs. To the far-flung Bahá'í communities of East and West, most of which are being increasingly proscribed and ill � treated, and none of which can claim to have had a share of the dual blessings which a specially designed and constructed House
Page 23The ccBoard of Counsel" of the Bahá'í Assembly of New York City, 1900. Seated, left to right: Orosco C. Woolson, Howard MacNutt, Arthur P. Dodge, Charles E. Sprague.
Standing, left to right: Anton F. Hadd~id (honorary), Frank E. Osborne, looper Harris, William H. Hoar, Andrew Hutchinson, and Edwin A. Putnam.
of Worship and a fully and efficiently functioning
Administrative Orderinvariably confer, the concentration in a single Locality of what will come to be regarded as the fountainhead of the community's spiritual life and what is already recognized as the mainspring of the administrative activities, signalizes the launching of yet another phase in the slow and imperceptible emergence, in these declining times, of the model Bahá'í community � a community divinely ordained, organically united, clear-visioned, vibrant with life, and whose very purpose is regulated by the twin directing principles of the worship of God and of service to one's fellowmen.
(CThe decision you have arrived at is an act that befittingly marks the commencement of your allotted term of stewardship in service to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. Moreover, it significantly coincides with the inauguration of that world mission of which the settlement of Bahá'í pioneers in the virgin territories of the North American continent has been but a prelude. That such a decision may speedily and without the slightest hitch be carried into effect is the deepest longing of my heart.
That those who have boldly carried so weighty a resolution may without pause or respite continue to labor and build up, as circumstances permit, around this administrative nucleus such accessories as the machinery of a fast evolving administrative order, functioning under the shadow of, and in such close proximity to, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar's must demand, is the object of my incessant and fervent prayer. That such a step, momentous as it is, may prove the starting point for acts of still greater renown and richer possibilities that will leave their distinct mark on the third year of the Seven Year Plan is a hope which I, together with all those who are eagerly following its progress, fondly and confidently cherish."
In these words we meet the attitude felt by the Guardian on all the Haziratu'1-Quds established since 1940.
Page 24mentioned, the Bahá'í world community has acquired a number of other important properties which either contribute facilities for larger service or bring Bahá'í control over sacred historic sites associated with the early days of the Faith.
In North America we note the following acquisitions: The administrative building constructed on Temple property for the work of the Treasurer and the Publishing Committee, with facilities also for the work of the Secretariat.
The Temple land has been improved by the realignment of Sheridan Road by the Village of Wilmette, involving an exchange of land on the west of the road for land on the east; the rental of a strip on Linden Avenue adjacent to the canal for use as a parking lot; grading and seeding of the area surrounding the House of Worship; fencing this area; enlargement of the area along the lake shore east of the National Office by fill extending to the water line; grading and seeding along the east side of Sheridan
Road.The House of Worship, the exterior ornamentation of which was completed in 1943, has been developed through successive contracts: the construction of tunnels and areaways; upper portion of the main story pylons; ornamentation of the main story; construction of circular steps; installation of tile drainage system at base of steps. Within the Temple foundation space and facilities have been provided for storage of publications by the Publishing Committee and for the storage and preservation of the sacred relics and records entrusted to the National Archives
Committee.The detailed report of Temple construction work during the four-year period under survey will be found elsewhere in the present volume.
The Wilhelm property at West Englewood, New Jersey, historic site of the Feast given by the Master in 1912 which He declared marked the spiritual birth of the Faith of
Bahá'u'lláh in NorthAmerica, will in future be developed with the sole Memorial to 'Abdu'l-Bahá in this continent. Mr. Roy C. Wilhelm has augmented his previous deeds of lots and buildings with the donation of the family home and lots one, two, three, four and five of Block D. This munificent gift, transferred to Trustees for the benefit of the National Spiritual Assembly, completes Mr. Wilhelm's intention of establishing the family home so signally blessed by the Master as a permanent Bahá'í property. Two lots lying between the home and the grove at the lower end of Evergreen Place, purchased by the late Mr. James and now in his daughter's possession, will be transferred later to the Trustees.
Green Acre Bahá'í Schoolin Eliot, Maine, has likewise benefited through a generous gift.
The property known as Nine Gables, beautifully remodeled farmhouse, with two studios, farm buildings, gardens and more than one hundred acres of land, Ihas been transferred by Mr. and Mrs. Siegfried Schopflocher to the Green Acre Trustees. As in the case of the 'Wilhelm house, the indenture reserves life use for the present owner.
The Rogers cottage, standing at the entrance to Green Acre, has been extensively remodeled and improved since the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Greenleaf, who for a number of years conducted it as a teaching center, and has been temporarily rented and made income-producing for the benefit of the
School.have been adding steadily to the historic sites and properties brought under their collective control, a sacred trust for the Bahá'í world community. Since 1940 the National Spiritual Assembly has acquired the following: "The house of the seven martyrs in Su1~nib~d (Persian 'IrAq); the resting place of Quddiis in Babul (formerly Wirfuriish); the house at
Miyanaj (Ardhirbayjan)visited by the Báb; the house and garden of Siyyod Muhammad-Rida, who fought at Tabars,, in Shahmirz~d the house of Haj Mirza Ma'sum (ZanjAn) where the Mb resided; the house of Bahá'u'lláh in Tihdn, and the houses adjacent to this."
Bahá'í properties of historic significance repaired since 1940, according to the report of the National Spiritual Assembly, include: "The house in Qum where the body of the B&b rested for a time; the house of
Page 25the mayor of Tihr4n where Phirili was imprisoned; the house of the martyr,
HAji Na~ir (SarAju'sh-ShuhadA)in Rasht; the shop of the Báb in Biishihr; the house of Hujjat in Zanjin; the house of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs in I~fAh4n; the houses of the four martyrs and the seven martyrs in Su1;in4b~d; lands surrounding the burial-place of the martyrs in Mirza; the shrine of Shaykh-Tabarsi; the bath attended by the B~b in the Street of the
Sword-Makers (ShirAz);the house at Miy~naj (Adhbirbiyj in); the house of Bahá'u'lláh in TihrTh."
The House of Worship which the Persian Bahá'ís are preparing to construct when conditions of economic and social stability are restored will assuredly be one of the marvels of the Bahá'í world.
For some nine years thehas been purchasing lands for that purpose near the capital city. By 1944 up to three million, five hundred and eighty-nine thousand square meters had been acquired, including several houses and two extensive gardens. Contributions are being received for the building fund, and the Assembly will begin the work on receipt of directions from Shoghi Effendi.
In Egypt, under circumstances of such importance that they are presented in connection with reports on the subject of civil recognition later in this survey, the Bahá'ís have developed a number of cemeteries for the interment of members of the Faith. In 1940 a burial place of four hundred square meters was acquired at Ismailia and one of an acre a year later at Cairo. The matter of similar cemeteries at
Alexandria and Port Sa'idhas been under discussion with the civil authorities, and the National. Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and the SudAn believes that the necessary permits will be obtained.
The Bahá'ís of Egypt have also received a valuable gift from Aly Effendi Saadeddin, member of the Bahá'í community of Port Sa'id.
On December 27, 1943, his property known as "Villa Safwan" was deeded to the Assembly. This estate is in Port Fouad on the east bank of the
Suez Canal, opposite PortSa'id. The gift represents a considerable asset to the Bahá'í community.
Data concerning national and international Bahá'í endowments were compiled by Shoghi Effendi as of the end of the first Bahá'í century, and the following material has been taken from his World Survey of the Bahá'í Faith: Estimated value of Bahá'í national endowments in the United States of America $1,768,339 Area of land purchased as the site of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of Persia 3,589,000 sq. meters Area of land surrounding and dedicated to the Shrine of the Bib on Mt. Carmel 140,600 sq. meters Area of land dedicated to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in 'Akka 1,000 sq. meters Area of land dedicated to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in the district of Gaza, Palestine 10,530 sq. meters Area of land dedicated to the Shrines of Bahá'u'lláh and the B~b in the Jordan Valley 2,354,108 sq. meters Area of land dedicated to the Shrines of Bahá'u'lláh and the BTh in Palestine and registered in the name of the Palestine Branch of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of the United States of America and Canada.
50,000 sq. meters Total cost of the structure of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Wilmette,
Ill.Land, including pine grove where 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave the unity feast in 1912.
Geyserville Bahá'í School,20 acres of land Wilson Property, Maiden, Massachusetts Wilson House, where 'Abdu'l-Bahá rested in 1912
Land$1,482,012.91 21,526.42 89,000.00 75,000.00 42,000.00 51,500.00 7,000.00 500.00 $1,768,539.33 These statistics do not include the physical value of the Bahá'í property which has developed in the form of books and pamphlets published by the several National Spiritual Assemblies in a total of forty-one different languages to the end of the period of this review, April 21, 1944.
THE FORMATION AND INCORPORATION OFIn nine countries Bahá'í local Spiritual Assemblies have been incorporated, thirty-seven in the United States, thirteen in India, three in Burma, two in Australia, two in Canada, one in Germany (suspended by the civil authorities), one in New Zealand, and one each in Costa Rica and Baliichist&n. The cities are given in the following list: United States of America � Berkeley,
Calif.Believers gathered at a Bahá'í Summer Conference held in Ontario, Canada.
BombayIn the formation of new Assemblies, the current four-year period greatly surpasses any similar period in the past.
From 'Iraqcomes the report that the Assemblies were increased from three to nine; the
Bahá'ísof India formed sixteen new Assemblies, making a total of twenty-nine; in
Englandin 19401941, ten new Assemblies in 19411942, nineteen the following year, and ten Assemblies in 19431944.
These numbers do not include the restoration of former assemblies dissolved for lack of numbers.
At the beginning of the four-year period there were 1 02
AssembliesTwo changes of fundamental importance have been made in the area of jurisdiction of a local
SpiritualThey are mentioned here because they no doubt apply to all local Assemblies of the Bahá'í
World Order.First is the Guardian's ruling that voting members of the local community must reside within the civil limits of the municipality, whether city, town or village.
HithFirst Canadian Bahá'í Summer Conference. Held in Montreal, 1941.
erto the local community in America admitted believers who had residence near enough to enable them to attend the meetings, thus extending the voting franchise to a considerable number of Bahá'ís associated with no community in their own immediate neighborhood, and preserving many relationships on the part of believers who had been connected with one particular Assembly for many years. The bylaws defined the area of jurisdiction of the Assembly in terms of the town or city, but conferred the right to accept as voters, pending the formation of an Assembly in their own civil unit, those who could travel to the Bahá'í center and keep in touch with the local affairs. In application this princi-pie frequently involved rather a question of desire or right on the part of the individual than of duly defined authority on the part of the institution.
In one case a local voting list for some time carried the name of a former resident who had not only established residence and a profession in Europe but had also become a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of that country.
Thus the new ruling, always implicit but not previously enforced, entailed a considerable number of changes for Assemblies and individuals, in some instances removing several or even a maiority of the members of the Assembly, experienced committee heads, and such a proportion of the community as to decrease its representation in the Annual Convention.
Some Assemblies had to be dissolved. The Bahá'ís who lost their status as members of a community no longer had capacity to vote in a Bahá'í election, since the Convention was composed of delegates chosen by the local communities qualified to elect a
Spiritual Assembly. Theformer right depended on the latter. Even where a delegate had been elected in March for an April Convention, to represent a community having an Assembly, if the Assembly could not be maintained after April 21, the delegate became disqualified. As the voting right is greatly prized and esteemed by Baha'is, the distinction between community member and isolated believer was keenly felt.
As hundreds of Bahá'ís were suddenly transferred for the first time to this latter category, the natianal Bahá'í community was profoundly altered. Instead of some eighty local communities, with a few score isolated believers, hundreds of groups came into existence composed of less than nine Baha'is, thus spreading the capacity to teach and develop new Assemblies throughout the country.
Page 29The recently completed National Administrative Headquarters, situated in the outskirts of Tihrin.
The second change initiated by Shoghi Effendi took advantage of this new condi-don to redefine the area of local Bahá'í jurisdiction.
NQ~hereas the local community had Len established on the basis of the civil municipality, the incorporated village, town or city, it was amplified to include townships and (the smaller) counties, even in some cascs the unincorporated village (if its area is definitely defined) and also the judicial districts into which certain counties are divided.
'Whether the township or county unit is taken as area of jurisdiction depends upon the manner in which the State has been politically subdivided. In New England the township is chosen rather than the county; in other States the township unit does not exist. In either case, the area of jurisdiction is defined as that part of the civil unit lying outside the villages, towns or cities.
The municipal unit is not dissolved within the township or county area but continues as an independent Bab~'i administrative area at this time. This change, indeed, restored the balance between urban and rural areas, for until the period of the present survey all rural Bahá'ís had been unable to form part of a voting community. Indeed, the Bahá'í franchise had not been so much a matter of individual right as of community achievement, for none could vote until a community of nine or more had come into being.
Later in this survey mention is made of a third organic change made by the Guardian which bases the Annual Convention upon the Bahá'ís of each State ot Province, transferring representation from local community to the new State community, with the result that every individual Bahá'í in the United States and Canada was qualified to vote for delegates composing the Centenary Convention of 1944.
The Bahá'í world community, seeking to establish religious societies for the administration of educational and humanitarian institutions, single in aim but varied in method, are beginning to uphold a universal standard of human values for recognition by civil authorities in many countries, many states and a great number of cities. A Bahá'í community in North Africa, in 'Idq, in
Page 30India, Australia, England, South America or the United States, requires a legal status by right, based upon spiritual truth and law, rather than by privilege, reflecting arbitrary authority, and similar in scope to the status of all other Bahá'í communities. The experience of these small communities in making effort to achieve such status is highly significant.
It means that a truly human standard is being asserted, and signalizes the outworking spirit of a new day. Humanity had become subject to laws and conditions which are entirely incapable of expressing its true qualities and powers, binding the groups, races and nations to the principle of conflict in all important affairs.
BAHÁ'Í PUBLICATIONSwas conveyed to the world in a written and authentic text, clearly a fundamental requisite for a Faith intended to embrace mankind. His Message admits no diyisive forces employing the uncertainties of oral tradition, variations of text or arbitrary dictum to assert partisan claims or support formalistic views and practices. The Bahá'í has access to the word and utterance of his Lord without veil or hindrance, save only the manmade difficulty of language, requiring translations from the original Persian and Arabic tongues.
This fact in itself banishes the lingering shadows in which religious disputation has flourished throughout the term of known history.
The Word is no longer a hope deferred but a truth made manifest for all to behold. Moreover, its application to this or that condition has also been made clear and assured through the office of interpreter exercised first by 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í and after Him by the succession of Guardians to the end of the Bahá'í Dispensation.
Since we are human and fallible, men may still continue to deceive themselves; but the practice of deliberate deception by a policy disguised as denominationalism, under which multitudes receive of Revelation oniy the wrapping in which its light is concealed, has been done away. The goal of human unity can only be attained by individuals who rise to the ic-ye1 of moral responsibility, reso lutely abandoning any type of spiritual life whish can oniy experience truth at second hand and as byproduct of the maintenance of some system of special privilege.
Beginning with Islim, as the impartial student must admit, religion has emphasized reason and knowledge, resisting the instinctive effort of an immature race to make worship irrational and enthrone superstition in the social practices of faith. The universities founded by IsUm, and imitated by Christian Europe, mark the first glimmerings of the age 6f light in the realm of the human souL Bahá'u'lláh has freed the mind from its ancient terror of a truth not soluble in emotion and converted to emotional use. The bounds and limits placed upon mental activity today do not represent the bastions of a system that would be eternally impregnable, but the natural limitations of the mind itself and the needs of the social body.
Their sacred literature is the supreme treasure of the Bahá'í community in all lands. Their activities have for goal the sharing of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, knowledge of His principles and obedience to His laws.
Language is the first foreign field to be captured by the believers in their effort to establish the Faith in a new land.
The four-year period under considera-don has been impressive in the extent to which Bahá'í works have been translated, printed and distributed. The total number of languages in which Bahá'í books have been published is forty-one. Translations are under way in twelve additional tongues. The wellknown and exceedingly helpful introductory volume, ctBh~~~11~h and the New Era," by the late J. E. Esslemont, has appeared in a total of thirty-seven languages, this in less than twenty-five years.
In the language of the blind, Braille, f or English-reading persons, forty-nine titles have been made available.
From Persia we learn that while Bahá'í books are rare and hard to find (on account of governmental interference), libraries have been established in most centers. In Tihr~n alone the Bahá'í center has over four thousand, four hundred Bahá'í and other works, and two thousand, six hundred magazines and papers. Since in Persia the
Page 31publication of Bahá'í literature is forbidden, the text is reproduced in typewritten, ffiimeographed and similar processes not under official ban.
By such means the National Spiritual Assembly provides the hundreds of Bahá'í centers in Persia with Bahá'í literature, including communications received from the Guardian, and reports of current news. In Persia another difficulty exists due to the police regulation which prevents the Bahá'ís from conducting their Nineteen-Day Feast in the local Haziratu'1-Quds, restricting these organic community meetings to private homes. In Tihr~n this means that the Bahá'í community is obliged to divide itself into the small groups who can gather in each of about one hundred twenty-two different places. It is in the intensity of their effort, the purity of their motives and the ardor of their faith rather than through development of publishing facilities that the Persian Bahá'ís are contributing to the spread of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh during these crucial days.
Similarly in 'Idq, there has been prohibition laid on the printing of Bahá'í literature in Arabic. The 'IrAqi believers have therefore imported books and pamphlets from Egypt, where the National Spiritual Assembly has been able to produce Bahá'í literature in Arabic translation. The Bahá'ís of 'Tr~q are prepared to undertake a vigorous publishing plan when the present obstacles to their religious freedom are removed.
The BaJA'is of Egypt for a number of years centered their energy on the production of an Arabic edition of ~tThe Dawn-Breakers:
Breakers: Nabil's Narrativeof the Early Days of the Bahá'í Revelation," written in Persian and translated into English by the Guardian more than ten years ago.
This work was seriously threatened when, in 1940, the edition was confiscated by the civil authorities on declaration by the heads of IslAm that the book contains matters generally injurious to that Faith.
The entire stock of printed books, in fact, was seized and transported to a place where they could be destroyed by fire.
The Bahá'ís of Egypt, thereupon, through their National Spiritual Assembly, made a strong appeal, expounding the ar gument that the book in question contains the record of historicaJ facts and incidents and does not involve harm for any religious community or nation. The appeal, moreover, pointed out that it was not equitable or just for the authorities to pass judgment on the assumption that the charges made by one party are to be taken for granted without giving the other party opportunity for defense.
After long-protracted endeavors by the Baha'is, the books were released and the Assembly was able to distribute copies to all who had ordered them, whether in Egypt or abroad.
The National SpiritualAssembly of India has listed the Bahá'í publications produced from 1940 to 1944, as follows: In English � Dawn of the New Day; How To Live the
Life; The World Religion.The total number of copies printed for free distribution, in connection with teaching activity, was 25,000.
Added to the catalog of Bahá'í publications were four important works:
In Urdu � Some Answered Questions; Thein addition initiated the translation of "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era," by J. E. Esslemont into the Telegu, Kanarese, Pushtoo, Mabratti and Tamil languages. Of these five new translations, three were sent to press in 1944 and plans are prepared for publishing the other two editions immediately.
Moreover, the Assemblydecided to have the same book translated into Singhalese, Oriya, Malayalam and Punj abi, subject to the Guardian's approval, which was given at once, with the further advice that the work by Dr. Esslemont be translated into Rajasthani.
This makes a total of ten new editions undertaken by the Bahá'ís of India before the conclusion of the first Bahá'í century.
Finally, the report lists the following Ba1A'i books as on the press:
Page 32Qidiy~n. The Baha of Australia maintain a magazine, "Herald of the South," and t~Bahá'í Quarterly," the bulletin and news letter of the National Spiritual Assembly. Under the editorship of Miss D. Dugdale and Miss L. Clark, the magazine has become a valued source of Bahá'í literature and of articles concerning the Faith. The Assembly obtains printed books and pamphlets from the Publishing Committees of the United States and Canada or of England as needed.
The report received from the National Spiritual Assembly of England is cited in full.
~tAnother institution which has both maintained itself and made progress is the Bahá'í
Publishing Trust. Foundedin 1937, it was still hardly out of its infancy four years ago. Nevertheless, though still so young, it has had to deal with its share of difficulties in the form of paper shortage, binding delays, prohibition of imports from abroad, etc., and these still hamper it and will no doubt do so for some time to come. However,-it t has quite a few publications to its credit during this period: CThe Guide to the Administrative Order,' tSelections from Bahá'í
Scripture,' tThe Chosen(both these reproduced here photographically), tThe Centenary of a World Faith,' a new edition of tThe Hidden Words' and several pamphlets, and during the past year plans have been made for a new and larger prayer book, for a book containing a complete record of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í visit to this country, for a book of selections from the Writings suitable for meditation, etc. Another publishing innovation, so far as we know unique yet in the Bahá'í world, was the publication for the year 1944 of a pocket diary specially adapted to Bahá'í needs, with the first days of the Bahá'í months, days of commemorations, etc., included in it. It also contained a very brief account of the principles of the Faith and a list of literature. Due to the shortage of ordinary diaries during wartime, time, the Bahá'í diary sold extremely well to non-Bahá'ís and many people up and down the country are thus being reminded daily of the Bahá'í Faith.
"On the administrative side, the Trust has evolved a firm basis of costing and of stock control. It has also experimented with advertising and through this has sold a number of books.
"Early in 1941 it was decided, on account of paper and personnel difficulties, to discontinue the monthly magazine tNew World Order,' and publication stopped after the July, 1941, issue.
It still appeared, however, that such a magazine is a useful medium of teaching and consequently it was revived as a quarterly and appeared again in a changed form in Spring, 1943."
The publishing activity of the North American Bahá'ís increased steadily during the period 1940 to 1944. From the successive annual reports we note the figures showing sales as follows: For the year ended February 28, 1941, the Baha Publishing Committee distributed 16,464 books, 100,678 pamphlets and 2,611 study outlines. The following year was reported on an eleven-month basis: 19,236 books, 77,044 pamphlets, 1,286 outlines. In the year ended February 28, 1943: books, 19,759 plus 4,236 sets of the three small volumes of "Selected Writings," pamphlets, 108,732; and outlines for study, 3,315. A year later the final report showed that 27,407 books were distributed, with 147,659 pamphlets and 2,833 study outlines.
The reprint of titles out of stock goes on constantly to maintain the more than one hundred different books and pamphlets listed in the Bahá'í catalog, but in addition the Committee has produced several important new works since 1940.
Among these special reference is made to the Guardian translation of Bahá'u'lláh's work, "Epistle to the Son of the Wolf"; the one-volume compilation of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá entitled "Bahá'í World Faith"; the series of three small books containing selections from Bahá'u'lláh, tAb-du'1-BaM, and Shoghi Effendi, CCSItd Bahá'í
Writings"; ~Communionfour works by Shoghi Effendi, "Messages from the Guardian
(June 21, 1932 to July21, 1940); "Bahá'í Administration," revised edition; "The Promised Day Is Come," and "God Passes By" (on the press) ; the international
Bahá'í record, "The Baha'iWorld," Volume VIII; two books prepared by the National
Spiritual Assembly, "Baha'iProcedure" (second edition, revised) ; and "The Bahá'í Centenary 18441944," on the press; the compilation ttRacc and Man"; ccSecurity for a Failing 'World" (revised edition) ; "The Heart of the Gospel," and "The Glorious Kingdom of the
Father Foretold."Beside these books, ten or more new pamphlets and ten new study outlines were also put into print.
One pamphlet, "The Bahá'íHouse of Worship," went through its third printing, bringing the total number of copies since 1938 to 376,000.
This pamphlet is the one selected for distribution at the various Expositions and Fairs at which Bahá'í Exhibits had been arranged.
The series of ccSelected Writings" includes 25,000 each of three small books, a total of seventy-five thousand.
CCBh~~i World Faith" appeared in an edition of 10,000 bound in fabrikoid and 500 bound in leather as a special Centennial edition.
The compilation entitledwas produced in order to make available in convenient form the Bábi'i teachings on universal peace. To commemorate the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Temple in January, 1942, the Natidnal Spiritual Assembly prepared an illustrated booklet, copies of which have been distributed throughout the country and thousands presented to persons who visit the House of Worship.
In the field of translations much work has also been done by the American Babi'is. Funds were contributed toward the cost of printing the Polish translation of "Bahá'u'lláh and the New
Era" in France (Lidia Zamenhof'stranslation). A believer long associated with the Bahá'í community of Paris made a special contribution for printing Bahá'í literature in French, and so far the Publishing Committee has produced ccLes Paroles Cachees," tTeS Sept Vallees," and CCL~ECOnOIniC Mondiale de Bahá'u'lláh." In Esperanto has appeared "Parolado de Bib." A Committee has been engaged for a number of years in the translation of Bahá'í ;exts into German, and has prepared for future publication a number of important works, including c~G1eanings from the 'Writings of Bahá'u'lláh"; "Prayers and Meditations of Bahá'u'lláh";
"Selected Writings"; "Tabletfor a World Civilization"; and ttBah6?i House of Worship."
In preparation are ttThehave received special attention. Some of the literature was published in Mexico, D. F., while arrangement has been made for Spanish printing in Buenos Aires.
ror the most part, however, during the period considered, the printing of literature in languages other than English has been conducted by the American Bahá'í
Publishing Committee. TheSpanish titles listed are: "La Sabiduria de 'Abdu'1 � Baha";
CCC tti A Urns Preguntas";Obligatorias"; c~Principios de La Fe Baha'i"; "El Templo del Culto dcl Baha'i", ccPrimer
Centenario"; "La RepublicaA special compilation of the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá was made by Loulie A. Mathews and Helen Bishop for translation into Spanish and publication, in order to provide the Latin American believers with a representative collection of the literature in one volume. This work is to be printed in Buenos
Aires.American Bahá'í periodicals include three publications: the successive volumes of "The Bahá'í World"; ccBahA~i News," distributed by the National Spiritual
Assemblyto members of the Bahá'í community; and "World Order," a monthly magazine founded in 1909 as "Bahá'í News," later known as "Star of the West" and ttBahá'í Maga-zinc," adopting the present title in 1935 when combined with ~tW id Unity." A few excerpts from the annual reports of the Editorial Committee will describe the magazine since 1940.
"A careful analysis of the new teaching opportunity created by the outbreak of the long-threatened international war convinced the Editorial Committee that the magazine could render greater service this year through a more direct presentation of the Faith. The committee visualized its teaching problem as that of equipping the believers to convey the Message more effectively, rather than of attempting to reach the general body of the public through a direct channel.
"This attitude was approved by the National Spiritual Assembly, as was the second recommendation that World Order be issued henceforth in a smaller and more convenient size.
"Beginning in April, 1940, therefore, the magazine has been changed in appearance as well as in presentation of material. The general aim has been to develop each consecutive issue with the following type of contents: a leading article, directly Bahá'í in character, consisting in the exposition of some important subject of current interest and importance; a secondary article, usually related to the subject of the leading article, but representing personal experience and a more intimate approach; a compilation from the 'Writings; the Bahá'í answer to some world problems; a brief book article dealing w~ith some current work having some direct or indirect value to Baha'is; a brief study outline providing references for one meeting a week for four weeks; and an editorial department containing information about the authors or citing letters received from readers.
"The list of twelve leading articles published this year includes: Religion and Society, Hussein
Rabbani; The Questionof Religious Unity, Horace Holley; Bahá'í Education,
Win. Kenneth Christian;and the Most Great Peace, George 0. Latimer; Islim's Contribution,
Stanwood Cobb; Dawn Over Mounttwelve articles might well be reprinted, as they present the Bahá'í view on subjects which every teacher encounters in his work every day.
tttf1~ Inter-America work has been served by publishing the diary of Martha Root's visit to South America, the diary notes� of Louise
Caswell and Con H. Oliverand the very interesting study by Mrs. Kirkpatrick on
America's Destiny."ccTlne general plan includes a leading article of wide interest and value in the Bahá'í world; short articles of more specialized or intimate nature; selections from the Writings; poetry; and the departments.
"The magazine this year began publishing excerpts from the Guardian's most recent and momentous letter, The Promised Day Is Come, as soon as it was received, the series being completed in this volume. Hitherto unpublished addresses made by 'Abdu'l-Bahá are now appearing with the consent of Shoghi Effendi.
Other sacred Words are printed each month on the inside and back covers, and in the regular publication of a Bahá'í prayer, a policy this year adopted upon suggestion from a number of believers. The new compilation, The Divine Art of Living, by Mabel Paine, begun last year, was completed in this volume.
"Inter-America interest has been met with the vital series of letter extracts from the pen of Elisabeth H. Cheney,
A Bahá'í Pioneer in Paraguay.This followed the conclusion of an equally interesting series by Louise Caswell and Cora H. Oliver, rrom a Panama Diary.
"The most outstanding leading articles have been The Bahá'í Cause Today, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Center of the Covenant. The former, by Marzieh Gail, is an answer written upon request of the National Spiritual Assembly to a widely-circulated article by a Christian missionary misrepresenting
Page 35The Main Entrance of the Persian National Bahá'í Headquarters.
Page 36the Faith; and the latter, by Juliet Thornp-son, brings to Bahá'ís a picture of the vibrant figure of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the meaning of the function of the Center of Bahá'u'lláh's peerless Covenant. Mrs. Gail's article was preceded by a strengthening statement from the National Assembly entitled, The Universal and the Sectarian.
'tOther leading articles have offered thought of deep interest and usefulness on a variety of themes: The World Wide Law and Crime and the Treatment of Criminals, by Chester F. Barnett; Religion for
Our Time, by William KennethApproach to Religion, by Howard Luxmore Carpenter; The Development of the Creative Individual, by
Genevieve Coy; The Whitefor a World Order, by Della C. Quinlan; Science and the Open Mind, by Glenn A. Shook; and a Symposium, Equality of the Sexes, by Gertrude Atkinson, Della C. Quinlan,
Maye Harvey Gift and Annamarie"A special feature this past year has been the emphasis given to the meaning of the Bahá'í Covenant in a series of articles by Albert Windust, who, because of his early experiences, was well qualified for this service to the Baha'is.
He wrote upon request of the National Spiritual Assembly. The series was introduced by a special number of the magazine (September) which reprinted a Tablet by 'Abdu'I � Baha on Protection of the Covenant and also devoted other departments to the subj ect of the Covenant. (The last issue of the previous volume had given us Juliet Thompson's fine article: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Center of the Covenant.)
ttAnother feature of the year was a short series, The Bahá'í Community, with Chester F. Barnett, 'William Kenneth Christian and Annamarie Honnold as the contributors. Dr. Khan's study of Epistle to the Son of the Wolf was a particularly valuable article because of the rich background of knowledge which he could bring to the writing. The friends were happy to have early in the year from the Center of the Bahá'í Faith, a moving communication from
Ruhiyyih Khaniim."Leading articles each month were as follows: Charter for World
Peace, by Alice SimmonsGift; The Souvenir of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Shirley Warde; Bahá'u'lláh as Protector, by Mabel Hyde Paine; A Calendar for a World Faith, by
Horace Holley; The PurposeThe House of Worship of a World Faith, by Horace Holley; Cycles of Civilization, by J. H. Haggard; God's Promise is Fulfilled, by Evelyn Lackey Bivins; and Religion and Economics, by Arthur Dali.
ttPioneer activities have been represented by publication of Black Hero, by ELlsworth Blackwell;
The Spirit of Power Confirm-ethIn the Army, by Benjamin Kaufman; Buenos Aires, by Philip Sprague; Brazil in Renaissance, by Beatrice Irwin; You, Too, Can Pioneer, by Adrienne Ellis; and Illumination, by Felipe Madrigal.
The Bahá'í teachings on race were developed by Louis Gregory in Bahá'í to
Jew; Color and Human Nature(book review), by Garreta Busey; The Tabernacle of
Unity, by Phyllis Durroh;Love in Diversity, by Lethia C. Fleming; and Hear, 0 Israel (poem) by Gertrude W. Robinson."
"The general plan of World Order calls for a leading article and two or three oth2rs of general interest, an editorial article of two pages, and the department With Our Readers which contains brief comments about contributors and is open to communications from readers. A special feature has been a series of references designed to be helpful to Babi'i Holy Days. This has taken the place of the study outlines printed for a number of years.
Another special feature running through the first ten issues of the year was a symposium by contributors called The Evolution of Peace showing progress in world events towards the Lesser Peace as distinguished from the Most Great Peace of Bahá'u'lláh. An article by Arthur Dali entitled
Contemporary Peace Plansand the Bahá'í Program was an excellent supplement to this series as were several of the book reviews. Other book reviews concerned books closely in accord with the Bahá'í principles.
t'Th magazine has been fortunate in reNicklin, Panama by C. E. Hamilton, In Search of a New Way of Life by Janet Whitenack. The editors send out a call for more such articles especially from Latin America since Shoghi Effendi advises the publishing of accounts and experiences of Bahá'í pioneers for they help to bring all Bahá'ís in the Western Hemisphere in closer touch with one another.
CCFrom the pen of the Guardian two long selections have been used% The Spiritual Potencies of That Sacred Spot, a reprint of the letter written in December, 1939, appeared in the May, 1943, issue; and in the recent March issue was printed the introduction to his forthcoming book, tGOd Passes By,' a survey of the first hundred years of the Bahá'í Faith.
Chapters from this book will continue to appear in the April and May issues of tWorld Order.' Other brief selectibns from the writings of Shoghi Effendi have been used from time to time.
ttAnother highly valued contribution from the Holy Land was that of
Ruhiyyih Khaniim. ThePrayers of Bahá'u'lláh, a treasurehouse of thoughts, explanations and suggestions which bring the reader nearer the heart of Bahá'u'lláh.
Selections from an Earlypublished in the October number also brought us closer to the world center of our Faith.
"Three consecutive issues, July, August and September, contained a compilation of prayers revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá especially suitable for public gatherings and special occasions and for children. These had been gathered from sources not available to many and make a valuable addition to the small prayer book.
"The special needs of children in these troublous times have been dealt with by experts in their field in two articles:
The Child in a ChaoticEducation comes to its fulfilment in the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. He defines the purpose of man's existence as duty to know and worship God. 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared that to love God man must know Him. One of the Bahá'í principles states that "education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voi-untary."
In a Tablet addressed to an American believer the Master said: ttlf a man engages with all his power in the acquisition of a science or in the perfection of an art, it is as if he has been worshipping God in the churches and temples." Bahá'u'lláh moreover defines knowledge as that which has been revealed, that which corresponds to truth and fact, and that which applies to life in useful action. He has condemned mere speculation and theoretical and false knowledge which begins and ends in words.
An era in which worship itself has been made inseparable from knowledge, and knowledge in turn has been defined in terms of the true and the useful, possesses illimitable potentiality for the development of the human type and the progress of civilization. The schools established by Baha is in a number of countries reflect this revolutionary break with the past, when knowledge was tragically sundered from worship by the ascendency of superstition, and the rise of new knowledge in the form of science, repudiated by the church, came under the control of a civil state committed to the struggle for existence.
From Australia we learn that the first Summer School conducted in New Zealand was held at Brown's Bay near Auckland during June, 1940. Though of brief duration, the believers are, assured that the foundations of the institution of the Summer School were firmly laid. Another School was held at Titirangi in the Blue Mountains of Auckland, attended by all the isolated Baha'is.
In Australia itself, a Summer School and also a Winter School have for some years been held regularly at Bolton Place,
Yerrinbool, New SouthMr. Bolton has constructed a hail at the Yerrinbool School seating one hundred and sixty persons. The building is a memorial to the late Hyde Dunn, and is known as "Bahá'í Memorial Hall." "Mr Bolton," the report states, tthas also built
Page 38Views of the gardens surrounding the newly finished National Bahá'í
Administrative Headquarters in Tihr~n.cabins on the property for the accommodation of those attending the
School. Yerrin-bool SummerSchool is held for two weeks in January; the Winter School for one week in June. The time is spent in studying the Teachings, in prayer and meditation, in discussion and the reading of the papers prepared beforehand by the various friends.
~'On the opening day a public lectur& is given to which Yerrinbool people are invited. The youth take an active part in the proceedings, one day being set aside as Youth Day, when the Bahá'í youth entertain their elders and friends, conduct the sessions and expound the Teachings."
The 'Winter School at Adelaide consists of intensive study classes, three a day, held over a weekend.
Two or three prepared papers are presented and discussed at each session.
The School at Hobart was begun in Jan-nary, 1943.
The first program centered attention during three days on the meaning of the Covenant of God and the nature of the Bahá'í administrative order.
The Fifth Auckland Bahá'íSummer School was held from January 28 to rebru-ary 14, 1944, at the Presbyterian Bible Class Girls' Camp, Mairangi Bay. A wider range of subjects was covered than in previous sessions.
The non-BaM'i visitors included a Hindu, a Chinese and a Czechoslovak who were invited to lecture, with an intensification of interest on their part in the Bahá'í message, one declaring his faith at the school. The youth group conducted a mock trial, in which a Jew, a Muhammadan and a Christian preferred charges against a Baha'i, claiming that Bahá'u'lláh was a false prophet. So excellent was the defense of the Baha that the non-Bah&i serving as judge accepted the Cause.
The National SpiritualAssembly of 'Ir~iq reports that their first Baha School was conducted in 1940, since when it has been constantly developed.
With the completion of the Bahá'í Headquaiters in Baghdad the sessions are now held in this building.
Bahá'ís from all parts of the country attend.The subjects are presented in lectures for general discussion. Among the themes developed in this way are Baha history, the principles of the Faith, its laws and its social order.
From the Bahá'í Bureauof Geneva, Switzerland, we learn that a Summer School has been held at the home of two members of the Faith. In August, 1943, a session was conducted for four days. After three days of intensive study and discussion, the final day was devoted to a meeting for invited guests at which a Baha address was delivered by Mr. Semle. "Thus one more unforgettable experience in the midst of a world immersed in darkness was vouchsafed us this year," the report remarks.
The National SpiritualAssembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles, in summing up the activities since 1940, has stated that the Bahá'í School had to be suspended one year, but in all other years they have been conducted with an enthusiastic attendance. In England the Summer School even more than other Bahá'í institutions has been subject to the difficulties of the times. Cancelled in 1940, at a time when invasion of the country seemed imminent, the 1941 program was carried out in Bradford, at the
Bahá'í Center. In 1942two brief sessions were held, one at Torquay and one at Buxton. A separate School was conducted that year by the Bahá'ís of London, who gathered daily during the session at a different believer's home or garden. By 1943 conditions had become more favorable and the School was held in a lovely house in the heart of Warwickshire.
The data concerning Bahá'íare so much more extensive than those received from other countries for the period under review that the survey would be unbalanced if all of it were presented.
Briefly, the Americanat Green Acre, Eliot, Maine; at Geyserville, California; at Davison, Michigan; and Pine Valley, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. At these places permanent facilities have been developed.
In addition, regional conferences held in Canada and in the Southern States have maintained study courses. Indeed, the local Assemblies likewise, some of them for many years, have sponsored community study classes conducted at weekly intervals throughout the year, and the same method has been
Page 40Bahá'ís Gathered at the Auckland, New Zealand, Bahá'í Summer School of 1942, (above) and 1943, (below).
Page 41Finally, individual believers maintain a study group in their own homes.
There is an interesting variation of method between the four established Bahá'í Schools. At Geyserville, for example, the report for 1942 states: ttThe program was planned to meet the twin objectives indicated in the Guardian's letters, namely, to present the Faith capably to interested people on the one hand, and on the other hand to deepen our knowledge of the Writings and to develop new teachers.
There were new courses, and new approaches to familiar subjects. The course entitled ~The Bahá'í World' was a real innovation.
Its aim was to give a broad concept of the scope of the Cause and to impart some of its power. Another innovation was tQues-tions rrequently Asked By Inquirers,' which together with tBh"' Administration,' tTeaching Laboratory,' and trublic Speaking' made up the curriculum for teacher training.
tThe Bahá'í raith in Practice' was given from a new viewpoint, and was a happy complement to
CThe Bahá'í World.' Thecourse on IsUm brought out the beauty and great scope of the Faith of Muhammad in an inspiring and convincing manner."
By special arrangement the Geyser-yule School Committee also that same year conducted a session in the San Francisco Bay region from March 29 to April 3, with afternoon and evening classes.
cThe evening classes were concerned with learning the facts and how to use them. The afternoon classes were concerned primarily with teaching techniques and their practice."
In 1942, the LouhelenSchool held three summer and one winter session, offering as subjects:
The Law of Consultation;in Everyday Life; Fundamentals of the Bahá'í Faith;
The Dawn-Breakers; HowGreat emphasis is laid at the Lou-helen School on youth sessions, and these have proved very successful.
The International Schoolfounded by Mrs. B. It Mathews in Colorado has had the special purpose of preparing Bahá'ís to teach in other lands, particularly, at present, in Latin America. The teaching method in operation has been the intimate discussion group conducted by a Latin American expert or by a Eabi'i who has tad firsthand experience in the field. Morning sessions have been devoted to study of some aspect of the Bahá'í Writings, afternoons given over to the history and culture of South America or its social conditions, while for the evenings a public meeting was arranged.
At Green Acre in 1942 the program was divided into two main groups of courses: "The Essentials of the Bahá'í Faith," presented by five different teachers in successive two-week classes; and advanced courses for further training of teachers, strengthening their knowledge and deepening spiritual capacity. The sublects studied were: IslAm; The Influence of
Bahá'u'lláh in ModernCivilization (Law, Education, Science, Religion, Development of the State, Economics, Health, Art and Beauty, Sociology, Anthropology,
Attitude Toward Mankind); EstablishingAcre season covers eight or nine weeks, and the evenings have been devoted to a special program including illustrated lectures, round\ table discussions and studies in musical composition. Children's art classes, study of Spanish, and a youth week were also conducted. The youth program was planned by the young believers themselves.
From this summer of one typical season it is evident that the four-year period witnessed steady growth in the function of the Bahá'í
School in North America.The desire for knowledge is producing methods of study and means of teaching, for from the Bahá'í principle of consultation the cob. lective social intelligence is being stimulated and drawn upon as never before. Public education, it is said, has entered a period of crisis. In avoiding sectarianism it has abandoned religion; in remaining neu
Page 42xsal to partisan politics it has missed the path to peace. The boundaries between opinion and truth, between group pressure and authority, between education for career and education for lift, have become submerged. Civilization can never be restored as a pattern centered upon science, any more than the medieval church can reassume its sway. Human intelligence unfolds only to the degree that it has a body of spiritual truth to compose the knowable universe. When the university discovers Bahá'u'lláh, the light and the sanity of the mind will be restored.
BROADCASTING THE BANAlRadio is one of the signs of a universal age. It commits the world to the principle of oneness; it raises society from the plane of instinct to the realm of conscious knowledge. When humanity becomes an audience, the only endurable speaker is he who speaks with the voice of God.
Like all things of earth, radio attains its maturity of power and its ultimate usage by degrees. It has been the sickly infant, the dependent child, the assertive youth; but its future condition can even now be discerned as we see how it is needed by the heads of states for encouraging and guiding whole populations through the days of peril. The present impressive manifestations of its influence point to the time when the peril, the guidance, the way is more than national; worldwide and truly human. Radio at the same time is fully selective of theme as well as of space; like the man of greatness, who lives in his village and his nation while living in the world.
The world community of Bahá'ís has made distinct progress in recent years toward the inevitable goal of radio teaching. Though its collective capacity in any specialized field seems weak and inadequate, capacity is born out of passionate resolve pius experience.
As indications of resolve, the few examples of Bahá'í broadcasts are significant and encouraging.
The Bahá'ís of Australiaand New Zea � land carried out arrangements for three radio talks over stations in five States.
One script was taken from the writings of the late Dr. J. B. Esslemont; the other two were prepared by Mrs. Axford. These broadcasts were well received. Not oniy inquiries but at least one confirmation re-suited.
In India the NationalSpiritual Assembly reports that radio has been employed whenever opportunity arose, but the broadcasting stations are reluctant to have radio used for religious discussion in view of the fact' that the number of religions and sects which might subsequently clamor for radio time would be so vast as to debar any other topic. However, in Delhi, Lahore and Bombay the Bahá'ís delivered talks over the radio in connection with their observance of one of the Bahá'í holy days.
In North America the four successive annual reports of the Radio Committee are drawn upon for the following summary: From 1940 to 1941, one hundred and seventy-eight copies of radio scripts were distributed by the Committee on request. A beginning was made on recording Bahá'í material on transcriptions. The Kenosha, Milwaukee and Racine Assemblies combined in sponsoring a series of ten broadcasts. Twenty-five scripts were sent to Philip Sprague during his visit to South America and were translated into Spanish for a radio series of two onehalf hour periods a week. The same scripts were later translated into Portuguese by Lenora Holsapple for radio use in Brazil. Amelia Collins broadcast in Buenos Aires.
A series of twelve broadcasts were given in Champaign and Danville, Illinois.
In Greenwood, Mississippi, one Bahá'í gave many broadcasts.
Talks on world peace and Bahá'í social principles were featured in New England.
The Committee became aware of the power of inter-church ministers' organizations to prevent Bahá'í talks from being included in their allotted program time.
The following year the Committee mentions forty-six broadcasts given by Mrs. Bivins in Greenwood, Mississippi, in a series called ~~The Door of Hope." In Everett, Washington, Mrs. Walter delivered twenty-six talks on the Faith. Mrs. Nina Matvhisen carded out an extensive program in Racine. The Urbana Assembly continued to make frequent use of a station in Champaign.
Page 43Newly purchased National Administrative Headquarters, situated in Delhi.
Page 44In Port Huron, Michigan, Mrs. Edna Ketels was invited many times to speak over the local station. In Springfield, Massachusetts, two series of six radio addresses were given, an annual affair, over two stations.
Mrs. FT. E. Chamberlin and Mrs. Wendell E. Bacon, with the cooperation of the Springfield Assembly, organized the radio and also the coordinated teaching activities. Traveling Bahá'í teachers, including Mrs. Sylvia King, Mrs. Ruth Moffett, Mrs. Mable Ives, Mrs. Marzieh Gail and Mrs. Marguerite Sears, were very active in radio work. From Salt Lake City, Utah, seven talks were delivered by Mrs. Sears.
Six transcriptions made by William Sears in Salt Lake City were sent to Bahá'ís in a few cities for experimental use.
Another transcription was made by Mrs. King in Fargo, North Dakota. In St. Petersburg, Florida, five radio broadcasts were conducted by Mrs. George Kent of Binghamton and Mrs. Fred Morton of Worcester.
A second series was carried on by Ella Bland of San Francisco. In San Jose, California, a radio program was coordinated by the Regional Teaching Committee and the local Assemblies in an intensive effort involving use of meetings for discussion of the radio talk. Response was made from as distant a point as Phoenix, Arizona. Mrs. Sylvia Toas served as executive in making the arrangements.
From 1942 to 1943, the Radio Committee reported as the greatest achievement of that year the Bahá'í talk on race amity given on the ttwings Over Jordan" program, a national hookup.
The address was delivered by Mrs. Lethia Fleming of Cleveland, from a script prepared by Mrs. A. F. Matthisen from words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Mrs. Evelyn Bivins gave a fifteen-minute presentation of the Faith once a week during the year over the local station in Greenwood, Mississippi.
In Moorhead, Minnesota, two series of Bahá'í talks were arranged by Elsa Steinmetz and conducted by Mrs. Marguerite Bruegger. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Ulirich introduced the Faith to the people of Mansfield, Ohio, through simultaneous use of radio and newspaper advertising.
The Radio Committee reporting for 19421943 referred to Baltimore as the local Assembly which had been doing outstanding ing radio work. A series of thirteen weekly talks was given over WFBR, producing many inquiries and providing an interested new group for a study class.
Among the talks broadcast by traveling teachers, particular reference was made in the report to those given by Virginia Camelon in Charleston, West Virginia, and by
Agnes Alexander in Honolulu.The Committee announced that twenty-six five minute talks had been scheduled for Miss Alexander for the spring and summer of 1943.
In Quito, Ecuador, John Stearns, resident pioneer teacher from Jamestown, New York, conducted a regular weekly radio program featuring recordings of symphonic music with readings from the Bahá'í literature.
By this time the possibilities had become so apparent that the American National Spiritual Assembly for the first time formulated a general plan of radio activity, consisting of a series of brief talks to be broadcast from some station within each of the various teaching regions of North America.
This method was carried out in the area of thethrough the use of a broadcasting station in Chicago. Other factors arose which prevented the fulfilment of this policy at the time.
Ta the concluding year of the first Bahá'í century, the American radio activities were greatly augmented by a campaign of national scope, employing stations in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and by the success of local Assemblies and groups in placing a script on the subject of the Bahá'í Centenary as a news feature in a large number of local stations. As the present survey deals oniy with the four-year period ending April 20, 1944, the following summary omits all programs falling between April 20 and the date of the Centenary celebrations.
In all seventeen broadcasting stations were used in the campaign conducted or supervised by the Radio Committee, with eleven different series of weekly programs, four of which operated on purchased time. The Committee tabulated two hundred forty-six dif. ferent Bahá'í radio peridds, thirty-nine being of five minutes' duration, two hundred seven, fifteen minutes, and thirteen a half hour. The first Bahá'í shortwave broadcast was
Page 45beamed to South America from New York in April, 1944.
ANNUAL CONVENTIONSThe Bahá'í community exemplifies the spirit of union maintained through institutions the membership of which, but not the nature or functions, are controlled by the body of the believers.
This control is direct in the case of the local Assembly and exercised through representatives in the case of the National Assembly. Until the year 1944, the annual Convention of the American Bahá'ís was composed of delegates chosen by the local (municipal) communities by proportionate representation. In 1944, the numbei of local communities having become very great, and Assemblies having been formed in all states of the United States and provinces of Canada, the Guardian changed the area of representation from the city to the state or province.
The Convention has consistently served as a meeting of the entire Bahá'í community of the land, through their elected representatives, with the National Spiritual Assembly. The experience of participation in a new social organism has been greatly enhanced for the American Bahá'ís since the annual meetings have been held in the foundation hail of the House of
Worship in W'ilmette.The structure itself, in its maj -esty of spiritual meaning and in its very physical development from year to year, has immersed the Bahá'ís in the pure idea, as it were, of their gathering and deliberatiOn.
It has made them realize that the basic truths of their Faith and the scope of their institutions are unassailable by partisan force and free from influences of restless change. What they can contribute is their understanding rather than their desire, and their sacrifice in place of their ambition. The immutable substance of their order eventually impresses upon the most thoughtless believer the realization that faith is a leverage for changing and perfecting the self, not an instrument intended for exploiting society and the world for a self unwilling to advance.
The Bahá'ís of all countries feel that their annual meeting generates a propelling power, creates new dimensions of thought and feeling, ing, and arranges individuals in new patterns. The national Committees have done an immense amount of work, the details of which are published in the form of annual reports before the Convention opens; the Guardian sends messages striking the key note of the coming year and touching with fire the uplifted hearts of the delegates. In a distracted, a bewildered, a discouraged world it is possible to find this new type of gathering in at least six countries where the individual feels himself part of a profound renewal of personality and a regeneration of his social environment.
The Bahá'í Convention proceeds on the basis of an agenda which provides for consultation on the most important activities, plans and policies. It summarizes the year that ends and makes plans and resolves for the year that begins.
The occasion is not the performance of specialists but the training of a community all of whose members are workers for the sake of their convictions. It does not eventuate in public statements and formal resolutions, but in responsibility for the achievement of tasks which seem impossible for the available capacities to carry through.
There is natural variety of method in the different parts of the Bahá'í world, but such agreement on principle that any believer would feel at home in any of the Bahá'í Conventions held in America, Europe or the East. As the year& pass, and the destined changes unfold throughout the world, these gatherings acquire more and more significance, since the time will come when their choice of national representatives will create the electoral bodies for the formation of the Bahá'í House of Justice ordained by Bahá'u'lláh.
Between 1940 and 1944,have existed in the British Isles, Egypt, 'Idq, Persia,
India and Burma, Australiaand New Zealand, and in the United States and Canada. The annual meeting, however, could not be held in all these countries regularly during those years, on account of travel and other war restrictions.
In such cases the delegates cast their ballots for the Assembly membership by mail. The detailed reports of the National Spiritual Assembly and its committees are published annually,
Page 46in advance of the convention date, and this publication is considered a part of the convention proceedings.
Whatever recommendations are voted during the convention sessions are referred to the newly elected Assembly for its approval.
GOVERNMENT RECOGNITIONThe new era identified with Bahá'u'lláh, asserting the oneness of mankind, has brought social changes which make it increasingly impossible to maintain the old boundaries between peoples of different nationality and groups of different interest within the same nation. Our modern world has constructed no frontiers capable of shutting out or delimiting the operation of the great forces so unexpectedly released. Class unrest, industrial failure, uncontrolled monetary standards, war itself, crash alike into the most powerful and the most remote societies of earth. Every combination of persons and interests, whether in nation, industry, labor union, culture, race or creed, undergoes tests that penetrate to the very core of its authority and influence, as the new phenomenon, the supremacy of mankind, demonstrates a sovereignty higher than human force and human law have been able to enact. Embroiled within a traditional clash of interests within his nation, modern man looks up to behold his own familiar battlefield submerged beneath the greater clash of interests within his continent; and attempting to adapt himself to this new and larger struggle, he finds the continent itself seized by the more menacing titans of a warring world.
Throughout this unsettling bewilderment of his inherited society and the destruction of that sense of isolation which has been the ultimate and sole guarantee of his cultural, moral, denominational and legal values as well as economic security, the destructive forces have augmented by employing the individual's most sacred sense of loyalty but turning it against the same instinct in other men. The source of this destruction in the last analysis is confusion, seized as a means of perversion by a certain number who seem always to stand available to exemplify the evil genius of the human race.
The labels have been shifted about, so that the masses accept values today in terms of economic or political formulas instead of religious truths.
The condition is that in which only a new Revelation of truth and of power can meet the need. Otherwise no one can rise above the level of the confusion which actually engulfs alike the churches, the schools and the legislatures and no power can restore their ancient relationship to the process of life. The I3ahi'i Faith, first in its unique Persons, then in its heroes and martyrs and finally in its organic community, has withstood all confusion and all violence, trusting in the Light of God and the eventual predominance of His will in terms of the unity of mankind.
The possibility of true union and harmony among all the necessary institutions of society has been revealed for the first time in the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
His teachings deal with man as a complete entity and unit and with society as an organism imbued with life and purpose from one source. Therefore by evolution union and harmony will eventually be attained, both between the individual and the community, and between the community and the world.
The period under review has produced interesting and significant situations involving the Bahá'í community and civil authority.
We can introduce the subject no better than by citing the admirable statement which first appeared in the January, 1941 issue of the Ba/ad'!
Quarterly published by theof the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand: � "A most important matter for Bahá'ís at this time, when world convulsions assume daily more destructive proportions and national hatreds are more bitterly fostered, is to get a clear vision, a balanced perspective of the attitude we should hold towards the situation.
For some years the Guardian, through his messages and World Order letters (Goal of a New 'World Order, etc.) has been preparing us for just the conditions we are now experiencing.
In clear and emphatic utterances he has been educating our minds and steering our thoughts into channels calculated to keep us clear of personal bias and inherited patriotisms.
Our patriotism must be always to world citizenship, world brotherhood, arid the lesser loyalties
Page 47Construction work on the National Administrative Headquarters of the Bahá'ís of Egypt, situated in Cairo.
must be subordinated to this supreme ioy-alty.In these countries of the antipodes, where loyalty to Britain is stronger, perhaps, than in Britain itself, it requires real spiritual insight and understanding to be able to rise above our limited inherited loyalties and the clamor of conflict and see beyond it the inevitable and ordained outcome of organized peace and a reconstructed mankind.
CtWC must see in the conflict a breaking down of old ideas and forms which no longer serve mankind, but which are a distinct menace to his security, cantiquated barriers that seek to block humanity's progress towards its destined goal.' It would be well to study again the 'World Order' letters of Shoghi Effendi, and in the light of the tragic drama in which we are enmeshed, try to get a deeper insight and a surer ground of understanding standing of the cmystery unfolding so rapidly in this Day of God, when the nations and peoples are summoned before the high court of destiny to answer for their failure to attain peace.' 'We cannot take sides or assign blame to any particular nation.
The causes leading up to the war hre many and deep rooted.
tcGroups of nations leagued together against other groups can only result sooner or later in open conflict. Nevei~ can such methods result in peace. To Bahá'ís peace means the harmonious relationship of all peoples, through their governments, their educational systems, economic systems and other social agencies.
Only a world outlook, one organized world order as set out in the Bahá'í Teachings, can establish and maintain peace m our time. Now is the supreme op
Page 48A corner of the Assembly Hall of the new Egyptian National Bahá'í Headquarters.
portunity of every Bahá'í teacher to stress at all times this consummation as the sole remedy for the tragic plight the nations are experiencing at this moment of humanity's history.
CCAttention is again directed to the Guardian's repeated instructions concerning nonparticipation in political propaganda. Bahá'í teaching insists on the removal of barriers of class, nation and race; political parties represent the interests of certain sections of the conununity and their legislation is directed primarily to foster and enhance those interests. Baha is cannot logically identify themselves with or support any brand of class legislation.
Therefore party politics should be viewed as an anachronism. As far back as 1932 Shoghi Effendi wrote, let them refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or deed, with the political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions. In such controversies they should assign no blame, take no side, further no design and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best interests of that World Fellowship which it is their aim to guard and foster. Let them affirm their unyielding determination to stand, firmly and unreservedly, for the way of Bahá'u'lláh, to avoid the entanglements and bickerings inseparable from the pursuit of the politician, and to become worthy agencies of that Divine Polity which incarnates God's immutable purpose for all men. To enter the arena of party politics is surely detrimental to the best interests of the Faith and will harm the Cause.'
"During election campaigns, when party feeling runs high, it is essential that all Baha, more especially those who in the past have had strong party leanings, should discipline themselves and not be led by mass emotion into controversies which would belittle the worldwide scope of the Cause with which they stand Pdentilied.
On September 24, 1938, the following message was cabled by Shoghi Effendi to the N. S. A. of U. S. A. and Canada: � ~Loya1ty (to the) WorM Order of Bahá'u'lláh, security of its basic institutions, both imperatively demand all its avowed supporters in these days when sinister uncontrollable forces are deepening (the) cleavage sundering peoples, nations, creeds (and) classes, (to) resolve, despite (the) pressure (of) fast crystallizing public opinion, (to) abstain individually and collectively, in word (and) action, informally as well as in all official utterances and publications, from assigning blame, taking sides, however indirectly, in recurring political crises now agitating (and) ultimately engulfing human society.
Grave apprehension lest cumulative effect (of) such compromises (should) disintegrate (the) fabric, clog (the) channel of grace that sustains (the) system of God's essentially supranational, supernatural order so laboriously evolved, so recently established.'
"The latest news from Haifa tells of theBuilding recently purchased by the Bahá'ís of Bombay, India, to serve as their local Headquarters.
compulsory disbanding of Assemblies in Europe, Palestine and Persia, thereby, temporarily at least, crippling the Cause in those countries.
We pray that our brothers and sisters in these lands may be sustained and strengthened in their time of trial and difficulty. It behooves us, therefore, to put forth a supreme effort to strengthen the foundations and build up the structure of the faith in these far-off regions, as yet comparatively untouched by drastic war measures, in preparation for the time when we shall be ~ca1ied upon to vindicate our faith and take our part in the establishment of the complete Administrative Order, the Commonwealth of Nations. To voice prejudiced opinions on either local, national or international policies will tend to retard the progress of the Cause. Divine justice will be served. Our plain duty is to work for the reconstructed world that is to be."
The first great issue facing the Bahá'ís was that of their status under the war statutes or acts of their respective countries. 'We find statements on this subject in a number of reports received from the National Assemblies.
From ihe British Isles: � ccDuring the period under review a her of men from the community have gone into the Forces, all as it happened into the Army, none going to the Army or Air Force. Girls of conscription age have also joined the Women's Services or the Land Army. The law provides that men conscripted may apply on conscientious grounds either for complete exemption or to be assigned to noncombatant duties.
In accordance with the Guardian's instructions, Bahá'ís have applied under the latter category and all applications have been granted, though in one case it was necessary to go to the higher tribunal for a second hearing.
Early in the war theIfiIa?Aratu'1-Quds of the Bahá'ís of Australia. Building recently purchased for the National Bahá'í Headquarters, situated in Sydney, New South Wales.
tional Assembly printed a statement of the Bahá'í attitude to military service, which has been very useful in giving information to individuals and. authorities making inquiries. One Baha'i, Robert Yool, � practically the oniy one in a fighting unit, he having been a reservist before becoming a Baha � has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his courage in saving a comrade from a burning tank in North Africa.~~
From Australia and Newtook steps to dispel any doubts and misapprehensions regarding the loyalty of Bahá'ís to the Government and the Bahá'í attitude to war, which might have been held by the authorities.
A statement was compiled setting forth the Bahá'í attitude to war and showing that the Faith is nonpolitical in character and enjoins absolute loyalty and obedience to the Government.
This was sent to the Prime Minister of the Federal Parliament of Australia and to the State Premiers together with a copy of Vol. VII of The Bahá'í World and the following covering letter: � CC tsir !On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand, I have much pleasure in sending, under separate cover, a copy of the publica-don, The
Bahá'í World, VolumeMy Assembly hopes that amid your many important and onerous duties you may find time to peruse this work, and later, if agreeable to you, place it in the Parliamentary library.
Cc ~ book is an authentic record of Baha activities in all countries, and shows the world wide scope of its work and influence.
We would especially refer you to the article onof the Bahá'í Faith, by which you will see that its aims are directed to a just and ethical social order, as well as to individual faith and belief.
tA brief statement of its attitude to war accompanies this letter. The National Spirit'ual Assembly respectfully desires you to read this in order to clarify their position in regard to this matter, and thereby dispel any suspicion of subversive ideas which may erroneously have been held against this world Faith.
Page 51Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand, Yours obediently, H. M. BROOKS, Hon. Secretary.'
"Kindly replies, accepting The Bahá'í World for the
Parliamentary Librariesand in some cases promises to peruse the book, were received from the Prime Minister and the Premiers."
From New Zealand: � tCTWO youth members instead of waiting until conscripted for military service, volunteered for the Air Force. Requests for noncombatant service were made. In each instance their requests were granted, no appeals being necessary.
The Secretary of the Spiritual Assembly in registering under the Manpower regulations, registered as a religious worker, and no appeal against her direction to essential work has been necessary."
From the United States: � !cOur community has this year begun to share the experience of believers in all parts of the world whose nations have entered the world conflict. Fortunate are we, to hive the inspiration of the teachings and the guidance of the Guardian in days so full of turmoil and stress!
CCJ~ transmitting in Bahá'í News the instructions which the Guardian had given the British believers in 1939, the Assembly sought to add the advice that in matters of civil defense and humanitarian action, Bahá'ís are to act as individuals, the community and its institutions continuing to tcon-fine their efforts to direct Bahá'í work and the discharge of the functions definitely assigned them in the teachings.'
"The ways in which Bahá'ís can voiun-tarily serve their country in time of war are explained by Shoghi Effendi as follows: "tThere are many other avenues through which the believers can assist in times of war by enlisting in services of a noncombatant nature � services that do nor involve the direct stedding of blood � such as ambulance work, anti-air raid precaution service, office and administrative works, and it is for such types of national service that they should volunteer.
tlt is immaterial whether such activities would still expose them to dangers, either at home or in the front, since their desire is not to protect their lives, but to desist from any acts of wilful murder.'
"As for the draftee, called to active duty, the Bahá'í is to apply for noncombatant types of duty, but is required by his religion to obey hIs government if his application is refused.
Tn March, 1941, the National Assembly prepared a bulletin explaining how to fill out the draft questionnaire in conformity with the Bahá'í teachings; and in April, 1942, it has issued a second bulletin dealing with the matter of appealing, when necessary, from refusals to accept their religious status."
The American Assemblyappointed a special committee to assist members of the community called before draft boards, and the following statement is from an annual report submitted by that committee: � ctSeveral special bulletins have been issued during the year, including: (1) An explanation of a change in the draft questionnaire relating to application for noncombatant status; (2) special instructions for Baha who have been drafted and incorrectly assigned to combatant service, pointing out steps which may be taken to obtain transfer to noncombatant duty; (3) an additional statement of the Bahá'í position on military service for use by believers who are called before local draft boards or other official bodies to explain their claims for exemption from combatant service; and (4) a bulletin containing special instructions 'for Canadian Bahá'ís subj~ct to military service.
"As indicated in previous bulletins prepared by the Committee, the rules of the War Department in the past permitted the assignment of individuals with noncombatant status to any branch of the Army Medical Corps, and certain branches of the Quartermaster Corps,
Chemical 'Warfare Service, SignalCorps, Corps of Engineers, and many other specialized branches of the service. However, this ruling was changed early in 1943, and the regulations now provide that individuals who obtain a noncombatant sta
Page 52tus through the Selective Service machinery can be assigned oniy to the Medical Corps. This means that duty in the Medical Corps is the oniy type of military service now open to Baha'is, since the Guardian's instructions require us to apply for and maintain a noncombatant status if it is possible to do so under the laws of our government.
"The Army Regulationsformerly provided that applicants for commissions who were classified as noncombatants, or who claimed conscientious objection to combatant duty, could become eligible only if they refuted by affidavit their objection to combatant service.
Our Committee felt that this worked an unnecessary hardship upon Bahá'ís serving in the Army, since it prevented their trying for a commission in the Medical Administrative Corps, which as a branch of the Medical Department is a strictly noncombatant arm of the service. Therefore an appeal setting forth in detail the Bahá'í position on military service was sent to the War Department, together with a request for a reconsideration of this particular provision of the Army Regulations.
ccWe are happy to be able to report that this appeal met with a favorable response, and the Adjutant General's Office has informed us that the Army Regulations have been amended to permit qualified soldiers classed as noncombatants to apply for admission to the Medical Administrative
Corps Officer CandidateJ~ all of our contacts with officials of the government, we have emphasized that Bahá'ís make no reservations in claiming that they are fully obedient to all provisions of the laws of our country, including the constitutional right of the Federal government to raise armies and conscript citizens for military service. We have stated that in the absence of specific legislation on the part of Congress offering noncombatant service to those who are opposed to combatant service on the grounds of religious training and belief, the members of our Faith would feel obligated to perform combatant military service if asked to do so by the government. In addition, we have safeguarded the status of the Faith in the eyes of our government by pointing out that if special legislation by Congress covered oniy the cases of individuals who are unwilling to perform any type of military service, Bahá'ís would not go to work camps as conscientious objectors, or avail themselves of any similar means of avoiding their obligation to render military service to their country in time of war."
The Faith has been recognized by government authorities in the United States in connection with the use of the Bahá'í symbol on the headstones of graves of believers, and the issuance of supplementary gas rations to the chairman and secretary of the local Spiritual Assembly for use in their religious duties.
A letter from the Office of the Quartermaster General at Washington, dated August 14, 1942, addressed to the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, conveyed the following statement: � ttReceipt is acknowledged of your letter of August 4th, requesting authority for the use of the Bahá'í symbol on the stones which will mark the graves of the followers of the faith of Bahá'u'lláh, who may be killed in this war and buried in military cemeteries or private cemeteries.
"The authorized design for the Government headstones of the general type is the Latin Cross for those of the Christian Faith and the Star of David for those of the Hebrew Faith.
However, if the emblem of the Bahá'í is desired on any Government headstone to be placed in a Military
Cemetery or a PrivateCemetery and information to that effect is 4urnished at the time the decedent is interred in the case of a National Cemetery or when application is made for a headstone in the case of a Private Cemetery, the space for the emblem on the Government stone will be left blank in order that such emblem may be placed thereon at private expense.~~ On December 21, 1942, the Office of Price Administration at Washington wrote the National Assembly as follows: � CCUPOn a review of the facts presented by representatives of the Bahá'í Faith, we conclude that the chairmen and secretaries of the Local
Spiritual Assembliesof the Bahá'ís may be eligible for preferred mileage under the provisions of
Section 7706 (k), MileageOrder No. SC), to meet the religious needs of the localities they regularly serve. These officers conduct the religious meetings of the community, or congregation, perform religious services, arc authorized in three states to perform the marriage service, and in gen-. eral perform religious services similar to those rendered by ministers of other religious sects or churches."
The incorporated localare applying to the civil authority for power to conduct a legal marriage ceremony for members of the Bahá'í community in accordance with the character of Bahá'í marriage.
The first legally recognized Bahá'í marriage was conducted by the Chicago Assembly.
Other Assemblies which now exercise this function are New York, Teaneck, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Mu. waukee, Los Angeles, Lima, Helena, Wil-mette, Evanston and Wilmington, Delaware. In July, 1942, the American National Assembly issued a bulletin summarizing the matter for the information of the newer local Assemblies, and the following passages are cited: � ttAccording to Bahá'í Marriage Law the written consent of both sets of parents must be presented to the local Assembly before the marriage ceremony is performed.
"In essence, a Bahá'í marriage is a relationship established by the two parties themselves.
Under the law of Bahá'u'lláh the Bahá'í representatives present are necessary as witnesses to the marriage, but, unlike the marriage rite of the church, they do not create or give the marriage to the bride and groom.
ttThis is made clear by these words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá tThe Bahá'í betrothal is the perfect agreement and entire consent of both parties. They must show forth the utmost attention and become informed of one another's character. The firm covenant between them must become an eternal binding, and their intentions must be everlasting affinity, friendship, unity and life.
tThe bridegroom must, before the bridesman and a few others, say: "Verily we are content with the Will of God," and the bride must rejoin: tcVerily we are satisfied with the Desire of God".'
From 'Ir&q we have this report on marriage: '~Among other laws, the law of marriage, in particular, was firmly upheld and enforced.
Certain local Assembliesin this country and particularly the Local Spiritual Assembly of Baghd~id performed during the last four years marriage ceremonies for believers of different religious background who, undaunted by the difficulties and opposition raised by their nonBahá'í families, relatives, and other former coreligionists, insisted that their marriage ceremonies be absolutely in accordance with the Bahá'í law. Such a tenacity of faith in the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh displayed by the believers had its deep repercussions in the nonBahá'í communities cod � cerned, who now began to realize the pervasive influence and independent character of the Bahá'í
Faith."It is regrettable to state that the Authorities have even until now refused to recognize the legal character of the Bahá'í marriage certificates issued by the Spiritual Assemblies, on the ground that the Baha Faith is denied official recognition either as independent or as one of the sects recognized by the state, or even as a society or body entitled to exercise religious functions. This state of affairs led as might be expected to the flat refusal of any and every application submitted by the Bahá'í contracting parties to the Authorities concerned for recognition and registration. When the situation was finally referred to the Guardian, he directed the
National Spiritual Assemblyto be firm and steadfast and to continue to perform marriage ceremonies according to the BaJil'i Law."
A case which has furthered the independent status of the Faith in Egypt involved the application of the inheritance law of Isl&m to a Bahá'í beneficiary under the will of a Muslim.
Verdict was given in the Sharia (Islamic) court declaring that a Bahá'í is not entitled to benefit from an inheritance in the will of a Muslim in accordance with the principle of "Variety of Religions." That is, diversity of faith affects the distribution of assets under Islamic law. It prevents a Bahá'í from taking under the will of a Muhammadan, but at the same time prevents a nonBahá'í from taking under the will of a Baha'i.
Page 54Temerity Ranch, Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the Bahá'í International School is held annually.
Page 55More important was the case of the Bahá'í cemetery in Egypt, a sacred property which the believers were compelled to acquire in view of the religious law prohibiting the burial of a non-Muslim in an
Islamic cemetery. Thiscase was not a mere legal or ecclesiastical matter but one of bitter public persecution.
Mobs of hostile persons animated by religious prejudice prevented the burial of Bahá'ís in cemeteries associated with their traditional creed. The Public Security Department realized that such disturbances would have to be prevented.
A formal pronouncement was obtained from the Mufti which declared that the Bahá'í Faith is not Muslim, and therefore any Muslim who becomes a Bahá'í is an apostate, subject to all the disabilities provided in the Muhammadan code.
A Bahá'í can not be buried in a Muslim cemetery.The final outcome was to establish more firmly the independent status of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and strengthen the hearts of the believers throughout
Egypt.A list of incorporated Bahá'í Assemblies, both National and Local, was prepared by Shoghi Effendi in his world survey of the Faith issued toward the close of the period under consideration.
This material is incorporated here as impressive evidence of the degree to which the believers in various countries have gradually won civil recognition of the corporate nature of their religious institutions.
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES INCORPORATEDSeparate articles prepared for the present 1927 volume record the special teaching plans carried out by the American Bahá'ís throughout
North, Central and SouthAmerica, as 1933 well as the construction work which completed the exterior decoration of the House 1934 of Worship in J942.
It is sufficient to emphasize here the fact that the Guardian stimulated and guided the American believers to achieve three major tasks before 1938 the end of the first Bahá'í century: completion of the Temple ornamentation, includ 1939 ing the encircling steps; formation of a
Page 56Spiritual Assembly in each State of the United States and Province of Canada; and the creation of a nucleus of believers in every American Republic of Central and South America. The separate articles mentioned report the full success of all three undertakings, and these tasks represent the most important activity sustained by the American Bahá'ís between 1940 and 1944. There were, however, numerous instances of teaching work carried on during that period which were not directly connected with the threefold undertaking but stand out as significant episodes in relation to the general advance of the Cause.
Regret is expressed that so much equally important activity in other lands has not been retorted as fully as the work in America, and therefore can appear here oniy in brief summaries.
From Persia we have the following: � ctMany new teaching classes have been formed � classes lasting a definite period with a set enrollment, such as a TilirAn one-year study class for ninety youth.
Graduates of these classes frequently go into the provinces, to teach what they have learned from the leading Bahá'í scholars in charg~. Besides contipual teaching by individuals, twenty-three persons during these past four years have spent their entire time as appointed teachers. Forty-one persons undertook teaching journeys throughout Persia and a large number served locally.
Thousands of people have been taught the Faith in this way. The Guardian's many telegrams and letters regarding the urgency of teaching have been constantly circulated among the friends and have greatly stimulated this activity. Bahá'í books including the Ear~'id of Mirza Abu'1-Fadl and the Gu1shan-i--~aq?iq of Jin6b-i-Ariumand are distributed to various centers whenever possible. In a typical year (98), (i.e., 1942) 795 teaching meetings were held in Tihdn alone.
r!~ large number of pioneers also settled areas inside Persia, establishing 187 new centers. These, besides suffering considerable financial losses, have had to contend night and day with the fanatical hostility of the authorities, the clergy, and the majority of the residents.
"Recently a large number of Americans and Europeans in Persia and particularly TihrAn have expressed great interest in the Faith. The Unity of the
East and WestCommittee has been directed to suppiy them with information and literature.
"The Bahá'ís of Persiamake two kinds of contributions to their Assembly, one destined for the National, the other for the Local Fund.
The latter is expended locally for the poor, for teaching, maintaining the Haziratu'1-Quds and shine areas, and th~ like.
The other sum is sent on to the National Assembly.
During these four years the National Assembly has received 12,004,288.35 riy4ls and has expended 11,094,045.80.
Recent contributions of the Bahá'ís of Persia to non-Bahá'í organizations include 50,000 riyils to the Soviet, poor and 5,000 riyMs to the TihrAn Welfare
Fund.tCBah4~i needy are served by a national committee which up to now has assisted 2,910 persons, supplying provisions and funds, as well as loaning out capital to those requiring it."
The National SpiritualAssembly of 'It~q shares these interesting facts: "With the erection of the Flaziratu'l � Quds and the transfer of Bahá'í administration to this new center, teaching can be said to have entered upon a new era of activity. To this testify the words of the Guardian, who wrote through his secretary (trans-lated): 'In this connection he strongly urges your Assembly to go forward and complete the entire structure of the UaPratu'1-Quds, that edifice to which he always attaches the greatest importance.' In another message he states, 'This endeavor on your part to complete the building of the Haziratu'I-Quds is attractive of the unfailing confirmations of the Almighty Lord, is the cause of the consolidation of the Baha institutions, of the elevation of the prestige of the Community in that land, and is conducive to the joy and delight of the friends in the East and 'West of the Bahá'í
World.'CCHOW gloriously true these promises of the beloved Guardian have proved even before the completion of the whole structure of the Ija~iratu'1-Quds.
People of different classes and creeds began in increasing num
Page 57bers to inquire about the Faith and investigate its truth. Consequently, teaching centers have been assigned in various parts of Bashd~d, where teachers explain to beginners the Bahá'í principles and answer their questions about various aspects of the Faith. A number of these beginners have as a result of these activities embraced the Cause, and many others are studying the teachings with a view of being enrolled as bdievers in the Bahá'í Community. The hope is cherished that in the not far distant future the Faith will acquire even greater importance and publicity in the eyes of men.
(CResident teachers in several parts of the country, who have been appointed as such by the National Spiritual Assembly, send in encouraging reports about their activities in their respective centers.
"It should be borne in mind, however, that teaching in tldq is strictly limited to individual contacts and endeavor; the more effective ways and means of propagation and publicity such as the radio, the press, and public lecturing are still denied the Bahá'ís here. Up to a few years before the period covered by this report the Bahá'í Faith was from time to time the target of fierce attacks in the press by the enemies of the Cause.
The National SpiritualAssembly endeavored in vain to be given an opportunity in the press in order to refute those unfounded charges brought against the Faith of God."
The scope of Bahá'í activity in 'Ir&q is attested by this list of National
Committees:committee supervised and expedited building operations, and collected subscriptions and donations for the building fund.
Teaching: It supervised, coordinated and stimulated teaching activities throughout the country.
Youth: It supervised and encouraged all youth activities.
It arranged and organized the annual Symposium Day held every year. It persuaded young Bahá'ís to deepen their understanding of the fundamental aspects of the Faith.
Translation and Publishing:It translated articles chiefly from English to Arabic and reviewed translations for local circulation.
Children Education Caurses:It compiled courses for the education and character training of Bahá'í children of various ages.
Pioneers: It encouraged the believers of Baglidid to go and settle in cities and towns where the Faith has not been established, thereby to carry out the repeated appeals and urgent wishes of the Guardian; it facilitated pioneering for those who contemplated such a step; it studied the conditions of pioneers, it strengthened the pioneers' fund, and made informative recommendations to the
National Spiritual Assembly.National Library: It improved the library by providing it with the latest publications produced throughout the Bahá'í world, and induced the believers to offer the library what literature they can spare.
National Archives: Itcollected from the friends and preserved in special cases sacred relics and other precious Bahá'í objects of which a good collection has been made.
Activities of Bahá'í Wumen:Under the instruction and encouragement of the National Spiritual Assembly and their respective
Local Spiritual Assembliesthe Bahá'í women in 'Iniq have made good progress in their efforts to serve the Cause. They have their own committees which are concerned with general services such as: youth organizing meetings, uplifting and training.
In addition they hold their own nineteen-day feasts and their regular public meetings which are attended by both Bahá'ís and beginners. Their annual youth symposium is held with success.
They attend classes organized by the Local Spiritual Assembly where courses in Bahá'í history, law, teaching, and administration are given. Thus with higher spiritual capacity the Bahá'í women gradually are proving themselves fit and qualified to do their share in the field of service.
Bahá'í Youth: During recent years the Bahá'í youth have awakened to play their important role in the promotion of the interests of the Faith.
Under the guidance of thethey have arisen to organize their activities and consolidate their institutions, and thus have been successful in reinforcing the teaching activities in the country.
The Bahá'ís of Indiahave made notable progress in their development of the community to new areas:
Page 58The Bahá'í Center Owned by the Bahá'ís of Cincinnati, Ohio.
"The seeds sown in India ttDue to the peculiar by numerous touring teachersnature of the territory from America and Persia overand the people where a number of years, coupledwe worked, our task is with the endeavors and particularly trying.
sacrifices of the Indian This vast subcontinent friends, blossomed forth is divided into 11 major and gave abundant fruit duringand 4 minor provinces the period under review. with about 11 major and numerous minor Indian states.
The divisionis mainly based upon the language spoken by the people of the territory.
Although there are 225 languages spoken in the Indian Empire, about 15 of them are spoken by the largest majority groups.
Again, there are about seven principal religions in India. It must, however, be noted that the term religion in this country has invariably come to mean a bundle 6f custqms, rites and conventionalities. The difference in the customs has been the cause of many a religious quarrel in this ancient land.
"In such a scene, among this babel of tongues and medley of religions, the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma has to work and to propagate the Bahá'í message of Unity and Oneness and Love.
ttThe faith of Bahá'u'lláh was brought to India during the lifetime of the Bib.
During the ministry of Bahá'u'lláh it was established here. And 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í nurtured it by sending out teachers who with love and sacrifice watered the seeds already sown and planted others, which during the time of the first Guardian of the Cause, and under his loving care and direction, are yielding fruit.
~~A1though the publicity so far given has been small in comparison to the vast areas and population involved, yet it has been �followed up with more or less regularity. Our traveling teachers went round. They delivered the message to the faculty and students of Universities.
They spread the Glad-Tidings in the important towns.
The Guardian more recently sent us two American Baha'is, distinguished for their services, to help us in this phase of our work. Mr. Schopilocher came in 1937. He visited the important towns of India and Burma. He met notable men and visited local Baha'is, encouraging them in their efforts to serve God's Cause. He was followed, in 1938, by Miss Martha Root. The Guardian was pleased to let her stay and work in our midst for an extended stay of eighteen months. She toured the country from Cape Comorin in the South to Srinagar (Kashmir) in the North and from Mandalay in the East to Bombay in the West. She was indefatigable. She visited every important town in this vast country.
Her sincerity and selflessness ness impressed all with whom she came in contact. Her cLtters Home' have been published in the Bahá'í News of both America and India and are interesting for they partly reveal the spiritual condition of the people of India before the war.
(cOne of the greatest achievements of the Indian believers during this period was the successful conclusion of the six-year Plan of Teaching, started in April, 1938, by a resolution of the N.S.A. at its Annual Meeting. The significance of the Plan took two years to be thoroughly realized by the believers and its chief acts were enacted during the years under report. The Guardian gave the Plan his full support. Writing through his Secretary in 1938, he says: � CC Cm connection with the six-year plan initiated by your N.S.A. the Guardian cannot too highly praise this undertaking of unprecedented magnitude which your Assembly has resolved to carry out.
One year has already elapsed since the plan was first launched and the task that will have to be accomplished during the remaining five years is indeed immense, and calls for no less than a combined and tremendous sacrificial effort by every Assembly, group and individual believer throughout India and
Burma.CC cBut the friends should derive much encouragement at the realisation that their efforts for the prosecution of the plan are, in a way, far more meritorious than those which their fellow believers in the American Continent are exerting in connection with the Seven Year Plan of the American N.S.A. 'Whereas this latter plan, which it should be fairly admitted, is the largest enterprise of its kind ever undertaken by any National Bahá'í Community, has been concerted and formulated directly by the Guardian himself, the Six Year Plan adopted by the Indian N.S.A. has been initiated solely through the efforts of the elected body of the National Representatives, and represents, therefore, the spontaneous undertaking of the Indian Bahá'í Community itself and as such is endowed with a special merit and a unique spir-itral potency. When successfully completed this plan will constitute indeed an abiding monument to the resourceful energy, the unstinted devotion and the unquenchable enthusiasm of the Indian Bahá'ís from which
Page 60further generations of believers in that land will derive endless inspiration and guidance.~
"Local teaching activity was stimulated. Appeals addressed to the believers encouraged them to venture forth. The spirit moved Mr. Soroosh F. Yaganagi of Poona to leave his home and settle in Bangalore, South India. This was in October, 1941.
ccThe news of this first pioneering attempt aroused others and was soon followed by the establishment of
S Baha groups. At Hyderabad(SinA) by pioneer Hormuzdyar Beheshti in 1941, at Kotah (Rajputana) by pioneer Mrs. S. Fozdar in 1942, at Hyderabad
(Deccan) and SrinagarttThe N.S.A. of India and Burma sent some teachers to help these groups.
Mr. 'Abdu'llAh Fadil, a young Bahá'í from Persia, who was sent to South India on a teaching tour succeeded in winning over some good souls in Hyderabad, Deccan.
With the older believers they formed into a Spiritual Assem-My, in 1941. This was the first Assembly to be formed under the Six
Year Plan.CCThe Kotah group grew in numbers and evolved into a Spiritual Assembly.
"At BangMore, there existed a body of seekers after truth who held weekly meetings and discussed religious subjects. Mr. Yaganagi, our pioneer in this center and Mr. Fadil, who had gone there to help him went to these meetings and explained the subjects under discussion in the light of the Divine Teachings.
Members of this group were attracted and became believers, thus forming a Spiritual Assembly there.
ccSome Bahá'ís from Karachi, under the aegis of the local Spiritual Assembly settled in Hyderabad (Sind).
They started a business there on behalf of some Karachi friends and devoted their spare time to giving the message.
"The news of the establishment of three new Assemblies gladdened the heart of our Guardian, and he sent us this cablegram: � 'Notable prayers achieved dear
Indianbelievers teaching Faith Bahá'u'lláh impels me to contribute two hundred pounds teaching fund.
Appeal intensification of efforts; wider dispersion; increase number of volunteers; multiplication groups
Assemblies."This cable and the success of Mr. Saroosh F. Yaganagi encouraged the friends in India and a number of families left their homes to settle in virgin territories.
"Mr. Eahram M. Manavi, an old and experienced believer, left Bombay with his family and settled in Deolali.
"Dr. M. G. Luqmani left Bombay for Sholapur where he opened a Homeopathic Dispensary, teaching the Cause in his spare time. His selfless efforts and capable method of teaching soon bore fruit and an Assembly was formed there.
CcMrs. Humayun Jehangirand family settled in Igatpuri and are busily engaged in teaching the Faith there.
"Mr. H. M. Manji with his mother and family left in company with Mr. Babman B. Mihrbani and family settled in Ujjain where after hard efforts they gathered a group of interested beginners.
"Mr. Gushtasb Yaganagiand family left Poona and settled in Belgaum. Although several teachers were sent to help him, there was no response for about two years. But Mr. Yaganagi persevered and continued to feed the flame lit in the breasts of a few inquirers.
ttMr. Jamshid 2. Mahallati and family left Poona and settled in Mysore, where the people are very conservative.
Mr. Mahal-lati is still working in Mysoore.ttMr. Rustam IForoody and family left Poona and settled in Secunderabad. After some hard work they formed a group of interested people.
ctMr Shirin Fozdar who had moved to Ahmedabad taught and labored until she formed an Assembly in that Center.
"Mr. Rustam M. Shocili and family and Mr. Rustam D. Mihrshahi and family from Bombay and Mr. Isfandyar F. Yaganagi and family from Poona went together and settled in Panchgani, forming among themselves a strong group of Baha'is.
ttTo Srinagar (Kashmir) which was originally opened by Miss Martha Root, regular followup visits were paid by Mr. I. Bakhtiari, Prof. Pritam Singli, Mrs. S. Fozdar, Mr. M. H. Ilmi, and Mr. Samadani,
MoulviMuhammad' 'Abdu'11&h, an erudite Muslim scholar and one of the foremost 'Ulam4s of the QAdiAni sect of IslAm, who had been investigating the Cause for a long time, now declared himself a Bahá'í and joined forces with the Baha. It was mainly due to his persistent efforts, supported by occasional visits by our teachers, that an Assembly was formed in this health resort.
"Dr. M. A. Samadani, on his teaching trips to Srinagar, stayed on his way at his home village, Kiriafghanan, near QAdiAn and taught the people till at last he succeeded in forming an Assembly there.
"Mr. A. Parthsarthi, one of the newer Bahá'ís from Madras got transferred to Vellore where he worked hard and gathered some good souis around him and succeeded in forming a Spiritual Assembly there.
"All the while, the believers gave liberal financial support to the Plan.
"The Bahá'ís of Bombay, of Poona and Karachi contributed most generously to the Teaching Fund in addition to sending out volunteers for the prosecution of the Six
Year Plan."Thus when the 14th Annual Convention was held at Poona during the Ridvan of 1943, it was announced that eight new Spiritual Assemblies were formed (including three of last year), and seven strong groups at Lahore, Ujjain (Gwalior), Secunderabad (Deccan), Pancligani, Bclg~um,
Gorakhpur and Aligarli.The net result up to that time, therefore, was that while two years ago we had only five local
Spiritual Assemblieswe now had thirteen local Spiritual Assemblies and seven strong groups.
"When this news reached the beloved Guardian, he was pleased and sent us the following encouraging cablegram: � cGreatly cheered remarkable expansion teaching activities valiant pioneers. Urge perseverance.
Cabling three hundred pounds facilitate Bahá'í settlement virgin states. Praying magnificent victories resounding success historic task.'
tCThe text of this cablegram was made the basis of a fervent appeal by the
Six Year Plan Committeeto stimulate the believers into puttihg forth fresh efforts and further sacrifices.
Only one more year was left and there was such a great deal yet to be done if we were to prove even in a slight measure worthy of the iove and confidence of our beloved Guardian.
Passionate appeals addressed to the Community and the individual were issued in quick succession by the Six Year Plan Committee urging the friends to pioneer.
Concentrated attention was paid to the seven groups already formed and every effort was made to increase their numbers so as to form them into
Assemblies."A fresh batch of Bahá'ís from Bombay joined the group of believers already settled at Fanchgani and formed a Spiritual Assembly there.
ttAndheri on the outskirts of Bombay, had a group of firm believers who participated in the activities of the Bahá'í community of Bombay. Their numbers were reinforced by fresh settlers from Bombay and a Spiritual Assembly was formed there.
"A group of inquirers gathered around our pioneers at Secunderabad and Belgaum and in time Spiritual Assemblies were formed at both these places.
(CM Bahram J. Akhtariand Kaikho-. srove J. Akhtari with their families from Poona and Mr. Kolidadad R. Soheili and family from Bombay settled in Kohiapur. They started in business and set apart a room for holding meetings.
Mr. A. F64i1 paid them regular visits and in nine months succeeded in forming an Assembly there.
ccGorakhpur had had a group for a long time.With the renewed efforts of Dr. Bhar-gava, who had settled in this place, the group evolved into a Spiritual Assembly.
ttSo of the Gorakhpur youths accompanied by Mr. Shyam Bliargava went to Sewan (Bihar) to start a business. Soon some others were added to their numbers and a Spiritual Assembly was formed there.
"The Bahá'ís at Hyderabad(Sind) were reinforced by fresh arrivals from Karachi and formed a Spiritual
Assembly."Mr. Bahman Behi and family and daughter, Mrs. Ridvan Mubidzadih, left their home in Poona and settled in Surat. They were joined here by Mrs. Yasoda Vakil and her two daughters Miss
Sushula and Miss TThirihThey hired quarters for Bahá'í meetings. Some interested persons who were studying the Cause declared them
Page 62The Grave of May Maxwell in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
One of the earliest Bahá'ís of the Western World, who established the first Bahá'í group on European soil, in Paris, 1899. She died in Sowth America, where she had gone to teach the Faith.
selves as believers and an Assembly was formed here.
ttSome believers from Persia, in response to the Guardian's appeal to settle in the countries adjoining Persia where the light of the Faith had not yet penetrated, migrated to Quetta, Ba1i~chist~n, where they were joined by some believers from Bombay and a Spiritual Assembly was formed there. Mr.
Sultan Nik-A'in and Mr.and Mr. A. K. Khavari from Bombay were the first pioneers of this center.
"Mr. M. H. Ilmi settled in Aligarli and joined the group of believers there. Mr. S. H. Koreshi paid them occasional visits and helped them in teaching enquirers, some of whom declared themselves as Bahá'ís thus making the formation of a Spiritual Assembly possible there.
ccMr. Merwan Khosrove went to Rajkot and after due efforts succeeded in establishing an Assembly there.
tCMr Merwan Khosrove went to Baroda and after due effort succeeded in establishing an Assembly there.
"Mr. M. Irshad settled in Serampore~'P1eased with the success of our pioneers, the Guardian cabled us on January 15, 1944: tCabling one thousand pounds facilitate settlement still greater number believers virgin areas wider dispersion greater intensification in pioneer teaching activities. Heart filled gratitude magnificent services already rendered.'
CCThus on the 15th April, 1944, we had twenty-nine Assemblies including sixteen new ones formed during the year.
The National SpiritualAssembly of the British Isles has prepared this summary of the significant teaching activities conducted under its supervision: � "The history of the British Bahá'í community in the years 19401944 is a history of wartime, of new and scarcely anticipated circumstances, of difficulties, of depleted communities, but yet, in spite of all this, a record of siow and not yet entirely visible, but nevertheless very definite progress.
An important aspect of the wartime years has been decreasing numbers, not a decrease in the total number of Baha'is, which indeed grows slowly but steadily, but in the number able to take part in the work of the community.
A number have been called up to the Forces, others are doing long hours of war-work, some have been evacuated to remote places.
The burden on those who are left has been great, especially during the preparations Lor the Centenary, but in spite of this all our institutions have been maintained, the centers kept open, the teaching work has been extended and a good deal of fresh publicity has been undertaken.
Thus the foundations have been kept intact and much preliminary work done, on which we shall later build the body of the Faith in the British Isles.
"Communities, like individuals, gradually adapt themselves to changed circumstances and we are now quite used to the fact that in winter most meetings must be held in the afternoon on account of early blackout, that transport services stop running early, that if there is a period of air-raids attendance at meetings will drop for a while, that audiences at meetings tend to consist mainly of the middle-aged, that people are often on the move and useful contacts are liable to disappear suddenly, that when a new activity is undertaken, it is likely to be the same already hard-worked people who will do the work {nvolved.
All this comes in time to be taken for granted as the usual state of affairs.
'tThe two main themes of work during these four years have been the maintenance and consolidation of our administrative organizations, and the effort to make the Faith more and more widely known by various forms of publicity.
"So far as the first is concerned, all the local Assemblies, as well as the National Assembly, have continued to function and have become more firmly established. One local Assembly has been reestablished, i.e., in Bournemouth, where it had lapsed for a number of years. The National Spiritual Assembly, in spite of travel problems, is holding longer and more frequent meetings to deal with the expanding activities. The Convention has been held each year, always with a large even when not with a complete attendance of delegates. Summer School had to be suspended one year and also the annual winter Teaching Conference, but in other years they have been held and well and enthusiastically attended.
The Summer School has certainly been subject more than the other institutions to the difficulties of the times. After having been cancelled in 1940 at the time of threatened invasion, it proved impossible to find anywhere to hold it in 1941, all suitable places being filled with soldiers, evacu&s, etc. Consequently it had to be held in the big industrial town of Bradford, with sessions at the Bahá'í Center there and the friends staying in various parts of the town; but in spite of all this it was a complete success. The next year the same difficulties were encountered, to be met this time by the plan of holding two long weekends, one in the South at Torquay and one in the North at Buxton. London, left out by both these arrangements, held its own school at home by gathering each day in a different believer's house or garden for meetings. Tn 1943 however the situation was easier and we were able to hold the school in a lovely house in the heart of Warwickshire.
Page 64"Publicity has only been undertaken seriously during the latter half of the period under review, and has been done by two different methods, i.e., by paid advertisement in the Press and in the form of articles, paragraphs, etc., accepted for insertion by the various newspapers and magazines themselves.
Advertisements in the Press, mainly in papers with a provincial circulation, these proving more useful than national papers, have produced a great many inquiries, resulting in the Faith having been introduced to at least one person, often more, in about 110 towns and villages, spread all over the country, and in Wales,
Scotland and Ireland. Inquirieshave also been received from so far afield as New Zealand, South Africa, India and even Mexico, besides members of the Forces scattered in different parts of the world.
'tAt the present stage in the development of the Cause, teaching is the main work and object of any Bahá'í community and the bulk of its efforts must be devoted to this. In the British Isles we have not yet grown to the state in which we need, as some other countries do, regional committees for different parts of the country; that will come later. We have had a National Teaching Committee for part of the time under review, at other times teaching has been dealt with directly by the National Assembly and by local Assemblies.
In any case, though committees and Assemblies can direct, guide and encourage, teaching the Cause is basically an individual task and every effort has been made to render the believers, both in communities and living alone, alive to their teaching responsibilities and possibilities, to prepare them for the work and to help them. That there has been some success is shown by the fifty-five new Bahá'ís during the period; they were not concentrated in any one area, but came from all parts of the country, which is, even though the number be not large, a satisfactory way of spreading the Faith. The communities of course have been able to make concerted efforts and have tried out many schemes for attracting people to inquire about the Faith and to come to meetings. Such was London's Race Amity meeting, held in a hired hail which was crowded, at which representatives of various religions testified that their faiths all teach brotherly love and tolerance of racial and color differences. Manchester held a meeting devoted to friendship with Czechoslovakia to which many Czech refugees living in the city came. All the communities have held regular te~iching meetings, besides maintaining their Nineteen-Day Feasts. Torquay community is truly an example to the Bahá'í world � with a membership of just nine, several of whom are unable to do much through ill-health, they are maintaining a center, holding three public meetings a week, and also running a social club for young people meeting once a week, through which a number of young girls working locally ~nd their parents are being introduced to the
Faith."Meetings have been held, or talks given to societies, etc., in many places, amongst them: Newcastle, Ilkeston, Nottingham, Northampton, Cheltenham, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bristol, Stratford-on-Avon, Amesbury, Salisbury, Exeter, Tad-worth, Kingston, Droitwich, Coventry, Grimsby, Brighton.
in Northampton an active group is now working.ttWe have reached 1944 with, it is true, oniy five local Assemblies established, but with definite hopes of more in quite a few places, and with the believers themselves much more ready to work for this than they were four years ago and with much more knowledge and teaching experience to help them."
The Bahá'ís of Australiaand New Zealand provide the following data: � C!1940 and 1941 all local Assemblies reported intensified teaching effort. In addition to the regular weekly meetings and advertised lectures at each center, social or fireside meetings were held in many homes when talks or lectures were given to invited guests.
The home meetings have proved an effective means of attracting people to the Cause. The National Assembly began to send teachers long distances.
Under the direction of the N.S.A., Miss Hilda Brooks of Adelaide and later Mrs. 0. Routh of Sydney, went to Melbourne and Hobart where they gave lectures and contacted many people. The following year Miss Brooks, with
Mrs. Hawthorne of AdelaideAmerica's outstanding Bahá'í teacher, through whom Queen Marie of Rumania was led to embrace the Faith.
and Mrs. Moffitt of Sydney to organize, went as far north as Brisbane and engaged in a four weeks' teaching campaign with the joyous result that a Study Group was formed in that city where there had been no workers for the Faith since Mr. and Mrs. Dunn were there many years ago. The work went with a swing from the first days. Contacts were made, invitations to the lectures sent out and the lectures impressively advertised. In the first week the assistance and advice of Mr. O'Bryen Hoare, poet and teacher of public speaking, opened many doors. He had heard from a nonBahá'í source that the Bahá'ís were visiting Brisbane and although unacquainted with them, he phoned soon after their arrival and proffered his advice and assistance. In him the Bahá'ís found a good friend whose advice and introductions enabled them to make many contacts.
The first lecture given by Miss Brooks on the evening of Ma5r 12, 1941, was attended by sixty people and was most enthusiastically received.
The press report enhanced the prestige of the Baha'is, assisted in spreading the knowledge of the Teachings, in Queensland and led to inquiries and requests for literature. This report was also broadcast over the air. An interview with the Social Editor of cCountry Life,' a weekly publication which reaches the graziers and primary producers throughout Queensland followed and subsequently a report of the interview appeared in the paper. The Social Editor arranged an interview for Miss Brooks with the Assistant Manager of
CThe Queensland Primary"In addition to the advertised lectures, Miss Brooks spoke at meetings for inquirers, the Theosophical Society and social gatherings.
All the meetings were well attended and a Study Group quickly formed.
Many people called at the hotel for personal interviews. Bahá'í books were in great demand
Page 66arrived in Brisbane and beginning on June 2 she gave a series of lectures and talks all of which were cordially received. This seven weeks~ intensive teaching effort was followed up later by Mr. 0. A.
Whitaker of Sydney.(CJ~ January, 1942, after a meeting of the National Assembly in Sydney, Mrs. Axford, Mr. and Miss Blundell of Auckland, New Zealand, and Miss Hilda Brooks of Adelaide, were sent by the National Assembly to Melbourne where they gave lectures, made many contacts and once again started a Study class in that city where it has been so hard to make progress.
"Now the Bahá'í communities of Adelaide, Sydney and Auckland became strong in faith, and well organised.
Bahá'í Administrationwas understood and the institutions of the Cause developed along the right Lines and firmly established.
Eager to proclaim the Message to their fellow citizens, the believers made strenuous efforts which resulted in greater interest in and appreciation of the Faith. Some new members were enrolled in each center and the Message was carried to country districts. Newspapers began to report the activities of the friends. Reports of Mrs. Bolton's fireside meetings held at the home of Mrs. Reynolds, Caring-bali, New South Wales, appeared in the cCronulla Observer.'
The reports included resumes of the talks given at the meetings by speakers from the Sydney Bahá'í community. The tMercury' reported the lectures given in Hobart by Miss
Lamprill and Miss Crowder.The Adelaide cNew~ devoted a whole column to an interview with Miss Brooks, a picture of the Temple at Wilmette was featured. The article began with the arresting paragraph � tA small group of trailblazers for a new religion, which aims to unite all sects, religions, nations and people, meets in Adelaide every week.
They are followers of the Bahá'í Faith, a religion which began in Persia in the last century. It has since spread over the world, and numbers among its members Christians, Jews, Muslims,
Hindus, Zoroastriansand others, as well as people of no religion at all.'
ttThe cMittagong Star' has given much prominence to the activities of the Yerrin bool Group, the Summer and Winter schools held at tBolton Place,' Yerrinbool, and extracts from the 'Writings. This led to an attack on the Bahá'í Faith in the correspondence columns by a Roman Catholic priest and a Protestant minister.
The priest denounced the Faith as patent blasphemy and contended that a newspaper serving a Christian community should not make� itself an instrument to propagate such teachings. ~This outcrop of Islamic Faith in a nineteenth century Mahdi, this antiChristian Islamic aberration, this basically
Shiite Pantheism.' Thenewspaper's reaction to this was to publish the replies of the Secretary of the N.S.A., Miss Hilda Brooks, in full. The priest, who was a D.Ph., D.D., D.S.S., made a great show of his learning thereby giving his erroneous and misleading delinea-don of the origin of the Bahá'í Faith, the appearance of an authenticated and authoritative statement.
But to confound him, to refute his statement and give the true facts about the two great Persian sects of Islim, the Shiahs and the Sunnis, their respective beliefs and expectations regarding the coming of the Promised One, was easy, as the beloved Guardian has provided the believers with detailed and accurate information on these matters. It is at this point I should like to make mention of the great love and gratitude of the believers of Australia and New Zealand for the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi.
He has provided us in advance with all the information and understanding we need to enable us to deal with such attacks, our confidence in the Guardian is prodigious, our love and gratitude to him for all his loving guidance is a very vital factor in our lives.
"As the correspondence developed, the attack weakened and the priest began his last letter with~cLt is with very great reluctance that I continue in your columns, a controversy with a lady, and particularly with a lady of such courtesy as the Secretary of the
National Bahá'í Assembly.'To this the reply was: am sorry that Dr. � feels that this correspondence has developed into a controversy.
One of the great Bahá'í principles is ind~pendent investigation of truth and reality.
The meaning is that every individual member of humankind is cx
Page 67horted and commanded to set aside superstitious beliefs, traditions and blind imitation of ancestral forms in religion and investigate reality for himself.
Inasmuch as the fundamental reality is one, all religions and nations of the world will become one through investigation of the reality. We therefore welcome questions. Moreover, if questions are not asked how can we give the answers?
We are happy always to answer questions about the Bahá'í Faith. Truth is one and absolute and ther~fore can withstand the searchlight of inquiry.'
CcMuch interest was displayed in the correspondence.
The last letter of thewas printed on the first page of the paper, and with this letter the editors closed the correspondence.
"Th Protestant minister added humor to the situation by condemning before investigation. To his letter the Yerrinbool Group replied with the following quotation from Spencer.
tThere is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument, and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance; this principle is condemnation before investigation.'
"Owing to travel restrictions between the States of the Commonwealth of Australia and from New Zealand to Australia, the National Spiritual Assembly had great difficulty in convening its meetings.
Only a quorum, five members, was assembled in Adelaide in July, 1943; this was the first meeting since January, 1942. All efforts to obtain travel permits to enable the members to meet in April, 1943 and for the delegates to attend a Convention which the National Assembly hoped to hold in Adelaide, South Australia, failed.
This occasioned keen disappointment as it was six years since the last Convention, which was held in Sydney in 1937.
Disappointed also, were those who hoped for permits to travel from their own State to the Yerrinbool Summer School and the
Adelaide Winter School.However, although our movements were impeded and our activities hampered, the National Assembly has, inspired and assisted financially by the beloved Guardian to the extent of �700 (seven hundred pounds) �872.15.O Australian currency, inaugurated a new era in teaching in Australia and New Zealand. The first step was to call for suggestions and proposals from the Spiritual Assemblies and groups and through them every individual believer was asked to state what teaching work he or she would be willing to undertake if the necessary financial assistance should be available. The National Assembly then drew up a plan by means of which it was hoped to spread the knowledge of the Bahá'í Teachings throughout the length and breadth of Australia and New Zealand, not oniy in the capital cities but to every town and country district. The plan was eagerly accepted by the believers everywhere and is working successfully. Mrs. Dunn went to Brisbane where she remained some months teaching and consolidating the work of previous teaching campaigns.
cc~~ order to open a Bahá'í Center in Melbourne, Mrs. Almond was established in a flat in the center of the city. There Bahá'í meetings were held regularly and much effort put forth.
ccThe Adelaide Spiritual Assembly purchased a house at Belair for the purpose of establishing a Center there. This venture was decided upon as a result of substantial donations being made to the Spiritual Assembly by some of the believers and of an overpowering desire to make progress.
Summer schools, meetings and week � end classes held at the house at Belair should attract many inquirers, as the Center there will have all the advantages which a picturesque setting and a pleasant outing can give. The property is situated in the hills, thirteen and a half miles from Adelaide, and commands a magnificent panoramic view of the city and country.
The believers hope that in the years to come a Bahá'í College will be built there. The National Assembly has included the development of the Center at Belair by the Adelaide Spiritual Assembly, in the teaching plan.
ccStrenuous efforts to carry the message to new districts are being exerted.
Mrs. Bolton has been to Canberra where she has interested several people, to Goulburn,
W'ol-longong and Caringbah.There are two believers at Goulburn, three at Wollongong and seven at Caringbah, as a result of Mrs.
Page 68The Grave of Keith Ransom-Kehier in I~f4Mn, Persia.
At the request of Shoghi Effendi she proceeded to Persia to carry out Bahá'í work according to his instructions. She passed away in the course of her strenuous activities and received the distinction of being America's first Bahá'í martyr.
Bolton's pioneering work.The group at Caringbah which is cLose to Sydney has been watched over and nurtured by the Sydney Spiritual Assembly, bids fair to become a Spiritual Assembly before long.
This group is very much alive and keen to make progress.
Much literature has been distributed by Mr. and Mrs. Bolton during their professional visits to towns in New South Wales.
~tMrs Dobbins is making regular visits to Pt. Adelaide and is conducting a Study Class in a private home.
"The first part of theHill was carried out by Mrs. Routh and Mrs. Moflitt who opened the way through social channels.
Excellent work was done, then in September, 1943, Miss Hilda Brooks assisted by Mrs. R. Hawthorne, Mrs.
Moflitt and Miss GladysMoody, who gave invaluable help in making contacts through social channels; visited
Broken Hill. Miss Brooksgave two lectures in the Coun try Women's Association
Rooms, the Presidentof the Association presided at both meetings. Much interest was awakened in Broken Hill by the visit. Many contacts were made and literature distributed.
ceworking in conjunction with the N.S.A. Regional Teaching Committee the Hobart believers arose with great enthusiasm to carry out their part of the Teaching Plan. Lectures were given by Miss Lamprill and Miss Crowder, in the Lord Mayor's Court Room, Town Hall, Hobart, on three occasions over a period of three months and three were given in Launceston in the Public Library. All meetings were regularly and well advertised and received good newspaper reports.
The three broadcasts given by the National Spiritual Assembly over the Macquarie network were well advertised. Records of these were later obtained from the Mainland, and given over four Tasman-tan stations. Literature was distributed and many new contacts made.
Page 69"The years of World War II have had their effect on the work in New Zealand. Blackout conditions at one time caused meetings to be curtailed; travel restrictions hindered believers from visiting areas outside of Auckland, import license control has kept the importation of literature to a very small sum, creating a serious problem because without literature the Message cannot be spread and the cost of printing in New Zealand at the present time is prohibitive to the believers; interest and absorption in war work has so occupied people they have little time to investigate the
Teachings."The visit of the late Miss Martha L. Root to Auckland during April-May, 1939, continued to be felt in the work of the Auckland Community in 1940. Her example of teaching was emulated when in
April MissE. Blundell and Miss D. Burns visited Whangarei, a country town north of Auckland, cooperating with the oniy believer there in spreading the Message.
In October these two believers visited Hastings, giving the Teachings by invitation to a group of people at Havelock North, a few miles out of Hastings.
They continued to Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, spending ten days there.
Lectures were given from the platforms of the Theosophical Society and other groups.
Books were left at the Public Library and the assistance of the oniy believer in Wellington and a non-BaM'i did much to further the work of the visitors who had the privilege of presenting the Teachings to the wife of the Prime Minister.
ccTh Bahá'ís of Auckland continued to support and be represented at the
Peace Meditation Groupwhich was formed by unorthodox Societies soon after
Miss Root's visit. Themeetings afforded the opportunity of reading Bahá'í prayers and excerpts from the Bahá'í writings whenever the Bahá'ís were called upon to conduct them and were of great value in spreading the knowledge of the Faith.
'~During the year, invitations to do so having been received, Bahá'ís spoke on the platforms of several other Societies, these including the luncheon meetings of a psychic research Club. Many social contact eve-flings were held and fireside groups were conducted in the suburb of St. Heliers and at the Center. tConsort ye with all peoples' was observed when the Auckland Bahá'ís were guests at the Chistmas party given by the Auckland Chinese
Christian Church. Copiesof tWorld Order' and the ~Hera1d of the South' magazines were regularly donated to municipal and university college libraries.
ctThe war now brought to Auckland Mr. Alvinof orthodox Jewish background serving in the Medical Corps of the United States Army. Arising to his responsibilities to serve his beloved Faith, he wholeheartedly offered to assist in the teaching work and a Youth Group under his leadership was formed. A fireside group at Devonport was also started. Door after door was opened to the American Bahá'í for spreading the Teachings. These same opportunities would nevej have come to the Auckland believers. To a tstranger in a strange land' hospitality was offered and all heard of the Faith and of the first House of Worship in the Western world.
~~The first declared youth believer in New Zealand was welcomed to the Auckland Community.
The enrolment of a believer at Lower Hutt, a city ten miles from Wellington, was of great joy to the friends in Auckland. Realizing that these believers isolated from organized communities are the point of attraction for traveling teachers and that their work is difficult and often most discouraging, the Auckland Community has by correspondence kept in constant touch with these pioneer believers in the North Island.
tC194344 saw the removal of 'blackout restrictions, and for short periods the lifting of travel restrictions within New
Zealand.Blum. Contact was made with another Bahá'í in the U. S. Marines who also assisted with the teaching work. Lectures were given and for a short time after his visit regular meetings were held in Wellington. Three months later the chairman of the Auckland Spiritual Assembly, Mrs. B Axford, visited Wellington and recommended that the meetings should be continued in the home of the believer in Lower Hutt. Miss F. de Lisle two months later stayed in Lower Hun f or a few weeks,
Page 70Miss de Lisle journeyed to Napier giving the message to influential people and making the necessary contacts for our American friend who visited Napier at the close of the Baha year. Manpower restrictions prevented one of the youth group from settling in Napier.
"In Cambridge Mr. Blumwas the guest of an Anglican minister. An address on the tOneness of Mankind' was given from the Church pulpit on the Sunday evening, and the following evening a talk on tThe Bahá'í Faith' was given in the
Parish Hall.public lectures were continued. The twice monthly afternoon meetings continued to liii a definite need in the teaching work. Fireside grou~s at two homes stimulated interest in the Faith.
CCPublicity to the Faith was given in an article on the Temple in a monthly magazine published in Auckland; three articles appeared in the Cambridge daily newspaper; and in the CA kid Star' on March 18, 1944, the writer of the weekly religious column devoted his column in the interest of the Bahá'í
Faith."The Library commenced by the Auckland believers in 1925 has proved of inestimable value in spreading the teachings in New Zealand, books having been sent to many karts of the North Island of
New Zealand. Magazinescontinued to be d6-nated as in the past to libraries, and many books were presented to the libraries of towns where teaching work had been done."
One of the most far-reaching teaching efforts of the American Bahá'ís since 1940 has been providing a Bahá'í speaker to college audiences. This work was carried f or-ward by the Race Unity Committee to a point where it required the undivided attention of an experienced teaching agency, whereupon a College Speakers Bureau was appointed by the National Spiritual
Assembly.The following summaries are taken from annual reports of both committees:
"The Race Unity Committeehas this year conceived its first duty to be to reach the American minorities with the Call of Bah~ 'u'llih. The committee, through its membership has addressed the following schools and organizations:
Hillel Student ExtensionWest Virginia State College, Charleston, W. Va. Garnet High School, Charleston, W. Va. Avery Institute, Charleston, South Carolina.
Baptist Church, Jacksonville,Ct~j~~ committee has also taken part in mixed meetings of a public nature, held in Atlanta, Charleston, W. Va., Detroit, Lima, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, Mit. waukee, Jamestown, Philadelphia,
Jacksonyule, Miami, Nashville, St. Augustine, Urbana, New Haven, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Xenia, Suffolk, and Eliot. Reports of fine, mixed meetings have come from Toronto, Peoria, Helena, Los Angeles, and Waukegan.
ttSome of the Assemblies have undertaken unique work of their own along these lines. Chicago held her third annual unity banquet, conducted an exhibition at the National Negro Exposition, followed this with public and fireside meetings in several parts of the city, entertained at an International Night, and recently has sponsored a tour which visited the Chicago Center in celebration of Oriental Day. Milwaukee reports unusual success with Indian councils and visits to the Oneida tribes, and within the year two full-blooded Oneida Indians have become members of the Milwaukee Community.
A Milwaukee Youth series has included a Jewish night, German, Mexican,
Eskimo, and Hungariannights. Milwaukee has participated in the Race Unity work of the Council of Churches, the Jewish Center, and the Urban League. Other cities have reported success in radio, dinner meetings, and fraternization on public occasions. Fourteen new local Race Unity Committees have appeared this year and growing cooperation and enthusiasm is widespread.
"The southern college project came out of the idea that a problem exists among the southern races.
The committee here has not limited itself to reaching minority groups, but to giving the social program to both groups equally. Over the period of the entire project, seventy-one schools and colleges have had public addresses. Of these, two have been Indian, thirty-three white, and thirty-one colored. All schools received pamphlets, and almost all accepted a book for the library.
Many letters of appreciation have been received from the colleges, with invitations for further work. In the coming year emphasis will swing to the Indian schools, while more intensive activity is being developed in the southern colored and white schools. The schools visited in the present year are listed below: Lot/mr Schur gust: � 'West Virginia State College, Charleston, W. Va. City College, Louisville,
Ky.Minor Teachers College, Washington, D.C. Pentwater H. S., Pentwater,
Mich.Mr. Gregory will spend March and April in the colored state universities of Virginia and North Carolina, arranging classes for Bahá'í study.
Mrs. Dorothy Baker: � KentuckyUnion College, Bahá'u'lláh, Ky. Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, N. C. Cherokee
Indian School, CherokeeReservation, N. C. Brevard College, Brevard, N. C. Western Carolina Teachers College, Gui-lowhee, N. C.
Appalachian State TeachersCollege, Boone, N. C. Flora MacDonald College, Red Springs, N. C. Indian State Normal College, Pembroke, N. C. State College for Negroes, Durham, N. C. A. and T. College, Greensboro, N. C. Alice Freeman Palmer Institute, Sedalia, N. C. Bennett College, Greensboro, N. C. Guilford College, Guilford College Station, N. C. West Kentucky College, Paducah, Ky.
Blue Mountain College, Blue Mountain, Miss.One of America's first Bahá'í pioneers. He carried the Faith to Australasia and passed away after firmly establishing its institutions in many cities of that continent.
Page 73Bureau Committee was appointed as late as January, 1943, for the purpose of carrying on a widespread campaign of teaching among university sw-dent bodies. The function of the committee is both extensive and intensive.
The committee will work through the Assemblies and through prepared speakers, whose aim will be to bring the Bahá'í Faith for the first time to college Chapels, clubs, and classrooms, to provide speakers on an annual basis thereafter, and finally to establish groups or clubs on each campus for the study of the Faith.
"The Assemblies have already made a good beginning.
Memphis assisted in presentingNashville has assisted Mr. Gregory, Mrs. Baker, and recently Mrs. Joy Earl, to meet the students of A. and M. State College,
Fisk University, Meharry MedicalOrleans arranged meetings for Philip Marangella and cooperated with Mrs. Joy
Earl at Dillard University.has recently been able to introduce Mr. Gregory to a number of classrooms on the campus of Michigan State University. We are informed that the San Francisco Assembly has cooperated with Berkeley in displaying the Temple model and initiating Bab6'i talks on the college campus at Berkeley.
"The Race Unity Committeereports college work in the south and southwest from March 1, 1942 to March 1, 1943, as follows:
(March and April, 1942;Benedict College, Columbia, S. C. (Negro). Allen University, Columbia, S. C. (Negro). Palmetto Medical, Palmetto, S. C. (Ne-gro).
Booker Washington HighMary Washington College, ]7redricksburg, Va. (White).
Radford State Teachers'Bacone College, Bacone, 0kb. (Indian). Sequoyal School, Tahlequah, Okia.
(In-dian).Texas Technological College, Lubbock, Tex. (White).
Wayland College, Plainview, Ta. (White).Panhandle A. & M. College, Goodwell, Okia. (White).
New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, N. Mex. (White).
Weatherford College, Weatherford, Tex. (White).Gainesville Junior College, Gainesville, Tex. (White).
Guachita College, Arkadeiphia, Ark. (White).Lamoni College, Wayland, Iowa (White). Chai?iton College, Chariton, Iowa (White).
Genterville College Centerville,City, Iowa (White). Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa (White).
Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Ark. (Negro).
Dunbar Junior College, Little Rock, Ark. (Negro).Wiley College, Marshall, Tex. (Negro). A.M.&N. College, Pine Bluff, Ark. (Ne-gro).
Spanish America Normal(November and December, 1942) Clark Memorial, Newton, Miss. (White). Lane College, Jackson, Tenn. (Negro). Henderson Business College, Memphis, Tenn.
(Negro).Jim Hill High, Jackson, Miss. (Negro). Lanier High, Jackson, Miss.
(Negro). Selma College, Selma, Ala. (Negro). Miles Memorial, Birmingham, Ala. (Ne-gro).
A. & M. College, Normal, Ala. (Negro).(Negro). Meharry Medical, Nashville, Tenn. (Ne-gro).
(January and February,Wilberforce, Xenia, Ohio (Negro). Garnet High, Charleston, W. Va. (Ne-gro).
Cabdi Junior High, Charleston, W. Va. (Negro).A. C. T. State College, Greensboro, N. C. (Negro).
Knoxville College, Knoxville, Tenn. (Ne-gro).Michigan State University, Ann Arbor, 'West Virginia State College, Charleston, W. Va. (Negro).
(Miss Jeanne Bolles andhave also done good work here this year in cooperation with Mr. and Mrs. Hilbert Dali, pioneers.)
Tenn. State, Nashville, Tenn. (Negro). Miles Memorial College, Birmingham, Ala.
(Negro).arranged for Mrs. Baker to address the Putney School in Putney, Vt., Rutland High School in Rutland, Vt., and the
Brattleboro Business(194 31944) !rDorothy Baker's Circuit: Mrs. Dorothy Baker undertook a college speaking trip last March and April in Ohio and Michigan; she spoke at the following colleges: Defiance College (assembly); Wilberforce College (assembly) (3 classes); Wilmington
College (assembly); AlbionLakes College (student group); The Business Institute,
Detroit (assembly); Bible HolinessSeminary, Owasso, Michigan (as-sembly); University of Michigan (class). She was also able to speak at the following colleges at various times during the year: University of California, Berkeley (student luncheon);
University of Colorado(assembly); University of Denver (stu-dent group); Lawrence College, Appleton, Wis.
(assembly); Colleges of the Seneca (2 classes); Syracuse University (class).
!~Margaret Ruhe's Circuit:Rube undertook a two weeks' circuit of negro colleges in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. She spoke at the following: Knoxville
College (assembly); Tennessee(assembly); Henderson Business College (assembly); Alcorn A. and M. College (assembly) (1 class); Selma University (assembly);
Miles College (assembly); LanierHigh School, Jackson, Miss. (assem-bly). At Alcorn A. and M. College, the president, at his own suggestion, arranged a special evening assembly so that all students might attend. Her audiences on this trip totalled 2,375 students.
C!Dr. Rice-Wtray's Circuit:In February of this year Dr. Edris Rice-Wray undertook a brief circuit in Iowa, speaking at: Grace-land
College (assembly); Centervilleof Religion, State University of Iowa (class). In these three talks her student � faculty audience totalled 565.
At Graceland College, Dr. Rice-Wray was a featured evening speaker during
Religious Emphasis Week.At the end of the discussion following her talk at Grace-land College, Dr. Briggs, the president, arose and said that he had heard 'Abdu'l-Bahá speak ih Washington in 1912 and that it was the most inspiring talk he had ever heard.
f!Allen McDaniel's Circuit:;indertook a circuit of Virginia colleges, giving an illustrated talk on tThe Temple of
All Ages.' He spoke at Radford(assembly); Mary Washington College (special evening meeting sponsored by International
Relations Club). Hisaudiences totalled 1,400. Mr. McDaniel has a return engagement to speak at
Mary Washington Collegein April. At this writing, a report has not yet been received of an additional talk at West Virginia
College.rrThe Tusize gee Project: On the basis of reports from the Regional Committee for Alabama and Tennessee of teaching work carried out by Mr. George Washington at Tuskegee Institute, it was decided to ask Miss Elsie Austin to spend a week there for followup teaching. Miss Austin spent six days at Tuskegee in late February. She talked to the entire student body at the chapel service on cBahi~i Answers to
Some Post 'Mar Issues.'The chaplain read selections from the Bahá'í writings.
She was provided by the school authorities with a conference lecture room in the library.
Here for two daily periods she met faculty members and students for serious and prolonged discussion.
Deep interest was shown by faculty members, and it is hoped that a study group will result.
Louis Gregory's Project:Gregory spoke at the following colleges during the year: Salem College, W. Va.; Wilberforce College,
Ohio; State IndustrialCollege, Texas; and the following high schools: Lincoln High School and
Douglas High School, KansasCity, Mo.; Washburne Rural High School, Kansas; and a negro high school in Oklahoma City. He gave three lectures at the Sociology
Department of MichiganState Normal College, Ypsilanti, Mich. He was also able to contact officials and faculty members at Western
Theological Seminary, KansasCity, Mo.; Stowe Teachers College, St. Louis, Mo.; Washburne College, Topeka,
Kan.who have spoken at colleges this year are: Mrs. Terah Smith at Martha Berry College, Ga. (assembly � 3 55 students), Darlington School for Boys, Ga. (assembly � 3 00 students); Mrs. Annamarie Honnold at Virginia State College (assembly
� 950 students); Mrs. Margaretat Atlanta School of Social Work, Ga. (class); Mrs.
Mary Collison at Universityof Rochester (student group). Mrs. Marion Little has spoken at four colleges during the course of teaching trips for the N.T.C.: Guilford
College, and Agriculturaland Technical College at Greensboro, N. C.; University of Miami (class); and Walter Edwards College, Jacksonville, Na. (assembly). Mr. Stanwood Cobb has undertaken several brief trips for the Bureau: Storer College, W. Va. (assembly); Morgan State College, Baltimore (assembly).
c!Our speakers always present a book to the college library and sometimes to especially interested faculty members, and pamphlet literature is provided for student distribution. A special one-page pamphlet, summarizing the principles of the New World Order, was adopted for distribution this year.
It is not possible to give an accurate report of the amount of pamphlets distributed; the total easily runs high in the thousands.
Over 38 books were presented to college libraries."
The House of Worship at Wilmette has become the most potent teaching agency of the American Baha'is, as attested by these excerpts from latest annual report of the Temple Guides Committee: � "In spite of transportation difficulties there were 15,760 visitors to the Temple, an increase of 2,206 over the previous year.
Fifty-six members of the Faith acted as guides and twenty as hosts and hostesses. These workers came from the thirteen towns and villages, Chicago, Brookfield, Riverside, Madison, Milwaukee, Waukegan, Shorewood, Winnetka, lXTilmette, Evanston, Bristol, Glenview and Kenosha.
Nine from as far away as Milwaukee guided regularly from one to four days each month.
CCSeven classes, with about one hundred attending, are being held to prepare guides for the busy summer approaching. These are in Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Kenosha, Peoria, Chicago and Wilmette.
"Visitors came from all the states, seven provinces of Canada, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Cuba, Bahamas, Mexico, Honduras, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, England, France, Finland, Wales, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Monaco, India,
Persia and Palestine.No doubt they came from many other countries as well, since only approximately one-fourth sign the Visitors' Register from which this information was taken.
ttTHrty~one organizations visited in a body. These were as follows:
10 Religious"Since July 1, 1932, when Temple guiding was inaugurated, 166,318 have been taken through the Temple. Visitors the past year were very receptive to the Teachings, some having joined study classes and some having declared their intention of becoming Ba-Many interesting photographs of Baha exhibits, most of them featuring models or illustrations of the House of Worship, were reproduced in Bahá'í News during the period under review. The list includes exhibits in the following cities: New Haven, Philadelphia, Columbia, Helena, Charleston, W. Va., Augusta, Toronto, Little Rock, Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, Houston, Beverly Hills, Phoenix, San Jose County, Calif.,
Denver, and Ridgewood, N. J. A number of exhibits of Bahá'í books were also conducted,
Page 77Styled Amin-Amin by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He rendered the Faith many years of devoted service.
including those in Yonkers, Racine, Peoria, Wilmette, and the Pierce Public Library, Grosse Pointe,
Mich.An effort will now be made to give mention to a number of teaching activities conducted in North America, mostly under the direction of local Assemblies, some of which did not perhaps command the attention of any considerable number of non-Bahá'ís but all of which express a devoted spirit of service and a significant type of public contact.
First we have the regular public lectures which in the larger Bahá'í communities open the door of spiritual hospitality to the peo-pie.
A student could make a most interesting and useful research into the types of program conducted by the Bahá'ís in a large number of cities throughout the United States and Canada. The selection of topics, the variety of speakers, the physical form of the printed program itself, with its excerpts from the Sacred Writings of the Faith: all these impress the sympathetic seeker with the realization that here is a new and true expression of religion, quickening to speech a host of believers who without this Faith would go voiceless along the road of existence, training them in the forms of truth ~s students in a great university, giving them more and more power to command the attention of a world which has seen its tern-pies destroyed and its idols broken upon the ground. A program conducted in San Francisco, for example, presented in a series continued eight weeks such subjects as: Progressive Revelation, Christianity and the Baha
Faith, Independent Investigationof Truth, A Wider Patriotism, Foundations of World Unity,
Can Human Nature Change, Theof Worship. The Teaneck Assembly sponsored a program offering a series of nineteen lectures on the Faith, a unified and comprehensive approach to the new teachings.
The Bahá'ís of Portland, Oregon, have similarly and for many years expounded the principles and truths revealed by Bahá'u'lláh, one program listing these topics: A Bahá'í Looks At the World Today, Portals to
Freedom, Signs of Advancing ThoughtThe Grave of Dr. Susan I. Moody, in Tihrin, Persia.
One of the first American Bahá'ís to proceed to Persia in order to serve the Faith. She became greatly beloved by the women of Tihr~n, whom she treated for years before the veil was abolished, and at a time when they received very little medical attention. She passed away in the land of her adoption.
trition (four speakers and panel discussion), Cycles of Civilization, Building a Nobler World (round table discussion), Youth Views Science and Victory,
Thy Kingdom Come, TheHarmony of Science and Religion. One of the announcements issued by the Los Angeles Assembly has included the subjects of Religious
Evolution, The Attainmentof Peace and Tranquillity, A New Social Form. A program conducted in Philadelphia presented: Science, Faith and Reason, Haifa in the
World of Tomorrow, TheGuardianship of the Bahá'í Faith, Personal Assurance, Life in Reality, True Liberty,
Humanity's Goal, MaterialBahá'ís of Wilmette conducted a special program of discussions on The PostWar World and Its Various Aspects: From the Viewpoint of the Educator, From the Viewpoint of the Statesman, From the Viewpoint of the Scientist and the Economist, concluding with a panel discussion by Bahá'ís and others.
The Ba-hi'hi' is of Indianapolis conducted a series of weekly meetings based on listed source material: such Bahá'í works as Some
Answered Questions, Goalof a New World Order, The Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, America's Spiritual Mission,
Promulgation of UniversalPeace, etc. The aim here was to gather the Bahá'ís and their friends around the collective Center of the Word. In Washington, D. C., the Assembly has issued hi-monthly programs with the weekly lecture topics reflecting one central theme. ror example, under
The Evolution of Man'sCollective Life we find eight subjects, including: The Four Springs of Knowledge,
A New World Vision � Thein History, The Challenge of the New Age, Chaos or Opportunity. In Topeka the Bahá'ís produced an annual Directory and Calendar, giving each member of the corn
Page 79munity reference to sources of information needed in connection with all local activity. From Toronto came a program developing a series of nineteen subjects, conveyed to the public in a sequence of small mimeographed bulletins entitled New World Order containing excerpts from the Bahá'í 'Writings and a summary of the theme.
The Spiritual Assemblyof Beverly Hills in April, 1942 sponsored a Round Table Discussion on the Unity of Religion which eventuated in the publication of the text of four addresses delivered by those taking part in the discussion, and their remarks during the discussion which followed the talks. Dr. Richard
Hocking, Rabbi Sidneypoints of view, were followed by a Bahá'í speaker, Mrs. Charles Reed Bishop.
The announcement quoted texts from Zoroaster, Moses, Christ, Muhammad and
Bahá'u'lláh. Extensivenotice was given this symposium in the daily press.
The Bahá'ís of Winnetkahave conducted an exhibit in the village Community House during the Annual Community Week, with model of the Temple, a collection of books, panel texts, and an attendant to answer questions.
In December, 1942 the publishers of Wit-mette Life issued a special number to be sent to local men serving in the arm~d forces in all parts of the world. Space was provided for special greeting addressed to individual friends or relatives. The local Bahá'ís took the opportunity to engage space for a picture of the House of Worship and a message to their fellow-members in foreign fields: "We think of you as part of that tremendous mission laid upon America to lead the way to the triumph of justice and order as well as the triumph of arms. Never was a people sent out to so many parts of the world as you, the mighty host of youth upholding human rights wherever they are assailed. You are becoming friends and coworkers with peoples of many a far-off nation and race whose language and customs seem alien and strange, until you see the real person beneath the foreign garb. As 'Abdu'l-Bahá has said: tThe prophets of God have been divine shepherds of humanity.
They have established a bond of love and unity among mankind, made scattered peoples one nation and wandering tribes a mighty kingdom. They have laid the foundation of the oneness of God and summoned all to universal peace.
All these holy, divine Manifestations are one.They have served one God, promulgated the same truth, founded the same institutions and reflected the same light.'
Among the interesting references to the Faith in other papers and magazines we note: World Affairs Interpreter, published quarterly by the Los Angeles University of in � ternational Relations, carried in its issue of Winter, 1943 a review of The Bahá'í World, Vol. VIII, written at the editor's request by Mrs. Stuart W. French. Canadian
Geographical Journalof March, 1944, presented an article entitled "SbP and the Humanities" by Sylvia King devoted to an exposition of the House of Worship at Wil-mette, with illustrations. A student paper, The Manitoban, published in Winnipeg, in October, 1943 featured an article by Ross Woodman entitled "Religion In the Modern World," which clearly traced the meaning of Bahá'u'lláh's religion for the student body. The Service Bulletin of the
FREC in February, 1944devoted its first article to a statement explaining the work of Dr. Marcus Bach of the School of Religion, University of Iowa, in broadcasting from his classroom over WSUJ on the different elements of the nation's religious heritage. Dr. Bach presented in this series of broadcasts an outline of the history and beliefs of the Bahá'í
Faith during 1944. TheHighway Traveler of April-May, 1944, published by the affiliated Greyhound (bus) Lines, presented illustrations of ten buildings or other scenes with a brief reference to each, and the question How many of them do you recognize?
The Bahá'í Temple dome was depicted as number 8 in this series.
Another teaching method which has been developed very efficiently in various cities is that of the dinner or banquet meeting, with Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í speakers. In Chicago, for example, the Assembly has for some years conducted an annual Race Amity dinner which has brought together an interested group numbering several hundreds.
In Mu �waukee a series of dinner meetings was inaugurated in 1944 with such success that plans for the future were revised and accommodations increased.
In many of the cities and towns, a Bahá'í gathering in the nature of a picnic has become an annual feature, as in Springfield, Mass.,
Red Bank, New Jersey, Norwich, Conn., and Toronto, Ontario, as well as Geneva, N. Y. Here the ingredient is fellowship, and discussion of the Faith is informal and a sharing of experience rather than a lecture.
The Bahá'ís of New YorkCity have been conducting a series under the direction of a Committee on Special Events, and the first meetings are described by the Committee as follows: � ttThe first event was a Persian evening at the Park Avenue apartment of Mr. and Mrs. Habib
Sabet of Tihrin. Theemphasis at this gathering was on enjoyment rather than speechmaking and distinguished inquirers of various racial groups were very favorably impressed.
ceThe second event was a Youth Rally for Race Unity held at the Bahá'í
Center on October 24th.About two hundred persons heard addresses by Dr. Alain
Locke, Professor of Philosophyat Howard University, and Dr. Harry A. Overstreet, author of Influencing Human Behavior and many other books in the field of social psychology. Robert Gulick was chairman.
"The Committee was then called upon by the Assembly to plan a special festival in celebration of the Birthday of Bahá'u'lláh on the evening of November 11. This program was held at the New York Times Hall, the former theater of Winthrop Ames attended by 'Abdu'l-Bahá when The Terrible Meek was being performed. Dr. 'Ali-Kuli-.KMn, chairman of the Assembly, presided and Philip Sprague was the Ba1A'i speaker.
The guest speaker wascomposer and music consultant for the 0. W. I., whose topic was tMusic and Universal Harmony.' A narrative account of the life of Bahá'u'lláh, prepared by Marzieh Gail, was presented by Mrs. Gail and six readers.
Music played a very important role on the program.
Walter Olitzki of the Metropolitan Opera pre sented classical selections in keeping with the spirit of the occasion. He was accompanied by Miss Niuta Schapiro, a former scholarship pupil at the Juilliard School. The program began and closed with piano off er-ings by Bruce Wendell, concert artist. Thanks to the generosity and able service of Mildred Mottahedeh and Mrs. Olitzki, the hail was so beautifully decorated that the manager had special photographs taken for use in publicity.
Even the stage hands showed great interest in the program. Considerable Bahá'í literature was distributed. Over 400 persons attended."
The most ambitious program conducted in New York during the period under review was the Woodrow Wilson Anniversary presented February 3, 1944 at the
Henry Hudson Hotel Auditorium.Shoghi Effendi sent the Assembly a message expressing his great pleasure at associating himself with the Memorial Meeting held to honor America's illustrious President. "However much unappreciated by his contemporaries," the Guardian stated, ctBh4'is the world over, mindful of the glowing tribute paid him by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, have ever acclaimed the breadth and soundness of his vision, his high purpose, his single-mindedness and indefatigable efforts in the cause of world brotherhood and universal peace." From the printed program we note that the Hon.
William Copeland Dodgepresided, Bahá'í tributes to Woodrow Wilson were read by Bruce Wendell, M. Louis Dolivet spoke on Wilson and a Free Humanity, and the Hon. Ali-Kuli Khan, N. D., represented the Bahá'ís in his address on Wilson's Ideal World.
Space does not suffice for the innumerable instances of Bahá'í teaching activity available.
A word, however, must be directed to the innnensc nationwide program carried out from September, 1943 to April, 1944 by all the American Bahá'í communities on four selected themes underlying the new World Religion: � Race Unity,
Religious Unity, WorldUnity, and the Manifestation of God � a great undertaking which prepared the Bahá'ís and their friends for the spiritual climax, the end of the first Bahá'í century, the anniversary of the Birth of the Faith to be celebrated in May, 1944 shortly after the end of the period here surveyed.
Page 81To assist with relevant material, the National Assembly distributed portfolios on each theme, with suggestions for publicity, radio talks and teferences to the most suitable literature for each theme.
Among the instances of Bahá'í talks sponsored by other groups and organizations we cite the address by Leroy Toas at the Twenty-Seventh Anniversary of the Cosmos Social Club of San Francisco, February 11, 1944, bringing together an audience of more than one thousand persons; Louis Gregory's talk on Some Ideals for World Reconstruction, given at Paseo Methodist Church,
Kansas City, Bible Class;Bahá'í representation on Red Bank Community Recreation Council; presentation of the Cause by Horace Holley at a symposium on religious unity conducted by the
Chicago Woman's Club;recognition extended to the Spokane Assembly for the work of its women members in decorating the mess hail at Geiger Field.
Still another aspect of teaching activity, and perhaps its most important expression at this time, has been the work of a number of national Bahá'í communities in sending voi-unteer workers to settle in other countries and establish new centers for the Faith. Information concerning this activity has been provided by the
National Spiritual Assembliesof Persia, 'Iraq, Australia and New Zealand, and the
United States and Canada. ThePersian Bahá'ís have summarized their record as follows: � ctFrGm the Bahá'í year 98 (19421943) on, owing to the beloved Guardian's repeated urging, a wave of pioneering began to spread over Persia, and in the year 99 settlers went out to Arabia, 'Ir4q, Afgha-nistin, British Baliichist&n, and Bahrayn, and established new centers. The total number of Bahá'í pioneers outside Persia grew to 145 families, including 111 men, 113 women, and 148 children. The majority of these went into 'Iriq, establishing centers in such towns as Sulaym5niyyih, Basrali, Karki$k, Mosul, Kuwayt, KarbilA, and Najaf. About the year 100, 'Ir&q's
Department of Foreign Residentsordered all these pioneers out of the country, so that, after enduring hardships and great personal loss, they were obliged with a few exceptions to return to their homes. However, a great number of the people of 'Iraq learned of the Faith through them, and many spoke highly of them and regretted their enforced departure."
An impressive statement comes from 'IrAq: c!Among the outstanding events that transpired during the last four years was the coming of a number of Persian Bahá'í families who, in response to the Guardian's urgent appeals for pioneers to settle in the countries neighboring Persia have decided to reside in 'Iraq with the sole purpose of estab � lishing in conjunction with the friends of 'Ir&q new Bahá'í centers.
"The Beloved Guardian through repeated messages of love and encouragement and considerable contributions to the Pioneering Fund, has sought to impress upon the Ba-h~i'i Community in general and the National Spiritual Assembly in particular the great significance and urgency of this historic endeavor coinciding with the closing years of the first Bahá'í Century.
In compliance with his instructions the National Spiritual Assembly extended every possible assistance to these pioneers for obtaining the necessary visas for entry and settlement in the neighboring territories of Kuwait, Bahrain, and L-lijaz.
In addition, efforts were made to obtain permission for the remaining majority of the Persian friends to settle in 'Iraq. Those of them who chose this country as their field of Bahá'í activity were distributed by the National Spiritual Assembly as follows:
LocalityBahá'ís gathered on the occasion of the reinterment of the remains of Mirza Abu'1-Fadl in the new Bahá'í Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt.
'Iriqi pioneers five new Spiritual Assemblies were formed in Basrah, Karkuk, Mosul, Su � laymaniyyih and Khanaqin. Besides several other groups which, had the Persian pioneers not been forced to quit the country, would have evolved into many other Spiritual
Assemblies. The Guardianon being informed of these successes wrote through his secretary (translated) CH expressed deep joy and said, ttln the multiplication of Bahá'í centers and the establishment of new Spiritual Assemblies in that sacred country is a brilliant proof of the self-sacrifice on the part of the dear Persian friends and the energetic activities of the members of that Assembly. It is now incumbent upon you to exert, more than ever before, your utmost endeavor in the promotion of the teaching activities, the guidance of men, and the dispatch of teachers to towns and villages where no believer has as yet settled."
"The growing number of Persian Bahá'í pioneers arriving in 'IrAq has, unfortunately, aroused the suspicion and apprehension and excited the prejudice of some of the government officials who, jealous of the growing fame and prestige of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, began to oppose the Persian pioneers and refused to renew their permission to reside in this country.
Not content with this step, the police authorities summoned and interrogated them regarding their purpose of settling in 'Jr~q and about the tenets of their Faith. Following this the Persian friends were made to give written pledges by which they were bound to leave the country within a limited period of time. The National Spiritual Assembly thereupon intervened in the matter and did its best to induce the authorities not to carry out its decision of sending back the Persian pioneers.
All efforts, however, were in vain. The newly formed Assemblies of Basrah, Karkuk and Mosul were, consequent upon the departure of the Persian friends, disbanded. The Ba-hi'i community in this country has consequently lost, though temporarily, loyal and steadfast spiritual brothers and sisters."
The Bahá'ís of Australiareport as follows: � ttTasmania is a little heart-shaped island one hundred and eighty miles from the south eastern shores of Australia.
It is the smallest of the Federated States of Australia and is know as tThe Little Sister.'
ttAftr the visit of Miss Martha Root in 1939 there were oniy two members in Tasmania, Miss G.
Lamprill and Miss E.Jensen, of Hobart. Very soon Miss K. Crowder joined the ranks and there was an ardent, active group of three. The visit in 1940 of Mrs. M. Almond of Adelaide, for one month, was stimulating and helped the little group on its way to progress and achievement.
Page 83Bahá'ís gathered in the new Bahá'í Cemetery in Ism&iliyyih, Egypt.
!tRealizing the vital importance of giving people an opportunity of hearing about the Cause, four public meetings were arranged during the months of September and October, 1940, the subjects presented being tThe Pattern for a New World Order,' tTrue Education,'
CThe Oneness of Religionand Humanity,' and tA World Message.' The first lecture of the series was given by the Secretary of the N.S.A., Miss Hilda Brooks, who had traveled from South Australia especially to assist in this new venture.
The second and third were given by Miss Lamp-nil and Miss Crowder, respectively.
The fourth and last by Mrs. 0. Routh of Sydney."In 1940, when there were still oniy three Bahá'ís in Hobart, a Melbourne Bahá'í settled for a time in Launceston at the northern end of Tasmania.
By traveling over one hundred miles the four Bahá'ís met on several occasions and in a spirit of great happiness kept some of the feasts together.
ttThe teaching work now gathered momentum, the little group met regularly to study the Teachings, advertised lectures were given in Hobart and Launceston and a fourth member was enrolled. The flying visit of Mr. and Mrs. Bolton of Sydney, when they spent a few days in Hobart and gave two lectures, created interest and greatly encouraged the small group. As time went on the indefatigable labors of the Hobart believers bore fruit, new members were enrolled, a youth group formed and a summer school held.
There are now in 1944 eight members and bright prospects of a Spiritual Assembly being formed before long."
A special bond unites the Americas in the spiritual creation of Bahá'u'lláh.
His message directed to the presidents of the American republics in His Holy Book, the Aqdas, calling upon them to raise up the crushed and destroy oppression, formulated a mission which destiny already makes visible in the world of events.
'Abdu'l-Bahá could not includein His journeys between 1911 and 1913; but the Master made the Bahá'ís of North America trustees of a teaching mission the first stage of which was the carrying of the message to
Central and South America.The Inter-America activities of the American Bahá'ís have been reported in previous volumes of The Bahá'í World. The significant advances made since 1940 have been made the theme of a special article in the present volume.
It will suffice here to note merely the main outlines of the work,
Page 84An increasing amount of space in World Order Magazine has been devoted to sketches drawn by p4oneer teachers of the countries in which they have settled or traveled.
Since 1940, for example, the magazine has published: From a Panama Diary, by
Louise Gas-well and CoraH. Oliver; Venezuela, by Emeric Sala; A Bahá'í Pioneer in Paraguay, by
Elisabeth H. Cheney; Brazil0. Sprague; Panama, The Crossroads, by C. E. Hamilton; and Pioneer Journey, by Virginia Orbison. These intimate diary recordings make the
Bahá'ís of North Americafeel that they are a part of the vivid experience, and enlarge the area of direct ethical responsibility to take in all the American republics.
In addition to these, the magazine recalled Martha L. Root's journey to South America in 1919 � the beginning of work under the Master's
Plan � in Helen Bishop'sTo South America in 1919, an editing of Martha Root's letters; and recorded the construction of the monument at the grave of Mrs. May Maxwell in Amelia E. Collin's account, A
Bahá'í Shrine in Latinand two of Central America contributed firsthand accounts directly to the editors of The Bahá'í World, and these have been made available for use in this survey.
Dr. Malcolm M. King briefly described the formation of the first Bahá'í group in
Jamaica:CCMY feeling, on arrival in Jamaica on the 23rd of October, 1942, was somewhat dampened by the lengthy and searching inquiry of government officials at the airport, followed by many weeks of disillusion and disappointments. The poverty and misery of the masses of people further enhanced my depression. It was oniy after many months of constant effort that this feeling was submerged, and a ray of light became discernible amongst those with whom I had worked so strenuously. I had much publicity in three papers, one daily and two weeklies.
So there was a constant stream of publicity coming from the press which kept the Bahá'í Cause before the public eye. Many inquirers wrote from the country parts asking for information and literature. Two parishes, (others than those two where my work was concentrated) were visited, and talks were given in each, two talks in one and one in the other. A total of twenty-six talks were given during my stay, in homes, halls and churches, to attendance numbering from S to 175 people each, and for a total of more than 870 people.
Individuals and groups in homes, numbering less than eight, are not accounted for, but were very considerable.
There were more than fifty people known to me who read one or more books (chiefly Bahá'u'lláh and the New
Era)."Bef ore June, 1943, my efforts consisted of visiting contacts and making new contacts, giving talks and explaining, to the best of my ability, the Bahá'í Teachings. These contacts were made among all classes of people, white, colored, Chinese, Indian, Jewish, doctors, dentists, lawyers, business men, chiropractors, pharmacists, nurses � some very influential people.
Their reactions, except for a few, were not different from the general run of people here in America � possibly more conservative, because of their English background and influence. in the main, they were very apathetic to new spiritual truths, yet were not antagonistic. They would listen patiently, but always made excuses when asked to investigate.
c~In June I was able to form my first study group (through a seemingly accidental meeting) out of which came two declared believers. The second study group followed closely the first under very similar conditions. Five declared believers came out of this group. These two groups were merged by meeting together at least once each week. Because of different locations and time they still carry on as separate study groups; but declared believers meet as an organized group at 190 Orange Street, the regular Bahá'í meeting place. This group has elected the various officers, as if they were a duly constituted Spiritual Assembly, and these officers were elected in accordance with Bahá'í procedure."
Miss Eve B. Nicklin, who has spent several years in Peru, contributes this interesting account: � "As Lima is fast becoming the hub of the western coast it has been blessed with
Page 85visiting Bahá'ís en route to other South American countries. Philip Sprague spent a week in Lima in October, 1942. A group of sixteen friends met in the Hotel Bolivar for a Bahá'í meeting. Later followup teas were given.
Mrs. Enos Barton came for eight days in December of that year, and Flora Hottes has spent two vacations here. At both times she made valuable friends for the cause of Bahá'u'lláh. A short visit was made by Etta
Mae Lawrence.Peruano-Norte-cvnericano, where I have been employed since 1943, has given me one of the greatest op � portunities to make contacts with both the students and my fellow-teachers.
Choosing a topic of universal nature for discussion in the classroom has led to a more direct method of teaching the Faith after classes.
"Two young men have gone to the United States to attend universities, and have been given letters of introductipn to Bahá'í communities. But the greatest opportunity of all came by the way of the first summer school ever to be held in Peru for the Peruvian teachers of English. I was asked to be one of the teachers in this pioneer work.
My subject is to introduce them to American Reading.
I have as pupils one hundred teachers from not only the city of Lima, but from many of the provinces.
I felt sure it was Bahá'u'lláh's work when the superintendent said to me, CMeeting all these people may help you with your work.'
He has never mentioned my Bahá'í work to me since the first conversation we had had about it a year ago when he asked me what I was doing in Peru. Dovetailing with this scheme of things to come, came Virginia Orbison to Peru. She having been employed in the research library for Paramount pictures, who better could I have had as guest speaker in my classes? So tactfully did she weave in the great message that it was easy for me to invite those who were especially interested to come to the Bahá'í Home to hear more. Several groups haye met with us and all have listened eagerly to a Bahá'í talk.
We are looking forward to the meeting with nearly all the hundred teachers in this way. These meetings have already had ramifications because we have been invited into their home to tell the good news to their friends and families.
ttFlora Hones reported that Alicia Busti-mente of Lima, Peru, has become a Bahá'í in La Paz, Bolivia, and is returning home in the Fall to spread the message among her wide circle of friends here.
"While looking for a tension for Flora, we seemed to have been led right up to the door of Sra. Isabel Tirade de Barreda who was destined to become the first believer to send in her name from Lima, Peru. Sra. Tirade de IBarreda, Virginia Orbison and myself celebrated this historical event on the Bahá'í Feast Day, February 7, 1944."
The first native Bahá'í of Nicaragua, Sra. Blanca Victoria Mejia, pays tribute to the teachers who brought the message of Bahá'u'lláh to her people: � "Beginning in 1941, the first one was the unforgettable and sweet
Mrs. Frances BenedictStewart. She, with her words filled with eloquence, is like a torch that lights our souls; but as in these times certain things are misunderstood that develop during this period, she was also misunderstood here, although not by all, for some of us were captivated by her elevated ideas and advice. Full of wisdom the seeds are that today little by little are growing in Nicaragua.
"Likewise there was among us Mr. Mathew Kaszab, an ingenious man with a great heart. Those that knew him thoroughly were able to say that he was a saint. He remained two years in the country, but he also was not understood, and from then on he did not accomplish much in spite of his great wishes; his gentleness and humility were completely misunderstood.
CCA1SO a Mr. John Eichenauerhonored us with his presence, an irreproachable youth, dynaniic and with a clear intelligence, who presided at various gatherings of enthusiasts of the new Faith; but as a migratory bird he only remained two days in our capital. Then Mrs. Louise Caswell favored us gently with her talks full of sweetness and delicacy.
"Today, the Bahá'í Faithin Nicaragua is limited to a few seedlings recognized by souls following the light, but we try to sow them in many hearts.
We are not dismayed, convinced by our eyes that the bigger and
Page 86more important things have a small, almost imperceptible origin."
In January, 1944, Sr. Gerardo Vega acted for the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Jos6, Costa Rica, in compiling the salient details of the work in that city: � ttFrom March, 1940, the time of the arrival of the pioneers Mrs. Amalia
Ford and Mrs. Gayle Woolsonin Costa Rica, until the present time the new ideas have in. spired investigators who have felt the waves of knowledge that are renewed and harmoniously extend to the fertile shores of the minds of those who recognize and acknowledge the eternal and ancient Truth. This requires the constant human realization and the opening o~ fragrant new paths that the human race needs as its consciousness widens.
ccWith the assurance which spiritual ideas produce when applied to the service of humanity, the pioneers arrive in our country and arc directed to the Chamber of Commerce of the city.
By this organization they are then directed to the Theosophical Society.
ttAft several months of work the first Spiritual Assembly was elected on April 21, 1941, with the following membership: Sr. Jose I Ulloa, Chairman; Sra. Gayle Woolson, Vice Chairman; Sr. Guido Contreras,
Corresponding Secretary;Anita Clachar, and Sra. Amalia Ford. Mrs. Amalia Ford returned to the United States on September 17, 1941. The formation of this first Spiritual Assembly was really the foundation stone of all that has been made possible for the Cause in Costa
Rica."In order to extend the cultural work of the Assembly an invitation has been extended from time to time to Prof. Roberto Brenes Mes~n, Prof. J. Joaquin Garcia Monge, Prof. Jos6 B. Acuiia and to the eminent lawyer Benjamin Odjo. The assistance of these distinguished gentlemen and their presence in our Center has undoubtedly augmented our prestige.
CCOn April 11th, 1941, the official Gazette of the Government published the statutes recognizing our Cause under the legislative rules governing religious organizations, lodges and other similar societies.
We must acknowledge with great appreciation that it was due to the assistance of Lawyer Benjamin Odjo that no difficulty was encountered in the passage of our application since it was presented by a reco3nized judicial authority who was interested in the Cause.
tCOn April 2 1st, 1942, the second Spiritual Assembly was elected consisting of the following members: Sr. Serapio Hernandez, Chairman; Sr. Guido Contreras,
Vice Chairman; Sr. CarlosPorras, Cor. Secretary; Sr. Raul Contreras, Recording
Secretary; Sra. BlancaccDuring this administrative period the work was carried on with more assurance. Not oniy were material conditions better but we benefited by the experience of the first year which was one of hard work and there was a greater willingness to serve. At the end of this period a committee for consultation was formed consisting of Sra. Ga5rle Woolson, Sr. Serapio Hernandez, Sra. Rosa Quesada, Sr. Raul Contreras and Sr. Gerardo Vega.
The most important accomplishment of this committee was a series of papers twelve of which dealt with the Bahá'í Principles and six were dedicated to the Prophets.
"Jn the well known magazine tAmerican Repertoire' an article on the Temple written by Mrs. Woolson was published.
"Our treasury has been organized in such a way that it now modestly assists in defraying the expenses of the administration.
ctThrough the activities of the corresponding secretary we notice that the correspondence is extensive and that it puts us m contact with the activities of similar groups in the Americas. The Library is well stocked with Bahá'í books.
"Among the activities for the promulgation of the Faith we record the formation of a Group in Puntarenas which has been functioning for three years and is now a duly organized Spiritual Assembly."
As the period under review opened in 1940 the North American Bahá'ís active in the field were: Panama,
Mrs. Louise Casiro Bahá'ís Gathered to Reinter Mrs. Getsinger's Remains.
Lua Getsinger, one of the first American believers, known as the ttMtl teacher of the NVest," was originally interred in a Christian cemetery in Cairo; with the help of the State Department in Washington, the American Consulate in Cairo, and the Egyptian Baha Assembly, her body was removed to the Bahá'í
Cemetery.well, Mrs. Corn Oliver and Peter Caswdil; Puerto Rico, Mrs. Katherine
Disdier, Miss Rouhiehwho returned earlier in the year after forming a group; Haiti, Mr. and
Mrs. Ellsworth Blackwell;El Salvador, John Eicbenauer, Jr., and Clarence Iverson (Mr. Lichen-auer is returning shortly); Costa Rica, Mrs. Gayle Woolson, Mrs. Amalia
Ford; Santo Domingo, MissPriscilla Rhodes, Mr. and Mrs. Emeric Sala being en route to Canada; Brazil has an Assembly at Baha; Rio de Janeiro (temporarily), Miss Jeanne
Bolics; Uruguay, Wilfhas a Spiritual Assembly; Bolivia, Mrs. Eleanor Smith Adler; Chile, Mrs. Marcia Stewart Atwater; Ecuador, John Stearns; Paraguay,
Miss Elisabeth Cheney. AtHonduras and Guatemala, after teaching work by Mr. Sluter and Tony Roca, there are groups with native membership. Mexico City has a local Assembly.
Plans are under way to establish Miss Eve Nicklin in Peru, while Mr. and Mrs. Roscoc Wood are preparing to locate in Brazil. Contacts were made at Jamaica during a six months' stay by Mr. and Mrs. Shaw. Philip Sprague spent some months at Buenos Aires, with notable results.
Mrs. Frances B. Stewart has translated, published, distributed books to pioneers and groups, and maintained teaching activity and contacts in Mexico City, Honduras and Guatemala.
Since then, the number has been increased by new pioneers and also some believers able to travel and visit various BaJn6'i centers in Central or South America. These in-dude: � Mr. and Mrs. R. Y. Mottahedeh, who traveled extensively; Beatrice Irwin, Brazil; Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Hamilton,
Panama; Eve Nicklin, Peru;Eichenauer, El Salvador, Guatemala; Louise Baker,
Colombia; Mrs. Dorothy(Mrs. Fendell), Colombia; Dr. Malcolm King, Jamaica; Mrs. Marcia Atwater,
Chile; GerAires, and that of Mathew Kaszab, who died in Texas of the effects of hardship and suffering sustained in Nicaragua, are the pledge that the trusteeship conferred by 'Abdu'l-Bahá will be fulfilled throughout the Americas, forming an intercontinental basis from which in future will be launched the spiritual crusade to achieve the oneness of mankind and the triumph of the Bahá'í teachings throughout the world.
As the date of April 21, 1944, approached it was evident that either a Spiritual Assembly or a group has been formed in all the American republics.
The detailed information is indicated on the teaching maps inserted at the end of this volume.
THE Housr OF WORSHIPCompletion of the exterior decoration of the House of Worship at 'Milmette, Illinois, has already been listed as one of the three major tasks undertaken by the American Bahá'ís in the last seven years of the Bahá'í Century ended May 23, 1944. The work on the Temple was officially completed early in January, 1943. The subject of Temple construction is presented elsewhere in the present volume, but for purposes of record in this survey the successive contracts undertaken since 1940 are mentioned, as follows: Main story, exterior decoration, $207,552.39 Circular steps 50,817.84 Total construction 19401944, $258,370.23 These figures bring the total construction costs from 1921 to $1,341,929.88, to which must be added cost of other structures on the grounds, grading, etc., amounting to $50,111.45, and cost of land, $51,500.00, making final total of $1,443,541.33.
BAHA MEMORIALSIn grateful devotion to their sacrifices and services to the Faith, the believers have raised monuments over the graves of a number of martyrs since 1940.
From Persia the Assemblyreports that the memorial designed by the late Myron H. Potter of Cleveland, and contributed by the American believers, in honor of Keith RansQm-Kehler has been completed under the supervision of the Persian
Bahá'ís at Isilh~n. Themembers of the Nationat Spiritual Assembly visited the tomb and remained at JsfTh6n a number of days. In 1943 the Guardian advised the Persian Assembly to build monuments at the graves of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs, most famous of the early believers tortured and slain by fanatics in Persia, in the same city. The Assembly provided an engineer from Tilirin to carry out the construction, the cost being met by general subscription of the Persian Baha'is.
The Assembly of Egypt, after obtaining government permission to maintain a Bahá'í cemetery, arranged for the transfer of the remains of the late Abu'1-Fadl and of the late Lua Moore Getsinger and their permanent reinterment therein.
To fulfill official requirements, the American Assembly secured the written permission of Mrs. Get-singer's closest surviving relative, Mrs. Howard Struven, and through the State De � partment filed this permit with the Egyptian authorities.
On December 18, 1942, the members of the National Spiritual Assembly, together with its committee who carried out the transfer, accompanied by representatives of all Bahá'í communities of Egypt, conducted a service at the Bahá'í cemetery during the reinterment.
The memorial to be erected to Lua Getsinger, famous and beloved American Bahá'í teacher in the days of the Master, will stand beside the tomb of the great Abu'1-Facll.
American believers have also a direct concern with the transfer of the remains of Mirza Abu'1-Fadl, that great teacher sent here by the Master many years ago, to the new Bahá'í cemetery. The records made available by George 0. Latimer who acted for the Committee in charge of subscriptions toward the construction of a suitable monument in Mirza Abu'1-Fadl's memory indicate that a total of $708.10 was contributed to that purpose in 1919, 1920 and
Page 89and the changes in the administration of the Cause resulting therefrom interrupted the work and the special fund was turned over into the general fund of Bahá'í Temple Unity which later became the present National Bahá'í
Fund. Shoghi Effendinow wishes this special fund, latent for so many years, to be transmitted to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt for a Memorial to be constructed, in the Bahá'í cemetery now available. Thus the contribution which the American Bahá'ís made more than twenty years ago, in grateful appreciation of Abu'1-Fadl's unique teaching mission in North America, can at last be consummated. Had the Memorial been built earlier, the Bahá'ís of Egypt would have been deprived of the opportunity to establish publicly the importance of their Bahá'í cemetery which they now possess.
Beside these blessed ties connecting the American Bahá'ís with those of Persia and Egypt, the passing of Martha L. Root and of May Ellis Maxwell have led to the raising of shrines in Hawaii and in Argentina to which the hearts of the American believers fervently turn.
Designed by C. Mason Remey, the Memorial to Martha L. Root is in the form of a tablet inscribed with the Greatest Name, words of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá on teaching, and the Guardian's words which confer upon her so high a spiritual station. Her grave is beautifully situated in a cemetery of Honolulu, and the monument was made under the supervision of the Honolulu Assembly.
William Sutherland Maxwelldesigned the memorial which stands at the grave of Mrs. Maxwell in Quilmes Cemetery, Buenos Aires. We fortunately have this firsthand account written by Mrs.. Amelia Collins who proceeded to Buenos Aires as representative of the American National Spiritual Assembly and supervised with Sr. Tormo, Sr. Barros and Wilf rid Barton the execution of Mr. Maxwell's design and the placing of the completed Memorial at the grave, where impressive prayers and readings were conducted by the Bahá'ís of Argentina and the United States.
Quoting from Mrs. Collin's"At the time of the passing of May Maxwell at Buenos
Aires, Shoghi Effendicabled to her husband, Sutherland Maxwell, ~Hcr tomb, designed by yourself, erected by me, on the spot where she fought, and fell gloriously, will become the historic center of pioneer Bahá'í activity.'
By June, 1942, the plans for carrying out the wishes of Shoghi Effendi were complete. The design, photographs, drawings and specifications for the monument had been received by the National Spiritual Assembly from Mr. Maxwell in Haifa.
A sample of the fine Carrara marble which the Buenos Aires Bahá'í committee had secured had arrived.
It now seemed well that someone go to Buenos Aires as a representative of the National Assembly to '~consu1t and work with the committee there-r-ather than to depend upon the siow and uncertain method of correspondence. So it was agreed that I should represent the National Assembly, go to Buenos Aires and help in seeing that all plans were faithfully and fittingly fulfilled.
Immediately on this decision a cable was sent to Shoghi Effendi, asking his wishes and advice. His reply confirmed our plans.
"While standiflg at the hotel desk filling out the questionnaire required of visitors a momentary feeling of loneliness passed over me as I realized that I was in a country where I did not speak the language of those about me. Suddenly the porter said, CYOU are Mrs. Collins?' and handed me a cablegram. The message was from Shoghi Effendi and read, Prayers accompany you always, everywhere.
Deepest, loving appreciation.' Immediately I felt at home in spite of the fact that on account of my many delays the friends in Buenos Aires did not know of my arrival.
"Early the next morning a messenger was sent to Sr. Tormo, the chairman of the Buenos Aires Baha Assembly, and in a very few minutes he was at the hotel extending me a true Bahá'í welcome.
In a short time several other believers dropped in and again it was demonstrated that the Faith is one and unites hearts wherever believers come together.
At once arrangements were made to visit our beloved May's grave. Right after lunch we started. How shall I describe the quaint, lovely, simple spot �
Page 90so well chosen � right out in the open country, some distance from the village of Quilmes. The peace and quiet of the place was broken only by the birds singing their early spring songs.
Here it was that Jeanne Bolles and Wilf rid Barton had found the 'fitting spot' for the last resting place of May Maxwell's body, henceforth a place for pilgrimages. We entered the little gate, placed our simple offering of flowers and then gave thanks to Bahá'u'lláh, remembering the many dear friends in many lands, and asking God that they, too, would be permitted to visit this sacred spot.
ccThe first to make a pilgrimage from the United States to this revered place had been Philip Sprague. Not many weeks after the burial he had laid on the grave fragrant flower petals from the sacred shrines in 'Akka and Haifa sent by Shoghi Effendi and
R~hiyyih Kh~num. Therewill be other pilgrimages � many � for the Guardian denotes May Maxwell as one of the ~three heroines of the formative age of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh' now living in solitary glory in the southern outpost of the Western Hemisphere.'
ctMonday Sr. Tormo, Sr. Barros and I inspected the block of marble.
It was a great satisfaction to see the huge block of Carrara marble � the envy, I learned, of all the sculptors in the region who had hoped to have at least some of it to carve.
Then began the search for the right artist.Viciani, a Florentine, was finally found and a contract given to him to make first a model in plaster to meet the specifications. In due time the full committee was most gratified to see a fine sample of this sculptor's art shown in a plaster cast of the proposed monument and the contract to proceed with the work in marble was given to him. On May 30, 1943, several months after my return the beautiful monument was in place at May's grave and was dedicated with impressive services conducted by the Buenos Aires friends."
In deep reverence also the Bahá'ís of America acclaim the Memorial raised in honor of the late Hyde Dunn in Australia, that built in Tihnin commemorating the late Dr. Moody and the stone marking the tragic yet heroic grave of Mathew Kaszab in Brownsville, Texas, provided by the first chairman of the
Inter-America Committee, LoulieA. Mathews. In his cablegram of February 21, 1941, Shoghi Effendi linked together the names of Mrs. Keith
Ransom-Kehier, Miss MarthaL. Root, Mrs. May Maxwell and Mr. Hyde Dunn as evidences of the historic world mission conferred by 'Abdu'l-Bahá upon the American Bahá'í community.
YOUTH ACTIVITYThe publication of The Bahá'í World, and the annual observance of Bahá'í Youth Day, are at present the only two fully international activities of the Bahá'í community.
The maintenance of youth administrative bodies and youth programs during the war years has been difficult. The claims made upon the youth of the world have well-nigh expended their powers in action outside the realm of the spirit.
The youth between fifteen and twenty-one have recognized the highest of all claims, the call of God, exemplify the quality of truest devotion if not impressiveness of numbers. One feels the ardor of this small yet intent group in every report made about their work by the Assemblies of
East and West.We have, for example, this impressive record from Persia, where the young people have not been drafted: � "The Bahá'í
Youth Committee in Tihr~nhas over a thousand members regularly attending its sessions. One hundred and one persons serve on its subcommittees, which handle finances, teaching, study of the Faith, education, census, arbitration, and sports. Four thousand youth participate in the annual Youth Symposium, and hundreds attend the public speaking and teacher training classes. The National Youth Committee conducted a summer school in Tihr~n, 213 youth attending, and many adult auditors; this Committee likewise invited youth delegates from the provinces to attend; thirty localities sent representatives and these were guests of the Committee in TihrAn for ten days.
The Committee also had charge of eleven Bahá'í orphans pending organization of a separate body to care for them. Forty youth are continually occupied in giving
Page 91Memorial Erected at the Grave of Mathew Kaszab, Brownsville, Texas.
He was one of the first pioneers to arise to meet the requirements of the
Seven Year Plan.classes in the provinces, for parents and children alike, and in holding festive gatherings for the believers. Youth committees are active in the majority of centers; that of Isf~h&n established a summer school, as did the youth of Shir4z.
During this period about twenty young Bahá'ís of Persia, topflight scholars, left for the United States where they are completing their education.
"Baha children in Persia spend two hours every Friday in studying Bahá'í principles and lessons in character-building, under
Bahá'í instructors. Thiswork is supervised by the National Committee for Bahá'í Instruction.
Except where persecutions make it impossible, the majority of Bahá'í children attend; in Tihr~n, for instance, ninety such classes meet in an average year. Many adults attend to encourage the children, and special events and the dis
Page 92A feature of the classes is the teaching of Bahá'í songs; the curriculum of the six preliminary classes includes successively the six volumes of character-building lessons. The seventh class studies Lessons in Religion (I) and fifteen of the Persian Hidden Words; the eighth studies Lessons in Religion (II) and fifteen additional Hidden Words; the ninth offers selections from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and the Master, the tenth, talks of the Master, and the remaining two Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era.
The Australian Bahá'ísrender this acCount: � CcThe number of youth in each center is small, but the young people are active and very progressive.
The Adelaide youth presented a play, CThe Golden Age' adapted from Florence Pinchon's book, The Coming of the Glory, at the Winter School held at Aidgate in August, 1942. This attracted the largest audience of the sessions, and was declared by all present an outstanding success, and an interesting and novel way of teaching and presenting the Cause to the public. A few weeks later the youth repeated the performance at the
Bahá'í Center in Adelaideto an audience of young people. The Yerrinbool and Auckland youth followed suit and gave the play at their respective Summer
Schools."The following is an extract from the Auckland Spiritual Assembly Report which records the work of an American Bahá'í youth in Auckland: tSix months ago we had the pleasure of welcoming Mr. Alvin Blum, an American Bahá'í from Memphis, Tennessee, stationed in Auckland with the American Armed Forces. He generously offered to assist in the teaching work and has been of invaluable help to the Assembly. He has been able to interest a large number of people, some of whom have attended the monthly lectures and also arranged for him to give the Message to their friends in their homes.
We are specially grateful to Mr. Blum for his splendid work with a group of young people who now constitute a Bahá'í Youth Group.
A fireside group at Devonport has had the advantage of his valued services and this bids fair to develop into an Assembly in due course.'
"Our own young men in the Anned Forces have been indefatigable in teaching the great ethical and spiritual principles of the Bahá'í Faith. Letters from contacts made by Sergeant Jim Heggie show how great has been his influence, how well he has imparted his faith and knowledge to the other young men. The National Assembly has sent literature to his various and widely separated Contacts.
"Miss Merle Brooks interested a number of people at Kapunda, South Australia, and arranged two public meetings in the town. Miss Antoinette Bolton regularly conducts a Sunday School at Bolton Place, Yerrin-bool, N.S.W.
"The progressive HobartYouth Group meets regularly; all the members attended the Summer School sessions.
CCJ~ 1944 the NationalAssembly appointed a Youth Committee to supervise and coordinate the activities of the youth of Australia and New Zealand. The members of the committee (Miss Hilda Brooks, Adelaide,
Secretary Convener; MissG. Lamprill, Hobart; Miss V. Hoehnke, Sydney; Mrs. R. Deem, Auckland) decided to publish a Bahá'í Youth Journal. Miss Merle Brooks, Adelaide, was appointed editor of the Journal.
The youth of Australia and New Zealand are delighted at the prospect of having their own publication, the purpose of which is to provide a medium through which they might express themselves and get to know each other.
Material is now being collected for the first issue, many of the youth having sent letters for the correspondence column."
Dramatic, indeed, to realize that the World Youth Day is being observed in old Baghdad: � CCTh National Youth Committee has devoted much attention to the organization of these annual meetings, which offer splendid opportunities to give the Faith wider publicity especially among the youth of other religions.
The Committee has endeavored to establish similar symposiums in. other Bahá'í centers as well as in Baghd&d, where great success has been achieved judging from the number of non-BaM'i attendants.
"The successes achieved by the Symposiurns held in Baghd~id are due in no small measure to the fact that these annual meetings have been held in the Haziratu'1-Quds which by its impressive beauty, comfortable accommodations, attractive library and other pleasing features, serves to impress a sweet and lasting memory of the occasion in the minds of the attendants. Among the speakers, there were a few nonBahá'ís who extolled the Bahá'í teachings wishing the Faith universal success.
At the close of these meetings Bahá'í literature both in English and Arabic is distributed to the interested among the attendants."
The successive Youth Committeesof America have made annual reports from which these excerpts are gleaned: � "The
Sixth Annual World Bahá'íDay was observed by the Youth throughout the world on February 23 (February 21 in the Muhammadan countries). The theme for this year's symposium was tls Religion Needed as the Basis for a New
World Civilization?'Four subjects were suggested for presentation of this subject: tReligion, the Civilizing Force of the Ages'; CReligion the Unifying Force of
Diverse Peoples'; ~Re-ligionin the Individual Life'; and tThe Baha Faith as the Basis for a New World Order.'
CCThe committee suggested that the Youth Groups hold five study days this year in November, December, January, March, and April. These study days are designed for the young Bahá'ís to gain a more thorough knowledge of the Bahá'í Writings.
The subject for study this year was tFoundations of World Unity,' a compilation of some of the talks given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This book was chosen in order that the Youth may not only become more acquainted with the teachings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá but also become more aware of his masterly method of teaching through making public speeches.
ttTh committee also recommended that the groups hold an International Evening some time during November.
This activity is designed to help the groups confirm the feelings of brotherhood among the various peoples of the world.
(Cm Seventh Annual DaMNYouth Symposium was held on February 22. Youth groups all over the United States, in Canada and in several Latin American countries participated in the Symposium. Talks were given by the youth on the general theme, The
Creative Spirit in ModernSociety. The outlines, appearing in the February 1 issue of the Bahá'í Youth Magazine concerned the influence which religion has had all through the ages and placing primary emphasis on the New Cycle � the historical background of the Bahá'í Faith and the lives and station of its Founders. A message of greeting to the Guardian, to be signed by the youth in the various communities, was sent out by the National
Youth Committee. Theseare to be compiled in a scrapbook to be sent at a later time to the Guardian. Although world conditions made contact with groups in other lands impossible for the most part, we trust that in communities where it was possible, the young Bahá'ís have kept alive this traditional youth activity.
CcThrough the Inter-AmericaCommittee fourteen youth groups in Central and South America were contacted, including Santiago, Chile; Recife, Brazil; San Jose,
Costa Rica; Vedado, Cuba;Ancon, Canal Zone; Nicaragua, San Salvador; Asuncion, Paraguay; Tegucigalpa,
Honduras; Mexico City; Ciudad(cLetters of greeting from the National Bahá'í Youth Committee and plans for the International
Bahá'í Youth SymposiumThese three places had definite youth groups and took part in the
International Symposium.Miss Priscilla Rhoads also replied from Caracas, Venezuela, but there are as yet no Bahá'í youth in Caracas. Miss Margaret Lentz of Ciudad Trujilo also replied saying there were no Bahá'í youth in Ciudad, but she would hold a meeting for some of the students on thc day of our International
Symposium."A survey of youth groups, isolated youth, and servicemen was initiated through questionnaires to Local Assemblies and
Regional Committees.and 7 Regional Committees have put us in touch with 20 youth groups in or
Page 94ganized communities, 3 other youth groups, and unorganized youth in S Assemblies and 54 other localities. Eighteen Assemblies reported no young people at all. In addition, the Committee is corresponding with 50 Bahá'í men in military service. Doubtless there are many other youth whose names have not been sent us. CCWe are also proud to list the following youth who pioneered in 194243:
Anne McGee, Calgary; Farrukhloas, Sally Sanor, Harmon Jones, Boise; Anita loas, Edmonton; Eva Flack and
Adrienne Ellis, Greensboro; LaurettaVoelz, Regina; Mr. and Mrs. Richard Walters, Albuquerque;
Mary Bower, Providence;Shur � cliff, Laramie. (To our best knowledge these are the youth, although many pioneers were very little older.)
ttTO maintain contact with all of these youth, a series of bulletins were issued.
In writing these, we were mindful of the paramount claim of the Seven Year Plan, and the stresses of this War period. Bulletin No. 1 (Volume s), issued in November, was devoted to an appeal for youth pioneers. Bulletin No. 2, January, reported the activities of our servicemen. Bulletin No. 3, March, proWded suggestions for the organization and conduct of youth groups.
c(World Bahá'í Youth Day, now in its eighth year, was called for March 7, 1943, thus demonstrating our solidarity in the midst of world chaos. The theme, tWorld Unity Is Our Goal,' was based on the last pages of tThe Unfoldment of
World Civilization,' Baha'iyouth in every continent were invited to join us, and an effort was made in the Western Hemisphere to underscore the approaching triumph of the Seven Year Plan, through symposiums in as many States, Provinces, and Republics, as possible. The
Persian National YouthCommittee wrote us of tthe enormous appeal' of symposiums there, and Bahá'í youth of Uruguay translated the Guardian's pages for the use of other Latin American groups.
"Help to Bahá'í servicemen was a prime objective.Through personal correspondence they were put in touch with nearby Baha'is, addresses were exchanged between them, and all material issued by the Committee was sent. Other believers who wished to write them were given addresses, and each bulletin carried a special section of their news. An important part of this work is the followup and cordial welcome which all Bahá'ís are urged to extend to these Bahá'í men, who are serving throughout the U. S., on the seas, and as far away as England, Alaska, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands."
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIONThe Bahá'í community today is composed of a number of national bodies, each administratively independent, functioning in a world Faith under one Guardian who represents the oneness underlying this great variety of national and racial types. Mutual action among these different national groups is instantly possible at all times, but in practice they are engaged in matters of teaching and internal development which takes internationalism for granted without participation in projects of a directly international character.
It has been the effort to teach that primarily produced mutual activity among Bahá'ís in different parts of the world. From time to time definite projects, like the construction of the House of Worship, or appeals to civil authorities for mitigation of persecution, have been carried out under the direction of 'Abdu'l-Bahá or the Guardian.
The international activities or actions culled from the current record are significant more as expressive of the fundamental oneness of the B~h~'is than their possession at this time of any social mechanism concerned with and equipped for international Bahá'í affairs. That mechanism, reinforcing and fulfilling the function of the Guardianship, will come into being with the Universal House of Justice. Strictly speaking, any inter-Assembly actions taking place at present are responses to the Guardian and not mutual projects performed by the Bahá'í bodies through representatives duly qualified for participation in inter-Assembly affairs.
References have already been made in the course of this survey to certain matters of concern to several or all the national Bahá'í communities.
From the available reports the following instances are added to the record.
Page 95Spiritual Assembly reported in 1941: � C~A number of situations have arisen this year which very poignantly bring home to us the tragic condition of affairs confronting believers in other lands. In the spring of 1940 the Assembly received an appeal from the
National Spiritual Assemblyof the Bahá'ís of the British Isles for hospitality to twenty-five Bahá'í children. A special committee was appointed to make arrangements with the American Baha who could care for one or more children, and within a few weeks reported that the entire number mentioned by the English Assembly could be placed. Difficulties, however, arose in connection with the sending of children out of that country, and the friends who were prepared to give hospitality were not called upon to render this precious service. It is noted, however, as part of our history, that the appeal created a magnificent response and the American Bahá'í con-imunity arose to meet the emergency in full.
c!Believers likewise, have volunteered to finance the cost of transportation of Lidia Zamenhof and to guarantee her support in this country; but despite efforts put forth through every available official channel, Miss Zamenhof's whereabouts and condition are not accurately known nor has it yet been found possible to arrange for her travel to America through the authorities in charge of her country at this time. May we hope and pray that some means will be found to provide for the future of this renowned servant of the
Faith."The Bahá'ís of 'Idq cite four instances: � "During the period under review the National Spiritual Assembly endeavored to demonstrate unity of purpose and to promote the vital interests of the Faith throughout the
Bahá'í World. The 'IAqiBaha Community has seized every opportunity that presented itself to show their spirit of cooperation with their fellow believers in other parts of the world. The following are some of the instances whereby the National Spiritual Assembly shared in the shouldering of some constructive enterprises undertaken by other Bahá'í
Communities.tyj� �.200. 'Was remitted to the Spiritual Assembly of Damascus as a contribution to the Haziratu'1-Quds
Fund.tt2 �.300. Was sent to the National Spiritual Assembly of Egypt for the construction of a National Bahá'í Headquarters in
Cairo."3. Rupees 11,500. Was forwarded to the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma for the construction of a National
Haziratu'1-Quds iii NewBahá'ís Gathered to Celebrate the Feast of Ridvan in San Salvador, 1943.
tC4� 512 Australian pounds was offered to the National Spiritual Assembly of
Australia and New Zealand"These insignificant contributions were a source of pleasure to our Beloved Guardian and a concrete evidence of the lrnity and solidarity of the Baha communities throughout the world."
The Persian Bahá'ís have contributed munificently to their coworkers in other lands: � "Persia has likewise, during this period, contributed 1,000 pounds each toward construction of the Haziratu'1-Quds of Syria, Egypt, and India; 2,500 pounds toward that of Australia and New Zealand, and 500 pounds toward that of Kowayt, Bahi-chisdn."
From a San Francisco paper of February 18, 1944 we cite a most interesting type of Baha cooperation � the sending of students from Persia to the United States: � tRVith all the exuberance of
Americantourists in a foreign land, nine young Persians, here to study at universities in the United States, were taking in the sights of San Francisco today.
(cThir American guides, Mrs. Leroy loas and Miss Lucy Marshall, were breathless trying to keep pace with enthusiasms, which ranged from delighted chuckles over American radio programs to wholehearted approval of California's c1imatc.~~cso like our own Persia.'
CCJ~ well-spoken Englishthey told of the tcity within a city' built inside their capital, Tihr4n, exclusively for the students of their university. They were proud of the modern 1000-bed hospital in the capital, now taken over for use by Allied soldiers and of the fact that many of the younger Persians are learning to speak English.
"tThe American women who taught us said, when we first asked for instruction, CCWC have not the time nor the space for you",' Firuz
Kazemzade, 19-year-oldson of a Persian diplomat, who spoke for the group, said.
They hold English classes from 7 in the morning till 9 at night, and always they are rushed.'
"They were surprised that any one should think their women veiled.
cc no, they do not wear veils, have not for 1 0 years. Universities are co-educa-tional, and the women study medicine and teaching.
In the dental classes they outnumber the men ttTheir trip to this country was a long one, starting in Tihr~n last November and ending in Los Angeles a week ago.
ctTh were still in Persia at the time of the~Big Three' conferences between President Roosevelt,
Prime Minister Churchilland Premier Stalin, but did not learn of it till they had reached India.
tWe knew something was happening because we could not send or receive cables, and the radios were silent.'
"All members of the Bahá'í Faith, they are here to continue studies started in Persia because tWe feel America has made such strides in science.'
ttTWO of the boys, Shidan Eatheaazam, 16, and Amin Banani, 17, will prepare for coi-lege at the Montezuma
Boys School."Of the others, Hushang Javid and Manu-cher Javid, both 22, will continue medical studies at Columbia; Farhang Javid, 19, and Rouhollali Zargarpur, 21, will enroll at MIT in Boston; Nasrollali Rasekh, 19, and Firuz Kazemzade plan to enter Stanford; and Rou-hollab Rahmani, 25, who completed the required two years of military service and who has degrees in agriculture and engineering, will study at the University of California."
ATTACKS UPON THE FAITHThe careful student of current religious expression cannot fail to overlook the increasing number of evidences on the part of some ancient faiths that they feel the need of counterbalancing the utter spiritual failure signalized by a general international war. Unable to prevent it, they seek to seize the swift flow of events toward a new order in order to reaffirm an ancient authority under new and more acceptable conditions. Since theology has failed to guide society, they would now substitute a social program as the determiner of events. After godless states have arisen among large number of their communicants, they seek closer association with civil authority in a postwar world in order to substitute its power for the lost power of faith in God.
In all such trends, the climax of the experience comes with conscious effort to destroy the
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. Aslong as it endures, any other claim to spiritual influence rests upon something outside the true realm of religion: it rests upon a treaty or understanding with civil government, or influence with the rulers, or possession of great property erty holdings, or the exercise of financial weight, or the substitution of a great tradition for living faith in the hearts of the masses of people.
Shoghi Effendi has traced the operation of the principle which we first find revealed in Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet of Iqan. The history of these passing years must needs produce the material for another stupendous crisis in human affairs � the crisis which will inevitably arise when the people discover that political and economic arrangements, lacking roots in spiritual accord, are fruitless.
Contemporary events are a promissory note which has validity only because the time for payment has not yet come.
The report submitted by the National Spiritual Assembly of Persia testifies that the day of persecution still endures in the land of the birth of God's Cause: � ttThis four-year period has brought ever increasing persecutions to the Baha of Persia.
Here are typical cases: (CA group of Bahá'ís from Yazd, owing to the machinations of their enemies, were imprisoned in Tihr~n.
One of them died in prison."Because they closed their shops on the day of Bahá'u'lláh's Ascension, nine Bahá'ís of Sangisar were banished by government authorities to localities throughout Khud-sin. Five women believers of Sangisar, wives of banished Baha'is, wrote a petition to the ShAh.
Later they received the following official answer from the Minister of the Interior: ~Regarding the representations you had made to His Majesty, petitioning the return of your husbands to Sangisar: Your husbands were removed because of the ugly thing they had done and at present their return is not feasible.'
~tIn the same town, a Bahá'í woman died. As the memorial was being held in her home, and her brother, an aged man of eighty-five, was chanting prayers, members of the local police force broke into the house, abused and struck the old man, and took him away to prison where he was sentenced to three months' confinement tfor chanting Bahá'í prayers.
"A Bahá'í of Karaj, because he theld teaching meetings in his home, comparing the principles of his Faith with others,' was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.
Page 98"A number of the Friends, because they had explained their beliefs and attended Bahá'í meetings, lost government positions and were put out of schools.
ttBahá'í couples were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to six months for being married according to Bahá'í law.
"Four Bahá'ís from Pambih-Chfihih(M&-zindar6n), and one from Bunib (Adhir-b4yj An) and one from Qahfarakh (I~f~Mn) and one from Nayriz (Firs), in a most grievous and abominable manner were martyred for the Faith.
"The hundredth year brought severe trials throughout the country: In Qum, the arrival of settlers, although carried out with prudence and dignity, caused various seditious persons to stir up the populace, until the Bahá'ís were cursed in the streets, their houses were set on fire, threatening placards were posted, and anonymous letters sent them through the mails. A placard read: CWake up! The Brave, the Religious, the NVealrhy, the Great! When will you take action? How long will you sleep? What gross neglect! Thieves have come into your city. They are shamelessly building a house � a place to spread their beliefs and destroy yours.
While they are still weak, uproot them! Get together � drive out the enemies of your Faith, your honor, your name, your position � drive out the Baha'is! Do not be frightened!
Your ShAh is a sMh of Islim � a defender of the Qur'Th, one who, on the first day of his reign, took an oath on the Qur'an to make no law against the law of Islim. Arise!
Arise! Know your duty! Follow the basic law of the land, forbid those who are opposed to IsUm to serve the Government!
Band together, you shall win, none shall prevail against you. Rejoice, for God is with you!'
"And an anonymous letter: tlt is learned that you are followers of the baseless belief of Baha.
Since our Law directs us in so far as possible not to unveil such shameful imputations or disclose a person's secret acts, we are therefore advising you by letter that if the report is untrue you should immediately publish your innocence in the press; and if, God forbid, you are infected with this contagious disease, you should at once close up your shop and get out of this town � for otherwise your lives and property will be in danger. (signed) A group of defenders of the Faith.'
"Muslims and other religious groups invited persons to what was ostensibly a prayer-meeting, the real purpose being to incite them against the Baha'is.
"Episodes in other towns follow: "In Firiaz-KAh, the muilds preached against the Bahá'ís from their pulpits, until the simple inhabitants rose up, cursed the Friends, broke into the store of a Baha, abused and beat him.
"In Shah-Ridi, a number of the residents abused the Bahá'ís in public, and the children mocked them, shouting tBibi!'
Houses of the Bahá'ís were stoned, and unseemly things written on the walls. The Bahá'ís were denied the use of the public baths. The local Imim-Jum'ih and other clerics incited the populace against the
Baha'is.CCJ Shirv&n (Khur&sAn) local 'ulam~s and leaders plotted against the Baha'is; they aroused the populace, and demanded that the Bahá'í settlers return home. They gave them three days to leave town, after which time the residents were to massacre them. The Friends declined to leave.
Some two thousand persons attacked them, and stoned them.
Following this, they posted obscene and threatening notices on the shops of the Baha'is.
"In Bili-Shalir (MizindarAn), leading peo-pie sent slanderous telegrams against the Bahá'ís to the capital, with a view to ousting them from government service.
"In TAkist4n (Qazvin)teachers and school children alike turned on the Bahá'í students.
Incited by the teachers, the other children struck the Baha'is; a number of our children were therefore obliged to stay away from school. Repeatedly, the rabble collected to force the locks of Bahá'í stores and raid the establishments but were unable to do so. Many times, they stoned the homes of Baha'is, wounding some of the women.
CCJ~ Uskii (AdhirbAyjAn) placards were used to arouse the populace against the Baha'is.
"In Varq~ (Persian 'Ir&q)a neighboring village-head named Mukht4r punished an Assembly member, 'Ali-~usayn Muzafari,
Page 99and forced him to pay the sum of 500 riy6is. He then gave the local Bahá'ís twenty-four hours to close up their school and vacate the town. By night, the rabble attacked the homes of the Baha'is, wounding some with knives and forcing them all to leave.
ccThere has been continual persecution in Nariq.Recently the grave of one of the believers was violated, three weeks after the burial.
CCIn D~igh-Abid (Khurisin)the whole town rose against the Bahá'ís and stormed their homes, entering by force and threatening the Friends with death. They frequently stone the houses of the believers; one Bahá'í was badly injured and his arm broken.
~CJ~ MaliallAt the populace continually persecutes the Baha'is. The pioneer Fu'6d-Ahmad P6riki was attacked and severely injured.
The house of Aq4y-i-Ra~imatiy~n was set on fire, as well as the store of AqAy-i-'Ahdi.
The inhabitants maintain a strict boycott of theCCJ~ Miy~tmi the head of the gendarmerie, far from protecting the settlers, himself incites the populace against them. The rabble collected and shrieked against the Baha'is. Two policemen by order of their chief re moved furniture and other property from the homes and stores of the Baha'is.
The believers were given ten days to leave town and were obliged to do so. ~ Lihijin the populace closed the shops of believers and mobbed the Baha'is.
Striking their hands together and chanting in exultation, they advanced on the Friends and carried two away to prison.
CCJ~ Langanid they publicly abused the Friends, stoned their homes and tried repeatedly to set fire to them.
tCIn GilAn-i--Qarb, a man named 'Azimi, in charge of the Post and Telegraph Office, aroused the populace against Dr. Uasan-i-IB-Jitif and other Baha'is, urging persons who had weapons to put them to death.
CCIn Gu1p~ygin hostile placards were posted throughout the town. The Eriends were completely boycotted and repeated attempts were made to set fire to their shops and homes.
CCJ~ Rafsinjin a mulli named Siyyid Muharnrnad-Taqvi, inciting the populace against the Baha'is, caused a near-riot. In KAsMn an exiled member of the 'ulami wrote a treatise against the Baha'is, had it widely sold and advertised in the streets by
Page 100public heralds. In Natanz, the houses of the Bahá'ís were stoned and the believers repeatedly told to get out of town. In Qal'ihy-i-Hasan-Khin (Tihr6n), by decree of a mujtahid from the capital, the wife of 'AbMs-i-Urdi'i � an agricultural worker who had recently accepted the Faith � was forcibly divorced from him and his household furniture was confiscated.
"In Qurvih (Kurdistin)the house of one of the believers was set on fire, the rabble attacking him and his family. One of the Bahá'ís was severely beaten; as a result of the shock, his wife died a few days later. 'When they were taking her remains away for burial a mob of one hundred and fifty persons, crying that the deceased was a Muslim, wrested the body from the Friends and buried it with Muslim rites.
tcThere were severe persecutions in Shili-Ab~d (Persian
'Iraq). In Mashhad-i-Dbilf4-bid, the official in charge of the bureau of marriage and divorce aroused the populace; the Bahá'ís were therefore forbidden to use the public bath, and various other persecutions were heaped upon them. This official's brother forced one of the Bahá'ís to go to his home, and there tortured him until he was near death.
(Cm Zabul a Bahá'í was attacked and beaten at the door of his home.
In Zahid~n the Haziratu'1-Qudswas twice set on fire. In R~dsar (GilAn) some of the residents boycotted the believers. In Gil6n-i-DamAvand the residents forced a pioneer to leave, and provoked a near-riot. In D~mah&n the chief justice aroused the populace against the Baha'is. In Khurnin the people posted placards with this text: CThis proclamation standing for religious faith is being distributed to do away with the evil of the Baha'is, who are more abandoned than wild beasts.
Any person who has rented them a building should oust them from the premises by force. Otherwise there is no saying what will happen to them at the hands of the community � nor what will happen to any persons who help them either morally or materially or in any other way.
The friends of the Bahá'ís are the enemies of Isl&m and of every other faith.
A man showing friendship to them is a man striking at his own roots.'
"Beating their breasts, shouting, brandishing clubs, the populace of
Adhar-Shalir (Adhirbiyjin)mobbed the house of two of the Baha'is, carrying off their furniture and other possessions. After some time the local chief of police without the least legal excuse directed the pioneers in writing to leave the town, and forcibly ejected them.
CCJ11 Givg~n (Adhirbiyj4n)the populace, incited by Mulli Mirza Am-Hasan and his colleagues mobbed the believers, broke into the house of one of them, threatened the pioneers with death until they were obliged to leave town. In Tabriz, a mob armed with stones, knives and clubs attacked the Bahá'ís of the Mar6iin quarter, wounding many.
In Mar4hih the house of a Bahá'í was set on fire, by a mob, threatening placards posted, and other persecutions constantly inflicted. In Asiyibin (Q&'inAt), incited by the local mulli and the mujtahid of Birj and, the residents forbade the Bahá'ís to use the public bath. They broke into, sacked and destroyed the houses of four of the believers, whom they then took to Birjand and imprisoned. In Sar-ChAli on the first night of Ridvan, a gang smeared filth on the house of one of the believers.
The Bahá'ís of Birjandwere forbidden the use of the public bath and threatening placards were posted on their places of business.
t~Th Bahá'ís of Baha (Hamad~n) are strictly boycotted.
The trees in their orchards are uprooted and their agricultural pursuits interfered with. The same is true in Barzak
(KAshin). In Bandar-i-Jazobscene placards inflaming the populace against the Bahá'ís were posted.
In Mubarakih (J~fih~n) agang constantly harassed the Baha'is; in S&m~n a mob sacked the home of two Baha'is, and drove them out of town.
CCThe chief multi of Abhar, standing in his pulpit, urged his congregation to attack the Baha'is.
In SagiPd one of the believers was severely beaten and the Uaziratu'1-Quds set on fire, causing approximately 50,000 riy4ls damage. Police were finally sent to arrest the ringleaders, but these were soon released by a mob which then manhandled and injured two of the local Baha'is. In Ab~dih a mob attempted to set fire to the gates of the ~{adiqatu'r-Rahm4n and the Bahá'í cemetery, breaking the gravestones
Page 101at the latter place, polluting some of the graves and violating the grave of a child.
"In 1sf andAb2 they set fire to the house of one of the believers, then to Installations at the Bahá'í cemetery.
"When the National Assemblyand its party traveled to $hiraz, pioneers at Shah-Rids told them of fresh and intense outbreaks in AbAdih; that the I~Iadiqatu'r-Rahniin (the Administrative center and burial-place of the heads of the Nayriz martyrs) had been set on fire and many of the Friends severely beaten. Reaching Abidih the Assembly and its party went at once to the place where the attack occurred and found an appalling sight: the gate and a room of the edifice burned away � the furnishings and equipment stolen � partially-burned Tablets and relics and Bahá'í papers scattered around the courtyard � a few Bahá'í women and children weeping from shock � in an adjacent house, four persons lying side by side, badly injured and covered with blood.
"What had happened was this: on Urdi-bihislit 21, 1323, a gang attacked the business establishment of a Local Assembly member, shouting to him to vacate the premises at once, or be burned to death with all his possessions.
He closed the establishment and left. The rabble at once shifted to the store of two other Assembly members, and to the shop of two Bahá'í brothers.
At the same time a gang from the biz~rs attacked the barbershop of another believer, threw down his sign, threatened to kill him unless he vacated his shop, caught and beat his brother. The next day (Jam6i 15, 101), early in the morning, an enormous uproar and clamor was heard throughout the town. It seemed to shake the very wails of the houses.
The bellowing rose to a crescendo. A mob of about 4,000 people, made up of local inhabitants and those from neighboring villages, stormed the Bahá'í center and the hospice adjacent to it. ccTh mob, abetted by soldiers, set fire to the gate of the Center, and since it was slow to burn they lost patience, broke down the door with clubs and axes and forced their way into the building. Entering the meet-ing-room of the Spiritual Assembly they set it on fire with its contents, Then they scattered ed whatever remained of the furniture through the garden, and smashed whatever was breakable � mirrors, china and the rest. They then carried off some Bahá'í books from the library, burning or tearing up what was left. Three of the Bahá'ís they beat and gouged until the victims were near death.
~tFina11y the flames and smoke spread through the garden, and a tall pine tree caught fire. The mob receded from the Center, passed over to a neighboring house, sacked it, carried away the contents and then, with a great shouting and chanting poured through the streets and bizirs.
Till noon, the flames and smoke of the Bahá'í Center raged over the city.
The women of Ab~idih went up on their roofs, clapping their hands and singing, and the soldiers at headquarters literally danced for joy.
"Then reports came that the mob was making for HirnmavAbid to kill the Bahá'ís there and sack their homes. Shrieking and yelling, they besieged the town; by now they were five thousand strong.
A band of them broke into the house of a Baha'i, beating and injuring his son. Attacking the Ua~iratu'1-Quds, they smashed a door, cut down trees, carried away the caretaker's furniture. At this point the riot was quelled and the crowds scattered.
By sunset the ringleaders returned to AbAlih and after this the military government restored the peace.
~ T&sirgin, barber shops and public baths were closed to the Baha'is, the believers being proclaimed impure (najis). In Masgar-AbAd, a pioneer was attacked and severely beaten. In FiriizThid (F6xs) the multi, urged on by the authorities, so roused the populace against the Baha that a number of believers were obliged to quit the town for Shir~z.
CcWhn the customs officials in Kirmin-shih burned a number of Bahá'í books, the National Spiritual Assembly wrote the Prime Minister as follows: K We are informed that customs officials in certain localities have seized and burned Bahá'í books and sacred objects, on the grounds that they are contrary to religion and morality. .Recently the customs bureau in Kirm~nsMh burned a great number of Bahá'í books which they had taken from travelers.
The National Spiritualspectfully considers it necessary to bring to your attention the fact that Bahá'í literature proclaims the truth of aLl divine religions and affirms all sacred law, particularly that of IsUm; Bahá'ís are bound by their religious belief to revere the principles of IslAm, and they demonstrate the truth and validity of the Prophet to those who deny Him. Thus a great number of the members of other Laiths � Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians and others, who, throughout the world, have come into the Bahá'í Faith � one and all, contrary to their previous belief, now accept IslAm and the Prophet Muhammad, and desire to visit the holy places of IslAm. No one can become a Bahá'í unless he also accepts the truth of 'slim. Even a cursory reading of Bahá'í texts will prove these statements.
Therefore, burning Bahá'íbooks on the basis of their being contrary to Jshm is truLy comparable to burning the glorious Qur'an and the other holy scriptures.
Such an action by government officials, who should hardly be a prey to fanaticism, is a matter of surprise and deep regret. While Baha literature, which promotes IslAm, is being burned, publications which openly attack and make a mockery of 14dm are given free entry into the country and are freely distributed everywhere.
'It is therefore requested that an order be given the customs officials to desist from such practices, refrain from seizing J3ahi'i literature, and accord such literature the same free entry as is granted to other publications, For the law applies to writings contrary to IslAm, not to Bahá'í books, which affirm that Faith, Should anyone have misrepresented this matter, it was due either to lack of information regarding the Baha Faith or to personal bias.
.' Letters to this same effect were sent to the Treasury Department and the head of the Customs, and an interview was held with the American customs adviser, when it was requested that such acts be prohibited henceforth.
"The National SpiritualAssembly has made every effort to protect the Baha'is, referring to the Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Chief of Police, Head of the Gendarmerie, and otter leading government officials, and also to His Majesty himself � writing petitions, pleading verbally the cause of these law-abiding and blameless citizens.
The sufferers and their kindred, likewise, have made every effort to state their case and ask for justice. Unfortunately as a general rule no favorable result is obtained and as has been seen, the persecutions have not abated."
The report from Egypt is brief, but discloses an active anti � Bahá'í spirit among certain elements: � "The opponents were greatly excited by the wonderful progress the Cause made.
"Fanatic elements labored for making disturbances against Baha'is, In the capital the instigators caused an attack against the Haziratu'l-Quds whereby the custodian was beaten and his arm was broken.
~CAntagonistic movements were also organized in certain localities where small groups of Bahá'ís exist. At Tanta a certain Muslim leader lectured in the mosque against the Ba1i~'i Faith whereupon masses were stirred up, and circulars were stuck on doors and even on the noticeboard of the Railway Station. That movement did not last long at Tanta but it soon flamed in Mehalla-El-Kebira another locality where few Bahá'ís exist.
ccPti started violently following a lecture in the mosque to a large attendance.
CCNOC only circulars were displayed everywhere but also demonstrations continued by day and by night. The situation was grave; but through the providence of Bahá'u'lláh all Bahá'ís were protected."
The difficulties in America have been due to the action of individuals who, at one time members of the Faith, later failed to meet the test imposed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His testament and made all possible effort to destroy the basis of Bahá'í unity resting in the administrative order He left as legacy to the followers of Bahá'u'lláh.
The following references are taken from two annual reports of the American
Assembly: � "The NationalAssembly, representing the American Bahá'í community, is engaged in a legal action before the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the purpose of preventing the public misuse of the name cBah~)i~ in connection with activities, including solicitation of funds, publication and
Page 103sale of literature and other activities under conditions which represent a clear betrayal of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, repudiation of His station as Center of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant and Interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's text, and definite disobedience to
Shoghi Effendi, the Guardianof the Faith, as well as to the recognized administrative institutions of the Faith in America, At the moment of writing this report, the fundamental issues involved have not been determined by the court. The Bahá'í issues and principles, however, are truths which stand steadfast beyond compromise or corruption in the souls of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh. In his letter dated April 15, 1940, for example, the Guardian referred to this situation as follows: The subtle and contemptible machinations by which the puny adversaries of the Faith, jealous of its consolidating power and perturbed by the compelling evidences of its conspicuous victories, have sought to challenge the validity and misrepresent the character of the Administrative Order embedded in its teachings ha~c galvanized the swelling army of its defenders to arise and arraign the usurpers of their sacred rights and to defend the longstanding strongholds of the institutions of their Faith in their home country.
An this connection it is significant to note that even before the passing of the Master and the publication of His Will and Testament, while yet the American community was young, inexperienced, and not fully informed, even then, step by step as can be traced in the three volumes of His
Tablets, 'Abdu'l-Baháestablished and steadily developed the law of consultation and unity which is the very essence of the Administrative Order.
From the earliest days there has been no excuse for the self-appointed interpreter or the wouldbe personal leader among the Baha'is, We find these stages in the growth of the American Bahá'í community plainly set forth in Tablets which have been available for some thirty years. First, the recognition of the administrative body elected by the Chicago friends and its identification with the institution~' ordained by
Local House of Justice.Bahá'u'lláh; second, the instruction that the Bahá'ís of Chicago and New York should consult and make joint decision on certain general Bahá'í matters; third, that the Bahá'ís of Chicago,
New York and Washingtonshould similarly consult and make decision; fourth, the recognition of Bahá'í Temple Unity as representative of all groups throughout the United States and Canada; fifth, the revealing of the Tablets now termed America's Spiritual Mission, in which the conditions of unity and faithfulness are plainly set forth.
Finally, we have not only the Master's succession of Tablets on the meaning of His own Station, but also His action in banishing from the company of the friends of God one who had been close to Him but had betrayed the Master's trust, The evidence for the true believer is overwhelming; as for those who substitute their own opinion or wish for revealed truth or established authority, we must recall the words of Bahá'u'lláh that the Word of God at the same time kindles the fire of love in the heart of the faithful, and produces the cold of heedlessness in the heart of the denier.
~CLega1 action was taken in an effort to prevent this public misrepresentation on the part of former Baha'is, As was reported to the friends after the final court hearing: ~Jn taking this action, the Assembly found that the courts in the United States are not authorized to decide religious questions or to determine what are the true Bahá'í teachings or true application of the teachings. The Assembly was therefore compelled to limit the action to other questions relating to use of the Bahá'í name by the founders of the New History Society in conducting a book shop and collecting contributions, By this action, though limited, the Assembly hoped to prevent the founders of the New History Society from creating the false impression that they are authorized to represent the Bahá'í Cause.
court took the view, however, that the case involved the right to use the name of a religion and therefore involved a religious question which could not be decided by the court. This result prevented the Assembly from attaining its aim through legal means, but in no wise affected the essential
Page 104spiritual question of obedience to the basic laws and principles of the
Bahá'í Faith.rWhen therefore, the New History Society claims legal victory or vindication from this court action, there is no basis for the claim except the refusal of the court to try the case.
There was no decision on the merits of the case.The only question in dispute was whether a religious question was involved.
The Court's lack of authority to decide a religious question is in accordance with the doctrine of freedom of worship and was not disputed.'
"The Guardian's judgment of the matter has already been presented in this report tthe retribution he will in the end suffer will be correspondingly grievous and devastating. Every effort should be made by your Assembly to protect the new believers from the poison which he is trying to instill into their minds and souis, and to reinforce their confidence in his ultimate downfall and complete obliteration.'
A WORLD SURVEY OF THEThe American Bahá'ís have received from Shoghi Effendi a set of data compiled by the Guardian which defines the international Bahá'í community in 1944, at the end of the first century of the Faith. The following items are reported from that data, and conclude this study of international Bahá'í activity since 1940.
Countries in Which Bahá'ís71. ~Transjordania 72. ~Tunisia 73. '~Turkey 74. '~Turkistin 75 ::-~~fr~~j States of
America\VJTNESS how the world is being afflicted with a fresh calamity every day. Its tribulation is continually deepening. From the moment the Sfiriy-i-Ra'is (Tablet to Ra'is) was revealed until the present day, neither hath the world been tranquillized, nor have the hearts of its peoples been at rest.
At one time it hath been agitated by contentions and disputes, at another it hath been convulsed by wars, and fallen a victim to inveterate diseases.
Its sickness is approaching the stage of utter hopelessness, inasmuch as the true Physician is debarred from administering the remedy, whilst unskilled practitioners are regarded with favor, and are accorded full freedom to act.
The dust of sedition hath clouded the hearts of men, and blinded their eyes. Erelong, they will perceive the consequences of what their hands have wrought in the Day of God.
Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Informed, as bidden by One Who is the Most Powerful, the
Almighty.The Prophets of God should be regarded as physicians whose task is to foster the wellbeing of the world and its peoples, that, through the spirit of oneness, they may heal the sickness of a divided humanity. To none is given the right to question their words or disparage their conduct, for they are the oniy ones who can claim to have understood the patient and to have correctly diagnosed its ailments.
No man, however acute his perception, can ever hope to reach the heights which the wisdom and understanding of the Divine Physician have attained.
The Path to GodHow wondrous is the unity of the Living, the Ever-Abiding God � a unity which is exalted above all limitations, that transcend-eth the comprehension of all created things! He hath, from everlasting, dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty and grandeur. How lofty hath been His incorruptible Essence, how completely independent of the knowledge of all created things, and how immensely exalted will it remain above the praise of all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth!
From the exalted source, and out of the essence of His favor and bounty, He hath entrusted every created thing with a sign of His knowledge, so that none of His creatures may be deprived of its share in expressing, each according to its capacity and rank, this knowledge.
This sign is the mirror of His beauty in the world of creation. The greater the effort exerted for the refinement of this sublime and noble mirror, the more faithfully will it be made to reflect the glory of the names and attributes of God, and reveal the wonders of His signs and knowledge.
Every created thing will be enabled (so great is this reflecting power) to reveal the potentialities of its preordained station, will recognize its capacity and limitations, and will testify to the truth that "He, verily, i~ God; there is none other God besides
Him."That the heart is the throne, in which the Revelation of God the All-Merciful is centered, is attested by the holy utterances which We have formerly revealed.
Among them is this saying: "Earth and heaven cannot contain Me; what can alone contain Me is the heart of him that believeth in 105
Page 106Me, and is faithful to My Cause." How often bath the human heart, which is the recipient of the light of God and the seat of the revelation of the All-Merciful, erred from Him Who is the Source of that light and the Well Spring of that revelation.
It is the waywardness of the heart that removeth it far from God, and condemneth it to remoteness from Him. Those hearts, however, that are aware of His Presence, are close to Him, and are to be regarded as having drawn nigh unto His throne.
Consider, moreover, bow frequently doth man become forgetful of his own self, whilst God remaineth, through His all-encompass-ing knowledge, aware of His creature, and continueth to shed upon him the manifest radiance of His glory. It is evident, therefore, that, in such circumstances, He is closer to him than his own self.
He will, indeed, so remain for ever, for, whereas the one true God knoweth all things, perceiveth all things, and comprehendeth all things, mortal man is prone to err, and is ignorant of the mysteries that lie enfolded within him.
Blessed ate they that have soared on the wings of detachment and attained the station which, as ordained by God, overshadowed the entire creation, whom neither the vain imaginations of the learned, nor the multitude of the hosts of the earth have succeeded in deflecting from His Cause.
Who is there among you, 0 people, who will renounce the world, and draw nigh unto God, the Lord of all names?
Where is he to be found who, through the power of My name that transcendeth all created things, will cast away the things that men possess, and cling, with all his might, to the things which God, the Knower of the unseen and of the seen, hath bidden him observe?
Thus hath His bounty been sent down unto men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone forth above the Horizon of mercy.
Rich is the prize that shall be won by him who hath believed and exclaimed:
"Lauded art Thou, 0 Belovedof all worlds! Magnified be thy name, 0 Thou the Desire of every understanding heart!"
Tear asunder, in My Name, the veils that have grievously blinded your vision, and, through the power born of your belief in the unity of God, scatter the idols of vain imitation.
Enter, then, the holy paradise of the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful. Sanctify your souls from whatsoever is not of God, and taste ye the sweetness of rest within the pale of His vast and mighty Revelation, and beneath the shadow of His supreme and infallible authority. Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified.
Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure? If, in the Day when all the peoples of the earth will be gathered together, any man should, whilst standing in the presence of God, be asked: CCWhf hast thou disbelieved in My BeaPty and turned away from My Self," and if such a man should reply and say: "Inasmuch as all men have erred, and none hath been found willing to turn his face to the Truth, I, too, following their example, have grievously failed to recognize the Beauty of the Eternal," such a plea will, assuredly, be rejected. For the faith of no man can be conditioned by any one except himself.
0 My servants! It behoveth you to refresh and revive your souls through the gracious favors which, in this Divine, this soul-stirring Springtime, are being showered upon you. The Day Star of His great glory hail shed its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have overshadowed you. How high the reward of him that hath not deprived himself of so great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of his Best-Beloved in this, His new attire.
Say: 0 people! The Lampof God is burning; take heed, lest the fierce winds of your disobedience extingiiish its light.
Now is the time to arise and magnify the Lord, your God. Strive not after bodily comforts, and keep your heart pure and stainless.
The Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the one true God, deliver yourselves from the darkness that surroundeth you. Center your
Page 107thoughts in the Well-Beloved, rather than in your own selves.
The Paradise of His PresenceRelease yourselves, 0 nightingales of God, from the thorns and brambles of wretchedness and misery, and wing your flight to the rosegarden of unfading splendor. 0 My friends that dwell upon the dust! Haste forth unto your celestial habitation.
Announce unto yourselves the joyful tidings: "He Who is the Best-Beloved is come! He bath crowned Himself with the glory of God's Revelation, and hath unlocked to the face of men the doors of His ancient Para-disc." Let all eyes rejoicer and let every ear be gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty, now is the fit time to hearken to His voice. Proclaim unto every longing lover: CcBehold your Well-Beloved hath come among men!" and to the messengers of the Ivtonarch of love impart the tidings: ccLo, the Adored One hath appeared arrayed in the fullness of His glory!" 0 lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish of your separation from Him into the joy of an everlasting reunion, and let the sweetness of His presence dissolve the bitterness of your remoteness from His court.
Behold how the manifold grace of God which is being showered from the clouds of Divine glory, hatS, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence.
Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace.
Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which perisheth.
Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty of the Beloved's face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which no ear bath heard.
Hear Me, ye mortal birds!In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, fore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souis, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved.
Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest.
0 My brother! When a true seeker de-termineth to take the step of search in the path leading unto the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments.
He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that iove blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth.
Even as thou dost witness in this Day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the Divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error.
That seeker must, at all times, put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, must detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smoldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth
Page 108both heart and soui. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endureth a century.
that seeker should, also, regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extin-guisheth the light of the soui. He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should treasure the companionship of them that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit.
At the dawn of every day he should commune with God, and, with all his soui, persevere in the quest of his Beloved.
He should consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all cisc save Him. He should succor the dispossessed, and never withhold his favor from the destitute. He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellowman, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to turn him away from the Truth. 1-Te should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart he should avoid fellowship with evildoers and pray for the remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. Flow often hath a sinner attained, at the hour of death, to the essence of faith, and, quafling the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the Concourse on high! And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soui's ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire!
Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.
These are among the attributes of the exalted, and constitute the hallmark of the spiritually-minded.
They have already been mentioned in connection with the requirements of the wayfarers that tread the path of Positive Knowledge.
When the detached wayfarer and sincere seeker hath fulfilled these essential conditions, then and oniy then can he be called a true seeker. Whensoever he hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the verse: ccWhoso maketh efforts for Us," he shall enjoy the blessings conferred by the words: "In Our Ways shall We assuredly guide
Mm."Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His lovingkindness is wafted upon his soui, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being. At that hour will the Mystic Herald, bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blAst of knowledge, will awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of heedlessness. Then will the manifold favors and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude.
He will discover in all things the mysteries of Divine Revelation, and the evidences of an everlasting Manifestation.
When the channel of the human soui is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude.
They that valiantly labor in quest of God, will, when once they have renounced all else but Him, be so attached and wedded unto that City, that a moment's separation from it would to them be unthinkable.
They will hearken unto infallible proofs from the Hyacinth of that assembly, and will receive the surest testimonies from the beauty of its Rose, and the melody of its
Nightingale.EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 109
Once in about a thousand years shall this City be renewed and readorned.
That City is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age and dispen-sanon.
In the days of Moses it was the Pen. tateuch; in the days of Jesus, the Gospel; in the days of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, the Qur'an; in this day, the Bay6.n; and in the Dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest, His own Book � the Book unto which all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book that standeth amongst them all transcendent and supreme.
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.
Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of tht~ sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppres � sion.
Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidel � ity, a pillar of the ternpk of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of kiiowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.
Beautify your tongues, 0 people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souis with the ornament of honesty.
Beware, 0 people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost. Strive, 0 people, that your eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of
His good-pleasure. Suchare the counsels which I bequeath unto you. Would that ye might �4. low My counsels!
Gird up the loins of thine endeavor, that haply thou mayest guide thy neighbor to the law of God, the Most Merciful. Such an act, verily, excelleth all other acts in the sight of God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Such must be thy steadfastness in the Cause of God, that no earthly thing whatsoever will have the power to deter thee from thy duty. Though the powers of earth be leagued against thee, though all men dispute with thee, thou must remain unshaken.
Be unrestrained as the wind, while carrying the Message of Him Who hath caused the Dawn of Divine Guidance to break. Consider, how the wind, faithful to that which God hath ordained, bloweth upon all the regions of the earth, be they inhabited or desolate. Neither the sight of desolation, nor the evidences of prosperity, can either pain or please it. It bloweth in every direction, as bidden by its Creator. So should be every one that claimeth to be a lover of the one true God. It behoveth him to fix his gaze upon the fundamentals of His Faith, and to labor diligently for its propagation. Wholly for the sake of God he should proclaim His Message, and with that same spirit accept whatever response his words may evoke in his hearer. He who shall accept and believe, shall receive his reward, and he who shall turn away, shall receive none other than his own punishment.
Do thou beseech God to enable thee to remain steadfast in this path, and to aid thee to guide the peoples of the world to Him Who is the manifest and sovereign Ruler, Who hath revealed Himself in a distinct attire, Who giveth utterance to a Divine and specific Message. This is the essence of faith and certitude.
They that are the worshipers of the idol which their imaginations have carved, and who call it Inner Reality, such men are in truth accounted among the heathen. To this hath the All-Merciful borne
Page 110At the time of His exile from Persia, in 1269 A.H., the above passport, made out in the name of Mirza Husayn 'Aliy-i-Niiri, was issued to Bahá'u'lláh h and His Family.
Page 111The ordinances of God have been sent down from the heaven of His most august Revelation.
All must diligently observe them. Man's supreme distinction, his real advancement, his final victory, have always depended, and will continue to depend, upon them.
Whoso keepeth the commandments of God shall attain everlasting felicity.
A twofold obligation resteth upon him who hath recognized the Day Spring of the Unity of God, and acknowledged the truth of Him Who is the Manifestation of His oneness.
The first in steadfastness in His love, such steadfastness that neither the clamor of the enemy nor the claims of the idle pretender can deter him from cleaving unto Him Who is the Eternal Truth, a steadfastness that taketh no account of them whatever. The second is strict observance of the laws He hath prescribed � laws which He hath always ordained, and will continue to ordain, unto men, and through which the truth may be distinguished and separated from falsehood.
By My Beauty! Nothing whatsoever shall, in this Day, be accepted from you, though ye continue to worship and prostrate yourselves before God throughout the eternity of His dominion. For all things that are dependent upon His Will, and the worth of all acts is conditioned upon His acceptance and pleasure. The whole universe is but a handful of clay in His grasp. Unless one recognizes God and loves Him, his cry shall not be heard by God in this Day. This is of the essence of His Faith, did ye but know it. Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth for ever, thou must, likewise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted.
They who are its appointed interpreters, they whose hearts arc the repositori& of its secrets, are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom. Whoso, while reading the Sacred Scriptures, is tempted to choose therefrom whatever may suit him with which to challenge the authority of the Representative of God among men, is indeed, as one dead, though to outward seeming he may walk and converse with his neighbors, bors, and share with them their food and their drink.
We beseech God to strengthen thee with His power, and enable thee to recognize Him Who is the Source of all knowledge, that thou mayest detach thyself from all human learning, for, ttwhat would it profit any man to strive after learning when he hath already found and recognized Him Who is the Object of all knowledge?" Cleave to the Root of Knowledge, and to Him Who is the Fountain thereof, that thou mayest find thyself independent of all who claim to be well versed in human learning, and whose claim no clear proof, nor the testimony of any enlightening book, can support.
Intone, 0 My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh Unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle dUne own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb.
Progress of the Soul Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure.
It will manifest the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty. The movement of My Pen is stilled when it attempteth to befittingly describe the loftiness and glory of so exalted a station.
The honor with which the Hand of Mercy will invest the soul is such as no tongue can adequately reveal, nor any other earthly agency describe. Blessed is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world.
Such a soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the 'Will of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest
Paradise.human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body. Know thou that the souis of the people of Bah~, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with another, and shall be so closely associated in their lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who are endued with understanding.
Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Know thou that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting.
Unto each one bath been prescribed a pre � ordained measure, as decreed in God's mighty and guarded Tablets.
All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition.
Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soui itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments.
Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soiui from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soui will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.
Attainment of Peace andhath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He per-cerveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age bath its own problem, and every soui its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its presentday afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.
We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions.
We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned.
They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices.
They can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy. They have conceived the straight to be crooked, and have imagined their friend an enemy.
How vast is the tabernacle of the Cause of God! It bath overshadowed all the peoples and kindreds of the earth, and will, erelong, gather together the whole of mankind beneath its shelter.
Thy day of service is now come. Countless Tablets bear the testimony of the bounties vouchsafed unto thee. Arise for the triumph of My Cause, and, through the power of thine utterance, subdue the hearts of men. Thou must show forth that which will insure the peace and the wellbeing of the miserable and the downtrodden. Gird up the loins of thine endeavor, that perchance thou mayest release the captive from his chains, and enable him to attain unto true liberty.
Justice is, in this day, bewailing its plight, and Equity groaneth beneath the yoke of oppression.
The thick clouds of tyranny have darkened the face of the earth, and enveloped its peoples. Through the movement of Our Pen of glory We have, at the bidding of the omnipotent Ordainer, breathed a new life into every human frame, and instilled into every word a fresh potency.
All created things proclaim the evidences of this worldwide regeneration.
This is the most great, the most joyful tidings imparted by the pen of this wronged One to mankind. Wherefore fear ye, 0 My well-beloved ones! Who is it that can dismay you? A touch of moisture sufliceth to dissolve the hardened clay out of which this ~perverse generation is molded. The mere act of your gathering together is enough to scatter the forces of these vain and worthless people.
Page 113EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 113
Every man of insight will, in this day, readily admit that the counsels which the Pen of this wronged One hath revealed constitute the supreme animating power for the advancement of the world and the exaltation of its peoples.
Arise, 0 people, and, by the power of God's might, resolve to gain the victory over your own selves, that haply the whole earth may be freed and sanctified from its servitude to the gods of its idle fancies � gods that have inflicted such 'oss upon, and are responsible for the misery of, their wretched worshipers. These idols form the obstacle that impeded man in his efforts to advance in the path of perfection. We cherish the hope that the Hand of Divine power may lend its assistance to mankind, and deliver it from its state of grievous abasement.
In one of the Tablets these words have been revealed: 0 people of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souis of men. This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior. Valiant acts will insure the triumph of this Cause, and a saintly character will reinforce its power.
Cleave unto righteousness, 0 people of Baha! This, verily, is the commandment which this wronged One hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained 'Will for every one of you.
0 friends! It behoveth you to refresh and revive your souis through the gracious favors which in this Divine, this soul-stirring Springtime are being showered upon you. The Day Star of His great glory hail shed its radiance upon you, and the clouds of His limitless grace have overshadowed" you. How high the reward of him that hath not deprived himself of so great a bounty, nor failed to recognize the beauty of his Best-Beloved in this, His new attire.
Watch over yourselves, for the Evil One is lying in wait, ready to entrap you. Gird yourselves against his wicked devices, and, led by the light of the name of the All-Seeing God, make your escape from the darkness that surroundeth you. Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self. The Evil One is he that hindereth the rise and obstructeth the spiritual progress of the children of men.
It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to bold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared � and Our Word is the truth � : CCCt with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship." Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, bath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished.
rrom the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souis of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the
Ever-Abiding God. Ofold it hach been revealed: CCL of one's country is an element of the Faith of God." The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: ctIt is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world."
Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and bath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.
0 people of Justice! Be as brilliant as the light, and as splendid as the fire that blazed in the Burning Bush. The brightness of the fire of your love will no doubt fuse and unify the contending peoples and kindreds of the earth, whilst the fierceness of the flame of enmity and hatred cannot but result in strife and ruin.
We beseech God that He may shield His creatures from the evil designs of His enemies. He verily barb power over all things.
All-praise be to the one true GoJ � exaltedbe His glory � inasmuch as He bath, through the Pen of the Most High, unlocked the doors of men's hearts.
Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is a bright and shining portal that discioseth the glories of a saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds. The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only.
Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and oniy then will it attain unto true liberty.
The whole earth is illuminated with the resplendent glory of God's Revelation.
The One true God beareth Me witness, and His creatures will testify, that not for a moment did I allow Myself to be hidden from the eyes of men, nor did I consent to shield Mv person from their injury.
Before the face of all men I have arisen, and bidden them fulfil My pleasure. My object is none other than the betterment of the world and the tranquillity of its peoples. The wellbeing of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.
This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded.
Through the power of the words He hath uttered the whole of the human race can be illumined with the light of unity, and the remembrance of His Name is able to set on fire the hearts of all men, and burn away the veils that intervene between them and His glory.
One righteous act is endowed with a potency that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of heavens. It can tear every bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the force that bath spent itself and vanished.
Gird up the loins of your endeavor, 0 people of Baha, that haply the tumult of religious dissension and strife that agitateth the peoples of the earth may be stilled, that every trace of it may be completely obliterated. For the love of God, and them that serve Him, arise to aid this most sublime and momentous Revelation.
Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction.
The affairs of the people are placed in charge of the men of the House of Justice of God. They are the trustees of God among His servants and the day springs of command in His countries.
0 people of God! The trainer of the world is Justice, for it consisteth of two pillars:
Reward and Retribution.These two pillars are two fountains for the life of the people of the world. Inasmuch as for each time and day a particular decree and order is expedient, affairs are therefore entrusted to the ministers of the House of Justice, so that they may execute that which they deem advisable at the time.
Those souls who arise to serve the Cause sincerely to please God will be inspired by the divine, invisible inspirations.
It is incumbent upon all to obey.Administrative affairs are all in charge of the House of Justice; but acts of worship must be observed according as they are revealed in the Book. The ministers of the House of Justice must promote the Most Great Peace, in order that the world may be freed from onerous expenditure.
This matter is obligatory and indispensable; for warfare and conflict are the foundation of trouble and distress.
Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim.
Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he per-sisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing!
Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encom-passeth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise.
The Covenant Thou HastGlorified art Thou, 0 my 6od! Thou knowest that my sole aim in revealing Thy Cause hath been to reveal Thee and not myself, and to manifest Thy glory rather than my glory.
In Thy path, and to attain Thy pleasure, I have scorned rest, joy, delight.
Page 115EXCERPTS PROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 115
At all times and under all conditions my gaze hath been fixed on Thy precepts, and mine eyes bent upon the things Thou hast bidden me observe in Thy Tablets. I have wakened every morning to the light of Thy praise and Thy remembrance, and reached every evening inhaling the fragrances of Thy mercy.
And when the entire creation was stirred up, and the whole earth was convulsed, and the sweet savors of Thy name, the All-Praised, had almost ceased to breathe over Thy realms, and the winds of Thy mercy had well-nigh been stilled throughout Thy dominions, Thou didst, through the power of Thy might, raise me up among Thy servants, and bid me to show forth Thy sovereignty amidst Thy people. Therefore I arose before all Thy creatures, strengthened by Thy help and Thy power, and summoned all the multitudes unto Thee, and announced unto all Thy servants Thy favors and Thy gifts, and invited them to turn towards this Ocean, every drop of the waters of which crieth out, proclaiming unto all that are in heaven and on earth that He is, in truth, the Fountain of all life, and the Quickener of the entire creation, and the Object of the adoration of all worlds, and the Best-Beloved of every understanding heart, and the Desire of all them that are nigh unto Thee.
Though the fierce winds of the hatred of the wicked doers blew and beat on this Lamp, He was, at no time, in His love for Thy beauty, hindered from shedding the fragrance of His light. As the transgressions committed against Thee waxed greater and greater, my eagerness to reveal Thy Cause correspondingly increased, and as the tribulations deepened � and to this Thy glory bear-eth me witness � a fuller measure of Thy sovereignty and of Thy power was vouchsafed by me unto Thy creatures.
And finally, I was cast by the transgressors into the prison-city of 'Akka, and my kindred were made captives in Baghdid.
The power of Thy might beareth me witness, 0 my God! Ev?ry trouble that hath touched me in Thy path bath added to my joy and increased my gladness.
I swear by Thee, 0 Thou Who art the King of Kings!
None of the kings of the earth hath power to hinder me from remembering Thee or from extolling Thy yirtues. Were they to be leagued � as they have been leagued � against me, and to brandish their sharpest swords and most afflictive spears against me, I would not hesitate to magnify Thy name before all them that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. Nay rather, I would cry out and say: t~This, 0 my Beloved, is my face which I have offered up for Thy face, and this is my spirit which I have sacrificed for Thy spirit, and this is my blood that seetheth in my veins, in its longing to be shed for iove of Thee and in Thy path."
Though � as Thou beholdest me, 0 my God � I be dwelling in a place within whose walls no voice can be heard except the sound of the echo, though all the gates of ease and comfort be shut against us, and thick darkness appear to have encompassed us on every side, yet My soul hath been so inflamed by its love for Thee, that nothing whatever can either quench the fire of its love or abate the consuming flame of its desire. Lifting up its voice, it crieth aloud amidst Thy servants, and calleth them, at all times and under all conditions, unto Thee.
I beseech Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to open the eyes of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee shining above the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and that they may not be hindered by the croaking of the raven from hearkening to the voice of the Dove of Thy sublime oneness, nor be prevented by the corrupt waters from partaking of the pure wine of Thy bounty and the everlasting streams of Thy gifts.
Gather them, then, together around this Divine Law, the covenant of which Thou hast established with all Thy prophets and Thy messengers, and Whose ordinances Thou hast written down in Thy Tablets and Thy Scriptures, raise them up, moreover, to such heights as will enable them to perceive Thy call.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious.
Prayer for Union in thehath fallen upon every land, and the forces of mischief have encompassed all the nations. Through them, however, I per.
Page 116the splendors of Thy wisdom, api discern the brightness of the light of Thy providence.
They that are shut out as by a veil from Thee have imagined that they have the power to put out Thy light, and to quench Thy fire, and to still the winds of Thy grace. Nay, and to this Thy might beareth me witness! Had not every tribulation been made the bearer of Thy wisdom, and every ordeal the vehicle of Thy providence, no one would have dared oppose us, though the powers of earth and heaven were to be leagued against us. Were I to unravel the wondrous mysteries of Thy wisdom which are laid bare before me, the reins of Thine enemies would bc cleft asunder.
Glorified be Thou, then, 0 my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to assemble them that love Thee aiound the Law that streameth from the good-pleasure of Thy will, and to send down upon them \vhat will assure their hearts.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Tablets to the Kings 0 kings of the earth!The Kingdom is God's, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
Worship none but God, and, with radiant hearts, lift up your faces unto your Lord, the Lord of all names. This is a Revelation to which whatever ye possess can never be compared, could ye but know it. We see you rejoicing in that which ye have amassed from others and shutting out yourselves from the worlds which naught except My guarded Tablet can reckon.
The treasures ye have laid up have drawn you far away from your ultimate objective. This ill beseemeth you, could ye but understand it. 'Wash from your hearts all earthly defilements, and hasten to enter the Kingdom of your Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven, Who caused the world to tremble and all its peoples to wail, except them that have renounced all things and clung to that which the Hidden Tablet hath ordained.
This is the Day in which He Who held converse with God hath attained the light of the Ancient of Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion from this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By the one true God! Sinai is circling round the Day Spring of Revelation, while from the heights of the Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard proclaiming: "Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of the earth, and hasten ye unto Him." Carmel hath, in this Day, hastened in longing adoration to attain His court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh the cry: "The promise is fulfilled.
That which had been announced in the holy Writ of God, the most Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made manifest."
0 kings of the earth!The Most Great Law hath been revealed in this Spot, this scene of transcendent splendor. Every hidden thing hath been brought to light, by virtue of the Will of the Supreme Ordainer, He Who hath ushered in the Last Hour, through Whom the Moon bath been cleft, and every irrevocable decree expounded.
Ye are but vassals, 0 kings of the earth! He Who is the King of Kings hath appeared, arrayed in His most wondrous glory, and is summoning you unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation, lest the things of this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of heaven.
Arise, and serve Him Who is the Desire of all nations, Who bath created you through a word from Him, and ordained you to be, for all time, the emblems of His sovereignty.
By the righteousness of God! It is not Our wish to lay hands on your kingdoms. Our mission is to seize and possess the hearts of men. Upon them the eyes of Baha are fastened. To this testifieth the Kingdom of Names, could ye but comprehend it. Whoso followeth his Lord, will renounce the world and all that is therein; how much greater, then, must be the detachment of Him Who holdeth so august a station! Forsake your palaces, and haste ye to gain admittance into His Kingdom.
This, indeed, will profit you both in this world and in the next. To this testifieth the Lord of the realm on high, did ye but know it. How great is the blessedness that awaiteth the king who will arise to aid My Cause in My Kingdom, who will detach himself from
Page 117all else but Me! Such a king is numbered with the companions of the Crimson Ark, the Ark which God hail prepared for the people of Baha. All must glorify his name, must reverence his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of My Name, the omnipotent Protector of all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms. Such a king is the very eye of mankind, the luminous ornament on the brow of creation, the fountainhead of blessings unto the whole world.
Offer up, 0 people of Baha, your substance, nay your very lives, for his assistance.
0 kings of Christendom!Heard ye not the saying of Jesus, the Spirit of God, "I go away, and come again unto you"?
Wherefore, then, did ye fail, when He did come again unto you in the clouds of heaven, to draw nigh unto Him, that ye might behold His face, and be of them that attained His Presence?
In another passage He saith: ttWhen He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you unto all truth."
And yet, behold how, when He did bring the truth, ye refused to turn your faces towards Him, and persisted in disporting yourselves with your pastimes and fancies. Ye welcomed Him not, neither did ye seek His Presence, that ye might hear the verses of God from His own mouth, and partake of the manifold wisdom of the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
Ye have, by reason of your failure, hindered the breath of God from being wafted over you, and have withheld from your souls the sweetness of its fragrance. Ye continue roving with delight in the valley of your corrupt desires. Ye, and all ye possess, shall pass away.
Ye shall, most certainly, return to God, and shall be called to account for your doings in the presence of Him Who shall gather together the entire creation Twenty years have passed, 0 kings, during which We have, each day, tasted the agony of a fresh tribulation.
No one of them that were before Us hath endured the things We have endured.
Would that ye could perceive it!They that rose up against Us have put Us to death, have shed Our blood, have plundered Our property, and violated Our honor.
Though aware of most of Our afflictions, ye, nevertheless, have failed to stay the hand of the aggressor. For is it not your clear duty to restrain the tyranny of the oppressor, and to deal equitably with your subjects, that your high sense of justice may be fully demonstrated to all mankind?
God hath committed into your hands the reins of the government of the people, that ye may rule with justice over them, safeguard the rights of the downtrodden, and punish the wrongdoers. If ye neglect the duty prescribed unto you by God in His Book, your names shall be numbered with those of the unjust in His sight. Grievous, indeed, will be your error. Cleave ye to that which your imaginations have devised, and cast behind your backs the commandments of God, the Most Exalted, the Inaccessible, the All-Compelling, the Almighty? Cast away the things ye possess, and cling to that which God hath bidden you observe.
Seek ye His grace, for he that seeketh it treadeth His straight Path.
Consider the state in which We are, and behold ye the ills and troubles that have tried Us. Neglect Us not, though it be for a moment, and judge ye between Us and Our enemies with equity. This will, surely, be a manifest advantage unto you. Thus do We relate to you Our tale, and recount the things that have befallen Us, that ye might take off Our ills and ease Our burden. Let him who will, relieve Us from Our trouble; and as to him that willeth not, My Lord is assuredly the best of helpers.
Warn and acquaint the people, 0 Servant, with the things We have sent down unto Thee, and let the fear of no one dismay Thee, and be Thou not of them that waver. The day is approaching when God will have exalted His Cause and magnified His testimony in the eyes of all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Place, in all circumstances, Thy whole trust in Thy Lord, and fix Thy gaze upon Him, and turn away from all them that repudiate His truth. Let God, Thy Lord, be Thy sufficing Succorer and Helper. We have pledged Ourself to secure Thy triumph upon earth and to exalt Our Cause above all men, though no king be found who would turn his face towards Thee.
Lay not aside the fear of God, 0 kings of the earth, He, in that same Tablet has revealed, and beware that ye transgress not
Page 118the bounds which the Almighty has fixed. Observe the injunctions laid upon you in His Book, and take good heed not to overstep their limits. Be vigilant, that ye may not do injustice to anyone, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the. straight path.
Compose your differences, and reduce your armaments, that the burden of your expenditures may be lightened, and that your minds and hearts may be tranquilized. Heal the dissensions that divide you, and ye will no longer be in need of any armaments except what the protection of your cities and territories demandeth. Fear ye God, and take heed not to outstrip the bounds of moderation, and be numbered among the extravagant. We have learned that you are increasing your outlay every year, and are laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is more than they can bear, and is a grievous injustice.
Decide justly between men, and be ye the emblems of justice amongst them. This, if ye judge fairly, is the thing that behooveth you, and beseemeth your station.
Beware not to deal unjustly with any one that appealeth to you, and entereth beneath your shadow. Walk ye in the fear of God, and be ye of them that lead a godly life. Rest not on your power, your armies, and treasures. Put your whole trust and confidence in God, Who hath created you, and seek ye His help in all your affairs.
Succor cometh from Him alone. He succoreth whom He willeth with the hosts of the heavens and of the earth.
Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly be called upon to answer for His trust on the day when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be weighed.
If ye pay no heed unto the counseis which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every directjon, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you. On that day ye shall have no power to resist Him, and shall recognize your own impotence.
Have mercy on yourselves and on those beneath you. Judge ye between them according to the precepts prescribed by God in His most holy and exalted Tablet, a Tablet wherein He hath assigned to each and every thing its settled measure, in which He bath given, with distinctness, an explanation of all things, and which is in itself a monition unto them that believe in Him.
Examine Our Cause, inquire into the things that have befallen Us, and decide justly between Us and Our enemies, and be ye of them that act equitably towards their neighbor. If ye stay not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of the downtrodden, what right have ye then to vaunt yourselves among men? What is it of which ye can rightly boast?
Is it on your food and your drink that ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in your treasures, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments with which ye deck yourselves?
If true glory were to consist in the possession of such perishable things, then the earth on which ye walk must needs vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and bestoweth upon you these very things, by the decree of the Almighty.
In its bowels are contained, according to what God hath ordained, all that ye possess. From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your riches. Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory!
Would that ye could perceive it!Nay! By Him Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom of the entire creation!
Nowhere doth your true and abiding glory reside except in your firm adherence unto the precepts of God, your wholehearted observance of His laws, your resolution to see that they do not remain unenforced, and to pursue steadfastly the right course.
0 Kings of the earth! Give ear unto the Voice of God, calling from this sublime, this fruit-laden Tree, that hath sprung out of the Crimson Hill, upon the holy Plain, intoning the words: CCTh is none other God but He, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise." Fear God, 0 concourse of kings and suffer not yourselves to be deprived of this most sublime grace. Fling away, then, the things ye possess, and take fast hold on the Handle of God, the Exalted, the
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An old photograph of the Barrack Square in Tabriz, where the Rib was martyred in 1850. Around the border is written a poem in Persian.
Great. Set your hearts towards the Face of God, and abandon that which your desires have bidden you to follow, and be not of those who perish.
Relate unto them, 0 servant, the story of 'Au (the Báb), when He came unto them with truth, bearing His glorious and weighty Book, and holding in His hands a testimony and proof from God, and holy and blessed tokens from Him. Ye, however, 0 kings, have failed to heed the Remembrance of God in His days and to be guided by the lights which arose and shone forth above the horizon of a resplendent Heaven.
Ye examined not His Cause when so to do would have been better for you than all that the sun shineth upon, could ye but perceive it. Ye remained careless until the divines of Persia � those cruel ones � pronounced judgment against Him, and unjustly slew Him.
His spirit ascended unto God, and the eyes of the inmates of Paradise and the angels that are nigh unto Him wept sore by reason of this cruelty. Beware that ye be not careless henceforth as ye have been careless aforetime.
Return, then, unto God, your Maker, and be not of the heedless My face hath come forth from the veils, and shed its radiance upon all that is in heaven and on earth; and yet, ye turned not towards Him, notwithstanding that ye were created for Him, 0 concourse of kings! Follow, therefore, that which I speak unto you, and hearken unto it with your hearts, and be not of such as have turned aside. For your glory consisteth not in your sovereignty, but rather in your nearness unto God and your observance of His command as sent down in His holy and preserved Tablets.
Should any one of you rule over the whole earth, and over all that lieth within it and upon it, its seas, its lands, its mountains, and its plains, and yet be not remembered by God, all these would profit him not, could ye but know it Arise, then, and make steadfast your feet, and make ye amends for that which hail escaped you, and set then yoursdves towards His holy Court, on the shore of His mighty Ocean, so that the pearls of knowledge and wisdom, which God hath stored up within the shell of His radiant heart, may be revealed unto you Bew are lest ye hinder the breeze of
Page 120God from blowing over your hearts, the breeze through which the hearts of such as have turned unto Him can be quickened...
Hearken, 0 King (SultAn'Abdu'1-'Aziz), to the speech of Him that speaketh the truth, Him that doth not ask thee to recompense Him with the things God bath chosen to bestow upon thee, Him Who unerringly treadeth the straight Path. He it is 'Who summoneth thee unto God, thy Lord, Who showeth thee the right course, the way that leadeth to true felicity, that haply thou mayest be of them with whom it shall be well.
Beware, 0 King, that thou gather not around thee such ministers as follow the desires of a corrupt inclination, as have cast behind their backs that which hath been committed into their hands and manifestly betrayed their trust. Be bounteous to others as God hath been bounteous to thee, and abandon not the interests of thy peopie to the mercy of such ministers as these. Lay not aside the fear of God, and be thou of them that act uprightly.
Gather around thee those ministers from whom thou canst perceive the fragrance of faith and of justice, and take thou counsci with them, and choose whatever is best in thy sight, and be of them that act generously.
Know thou for a certainty that whoso disbelieveth in God is neither trustworthy nor truthful. This, indeed, is the truth, the undoubted truth. He that acteth treacherously towards God will, also, act treacherously towards his king. Nothing whatever can deter such a man from evil, nothing can hinder him from betraying his neighbor, nothing can induce him to walk uprightly.
Take heed that thou resign not the reins of the affairs of thy state into the hands of others, and repose not thy confidence in ministers unworthy of thy trust, and be not of them that live in heedlessness.
Shun them whose hearts are turned away from thee, and place not thy confidence in them, and entrust them not with thine affairs and the affairs of such as profess thy faith. Beware that thou allow not the wolf to become the shepherd of God's flock, and surrender not the fate of His loved ones to the mercy of the malicious. Expect not that they who violate the ordinances of God will be trustworthy worthy or sincere in the faith they profess. Avoid them and preserve strict guard over thyself, lest their devices and mischief hurt thee. Turn away from them and fix thy gaze upon God, thy Lord, the
All-Glorious, the MostBountiful. He that giveth up himself wholly to God, God shall, assuredly, be with him; and he that placeth his complete trust in God, God shall, verily, protect him from whatsoever may harm him, and shield him from the wickedness of every evil plotter.
Wert thou to incline thine ear unto My speech and observe My counsel, God would exalt thee to so eminent a position that the designs of no man on the whole earth could ever touch or hurt thee. Observe, 0 King, with thine inmost heart and with thy whole being, the precepts of God, and walk not in the paths of the oppressor. Seize thou, and hold firmly within the grasp of thy might, the reins of the affairs of thy people, and examine in person whatever pertaineth unto them.
Let nothing escape thee, for therein lieth the highest good.
Render thanks unto God for having chosen thee out of the whole world, and made thee king over them that profess thy faith. It well beseemeth thee to appreciate the wondrous favors with which God bath favored thee, and to magnify continually His name. Thou canst best praise Him if thou lovest His loved ones, and dost safeguard and protect His servants from the mischief of the treacherous, that none may any longer oppress them. Thou shouldst, moreover, arise to enforce the law of God amongst them, that thou mayest be of those who are firmly established in His law.
Shouldst thou cause rivers of justice to spread their waters amongst thy subjects, God would surely aid thee with the hosts of the unseen and of the seen, and would strengthen thee in thine affairs. No God is there but Him.
All creation and its empire are His. Unto Him return the works of the faithful.
Place not thy reliance on thy treasures. Put thy whole confidence in the grace of God, thy Lord. Let Him be thy trust in whatever thou doest, and be of them that have submitted themselves to His Will. Let Him be thy helper and enrich thyself with
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his treasures, for with Him are the treasuries of the heavens and of the earth. He bestow-eth them upon whom He will, and from whom He will He withholdeth them. There is none other God but Him, the All-Possessing, the All-Praised. All are but paupers at the door of His mercy; all are helpless before the revelation of His sovereignty, and beseech His favors.
Overstep not the bounds of moderation, and deal justly with them that serve thee. Bestow upon them according to their needs, and not to the extent that will enable them to lay up riches for themselves, to deck their persons, to embellish their homes, to acquire the things that are of no benefit unto them, and to be numbered with the extravagant. Deal with them with undeviating justice, so that none among them may either suffer want, or be pampered with luxuries. This is but manifest justice.
Allow not the abject to rule over and dominate them who are noble and worthy of honor, and suffer not the high-minded to be at the mercy of the contemptible and worthless, for this is what We observed upon Our arrival in the City (Constantinople), and to it we bear witness.
We found among its inhabitants some who were possessed of an affluent fortune and lived in the midst of excessive riches, while others were in dire want and abject poverty. This ill beseemeth thy sovereignty, and is unworthy of thy rank.
Let My counsel be acceptable to thee, and strive thou to rule with equity among men, that God may exalt thy name and spread abroad the fame of thy justice in all the world. Beware lest thou aggrandize thy ministers at the expense of thy subjects. Fear the sighs of the poor and of the upright in heart who, at every break of day, bewail their plight, and be unto them a benignant sovereign. They, verily, are thy treasures on earth.
It behoveth thee, therefore, to safeguard thy treasures from the assaults of them who wish to rob thee. Inquire into their affairs, and ascertain, every year, nay every month, their condition, and be not of them that are careless of their duty.
Set before thine eyesand, as one standing in His Presence, weigh in that balance thine actions every day, every moment of thy life.
Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble.
It behoveth every king to be as bountiful as the sun, which fostereth the growth of all beings, and giveth to each its due, whose benefits are not inherent in itself, but are ordained by Him Who is the Most Powerful, the Almighty, The King should be as generous, as liberal in His mercy as the clouds, the outpourings of whose bounty are showered upon every land, by the behest of Him Who is the Supreme Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
Have a care not to entrust thine affairs of state entirely into another's hands. None can discharge thy functions better than thine own self. Thus do We make clear unto thee Our words of wisdom, and send down upon thee that which can enable thee to pass over from the left hand of oppression to the right hand of justice, and approach the resplendent ocean of His favors. Such is the path which the kings that were before thee have trodden, they that acted equitably towards their subjects, and walked in the ways of undeviating justice.
Thou art God's shadow on earth. Strive, therefore, to act in such a manner as befitteth so eminent, so august a station.
If thou dost depart from following the things We have caused to descend upon thee and taught thee, thou wilt, assuredly, be derogating from that great and priceless honor.
Return, then, and cleave wholly unto God, and cleanse thine heart from the world and all its vanities, and suffer not the love of any stranger to enter and dwell therein.
Not until thou dost purify thine heart from every trace of such love can the brightness of the light of God shed its radiance upon it, for to none hath God given more than one heart.
This, verily, hath been decreed and written down in His ancient Book. And as the human heart, as fashioned by God, is one and undivided, it behoveth thee to take heed that its affections be, also, one and undivided.
Cleave thou, therefore, with the whole affection of thine heart, unto His love, and withdraw it from
Page 122the love of any one besides Him, that He may aid thee to immerse thyself in the ocean of His unity, and enable thee to become a true upholder of His oneness. God is my witness.
My soic purpose in revealing to thee these words is to sanctify thee from the transitory things of the earth, and aid thee to enter the realm of everlastirp~ glory, that thou may~st, by the leave of God, be of them that abide and rule therein.
I swear by God, 0 King!It is not my wish to make My plaint to thee against them that persecute Me.
I only plead my grief and My sorrow to God, Who hath created Me and them, Who well knoweth our state and Who watcheth over all things. My wish is to warn them of the consequences of their actions, if perchance they might desist from treating others as they have treated Me, and be of them that heed My warning.
The tribulations that have touched Us, the destitution from which We suffer, the various troubles with which We are encompassed, shall all pass away, as shall pass away the pleasures in which they delight and the affluence they enjoy. This is the truth which no man can reject.
The days in which We have been compelled to dwell in the dust will soon be ended, as will the days in which they occupied the seats of honor. God shall, assuredly, judge with truth between Us and them, and He, verily, is the best of judges.
We render thanks unto God for whatsoever hath befallen Us, and We patiently endure the things He hath ordained in the past or will ordain in the future. In Him have I placed My trust; and into His hands have I committed My cause. He will, certainly, repay all them that endure with patience and put their confidence in Him.
His is the creation and its empire. He exalteth whom He will, and whom He will He doth abase. He shall not be asked of His doings. He, verily, is the All-Glorious, the Almighty.
Let thine ear be attentive, 0 King, to the words We have addressed to thee.
Let the oppressor desist from his tyranny, and cut off the perpetrators of injustice from among them that profess thy faith.
By the righteousness of God! The tribulations We have sustained are such that any pen that re-counteth them cannot but be overwhelmed with anguish. No one of them that truly believe and uphold the unity of God can bear the burden of their recital.
So great have been Our sufferings that even the eyes of Our enemies have wept over Us, and beyond them those of every discerning person. And to all these trials have We been subjected, in spite of Our action in approaching thee, and in bidding the people to enter beneath thy shadow, that thou mightest be a stronghold unto them that believe in and uphold the unity of God.
Have I, 0 king, ever disobeyed thee? Have I, at any time, transgressed any of thy laws?
Can any of thy ministers that represent thee in 'IrAq produce any proof that can establish My disloyalty to thee? No, by Him Who is the Lord of all worlds! Not for one short moment did We rebel against thee, or against any of thy ministers.
Never, God willing, shall We revolt against thee, though We be exposed to trials more severe than any We suffered in the past.
In the daytime and in the night season, at even and at morn, We pray to God on thy behalf, that He may graciously aid thee to be obedient unto Him and to observe His commandments, that He may shield thee from the hosts of the evil ones.
Do, therefore, as it pleaseth thee, and treat Us as befitteth thy station and be-seemeth thy sovereignty.
Be not forgetful of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!
0 King of Paris! Tellthe priests to ring the bells no longer. By God, the True One! The Most Mighty Bell hath appeared in the form of Him Who is the Most Great Name, and the fingers of the will of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, toll it out in the heaven of Immortality, in His Name, the All-Glorious.
Thus have the mighty verses of thy Lord been again sent down unto thee, that thou mayest arise to remember God, the Creator of earth and heaven, in these days when all the tribes of the earth have mourned, and the foundations of the cities have trembled, and the dust of irreligion hath enwrapped all men, except such as thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, was pleased to spare.
Give ear, 0 King, unto the Voice that calleth from the Fire which burneth in this Verdant Tree, upon this Sinai which hath been raised above the hal �
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lowed and snow-white Spot, beyond the Everlasting City: crVerily there is none other God but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful!" We, in truth, have sent Him Whom We aided with the Holy Spirit (Jesus), that He may announce unto you this Light that bath shone forth from the horizon of the will of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the All Glorious, and Whose signs have been revealed in the West, that ye may set your faces towards Him (Bahá'u'lláh), on this Day which God hath exalted above all other days, and whereon the All-Merciful bath shed the splendor of His effulgent glory upon all who are in heaven and all who are on earth. Arise thou to serve God and help His Cause. He, verily, will assist thee with the hosts of the seen and unseen, and will set thee king over all that whereon the sun riseth. Thy Lord, in truth, in the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Attire thy temple with the ornament of My Name, and thy tongue with remembrance of Me, and thine heart with iove for Me, the Almighty, the Most High. We have desired for thee naught except that which is better for thee than what thou dost possess and all the treasures of the earth. Thy Lord, verily, is knowing, informed of all.
0 King! We heard the words thou didst utter in answer to the Czar of Russia, concerning the decision made regarding the war. Thy Lord, verily, knoweth, is informed of all Thou didst say: t~J lay asleep upon my couch, when the cry of the oppressed, who were drowned in the Black Sea, awakened me."
This is what we heard thee say, and, verily, thy Lord is witness unto what I say. We testify that that which wakened thee was not their cry, but the promptings of thine own passions, for We tested thee, and found thee wanting.
Comprehend the meaning of My words, and be thou of the discerning Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst have not cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
We have proved thee through it, and found thee other than that which thou didst profess. Arise, and make amends for that which escaped thee. Ere long the world and all that thou possessest will perish, and the kingdom will remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy fathers of old. It behoveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires.
Fear the sighs of this Wronged Ohe, and shield Him from the darts of such as act unjustly. For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that which thou han wrought.
Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred.Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God (Jesus) in this, the straight Path. Hail thy pomp made thee proud?
By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast by this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, while thou art of the heedless Abandon thy palaces to the people of the graves, and thine empire to whosoever de-sireth it, and turn, then, unto the Kingdom. This, verily, is what God hath chosen for thee, wert thou of them that turn unto
Him�Shouldst thou desire to bear the weight of thy dominion, bear it then to aid the Cause of thy Lord. Glorified be this station which whoever attaineth thereunto hath attained unto all good that proceedeth from Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise �Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of Baha, is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant? Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the world.
Whither are gone the proud and their palaces? Gaze thou into their tombs, that thou mayest profit by this example, inasmuch as We made it a lesson unto every beholder. Were the breezes of Revelation to seize thee, thou wouldst flee the world, and turn unto the Kingdom, and wouldst expend all thou possessest, that thou mayest draw nigh unto this sublime Vision.
0 Czar of Russia! Inclinethine ear unto the voice of God, the King, the Holy, and turn thou unto Paradise, the Spot wherein abideth He Who, among the Concourse on high, beareth the most excellent titles, and Who, in the kingdom of creation, is called
Page 124by the name of God, the Effulgent, the All-Glorious.
Beware lest thy desire deter thee from turning towards the face of thy Lord, the Compassiohate, the Most Merciful. We, verily, have heard the thing for which thou didst supplicate thy Lord, communing with Him.
Wherefore, the breeze of My lovingkindness wafted forth, and the sea of My mercy surged, and We answered thee in truth. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Whilst I lay chained and fettered in the prison, one of thy ministers extended Me his aid. Wherefore hath God ordained for thee a station which the knowledge of none can comprehend except His knowledge.
Beware lest thou barter away this sublime station Beware lest thy sovereignty wirhhold thee from Him Who is the Supreme Sovereign.
He, verily, is come with His Kingdom, and all the atoms cry aloud: "Lo!
The Lord is come in His great majesty!" He Who is the Father is come, and the Son (Jesus), in the holy vale, crieth out: c~Here am I, here am I, 0 Lord, My God!", whilst Sinai circieth round the House, and the Burning Bush calleth aloud: "The All-Bounteous is come mounted upon the clouds! Blessed is he that draweth nigh unto Him, and woe betide them that are far away.
Arise thou amongst men in the name of this all-compelling Cause, and summon, then, the nations unto God, the Exalted, the Great. Be thou not of them who called upon God by one of His names, but who, when He Who is the Object of all names appeared, denied Him and turned aside from Him, and, in the end, pronounced sentence against Him with manifest injustice. Consider and call thou to mind the days whereon the Spirit of God (Jesus) appeared, and Herod gave judgment against Him. God, however aided Him with the hosts of the unseen, and protected Him with truth, and sent Him down unto another Land, according to His promise. He, verily, ordaineth what He pleaseth. Thy Lord truly preserveth whom He willeth, be he in the midst of the seas, or in the maw of the serpent, or beneath the sword of the oppressor Again I say: Hearken unto My Voice that calleth from My prison, that it may acquaint thee with the things that have befallen My Beauty, at the hands of them that are the manifestations of My glory, and that thou mayest perceive, how great hath been My patience, notwithstanding My might, and how immense My forbearance, notwithstanding My power.
By My Life! Couldst thou but know the things sent down by My Pen, and discover the treasures of My Cause, and the pearls of My mysteries which lie hid in the seas of My names and in the goblets of My words, thou wouldst, in thy love for My name, and in thy longing for My glorious and sublime Kingdom, lay down thy life in My path. Know thou that though My body be beneath the swords of My foes, and My limbs be beset with ifiralculable afflictions, yet My spirit is filled with a gladness with which all the joys of the earth can never compare.
Set thine heart towards Him Who is the Point of adoration for the world, and say: o peoples of the earth!
Have ye denied the One in Whose path He Who came with the truth, bearing the announcement of your Lord, the Exalted, the Great, suffered martyrdom? Say: This is an Announcement whereat the hearts of the Prophets and Messengers have rejoiced.
This is the One Whom the heart of the world rernembereth and is promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. The hands of the Messengers were, in their desire to meet Me, upraised towards God, the Mighty, the Glorified.
Some lamented in their separation from Me, others endured hardships in My path, and still others laid down their lives for the sake of My Beauty, could ye but know it.
Say:I, verily, have not sought to extol Mine Own Self, but rather God himself were ye to judge fairly.
Naught can be seen in Me except God and His Cause, could ye but perceive it. I am the One Whom the tongue of Isaiah bath extolled, the One with Whose name both the Torah and the Evangel were adorned.
Blessed be the king whose sovereignty hath withheld him not from his Sovereign, and who bath turned unto God with his heart. He, verily, is accounted of those that have attained unto that which God, the Mighty, the All-Wise, hath willed. Ere long will such a one find himself numbered with the monarchs of the realms of the Kingdom. Thy Lord is, in truth, potent
Page 125over all things. He giveth what He willeth to whomsoever He willeth, and withholdeth what He pleaseth from whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
0 Queen in London! Inclinethine ear unto the voice of thy Lord, the Lord of all mankind, calling from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, no God is there but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise! Cast away all that is on earth, and attire the head of thy kingdom with the crown of the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Glorious.
He, in truth, hath come unto the world in His most great glory, and all that hath been mentioned in the Gospel bath been fulfilled. The land of Syria hath been honored by the footsteps of its Lord, the Lord of all men, and north and south are both inebriated with the wine of His presence.
Blessed is the man that inhaled the fragrance of the Most Merciful, and turned unto the Dawning-Place of His Beauty, in this resplendent Dawn. The Mosque of Aqsi vibrated through the breezes of its Lord, the All-Glorious whilst BathA (Mecca) trembleth at the voice of God, the Exalted, the Most High. Whereupon every single stone of them celebrateth the praise of the Lord, through this Great Name.
Lay aside thy desire, and set then thine heart towards thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. We make mention of thee for the sake of God, and desire that thy name may be exalted through thy remembrance of God, the Creator of earth and heaven. He, verily, is witness unto that which I say. We have been informed that thou hast forbidden the trading in slaves, both men and women. This, verily, is what God hath enjoined in this wondrous Revelation.
God hath, truly, destined a reward for thee, because of this. He, verily, will pay the doer of good his due recompense, wert thou to follow what bath been sent unto thee by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As to him who turneth aside, and swelleth with pride, after that the clear tokens have come unto him, from the Revealer of signs, his work shall God bring to naught. He, in truth, hath power over all things.
Man's actions are acceptable after his having recognized (the Manifestation). He that turneth aside from the True One is indeed the most veiled amongst His creatures.
Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Almighty, the Most Powerful.
We have also heard that thou hast entrusted the reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives of the people. Thou, indeed, hast done well, for thereby the foundations of the edifice of thine affairs will be strengthened, and the hearts of all that are beneath thy shadow, whether high or low, will be tranquillized. It behoveth them, however, to be trustworthy among His servants, and to regard themselves as the representatives of all that dwell on earth. This is what counselleth them, in this Tablet, He Who is the Ruler, the
All-Wise.Blessed is he that entereth the assembly for the sake of God, and judgeth between men with pure justice.
He, indeed, is of the blissful.I am but a vassal of Thine, and Thou art, in truth, the King of Kings.
I have lifted my suppliant hands unto the heaven of Thy grace and Thy bounties. Send down, then, upon me from the clouds of Thy generosity that which will rid me of all save Thee, and draw me nigh unto Thyself. I beseech Thee, 0 my Lord, by Thy name, which Thou hast made the king of names, and the manifestation of Thyself to all who are in heaven and on earth, to rend asunder the veils that have intervened between me and my recognition of the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy Revelation. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the
All-Bounteous. Depriveme not, 0 my Lord, of the fragrances of the Robe of Thy mercy in Thy days, and write down for me that which Thou hast written down for Thy handmaidens who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and have recognized Thee, and set their hearts towards the horizon of Thy Cause.
Thou art truly the Lord of the worlds, and of those who show mercy, the Most Merciful. Assist me, then, 0 my God, to remember Thee amongst Thy handmaidens, and to aid Thy Cause in Thy lands. Accept, then, that which bath escaped me when the light of Thy countenance shone forth. Thou, indeed, hast power over all things.
Glory be to Thee, 0 Thou in Who~eThe Citadel in Tabriz where the Bib was at one time detained.
hand is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth.
Say: 0 King of Berlin!Give ear unto the Voice calling from this manifest
Temple:Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Everlasting, the Peerless, the Ancient of Days. Take heed lest pride debar thee from recognizing the Dayspring of Divine Revelation, lest earthly desires shut thee out, as by a veil, from the Lord of the Throne above and of the earth below. Thus counselleth thee the Pen of the Most High. He, verily, is the Most Gracious, the All-Bountiful. Do thou remember the one whose power transcended thy power (Napoleon III), and whose station eKcelled thy station. Where is he? Whither are gone the things he possessed?
Take warning, and be not of them that are fast asleep. He it was who cast the Tablet of God behind him, when We made known unto him what the hosts of tyranny had caused Us to suffer. Wherefore, disgrace assailed him from all sides, and he went down to dust in great ioss. Think deeply, 0 King, concerning him, and concerning them who, iike unto thee, have conquered cities and ruled over men. The All.-Merciful brought them down from their palaces to their graves. Be warned, be of them who reflect 0 banks of the Rhine! We have seen you covered with gore, inasmuch as the swords of retribution were drawn against you; and you shall have another turn. And We hear the lamentations of Berlin, though she be today in conspicuous glory.
0 king! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been.
This thing is not from Me, but from One Who isAnd He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely.
This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all
Names and Attributes!They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding.
His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people.
I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered.
The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me. Can any one speak forth of his own accord that for which all men, both high and iow, will protest against him? Nay, by Him Who taught the Pen the eternal mysteries, save him whom the grace of the Almighty, the All-Powerful, hath strengthened. The Pen of the Most High addresseth Me saying: Fear not.
Relate unto His Majestythe Sh&h that which befell thee. His heart, verily, is between the fingers of thy Lord, the God of Mercy, that haply the sun of justice and bounty may shine forth above the horizon of his heart.
Thus hath the decree been irrevocably fixed by Him Who is the All-Wise.
Look upon this Youth, 0 King, with the eyes of justice; judge thou, then, with truth concerning what hath befallen Him.
Of a verity, God bath made thee His shadowamongst men, and the sign of His power unto all that dwell on earth.
Judge thou between Us and them that have wronged Us without proof and without an enlightening Book.
They that surround thee iove thee for their own sakes, whereas this Youth loveth thee for line own sake, and hath had no desire except to draw thee nigh unto the seat of grace, and to turn thee toward the right-hand of justice.
Thy Lord beareth witness unto that which I declare.
0 King! Wert thou to incline thine ear unto the shrill of the Pen of Glory and the cooing of the Dove of Eternity which, on the branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, uttereth praises to God, the Maker of all names and Creator of earth and heaven, thou wouldst attain unto a station from which thou wouldst behold in the world of being naught save the effulgence of the Adored One, and wouldst regard thy sovereignty as the most contemptible of thy possessions, abandoning it to whosoever might desire it, and setting thy face toward the Horizon aglow with the light of His countenance. Neither wouldst thou ever be willing to bear the burden of dominion save for the purpose of helping thy Lord, the Exalted, the Most High. Then would the Concourse on high bless thee. 0 how excellent is this most sublime station, couldst thou ascend thereunto through the power of a sovereignty recognized as derived from the Name of God!
o King of the age! The eyes of these refugees are turned towards and fixed upon the mercy of the Most Merciful. No doubt is there whatever that these tribulations will be followed by the outpourings of a supreme mercy, and these dire adversities be succeeded by an overflowing prosperity. We fain would hope, however, that His Majesty the Shih will himself examine these matters, and bring hope to the hearts. That which We have submitted to thy Majesty is indeed for thine highest good. And God, verily, is a suffidient witness unto Me.
o would that thou wouldst permit Me, 0 Shah to send unto thee that which would cheer the eyes, and tranquillize the souTh, and persuade every fair-minded person that with Him is the knowledge of the Book.
But for the repudiation of the foolish and The Grave Stone of the Wife of the Báb, at present preserved in one of the rooms of His House, in $hir~z.
the connivance of the divines, I would have uttered a discourse that would have thrilled and carried away the hearts unto a realm from the murmur of whose winds can be heard: "No God is there but
He!"I have seen, 0 Sh6h, in the path of God what eye hath not seen nor ear heard.
How numerous the tribulations which have rained, and will soon rain, upon Me! I adVance with My face set towards Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Bounteous, whilst behind Me glideth the serpent.
Mine eyes have rained down tears until My bed is drenched. I sorrow not for Myself, however. By God! Mine head yearneth for the spear out of love for its Lord. I never passed a tree, but Mine heart addressed it saying: ~ would that thou wert cut down in My name, and My body crucified upon thee, in the path of My Lord!" By God! Though weariness lay Me iow, and hunger consume
Page 128Me, and the bare rock be My bed, and My fellows the beasts of the field, I will not complain, but will endure patiently as those endued with constancy and firmness have endured patiently, through the power of God, the Eternal King and Creator of the nations, and will render thanks unto God under all conditions.
We pray that, out of His bounty � exalted be He � He may release, through this imprisonment, the necks of men from chains and fetters, and cause them to turn, with sincere faces, towards His Face, Who is the Mighty, the
Bounteous. Ready is Heto answer whosoever calleth upon Him, and nigh is He unto such as commune with Him.
0 Pope! Rend the veils asunder. He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds, and the decree hath been fulfilled by God, the Almighty, the Unrestrained.
He, verily, bath again come down from Heaven even as He came down from it the first time. Beware that thou dispute not with Him even as the Pharisees disputed with Him (Jesus) without a clear token or proof.
On His right hand flow the living waters of grace, and on His left the choice Wine of justice, whilst before Him march the angels of Paradise, bearing the banners of His signs.
Beware lest any name debar thee from God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Leave thou the world behind thee, and turn towards thy Lord, through Whom the whole earth hath been illumined.
�Dwellest thou in palaces whilst He Who is the King of Revelation liveth in the most desolate of abodes? Leave them unto such as desire them, and set thy face with joy and delight towards the Kingdom. Arise in the name of thy Lord, the God of Mercy, amidst the peoples of the earth, and seize thou the Cup of Life with the hands of confidence, and first drink thou therefrom, and proffer it then to such as turn towards it amongst the peoples of all faiths.
Call thou to remembrance Him Who was the Spirit (Jesus), Who, when He came, the most learned of His age pronounced judgment against Him in His own country, whilst he who was only a fisherman believed in Him. Take heed, then, ye men of understanding heart! Thou, in truth, art one of the suns of the heaven of His names.
Guard thyself, lest darkness spread its veil over thee, and fold thee away from His light. Consider those who opposed the Son (Jesus), when He came unto them with sovereignty and power.
How many the Pharisees who were waiting to behold Him, and were lamenting over their separation from Him! And yet, when the fragrance of His coming was wafted over them, and His beauty was unveiled, they turned aside from Him and disputed with Him. None save a very few, who were destitute of any power amongst men, turned towards His face.
And yet, today, every man endowed with power and invested with sovereignty prideth himself on His Name! In like manner, consider how numerous, in these days, are the monks who, in My Name, have secluded themselves in their churches, and who, when the appointed time was fulfilled, and We unveiled Our beauty, knew Us not, though they call upon Me at eventide and at dawn The Word which the Son concealed is made manifest.
It hath been sent down in the form of the human temple in this day. Blessed be the Lord Who is the Father! He, verily, is come unto the nations in His most great majesty.
Turn your faces towards Him, 0 concourse of the righteous!
This is the day whereon the Rock (Peter) crieth out and shouteth, and celebrateth the praise of its Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High, saying: "Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled' My body longeth for the cross, and Mine head waiteth the thrust of the spear, in the path of the All-Merciful, that the world may be purged from its transgressions
0 Supreme Pontiff! Inclinethine ear unto that which the Fashioner of mouldering bones counselleth thee, as voiced by Him Who is His
Most Great Name. Sellall the embellished ornaments thou dost possess, and expend them in the path of God, Who caus-eth the night to return upon the day, and the day to return upon the night. Abandon thy kingdom unto the kings, and emerge from thy habitation, with thy face set towards the Kingdom, and, detached from the world, then speak forth the praises of thy Lord betwixt earth and heaven. Thus
Page 129EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 129
hath bidden thee He Who is the Possessor of Names, on the part of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.
Exhort thou the kings and say: CCD1 equitably with men. Beware :~st ye transgress the bounds fixed in the Book." This indeed becometh thee. Beware lest thou appropriate unto thyself the things of the world and the riches thereof. Leave them unto such as desire them, and cleave unto that which hath been enjoined upon thee by Him Who is the Lord of creation.
Should any one offer thee all the treasures of the earth, refuse to even glance upon them.
Be as thy Lord bath been.Thus bath the Tongue of Revelation spoken that which God hath made the ornament of the book of creation Should the inebriation of the wine of My verses seize thee, and thou dererminest to present thyself before the throne of thy Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven, make My love thy vesture, and thy shield remembrance of Me, and thy provision reliance upon God, the Revealer of all power Verily, the day of ingathering is come, and all things have been separated from each other. He hath stored away that which He chose in the vessels of justice, and cast into fire that which befitteth it. Thus hath it been decreed by your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, in this promised Day. He, verily, ordaineth what He pleaseth. There is none other God save He, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.
0 ye the elected representatives of the peo-pie in every land! Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be oniy for that which profiteth mankind, and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be of them that scan heedfully. Regard the world as the human body which, though at its creation whole and perfect, bath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave disorders and maladies. Not for one day did it gain ease, nay its sickness waxed more severe as it fell under the treatment of ignorant physicians, who gave full rein to their personal desires, and have erred grievously.
And if, at one time, through the care of an able physician, a member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as before.
Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.We behold it in this day at the mercy of rulers so drunk with pride that they cannot discern clearly their own best advantage, much less recognize a Revelation so bewildering and challenging as this. And whenever any one of them hath striven to improve its condition, his motive hath been his own gain, whether confessedly so or not; and the unworthiness of this motive hath limited his power to heal or cure.
That which the Lord hatix ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician.
This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.
PEACE A DIVINE CREATIONTHE Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holdS ing of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized.
The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him.
If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories.
This will insure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation.
We fain would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and al
Page 130mighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny..
The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home. These things are obligatory and absolutely essential.
It is incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action. That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is be that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
Lay not aside the fear of God, 0 kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed. Observe the iniunctions laid upon you in His Book, and take good heed not to overstep their limits. Be vigilant, that ye may not do injustice to anyone, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path.
Compose your differences, and reduce your armaments, that the burden of your expenditures may be lightened, and that your minds and hearts may be tranquillized.
Heal the dissensions that divide you, and ye will no longer be in need of any armaments except what the protection of your cities and territories demandeth. Fear ye God, and take heed not to outstrip the bounds of moderation, and be numbered among the extravagant.
We have learned that you are increasing your outlay every year, and are laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is more than they can bear, and is a grievous injustice. Decide justly between men, and be ye the emblems of justice amongst them. This, if ye judge fairly, is the thing that behoveth you, and beseemeth your station.
Beware not to deal unjustly with any one that appealeth to you, and entereth beneath your shadow. Walk ye in the fear of God, and be ye of them that lead a godly life. Rest not on your power, your armies, and treasures. Put your whole trust and confidence in God, Who bath created you, and seek ye His help in all your affairs.
Succor cometh from Him alone. He succoreth whom He will with the hosts of the heavens and of the earth.
Know ye that the poor are the trust of God in your midst. Watch that ye betray not His trust, that ye deal not unjustly with them and that ye walk not in the ways of the treacherous. Ye will most certainly be called upon to answer for His trust on the day when the Balance of Justice shall be set, the day when unto every one shall be rendered his due, when the doings of all men, be they rich or poor, shall be weighed.
If ye pay no heed unto the counsels which, in peerless and unequivocal language, We have revealed in this Tablet, Divine chastisement shall assail you from every direction, and the sentence of His justice shall be pronounced against you. On that day ye shall have no power to resist Him, and shall recognize your own impotence. Have mercy on yourselves and on those beneath you. Judge ye between them according to the precepts prescribed by God in His most holy and exalted Tablet, a Tablet wherein He hath assigned to each and every thing its settled measure, in which He hath given, with distinctness, an explanation of all things, and which is in itself a monition unto them that believe in Him.
Examine Our Cause, inquire into the things that have befallen Us, and decide justly between Us and Our enemies, and be ye of them that act equitably towards their neighbor. If ye stay not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to safeguard the rights of the downtrodden, what right have ye then to vaunt yourselves among men? What is it of which ye can rightly boast?
Is it on your food and your drink that ye pride yourselves, on the riches ye lay up in your treasures, on the diversity and the cost of the ornaments with which ye deck yourselves?
If true glory were to consist in the possession of such perishable things, then
Page 131EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 131
The Marble Monument erected on the Grave of Bahá'í Khinum, the Sister of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, on Mt. Carmel, Haifa.
The Twin Monuments erected over the graves of the Mother and Brother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Beyond them is seen that which marks the resting place of His Wife, in the private burial ground on Mt. Carmel.
Page 132the earth on which ye walk must needs vaunt itself over you, because it supplieth you, and bestoweth upon you, these very things, by the decree of the Almighty. In its bowels are contained, according to what God bath ordained, all that ye possess. From it, as a sign of His mercy, ye derive your riches. Behold then your state, the thing in which ye glory!
Would that ye could perceive it!Nay! By Him Who holdeth in His grasp the kingdom of the entire creation!
Nowhere doth your true and abiding glory reside except in your firm adherence unto the precepts of God, your wholehearted observance of His laws, your resolution to see that they do not remain unenforced, and to pursue steadfastly the right course.
0 ye rulers of the earth!Wherefore have ye clouded the radiance of the Sun, and caused it to cease from shining? Hearken unto the counsel given you by the Pen of the Most High, that haply both ye and the poor may attain unto tranquillity and peace. We beseech God to assist the kings of the earth to establish peace on earth. He, verily, doth what He willeth.
o kings of the, earth!We see you increas � ing every year your expenditures, and laying the burden thereof on your subjects.
This, verily, is wholly and grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this Wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your people. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves; nay rather choo~e for them that which ye choose for yourselves.
Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your people are your treasures.
Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How strange, how very strange!
Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.
o rulers of the earth!Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions. Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the All-Knowing, the
Faithful.Be united, 0 kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.
The vitality of men's belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society; what cisc but the Elixir of
His potent RevelationThe utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.
Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and f ci-lowship. He who is the Day Star of Truth beareth me witness! So powerful is the Light of unity that it can illumine the whole earth.
All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are f or-bearance, mercy, compassion and lovingkindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.
The purpose of the one true God, exalted be His Glory, in revealing Himself unto meg is to lay bare those gems that lie hidden within the mine of their true and inmost selves. That the divers communions of the earth, and the manifold systems of religious belief, should never be allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of God and His Religion.
These principles and laws, these firmly established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source, and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.
This is the day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace bath been infused into all created things.
Itis incumbent upon all the peopies of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and iov-ing.-kindness.
It behoveth them to cleave to whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations, and to the promotion of their best interests.
Beseech ye the one true God to grant that all men may be graciously assisted to fulfill that which is acceptable in Our sight. Soon will the presentday order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead.
Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth, and is the Knower of things unseen.
The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly.
Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and oniy then, will the Divine Standard be hoisted, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.
Page 134Walking in barkuess TODAY the world of humanity is walking in darkness because it is out of touch with the world of God. That is why we do not see the signs of God in the hearts of men.
The power of the Holy Spirit has no influence. When a divine spiritual illuminationtecomes manifest in the world of humanity, when divine instruction and guidance appear, then enlightenment follows, a new spirit is realized within, a new power descends and a new life is given.
It is like the birth from the animal kingdom into the kingdom of man. When man acquires these virtues the oneness of the world of humanity will be revealed, the banner of international peace will be upraised, equality between all mankind will be realized and the Orient and Occident will become one. Then will the justice of God become manifest, all humanity will appear as the members of one family and every mein-ber of that family will be consecrated to cooperation and mutual assistance.
The lights of the love of God will shine; eternal happiness will be unveiled; everlasting joy and spiritual delight will be attained.
Today the world of humanity is in need of international unity and conciliation.
To establish these great fundamental principles a propelling power is needed.
It is selfevident that unity of the human world and the Most Great Peace cannot be accomplished through material means. They cannot be established through political power, for the political interests of nations are various and the policies of peoples are divergent and conflicting.
They cannot be founded through racial or patriotic power, for these arc human powers, selfish and weak. The very nature of racial differences and patriotic prejudices prevents the realization of this unity and agreement. Therefore it is evidenced that the promotion of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity which is the essence of the teachings of all the Manifestations of God is impossible except through the divine power and breaths of the Holy Spirit.
Other powers are too weak and are incapable of accomplishing this.
For man, two wings are necessary. One wing is the physical power and material civilization; the other is the spiritual power and divine civilization.
With one wing only, flight is impossible. Two wings are essential. Therefore no matter how much material civilization advances it cannot attain to perfection except through uplift of the spiritual civilization.
The body of the human world is sick. Its remedy and healing will be the oneness of the kingdom of humanity. Its life is the Most Great Peace.
Its illumination and quickening is love. Its happiness is the attainment of spiritual perfections.
It is My wish and hope that in the bounties and favors of the Blessed Perfection* we may find a new life, acquire a new power and attain to a wonderful and supreme source of energy so that the Most Great Peace of divine intention shall be established upon the foundations of the unity of the world of men with God. May the iove of God & spread from this city, from this meeting to all the surrounding countries. Nay, may America become the distributing center of spiritual enlightenment and all the world receive this heavenly blessing.
For America has developed powers and capabilities greater and more wonderful than othr nations. While it is true that its people have attained a marvelous material civilization, I hope that spiritual forces may animate this great body and a corresponding spiritual civilization be established.
* Bahá'u'lláh.EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 135
True ReligionTrue religion is the source of love and agreement amongst men, the cause of the development of praiseworthy qualities; but the people are holding to the counterfeit and imitation, negligent of the reality which unifies; so they are bereft and deprived of the radiance of religion.
They follow superstitions inherited from their fathers and ancestors.
To such an extent has this prevailed that they have taken away the heavenly light of divine truth and sit in the darkness of imitations and imaginations. That which was meant to be conducive to life has become the cause of death; that which should have been an evidence of knowledge is now a proof of ignorance; that which was a factor in the sublimity of human nature has proved to be its degradation. Therefore the realm of the religionist has gradually narrowed and darkened and the sphere of the materialist has widened and advanced; for the religionist has held to imitation and counterfeit, neglecting and discarding holiness and the sacred reality of religion. When the sun sets it is the time for bats to fly.
Religion is the outer expression of the divine reality. Therefore it must be living, vitalized, moving and progressive.
If it be without motion and nonprogressive it is without the divine life; it is dead. The divine institutes are continuously active and evolutionary; therefore the revelation of them must be progressive and continuous. All things are subject to reformation.
This is a century of life and renewal. Sciences and arts, industry and invention have been reformed. Law and ethics have been reconstituted, reorganized.
The world of thought has been regenerated.Will the despotism of former governments answer the call for freedom which has risen from the heart of humanity in this cycle of illumination?
It is evident that no vital results are now forthcoming from the customs, institutions and standpoints of the past.
In view of this, shall blind imitations of ancestral forms and theological interpretations continue to guide and control the religious life and spiritual development of humanity today? Shall man, gifted with the power of reason, unthinkingly follow and adhere to dogma, creeds and hereditary beliefs which will not bear the analysis of reason in this century of effulgent reality?
From the seed of reality, religion has grown into a tree which has put forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has fallen into a condition of decay.
The leaves and blossoms have withered and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life forces are undiminished, its fruit unequalled, its existence eternal.
The seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world. By this means the nations and peoples now divergent in religion will be brought into unity, imitations will be forsaken and a universal brotherhood in the reality itself will be established. Warfare and strife will cease among mankind; all will be reconciled as servants of God.
Each of the divine religions embodies two kinds of ordinances. The first arc those which concern spiritual susceptibilities, the development of moral principles and the quickening of the conscience of man. These are essential or fundamental, one and the same in all religions, changeless and eternal, reality not subject to transformation.
His Holiness Abraham heralded this reality, His Holiness Moses promulgated it and His Holiness Jesus Christ established it in the world of mankind.
All the divine Prophets and Messengers were the instruments and channels of this same eternal, essential truth.
The second kind of ordinances in the divine religions are those which relate to the material affairs of humankind. These are the material or accidental laws which are subject to change in each day of Manifestation, according to exigencies of the time, conditions and differing capacities of humanity.
Consider the time of His Holiness Christ. Peoples, races and governments were many, religions, sects and denominations were various but when His Holiness appeared, the Messianic reality proved to be the collective center which unified them beneath the same tabernacle of agreement. Reflect upon this. Could His Holiness Jesus Christ have united
Page 136these divergent factors or brought about such results through political power? Was this unity and agreement possible through material forces?
It is evident that it was not; nay, rather, these various peoples were brought together through a divine power, through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. They were blended and quickened by the infusion of a new life.
The spirituality of Christ overcame their difficulties so that their dii-a"reements passed away completely.
in this w~y these divergent peoples were unified and became welded in a bond of love which lone can unite hearts. Therefore it is shown tnt the divine Manifestations, the holy mes-s~ngers of God, are the collective Centers of
God. These heavenly Messengersare the r~a1 shepherds of humanity, for whenever they appear in the world they unite the scattered sheep.
The collective CenterMuhammad, were collective Centers of their day and time, and all arose in the East. Today His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the collective Center of unity for all mankind and the splendor of His light has likewise dawned from the East. He founded the oneness of humanity in Persia. He established harmony and agreement among the various peoples of religious beliefs, denominations, sects and cults by freeing them from the fetters of past imitations and superstitions; leading them to the very foundation of the divine religions.
From this foundation shines forth the radiance of spirituality which is unity, the love of God, the knowledge of God, praiseworthy morals and the virtues of the human world. Bahá'u'lláh renewed these principles, just as the coming of spring refreshes the earth and confers new life upon all phenomenal beings.
Unity of the Prophets The divine Prophets are conjoined in the perfect state of love. Each one has given the glad-tidings of His successor~s coming and each successor has sanctioned the One who preceded Him. They were in the utmost unity but Their followers are in strife.
For instance, Moses gave the message of the glad-tidings of Christ and Christ confirmed the prophethood of Moses.
Therefore between MosesThey are in perfect unity but between the Jew and the Christian there is conflict. Now therefore if the Christian and Jewish peoples investigate the reality underlying their Prophets' teachings they will become kind in their attitude toward each other and associate in the utmost iove, for reality is one and not dual or multiple. If this investigation of the reality becomes universal the divergent nations will ratify all the divine Prophets and confirm all the Holy Books. No strife or rancor will then remain and the world will become united.
The Divine PhysicianThe world of humanity may be likened to the individual man himself; it has its illness and ailments. A patient must be diagnosed by a skillful physician. The Prophets of God are the real physicians.
in whatever age or time they appear they prescribe for human conditions.
They know the sicknesses; they discover the hidden sources of disease and indicate the necessary remedy.
Whosoever is healed by that remedy finds eternal health. For instance, in the day of His Holiness Jesus Christ, the world of humanity was afflicted with various ailments. His
Holiness Jesus ChristHe appeared, recognized the symptoms and prescribed the real remedy. 'What was that remedy? It was His revealed teaching especially applicable to that age.
Later on many new ailments and disorders appeared in the body-politic. The world became sick, other severe maladies appeared, especially in the peninsula of Arabia. God manifested His Holiness Muhammad there.
He came and prescribed for the conditions so that the Arabs became healthy, strong and virile in that time.
In this present age the world of humanity is afflicted with severe sicknesses and grave disorders which threaten death. Therefore His
Holiness Bahá'u'lláhhas appeared. He is the real physician bringing divine remedy and healing to the world of man.
He has brought teachings for all ailments, the Hidden Words, Ishr4q~t, Tar~z~t, TajalliyAt, Words of Paradise, Glad-Tidings, etc., etc. These holy words and teachings are the
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remedy for the body-politic, the divine prescription and real cure for the disorders which afflict the world. Therefore we must accept and partake of this healing remedy in order that complete recovery may .be assured. Every soui who lives according to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is free from the ailments and indispositions which prevail throughout the world of humanity; otherwise selfish disorders, intellectual maladies, spiritual sicknesses, imperfections and vices will surround him and he will not receive the life-giving bounties of God.
Bahá'u'lláh is the real physician. He has diagnosed human conditions and indicated the necessary treatment. The essential principles of his healing remedies are the knowledge and love of God, severance from all else save God, turning our faces in sincerity toward the Kingdom of God, implicit faith, firmness and fidelity, lovingkindness toward all creatures and the acquisition of the divine virtues indicated for the human world. These are the essehtials of BaM'u'-flAh's teachings, the secret of everlasting health, the remedy and healing for man.
Teachings of Bahá'u'lláhI will speak to you concerning the special teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. All the divine principles announced by the tongue of the prophets of the past are to be found in the words of Bahá'u'lláh; but in addition to these, He has revealed certain new teachings which are not found in any of the sacred books of former times. I shall mention some of them; the others which are many in number may be found in the books, tablets and epistles written by Bahá'u'lláh, such as the Hidden Words, the
Glad-Tidings, the Wordsof Paradise, Tajalliydt, Tardzdt and others. Likewise in the Book of Aqdas there are new teachings which cannot be found in any of the past books or epistles of the prophets.
A fundamental teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity.
Addressing mankind, Hesays: "Ye are all leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch." By this it is meant that the world of humanity is like a tree, the nations or peoples are the different limbs or branches of that tree and the individual human creatures are as the fruits and blossoms thereof. In this way His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh expressed the oneness of humankind whereas in all religious teachings of the past, the human world has been represented as divided into two parts, one as the people of the Book of God or the pure tree and the other the people of infidelity and error or the evil tree. The former were considered as belonging to the faithful and the others to the hosts of the irreligious and infidel; one part of humanity the recipients of divine mercy and the other the object of the wrath of their Creator.
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláhremoved this by proclaiming the oneness of the world of humanity and this principle is specialized in His teachings for He has submerged all mankind in the sea of divine generosity. Some are asleep; they need to be awakened. Some are ailing; they need to be healed.
Some are immature as children; they need to be trained.
But all are recipients of the bounty and bestowals of God.
Another new principle revealed by His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the injunction to investigate truth; that is to say, no man should blindly follow his ancestors and forefathers. Nay, each must see with his own eyes, heat with his own ears and investigate the truth himself in order that he may follow the truth instead of blind acquiescence and imitation of ancestral beliefs.
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláhhas announced that the foundation of all the religions of God is one; that oneness is truth and truth is oneness which does not admit of plurality. This teaching is new and specialized to this Manifestation.
He sets forth a new principle for this day in the announcement that religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind.
If it be the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to separation and creates conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world.
Furthermore He proclaims that religion must be in harmony with science and reason. If it does not conform to science and reconcile with reason it is superstition. Down to the present day it has been customary for man to accept a religious teaching even though it were not in accord with human reason and judgment.
The harmony ofreligious belief with reason is a new vista which Bahá'u'lláh has opened for the soui of man.
He establishes the equality of man and woman. This is peculiar to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, for all other religions have placed man above woman.
A new religious principle is that prejudice and fanaticism whether. sectarian, denominational, patriotic or political are destructive to the foundation of human solidarity; therefore man should release himself from such bonds in order that the oheness of the world of humanity may become manifest.
Universal Peace is assured by Bahá'u'lláh as a fundamental accomplishment of the religion of God; that peace shall prevail among nations, governments and peoples, among religions, races and all conditions of mankind.
This is one of the special characteristics of the Word of God revealed in this Manifestation.
Bahá'u'lláh declares that all mankind should attain knowledge and acquire an education. This is a necessary principle of religious belief and observance characteristically new in this dispensation.
He has set forth the solution and provided the remedy for the economic question. No religious books of the past Prophets speak of this important human problem.
He has ordained and established the House of Justice which is endowed with a political as well as a religious function, the consummate union and blending of church and state. This institution is under the protecting power of Bahá'u'lláh Himself.
A universal or international House of Justice shall also be organized. Its rulings shall be in accordance with the commands and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, and that which the universal House of Justice ordains shall be obeyed by all mankind.
This international Houseof Justice shall be appointed and organized from the Houses of Justice of the whole world, and all the world shall come under its administration.
As to the most great characteristic of the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh � a specific teaching not given by any of the Prophets of the past � it is the ordination and appointment of the Center of the Covenant.
By this appointment and provision He has safeguarded and protected the religion of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for any one to create a new sect or faction of belief.
To insure unity and agreement He has entered into a Covenant with all the peopie of the world including the
Interpreter and Explainerof His teachings so that no one may interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding of the divine words. The Book of the Covenant or Testament of Bahá'u'lláh is the means of preventing such a possibility for whosoever shall speak from the authority of himself alone shall be degraded. Be ye informed and cognizant of this.
Prayer, MeditationKnow thou that prayer is indispensable and obligatory, and man under no pretext whatever is excused therefrom unless he be mentally irnsound or an insurmountable obstacle prevent him.
When one supplicates to his Lord, turns to Him and seeks bounty from His Ocean, this supplication brings light to his heart, illumination to his sight, life to his soul and exaltation to his being.
o thou pure and spiritual one! Turn thou toward God with thy heart beating with His iove, devoted to His praise, gazing towards His Kingdom and seeking help from His Holy Spirit in a state of ecstasy, rapture, love, yearning, joy and fragrance. God will assist thee, through a spirit from His Presence, to heal sickness and disease.
The mind and spirit of man advance when he is tried by suffering. The more the ground is ploughed the better the seed will grow; the better the harvest will be. Just as the plough furrows the earth deeply, purifyIng it of weeds and thisries, so suffering and tribulation free man from the petty affairs of this worldly life until he arrives at a state of complete detachment.
His attitude in this world will be that of divine happiness.
Man is, so to speak, unripe: the heat of the fire of suffering will mature him. Look back to the times past and you will find that the greatest men have suffered most.
Meditation is the key for opening theEXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 139
doors of mysteries. In that state man abstracts himself; in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-themselves.
To illustrate this, think of man as endowed with two kinds of sight; when the power of insight is being used the outward power of vision does not see.
This faculty of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of things, puts man in touch with God.
This faculty brings forth from the invisible plane the sciences and arts.
Through the meditative faculty inventions are made possible, colossal undertakings are carried out, through it governments can run smoothly. Through this faculty man enters into the very Kingdom of God.
Love the creatures for the sake of God and not for themselves. You will never become angry or impatient if you love them for the sake of God.
Humanity is not perfect.There are imperfections in every human being and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness.
The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souis. He created them, trains and provides for them, endows them with capacity and life, sight and hearing; therefore they are the signs of His grandeur. You must love and be kind to everybody, care for the poor, protect the weak, heal the sick, teach and educate the ignorant.
Spirit Is ProgressiveThis is the time for man to strive and put forth his greatest efforts in spiritual directions.
Material civilization has reached an advanced plane but now there is need of spiritual civilization.
Material civilization alone will not satisfy; it cannot meet the conditions and requirements of the present age. Its benefits are limited to the world of matter. There is no limitation to the spirit of man, for spirit in itself is progressive and if the divine civilization be established the spirit of man will advance.
Every developed susceptibility will increase the effectiveness of man. Discoveries of the real will become more and more possible and the influence of divine guidance will be increasingly recognized. All this is conducive to the divine form of civilization.
This is what is meant in the Bible by the descent of the New Jerusalem.
The heavenly Jerusalemis none other than the divine civilization, and it is now ready. It is to be and shall be organized and the oneness of humankind will be a visible fact. Humanity will then be brought together as one. The various religions will be united and different races be known as one kind. The Orient and Occident will be conjoined and the banner of international peace will be unfurled.
The world shall at last find peace and the equalities and rights of men shall be established. The capacity of humankind will be tested and a degree shall be attained where equality is a reality.
The Eternal Kingdom'When I consider this calamity'~ in another aspect, I am consoled by the realization that the worlds of God are infinite; that though they were deprived of this existence they have other opportunities in the life beyond, even as His Holiness Christ has said: "In My father's house are many mansions."
They were called away from the temporary and transferred to the eternal; they abandoned this material existence and entered the portals of the spiritual world. Foregoing the pleasures and comforts of the earthly, they now partake of a joy and happiness far more abiding and real; for they have hastened to the Kingdom of God. The mercy of God is infinite and it is our duty to remember these departed souis in our prayers and supplications that they may draw nearer and nearer to the Source Itself.
These human conditions may be likened to the womb of the mother from which a child is to be born into the spacious outer world. At first the infant finds it very difficult to reconcile itself to its new existence.
It cries as if not wishing to be separated from * The sinking of the Titanic, 1912.
Page 140View of the resting places of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Family, on Mt. Carmel.
The Monument in the Distance is that of the Greatest Holy Leaf, those in the foreground mark the Graves of His Mother and Brother.
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its narrow abode and imagining that life is restricted to that limited space.
It is reluctant to leave its home but nature forces it into this world. Having come into its new conditions it finds that it has passed from darkness into a sphere of radiance; from gloomy and restricted surroundings it has been transferred to an environment spacious and delightful.
Its nourishment was the blood of the mother; now it finds delicious food to enjoy. Its new life is filled with brightness and beauty; it looks with wonder and delight upon the mountains, meadows and fields of green, the rivers and fountains, the wonderful stars; it breathes the life-quickening atmosphere; and then it praises God for its release from the confinement of its former condition and attainment to the freedom of a new realm. This analogy expresses the relation of the temporal world to the life hereafter; the transition of the soul of man from darkness and uncertainty to the light and reality of the eternal King-dorn.
At first it is very difficult to welcome death, but after attaining its new condition the soul is grateful for it has been released from the bondage of the limited, to enjoy the liberties of the unlimited.
It has been freed from a world of sorrow, grief and trials to live in a world of unending bliss and joy. The phenomenal and physical have been abandoned in order that it may attain the opportunities of the ideal and spiritual. Therefore the souis of those who have passed away from earth and completed their span of mortal pilgrimage in the "Titanic" disaster have hastened to a world superior to this.
The Light Is OneThere is perfect brotherhood underlying humanity, for all are servants of one God and belong to one family under the protection of divine providence.
The bond of fraternity exists in humanity because all are intelligent beings created in the realm of evolutionary growth.
There is brotherhood potential in humanity because all inhabit this earthly globe under the one canopy of heaven.
There is brotherhood natal in mankind because all are elements of one human society subject to the necessity of agreement and cooperation. There is brotherhood hood intended in humanity because all are waves of one sea, leaves and fruit of one tree. This is physical fellowship which insures material happiness in the human world.
The stronger it becomes, the more will mankind advance and the circle of materiality be enlarged.
The real brotherhood is spiritual, for physical brotherhood is subject to separation. The wars of the outer world of existence separate humankind but in the eternal world of spiritual brotherhood separation is unknown.
Material or physical association is based upon earthly interests but divine fellowship owes its existence to the breaths of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual brotherhood may be likened to the light while the souls of humankind are as lanterns.
The incandescent lamps here are many, yet the light is one.
Material brotherhood does not prevent nor remove warfare; it does not dispel differences among mankind. But spiritual alliance destroys the very foundation of war, effaces differences entirely, promulgates the oneness of humanity, revivifies mankind, causes hearts to turn to the kingdom of God and baptizes souls with the Holy Spirit. Through this divine brotherhood, the material world will become resplendent with the lights of divinity, the mirror of materiality will acquire its lights from heaven and justice will be established in the world so that no trace of darkness, hatred and enmity shall be visible.
Humanity shall come within the bounds of security, the prophethood of all the Messengers of God shall be established, Zion shall leap and dance, Jerusalem shall rejoice, the Mosaic flame shall ignite, the Messianic light shall shine, the world will become another world and humanity shall put on another power. This is the greatest divine bestowal; this is the effulgence of the Kingdom of God; this is the day if illumination; this is the merciful century.
We must appreciate these things and strive in order that the utmost desire of the Prophets may now be realized and all the glad-tidings be fulfilled.
Race Unityin the estimation of God there is no distinction of color; all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to him.
Color is notimportant; the heart is all-important. It matters not what the exterior may be if the heart be pure and white within.
God does not behold differehces of hue and complexion; He looks at the hearts.
He whose morals and virtues are praiseworthy is preferred in the presence of God; he who is devoted to the Kingdom is most beloved.
In the realm of genesis and creation the question of color is of least importance.
The mineral kingdom abounds with many-colored substances and compositions but we find no strife among them on that account. In the kingdom of the plant and vegetable, distinct and variegated hues exist but the fruit and flowers are not in conflict for that reason. Nay, rather, the very fact that there is difference and variety lends a charm to the garden.
If all were of the same color the effect would be monotonous and depressing.
When you enter a rosegarden the wealth of color and variety of floral forms spread before you a picture of wonder and beauty.
The world of humanity is like a garden and the various races are the flowers which constitute its adornment and decoration.
In the animal kingdom also we find variety of color. See how the doves differ in beauty yet they live together in perfect peace, and love each other.
They do not make difference of color a cause of discord and strife. They view each other as the same species and kind. They know they are one in kind. Often a white dove soars aloft with a black one.
Throughout the animal kingdom we do not find the creatures separated because of color. They recognize unity of species and oneness of kind. If we do not find color distinction drawn in a kingdom of lower intelligence and reason, how can it be justified among human beings, especially when we know that all have come from the same source and belong to the same household? In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions of race and color have arisen afterwards.
Therefore today I am exceedingly glad that both white and colored people have gathered here and I hope the time will come when they shall live together in the utmost peace, unity and friendship. I wish to say one thing of importance to both in order that the white race may be just and kind to the colored and that the colored race may in turn be grateful and appreciative toward the white. The great proclamation of liberty and emancipation from slavery was made upon this continent. A long bloody war was fought by v~hite men for the sake of colored people.
These white men forfeited their possessions and sacrificed their lives by thousands in order that colored men might be freed from bondage. The colored population bf the United States of America are possibly not fully informed of the wide-reaching effect of this freedom and emancipation upon their colored brethren in Asia and Africa where even more terrible condi'. dons of slavery existed. Influenced and impelled by the example of the United States, the European powers proclaimed universal liberty to the colored race and slavery ceased to exist. This effort and accomplishment by the white nations should never be lost sight of.
Both races should rejoice in gratitude, for the institution of liberty and equality here became the cause of liberating your fellow-beings elsewhere.
The colored people of this country are especially f or-tunate, for, praise be to God! conditions here are so much higher than in the East and comparatively few differences exist in the possibility of equal attainments with the white race. May both develop toward the highest degree of equality and altruism. May you be drawn together in friendship and may extraordinary development make brotherhood a reality and truth.
I pray in your behalf that there shall be no name other than that of humanity among you. For instance, we say "a flock of doves," without mention or distinction as to white or black; we apply the name ~thorse" ctdeer,~~ ~'gazelle" to other creatures, referring to species and not to their variance in color.
It is My hope that through love and fellowship we may advance to such a degree of mutual recognition and estimate, that the oneness of the human world may be realized in each and all present in this meeting.
A New Social FormDevelopment and progression imply gradual stages or degrees. For example, spiritual advancement may be likened to the light of the early dawn.
Although this dawn lightEXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 143
is dim and pale a wise man who views the march of the sunrise at its very beginning can foretell the ascendency of the sun in its full glory and effulgence. He knows for a certainty that it is the beginning of its manifestation and that later it will assume great power and potency. Again, for example, if he takes a seed and observes that it is sprouting, he will know assuredly that it will ultimately become a tree. Now is the beginning of the manifestation of the power spiritual, and inevitably its potency of life forces will assume greater and greater proportions.
Therefore this twentieth century is the dawn or beginning of spiritual illumination and it is evident that day by day it will advance.
It will reach such a degree that spiritual effulgences will overcome the physical, so that divine susceptibilities will overpower material intelligence and the heavenly light dispel and banish earthly darkness. Divine healing shall purify all ills and the cloud of mercy will pour down its rain.
The Sun of Reality will shine and all the earth shall put on its beautiful green carpet. Among the results of the manifestation of spiritual forces will be that the human world will adapt itself to a new social form, the justice of God will become manifest throughout human affairs and human equality will be universally established.
The poor will receive a great bestowal and the rich attain eternal happiness.
For although at the present time the rich enjoy the greatest luxury and comfort, they are nevertheless deprived of eternal happiness; for eternal happiness is contingent upon giving and the poor are everywhere in the state of abject need. Through the manifestation of God's great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor.
The rich will enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor, for owing to certain provision and restriction they will not be able to accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor will be relieved from the stress of want and misery. The rich will enjby his palace and the poor will have his comfortable cottage.
The Life of the World The unity which is productive of unlimited results is first a unity of mankind which recognizes that all are sheltered beneath the overshadowing glory of the All-Glorious; that all are servants of one God; for all breathe the same atmosphere, live upon the same earth, move beneath the same heavens, receive effulgence from the same sun and are under the protection of one God.
This is the most great unity, and its results are lasting if humanity adheres to it, but mankind has hitherto violated it, adhering to sectarian or other limited unities such as racial, patriotic or unity of self-interests; therefore no great results have been forthcoming.
Another unity is the spiritual unity which emanates from the breaths of the Holy Spirit. This is greater than the unity of mankind. Human unity or solidarity may be likened to the body whereas unity from the breaths of the Holy Spirit is the spirit animating the body. This is a perfect unity. It creates such a condition in mankind that each one will make sacrifices for the other and the utmost desire will be to forfeit life and all that pertains to it in behalf of another's good.
This unity is the very spirit of the body of the world. It is impossible for the body of the world to become quickened with life without its vivification.
The Nature of EconoinksThe Bahá'í Cause covers all economic and social questions under the heading and ruling of its laws.
The essence of the Bahá'í spirit is that in order to establish a better social order and economic condition, there must be allegiance to the laws and principles of government.
Under the laws which are to govern the world, the Socialists may justly demand human rights but without resort to force and violence.
The governments will enact these laws, establishing just legislation and economics in order that all humanity may enjoy full measure of welfare and privilege; but this will always be according to legal protection and procedure.
Without legislative administration, rights and demands fail and the welfare of the commonwealth cannot be realized. Today the method of demand is the strike and resort to force
Page 144which is manifestly wrong and destructive of human foundations. Rightful privilege and demand must be set forth in laws and regulations.
While thousands are considering these questions, we have more essential purposes. The fundamentals of the whole economic condition are divine in nature and are associated with the world of the heart and spirit. This is fully explained in the Bahá'í teaching, aid without knowledge of its principies no improvement in the economic state can be realized.
The Bahá'ís will bring about this improvement and betterment but not through sedition and appeal to physical force; not through warfare, but welfare. Hearts must be so cemented together, love must become so dominant that the rich shall most willingly extend assistance to the poor and take steps to establish these economic adjustments permanently. If it is accomplished in this way it will be most praiseworthy because then it will be for the sake of God and in the pathway of His service.
Cooperation Essentialto Man Some of the creatures of existence can live solitary and alone. A tree for instance may live without assistance and cooperation of other trees. Some animals are isolated and lead a separate existence away from their kind.
But this is impossible for man. In his life and being cooperation and association arc essential.
Through association and meeting we find happiness and development, individual and collective.
Difference of capacity in human individuals is fundamental. It is impossible for all to be alike, all to be equal, all to be wise. Bahá'u'lláh has revealed principles and laws which will accomplish the adjustment of varying human capacities. He has said that whatsoever is possible of accomplishment in human government will be effected through these principles. When the laws He has instituted are carried out there will be no millionaires possible in the community and likewise no extremely poor. This will be effected and regulated by adjusting the different degrees of human capacity. The fundamental basis of the community is agriculture, tillage of the soil. All must be producers. Each person in the community whose income is equal to his individual producing capacity shall be exempt from taxation. But if his income is greater than his needs he must pay a tax until an adjustment is effected.
That is to say, a man's capacity for production and his needs will be equalized and reconciled through taxation. If his production exceeds he will pay no tax; if his necessities exceed his production he shall receive an amount sufficient to equalize or adjust.
Therefore taxation will be proportionate to capacity and production and there will be no poor in the community.
Oneness of the World ofThe light of the sun becomes apparent in each object according to the capacity of that object. The difference is simply one of degree and receptivity. The stone would be a recipient oniy to a limited extent; another created thing might be as a mirror wherein the sun is fully reflected; but the same light shines upon both.
The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world.
Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power revealing its majesty and effulgence, but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection although so far as the Sub itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived.
Therefore our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them.
This means the oneness of the world of humanity.That is to say, when this human body-politic reaches a state of absolute unity the effulgence of the eternal Sun will make its fullest light and heat manifest. Therefore we must not make distinction between individual members of the human family. We must not consider any soul as barren or deprived.
Our duty lies in educating souls so that the Sun of the bestowals of God shall
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become resplendent in them, and this is possible through the power of the oneness of humanity.
The more love is expressed among mankind and the stronger the power of unity, the greater will be this reflection and revelation, for the greatest bestowal of God is iove. Love is the source of all the bestowals of God. Until love takes possession of the heart no other divine bounty can be revealed in it.
Purpose of Man's CreationThe purpose of the creation of man is the attainment of the supreme virtues of humanity through descent of the heavenly bestowals.
The purpose of man's creation is therefore unity and harmony, not discord and separateness.
If the atoms which compose the kingdom of the minerals were without affinity for each other the earth would never have been formed, the universe could not have been created.
Because they have affinity for each other the power of life is able to manifest itself and the organisms of the phenomenal world become possible. When this attraction or atomic affinity is destroyed, the power of life ceases to manifest; death and nonexistence result.
It is so likewise in the spiritual world. That world is the Kingdom of complete attraction and affinity. It is the Kingdom of the one divine spirit, the Kingdom of God. Therefore the affinity and love manifest in this meeting, the divine susceptibilities witnessed here, are not of this world but of the world of the Kingdom.
When the souls become separated and selfish the divine bounties do not descend and the lights of the Supreme Concourse are no longer reflected even though the bodies meet together. A mirror with its back turned to the sun has no power to reflect the sun's effulgence.
The divine Prophets came to establish the unity of the Kingdom in human hearts. All of them proclaimed the glad-tidings of the divine bestowaL to the world of mankind. All brought the same message of divine love to the world.
The world has become a new world. The darkness of night which has enveloped humanity is passing.
A new day has dawned. Divine susceptibilities and heavenly capacities are developing in human souls under the training of the Sun of Truth. The capacities of souis are different.
Their conditions are various.For example, certain minerals come from the stony regions of the earth. All are minerals; all are produced by the same sun, but one remains a stone while another develops the capacity of a glittering gem or jewel.
From one plot of land tulips and hyacinths grow; from another thorns and thistles.
Each plot receives the bounty of the sunshine but the capacity to receive it is not the same. Therefore it is requisite that we must develop capacity and divine susceptibility in order that the merciful bounty of the Sun of Truth intended for this age and time in which we are living may reflect from us as light from pure crystals.
The bounties of the Blessed Perfection are infinite.
We must endeavor to increase our capacity daily, to strengthen and enlarge our capabilities for receiving them; become as perfect mirrors. The more polished and clean the mirror, the more effulgent is its reflection of the lights of the Sun of Truth. Be like a well cultivated garden wherein the roses and variegated flowers of heaven are growing in fragrance and beauty.
It is My hope that your hearts may become as ready ground, carefully tilled and prepared, upon which the divine showers of the bounties of the Blessed Perfection's may descend and the zephyrs of this divine springtime may blow with quickening breath. Then will the garden of your hearts bring forth its flowers of delightful fragrance to refresh the nostril of the heavenly Gardener.
Let your hearts reflect the glories of the Sun of Truth in their many colors to gladden the eye of the divine Cultivator who has nourished them.
Day by day become more closely attracted in order that the love of God may illumine all those with whom you come in contact. Be as one spirit, one soui, leaves of one tree, flowers of one garden, waves of one ocean.
As difference in degree of capacity exists among human souls, as difference in capability is found, therefore individualities will differ one from another.
But in reality this is a reason for unity and not for discord and enmity.
If the flowers of a garden were all of one color the effect would be monotonous
Bahá'u'lláhto the eye; but if the colors are variegated it is most pleasing and wonderful. The difference in adornment of color and capacity of reflection among the flowers gives the garden its beauty and charm. Therefore although we are of different individualities, different in ideas and of various fragrances, let us strive like flowers of the same divine garden to live together in harmony.
Even though each soul has its own individual perfume and color, all are reflecting the same light, all contributing fragrance to the same breeze which blows through the garden, all continuing to grow in complete harmony and accord.
Become as waves of one sea, trees of one forest, growing in the utmost love, agreement and unity.
Man and NatureMan is intelligent, instinctively and consciously intelligent; nature is not. Man is fortified with memory; nature does not possess it. Man is the discoverer of the mysteries of nature; nature is not conscious of those mysteries herself. It is evident therefore that man is dual in aspect; as an animal he is subject to nature, but in his spiritual or conscious being he transcends the world of material existence.
His spiritual powers, being nobler and higher, possess virtues of which nature intrinsically has no evidence; therefore they triumph over natural conditions. These ideal virtues or powers in man surpass or surround nature, comprehend natural laws and phenomena, penetrate the mysteries of the unknown and invisible and bring them forth into the realm of the known and visible. All the existing arts and sciences were once hidden secrets of nature. By his command and control of nature man took them out of the plane of the invisible and revealed them in the plane of visibility whereas according to the exigencies of nature these secrets should have remained latent and concealed.
Science is the first emanation from God toward man. All created beings embody the potentiality of material perfection, but the power of intellectual investigation and scientific acquisition is a higher virtue specialized to man alone. Other beings and organisms are deprived of this potentiality and attainment. God has created or deposited this love of reality in man. The development and progress of a nation is according to the measure and degree of that nation's scientific attainments.
Through this means, its greatness is continually increased and day by day the welfare and prosperity of its people are assured.
How shall we utilize these gifts and expend these bounties? By directing our efforts toward the unification of the human race. We must use these powers in establishing the oneness of the world of humanity; appreciate these virtues by accomplishing the unity of the white and colored races; devote this divine intelligence to the perfecting of amity and accord among all branches of the human family, so that under the protection and providence of God, the East and West may hold each other's hands and become as lovers. Then will mankind be as one nation, one race and kind; as waves of one ocean.
God has given man the eye of investigation by which he may see and recognize truth. He has endowed man with ears that he may hear the message of reality and conferred upon him the gift of reason by which he may discover things for himself.
This is his endowment and equipment for the investigation of reality.
Man is not intended to see through the eyes of another, hear through another's ears nor comprehend with another's brain.
Each human creature has individual endowment, power and responsibility in the creative plan of God.
Therefore depend upon your own reason and judgment and adhere to the outcome of your own investigation; otherwise you will be utterly submerged in the sea of ignorance and deprived of all the bounties of God. Turn to God, supplicate humbly at His threshold, seeking assistance and confirmation, that God may rend asunder the veils that obscure your vision. Then will your eyes be filled with illumination, face to face you will behold the reality of God and your heart become completely purified from the dross of ignorance, reflecting the glories and bounties of the Kingdom.
The Supernatural in ManThe philosophers of the world are divided into two classes: materialists, who deny the spirit and its immortality, and the divine
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philosophers, the wise men of God, the true illuminati who believe in the spirit and its continuance hereafter.
The ancient philosophers taught that ,man consists simply of the material elements which compose his cellular structure, and that when this composition is disintegrated the life of man becomes extinct.
They reasoned that man is body oniy, and from this elemental composition the organs and their functions, the senses, powers and attributes which characterize man have proceeded, and that these disappear completely with the physical body. This is practically the statement of all the materialists.
The divine philosophers proclaim that the spirit of man is everliving and eternal, and because of the objections of the materialists, these wise men of God have advanced rational proofs to support the validity of their statement. Inasmuch as the materialistic philosophers deny the Books of God, Scriptural demonstration is not evidence to them and materialistic proofs are necessary. Answering them, the men of divine knowledge have said that all existing phenomena may be resolved into grades or kingdoms, classified progressively as mineral, vegetable, animal and human, each of which possesses its degree of function and intelligence.
When we consider the mineral, we find that it exists and is possessed of the power of affinity or combination.
The vegetable possesses the qualities of the mineral plus the virtue augmentative or power of growth. It is therefore evident that the vegetable kingdom is superior to the mineral.
The animal kingdom in turn possesses the qualities of the mineral and vegetable plus the five senses of perception whereof the kingdoms below it are minus. Likewise the power of memory inherent in the animal does not exist in the lower kingdoms.
Just as the animal is more noble than the vegetable and mineral so man is superior to the animal.
The animal is bereft of ideality; that is to say, it is a captive of the world of nature and not in touch with that which lies within and beyond nature; it is without spiritual susceptibilities, deprived of the attractions of consciousness, unconscious of the world of God and incapable of deviating from the law of nature.
It is different with man.Man is possessed of the emanations of consciousness; he has perception, ideality and is capable of discovering the mysteries of the universe. All the industries, inventions and facilities surrounding our daily life were at one time hidden secrets of nature, but the reality of man penetrated them and made them subject to his purposes. According to nature's laws they should have remained latent and hidden, but man having transcended those laws, discovered these mysteries and brought them out M the plane of the invisible into the realm of the known and visible. How wonderful is the spirit of man!
In the physical powers and senses, however, man and the animal are partners. In fact the animal is often superior to man in sense perception.
For instance, the vision of some animals is exceedingly keen and the hearing of others most acute. Consider the instinct of a dog; how much greater than that of man. But although the animal shares with man all the physical virtues and senses, a spiritual power has been bestowed upon man of which the animal is devoid.
This is a proof that there is something in man above and beyond the endowment of the animal; a faculty and virtue peculiar to the human kingdom and which is minus in the lower kingdoms of existence.
This is the spirit of man.All these wonderful human accomplishments are due to the efficacy and penetrating power of the spirit of man. Bereft of this spirit, none of these accomplishments would have been possible. This is as evident as the sun at midday.
All the organisms of material creation are limited to an image or form. That is to say, each created material being is possessed of a form; it cannot possess two forms at the same time. For example, a body may be spherical, triangular or square but it is impossible for it to be two of these shapes simultaneously.
It may be triangular but if it is to become square it must first rid itself of the triangular shape. It is absolutely impossible for it to be both at the same time. Therefore it is evident in the reality of material organisms that different forms cannot be simultaneously possessed. In the spiritual reality of man, however, all geometrical figures can be simultaneously conceived; while
Page 148in physical realities one image must be forsaken in order that another may be possible. This is the law of change and transformation, and change and transformation are precursors of mortality.
"Were it not for this change in form, phenomena would be immortal; but because the phenomenal existence is subject to transformation, it is mortal. The reality of man, however, is possessed of all virtues; it is not necessary for him to give up one image for another as mere physical bodies do. Therefore in that reality there is no change or transformation; it is immortal and everlasting.
The body of man may be in America while his spirit is laboring and working in the Far East, discovering, organizing and planning.
While occupied in governing, making laws and erecting a building in Russia, his body is still here in America. What is this power which, notwithstanding it is embodied in America, is operating at the same time in the Orient, organizing, destroying, upbuilding?
It is the spirit of man.When you wish to reflect upon or consider a matter, you consult something within you. You say, shall I do it or shall I not do it? Is it better to make this journey or abandon it? Whom do you consult? Who is within you deciding this question?
Surely there is a distinct power, an intelligent ego. 'Mere it not distinct from your ego you would not be consulting it. It is greater than the faculty of thought. It is your spirit which teaches you, which advises and decides upon matters.
'Who is it that interrogates?There is no doubt that it is the spirit and that there is no change or transformation in it, for it is not a composition of elements, and anything that is not composed of elements is eternal. Change and transformation are peculiarities of composition. There is no change and transformation in the spirit. In proof of this the body may become weakened in its members.
It may be dismembered or one of its members may be incapacitated.
The whole body may be paralyzed and yet the mind, the spirit, remains ever the same. The mind decides, the thought is perfect, and yet the hand is withered, the feet have become useless~ the spinal column is paralyzed and there is no muscular movement at all, but the spirit is in the same status. Dismember a healthy man; the spirit is not dismembered. Amputate his feet; his spirit is there. He may become lame; the spirit is not affected. The spirit is ever the same; no change or transformation can you perceive, and because there is no change or transformation it is everlasting and permanent.
Consider man while in the state of sleep; it is evident that all his parts and members are at a standstill, are functionless. His eye does not see, his ear does not hear, his feet and hands are motionless, but nevertheless he does see in the world of dreams, he does hear, he speaks, he walks, he may even fly in an aeroplane. Therefore it becomes evident that though the body be dead, yet the spirit is alive and permanent. Nay, the perceptions may be keener when man's body is asleep, the flight may be higher, the hearing may be more acute; all the functions are there and yet the body is at a standstill. Hence it is proof that there is a spirit in the man and in this spirit there is no distinction as to whether the body be asleep or absolutely dead and dependent.
The spirit is not incapacitated by these conditions; it is not bereft of its existence, it is not bereft of its perfections.
The proofs are many, innumerable.These are all rational proofs. Nobody can refute them. As we have shown there is a spirit and that this spirit is permanent and everlasting, we must strive to learn of it. May you become informed of its power, hasten to render it divine, to have it become sanctified and holy and make it the very light of the world, illumining the East and the
West.In the world of existence man has traversed successive degrees until he has attained the human kingdom.
In each degree of his progression he has developed capacity for advancement to the next station and condition. While in the kingdom of the mineral he was attaining the capacity for promotion into the degree of the vegetable. In the kingdom of the vegetable he underwent preparation for the world of the animal and from thence he has come onward to the human degree or kingdom.
Throughout this journey of progression he has ever and always been potentially man.
Page 149Views of the Gardens surrounding the Graves of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Family on Mt. Carmel.
Above, looking West; on the right the grave of Munirih Khinum. Below, looking East; in the center the two Monuments marking the graves of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í
Mother and Brother.In the beginning of his human life man was embryonic in the world of the matrix. There he received capacity and endowment for the reality of human existence.
The forces and powers necessary for this world were bestowed upon him in that limited condition.
In this world he needed eyes; he received them potentially in the other.
He needed ears; he obtained them there in readiness and preparation for his new existence. The powers requisite in this world were conferred upon him in the world of the matrix, so that when he entered this realm of real existence he not oniy possessed all necessary functions and powers but found provision for his material sustenance awaiting him.
Therefore in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond.
That which he needs in the world of the Kingdom must be obtained here.
That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore man has need of illumina-don here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world of perfections; virtues or perfections must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them. That is the Kingdom of life everlasting; it must be attained during this vanishing existence.
By what means can man acquire these things?How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers?
First, through the knowledge of God. Second, through the love of God. Third, through faith. Fourth, through philanthropic deeds. Fifth, through self-sac-rifice. Sixth, through severance from this world. Seventh, through sanctity and holiness.
Unless he acquires these forces and attains to these requirements he will surely be deprived of the life that is eternal.
Praise be to God! the door of divine knowledge has been opened by Bahá'u'lláh; for He has laid the foundation whereby man may become acquainted with the verities of heaven and earth and has bestowed the utmost confirmation in this day. He is our teacher and adviser; He is our seer and the one clement toward us. He has prepared His gifts and vouchsafed His bounties, revealed every admonition and behest, prepared for us the means of eternal glory, breathed upon us the life-quickening breaths of the Holy Spirit, opened before our faces the doors of the paradise of Ablia and caused the lights of the Sun of Truth to shine upon us.
The CovenantInasmuch as great differences and divergences of denominational belief had arisen throughout the past, every man with a new idea attributint it to God, His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh desired that there should not be any ground or reason for disagreement among the Baha'is. Therefore with His own Pen He wrote the Book of His Covenant, addressing His relations and all people of the world, saying: "Verily, I have appointed One who is the Center of My Covenant. All must obey Him; all must turn to Him; He is the expounder of My Book and He is informed of My purpose.
All must turn to Him.Whatsoever He says is correct, for verily He knoweth the texts of My Book. Other than He, no one doth know My Book."
The purpose of this statement is that there should never be discord and disagreement among the Bahá'ís but that they should always be unified and agreed.
Therefore whosoever obeys the Center of the Covenant appointed by Bahá'u'lláh has obeyed Bahá'u'lláh, and whosoever disobeys Him has disobeyed
Bahá'u'lláh. Beware!beware! lest any one should speak from the authority of his own thoughts or create a new thing out of himself. His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh shuns such souls.
In this present cycie there will be an evolution in civilization unparalleled in the history of the world. The world of humanity has heretofore been in the stage of infancy; now it is approaching maturity.
Just as the individual human organism having attained the period of maturity reaches its fullest degree of physical strength and ripened intellectual faculties, so that in one year of this ripened period there is witnessed an unprecedented measure of development, likewise the world of humanity in this cycle of its completeness and consummation will realize an immeasurable upward progress; and that power of accomplishment whereof each individual human reality is the depository of God, � that outworking universal spirit, � like the intellectual faculty, will reveal itself in infinite degrees of perfection.
Page 151THE gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.
In the days of old an instinct for warfare was developed in the struggle with wild animals; this is no longer necessary; nay, rather, cooperation and mutual understanding are seen to produce the greatest welfare of mankind.
Enmity is now the result of prejudice only.Today there is no greater glory for man than that of service in the cause of the Most Great Peace.
Peace is the foundation of God; war is a satanic institution. "When we consider outcomes in the world of existence we find that peace and fellowship are factors of upbuilding and betterment whereas war and strife are the causes of destruction and disintegration. All created things are expressions of the affinity and cohesion of elementary substances, and non-ex-istence is the absence of their attraction and agreement.
Various elements unite harmoni-ousiy in composition but when these elements become discordant, repelling each other, decomposition and nonexistence result.
Everything partakes of this nature and is subject to this principle, for the creative foundation in all its degrees and kingdoms is an expression or outcome of love. Consider the restlessness and agitation of the human world today because of war. Peace is health and construction; war is disease and dissolution. When the banner of truth is raised, peace becomes the cause of the welfare and advancement of the human world. In all cycles and ages war has been a factor of derangement and discomfort whereas peace and brotherhood have brought security and consideration of human interests. This distinction is especially pronounced in the present world conditions, for warfare in former centuries had not attained the degree of savagery and destructiveness which now characterizes it. If two nations were at war in olden times, ten or twenty thousand would be sacrificed but in this century the destruction of one hundred thousand lives in a day is quite possible. So perfected has the science of killing become and so efficient the means and instruments of its accomplishment that a whole nation can be obliterated in a short time. Therefore comparison with the methods and results of ancient warfare is out of the question.
According to an intrinsic law, all phenomena of being attain to a summit and degree of consummation, after which a new order and condition is established.
As the instruments and science of war have reached the degree of thoroughness and proficiency, it is hoped that the transformation of the human world is at hand and that in the coming centuries all the energies and inventions of man will be utilized in promoting the ihterests of peace and brotherhood.
The powers of earth cannot withstand the privileges and bestowals which God has ordained for this great and glorious century. It is a need and exigency of the time. Man can withstand anyThing except that which is divinely intended and indicated for the age and its requirements.
Now, Praise be to God!in all countries of the world, lovers of peace are to be found and these principles are being spread among mankind, especially in this country.
There is no doubt that this wonderful democracy will be able to realize it and the banner of international agreement will be unfurled here to spread onward and outward among all the nations of the world.
Mere knowledge of principles is not sufficient. We all know and admit that iustice is good, but there is need of volition and action to carry out and manifest it. The ways and means must be provided.
All of us know that international peace is good, that it is conducive to human welfare and the glory of man but volition and action are necessary before it can be established. Action is the essential. Inasmuch as this century is a century of light, capacity of action is assured to mankind.
Necessarily the divine principles will be spread among men until the time of action arrives. Surely
Page 152this has been so and truly the time and conditions are ripe for action now.
There is not one soui whose conscience does not testify that in this day there is no more important matter in the world than that of Universal Peace. But the wise souis who are aware of the essential relationships emanating from the realities of things consider that one single matter cannot, by itself, influence the human reality as it ought and should, for until the minds of men become united, no important matter can be accomplished. At present universal peace is a matter of great importance, but unity of conscience is essential, so that the foundation of this matter may become secure, its establishment firm and its edifice strong.
Therefore His HolinessBahá'u'lláh, fifty years ago, expounded this question of universal peace at a time when He was confined in the fortress of 'Akka and was wronged and imprisoned.
He wrote about this important matter of Universal Peace to all the sovereigns of the world, and established it among His friends in the Orient. The horizon of the East was in utter darkness, nations displayed the utmost hatred and enmity towards each other, religions thirsted for each other's blood, and it was darkness upon darkness. At such a time
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláhshone forth like the sun from the horizon of the East and illumined Persia with the lights of His teachings.
Among His teachings was the declaration of Universal Peace. People of different nations, religious and sects who followed Him came together to such an extent that remarkable gatherings were instituted consisting of the various nations and religions of the East. Every soui who entered these gatherings saw but one nation, one teaching, one pathway, one order, for the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh were not limited to the establishment of Universal Peace. They embraced many teachings which suppie-mented and supported that of
Universal Peace.Among these teachings was the independent investigation of reality so that the world of humanity may be saved from the darkness of imitation and attain to the truth; may tear off and cast away this ragged and outworn garment of 1000 years ago and may put on the robe woven in the utmost purity and holiness in the loom of reality. As reality is one and cannot admit of multiplicity, therefore different opinions must ultimately be fused into one.
And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity; that all human beings are the sheep of God and He is the kind Shepherd. This Shepherd is kind to all the sheep and should there be among these sheep ignorant ones, they must be educated; if there be children, they must be trained until they reach maturity; if there be sick ones they must be cured. There must be no hatred and enmity, for as by a kind physician these ignorant, sick ones should be treated.
And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is, that religionmust be the cause of fellowship and love. If it becomes the cause of estrangement then it is not needed, for religion is like a remedy; if it aggravates the disease then it becomes unnecessary.
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is, that religion must be in conformity with science and reason, so that it may influence the hearts of men. The foundation must be solid and must not consist of imitations.
And among the teachints of Bahá'u'lláh is, that religious, racial, political, economic and patriotic prejudices destroy the edifice of humanity. As long as these prejudices prevail, the world of humanity will not have rest. For a period of 6000 years history informs us about the world of humanity. During these 6000 years the world of humanity has not been free from war, strife, murder and bloodthirstiness.
In every period war has been waged in one country or another and that war was due to either religious prejudice, racial prejudice, political prejudice or patriotic prejudice.
As long as these prejudices persist, the struggle for existence must remain dominant, and bloodthirstiness and rapacity continue.
Therefore the world of humanity cannot be saved from the darkness of nature and cannot attain illumination except through the abandonment of prejudices and the acquisitions of the morals of the Kingdom.
If this prejudice and enmity are on account of religion (consider that) religion should be the cause of fellowship, otherwise
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it is fruitless. And if this prejudice be the prejudice of nationality (consider that) all mankind are of one nation; all have sprung from the tree of Adam, and Adam is the root of the tree. That tree is one and all these nations are like branches, while the individuals of humanity are like the leaves, blossoms and fruits thereof. Then the establishment of various nations and the consequent shedding of blood and destruction of the edifice of humanity result from human ignorance and selfish motives.
As to the patriotic prejudice, this is also due to absolute ignorance, for the surface of the earth is one native land. Every one can live in any spot on the terrestrial globe. Therefore all the world is man's birthplace. These boundaries and outlets have been devised by man.
In the creation, such boundaries and outlets were not assigned. Europe is one continent, Asia is one continent, Africa is one continent, Australia is one continent, but some of the souls, from personal motives and selfish interests, have divided each one of these continents and considered a certain part as their own country. God has set up no frontier between France and Germany; they are continuous. Yea, in the first centuries, selfish souls, for the promotion of their own interests, have assigned boundaries and outlets, and have, day by day, attached more importance to these, until this led to intense enmity, bloodshed and rapacity in subsequent centuries. In the same way this will continue indefinitely, and if this conception of patriotism remains limited within a certain circle, it will be the primary cause of the world's destruction.
No wise and just person will acknowledge these imaginary distinctions.
Every limited area which we call our native country we regard as our motherland, whereas the terrestrial globe is the motherland of all, and not any restricted area.
In short, for a few days we live on this earth and eventually we are buried in it, it is our eternal tomb. Is it worth while that we should engage in bloodshed and tear one another to pieces for this eternal tomb? Nay, far from it, neither is God pleased with such conduct nor would any sane man approve of it. Regarding the economic prejudice, it is apparent that whenever the ties between nations become strengthened and the exchange of commodities accelerated, and any economic principle is established in one country, it will ultimdtely affect the other countries and universal benefits will result. Then why this prejudice?
As to the political prejudice, the policy of God must be followed and it is indisputable that the policy of God is greater than human policy. We must follow the Divine policy and that applies alike to all individuals. He treats all individuals alike: no distinction is made, and that is the foundation of the Divine Religions.
And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the origination of one language that may be spread universally among the people. This teaching was revealed from the pen of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh in order that this universal language may eliminate misunderstandings from among mankind.
And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is the equality of men and women. The world of humanity has two wings � one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections, can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is voluntary sharing of one's property with others among mankind.
This voluntary sharing is greater than equality, and consists in this, that man should not prefer himself to others, but rather should sacrifice his life and property for others. But this should not be introduced by coercion so that it becomes a law and man is compelled to follow it. Nay, rather, man should voluntarily and of his own choice sacrifice his property and life for others, and spend willingly for the poor, just as is done in Persia among the
Baha'is.And among the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is man's freedom, that through the ideal Power he should be free and emancipated from the captivity of the world of nature.
This matter of the struggle for existence is the fountainhead of all calamities and is the supreme affliction.
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláhis that religion is a mighty bulwark. If the edifice of religion shakes and totters, commotion and chaos will ensue and the order of things will be utterly upset, for in the world of mankind there are two safeguards that protect man from wrongdoing.
One is the law which punishes the criminal; but the law prevents oniy the manifest crime and not the concealed sin; whereas the ideal safeguard, namely, the religion of God, prevents both the manifest and the concealed crime, trains man, educates morals, compels the adoption of virtues and is the all-inclusive power which guarantees the felicity of the world of mankind.
But by religion is meant that which is ascertained by investigation and not that which is based on mere imitation, the foundation of Divine Religions and not human imitations.
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is that although material civilization is one of the means of progress of the world of mankind, yet until it becomes combined with Divine civilization, the desired result, which is the felicity of mankind, will not be attained.
Consider! These battleships that reduce a city to ruins within the space of an hour are the result of material civilization; likewise the Krupp guns, the Mauser rifles, dynamite, submarines, torpedo boats, armed aircraft and bombing aeroplanes � all these weapons of war are the malignant fruits of material civilization.
Had material civilization been combined with Divine civilization, these fiery weapons would never have been invented. Nay, rather, human energy would have been wholly devoted to useful inventions and would have been concentrated on praiseworthy discoveries.
Material civilization is like the body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it may be, it is dead.
Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets its life from the spirit, otherwise, it becomes a corpse. It has thus been made clear that the world of mankind is in need of the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit the world of mankind is lifeless, and without this light the world of mankind is in utter darkness.
For the world of nature is an animal world. Until man is born again from the world of nature, that is to say, becomes detached from the world of nature, he is essentially an animal, and it is the teachings of God which convert this animal into a human soul.
And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is the promotion of education. Every child must be instructed in sciences as much as is necessary.
If the parents are able to provide the expenses of this education, it is all right, otherwise the community must provide the means for the teaching of that child.
And among the teachings of Ths Holiness Bahá'u'lláh is justice and right.
Until these are realized on the plane of existence, all things shall be in disorder and remain imperfect.
The world of mankind is a world of oppression and cruelty, and a world of. aggression and error.
In fine such teachings are numerous. These manifold principles, which constitute the greatest basis for the felicity of mankind and are of the bounties of the Merciful, must be added to the matter of Universal Peace and combined with it so that results may accrue. If the question is restricted to Universal Peace alone, the remarkable results which are expected and desired will not be attained.
The scope of Universal Peace must be such that all the communities and religions may find their highest wish realized in it. For example, the people of religions find, in the teachings of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh, the establishment of Universal Religion � a religion that perfectly conforms with present conditions..
For if we wish to arrange and organize the world of mankind in accordance with the present religious imitations and thereby to establish the felicity of the world of mankind, it is impossible and impracticable.
But the essential basis of all Divine Religions which pertains to the virtues of the world of mankind and is the foundation of the welfare of the world of man, is found in the teachings of His
Holiness Bahá'u'lláhFor example, the question of Universal Peace, about which His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh says that the Supreme Tribunal must be established: although the League of Nations has been brought into existence, yet it is incapable of establishing Universal
Peace. But the SupremeEXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 155
ness Bahá'u'lláh has described will fulfill this sacred task with the utmost might and power. And His plan is this: that the national assemblies of each country and nation � that is to say, parliaments � should elect two or three persons who are the choicest men of that nation, and are well informed concerning international laws and the relations between governments and are aware of the essential needs of humanity in this day. The number of these repesenta-tives should be in proportion to the number of inhabitants of that country. The election of these souis who are chosen by the national assembly � that is, the parliament � must be confirmed by the upper house, the congress and the cabinet and also by the president or monarch so that these persons may be the elected ones of all the nation and the government. From among these people the members of the Supreme Tribunal will be elected, and all mankind will thus have a share therein, for every one of these delegates is fully representative of his nation. When the Supreme Tribunal gives a ruling on any international question, either unanimously or by majority rule, there will no longer be any pretext for the plaintiff or ground of objection for the defendant.
In case any of the governments or nations, in the execution of the irrefutable decision of the Supreme Tribunal, be negligent or dilatory, the rest of the nations will rise up against it, because all the governments and nations of the world are the supporters of this
Supreme Tribunal. Considerwhat a firm foundation this is! But by a limited and restricted League the purpose will not be realized as it ought and should. This is the truth about the situation which has been stated.
True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns � the shining exem �plars of devotion and determination � shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite.
They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking � the real source of the peace and wellbeing of all the world � should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must be mobilized to insure the stability and permanence of this
Most Great Covenant. Inthis all-embracing pact the limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations ascertained.
In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay, the human race as a whole should resolve, with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure.
A few, unaware of the power latent in human endeavor, consider this matter as highly impracticable, nay, even beyond the scope of man's utmost efforts. Such is not the case, however.
On the contrary, thanks to the unfailing grace of God, the lovingkindness of His favored ones, the unrivalled endeavors of wise and capable souis, and the thoughts and ideas of the peerless leaders of this age, nothing whatever can be regarded as unattainable.
Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor is required. Nothing short of an indomitable determination can possibly achieve it. 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
Page 156and 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, arc being strengthened 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 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 crelong 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 unity of the 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 peQples 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.
EVENTS IN BAHÁ'Í HISTORY IN WORDSThe Life and Mission of Bahá'u'lláh in Words of Bahá'u'lláh J WAS but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-knowing. And he bade Me lift up My voice between earth aiid heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow.
The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not.
Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abid-ing. His all-compelling summons bath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me. Can any one speak forth of his own accord that for which all men, both high and iow. will protest against him? Nay, by Him Who taught the Pen the eternal mysteries, save him whom the grace of the Almighty, the All-Powerful, bath strengthened.
At the time when His Majesty the ShTh, may God, his Lord, the Most Merciful, aid
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him through His strengthening grace, was planning a journey to 1sf Thin, this Wronged One, having obtained his permission, visited the holy and luminous resting-places of the Imims, may the blessings of God be upon them! Upon Our return, We proceeded to Lavasan on account of the excessive heat prevailing in the capital. rollowing Our departure, there occurred the attempt upon the life of His Majesty, may God, exalted and glorified be He, assist him. Those days were troublous days, and the fires of hatred burned high. Many were arrested, among them this Wronged One. By the righteousness of God! We were in no wise connected with that evil deed, and Our innocence was indisputably established by the tribunals.
Nevertheless, they apprehended Us, and from Niy5varAn, which was then the residence of His Majesty, conducted Us, on foot and in chains, with bared head and bare feet, to the dungeon of Tihrin. A brutal man, accompanying Us on horseback, snatched off Our hat, whilst We were being hurried along by a troop of executioners and officials.
We were consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon in which this Wronged One and other similarly wronged were confined, a dark and narrow pit were preferable.
Upon Our arrival We were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor, from whence We descended three flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to Us. The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and Our fellow-prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins and highwaymen.
Though crowded, it had no other outlet than the passage by which We entered. No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on. God alone knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place!
Day and night, while confined in that dungeon, We meditated upon the deeds, the condition, and the conduct of the ]3This, wondering what could have led a people so high-minded, so noble, and of such intelligence, to perpetrate such an audacious and outrageous act against the person of His Majesty. This Wronged One, thereupon, de cided to arise, after His release from prison, and undertake, with the utmost vigor, the task of regenerating this people.
One night, in a dream, these exalted words were heard on every side: "Verily, We shaii render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth � men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God bath revived the hearts of such as have recognized
Him."And when this Wronged One went forth out of His prison, We journeyed, in pursuance of the order of His Majesty the Shib � may God, exalted be He, protect him � to 'Iraq, escorted by officers in the service of the esteemed and honored governments of Persia and Russia. After Our arrival, We revealed, as a copious rain, by the aid of God and His Divine grace and mercy, Our verses, and sent them to various parts of the world.
We exhorted all men, and particularly this people, through Our wise coun-seE and loving admonitions, and forbade them to engage in sedition, quarrels, disputes and conflict.
As a result of this, and by the grace of God, waywardness and folly were changed into piety and understanding, and weapons converted into instruments of peace.
During the days I lay in the prison of TihrTh, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent mo � ments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that pre-cipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain.
Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire.
This Wronged One hath, in the face of all that hath befallen Him at their hands, and all that bath been said of Him, endured patiently, and held His peace, inasmuch as it is Our purpose, through the loving providence of God � exalted be His glory � and His surpassing mercy, to abolish, through the force of Our utterance, all disputes, war, and bloodshed, from the face of the earth. Under all conditions We have, in spite of
Page 158Views of the Graves of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Mother and Brother.
Between the columns of their monuments can be seen that of the Greatest Holy Leaf, Bahá'í Khinum.
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what they have said, endured with seemly patience, and have left them to
God.That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mim (MAzindarin) We were one day de livered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at sometime happen to visit the dungeon of His Majesty the Sh6h, ask the director and chief jailer to show thee those two chains, one of which is known as Qar~-Guhar, arid the other as Sa1~si1. I swear by the DayStar of Justice that for four months this Wronged One was tormented and chained by one or the other of them.
IN THE WORDS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁBAHÁ'U'LLÁH appeared at a time when the Persian Empire was immersed in profound obscurantism and ignorance, and lost in the blindest fanaticism.
In the European histories, no doubt, you have read detailed accounts of the morals, customs, and ideas of the Persians during the last centuries.
It is useless to repeat them.Briefly, we will say that Persia had fallen so low that to all foreign travellers it was a matter of regret that this country, which in former times had been so glorious and highly civilized, had now become so decayed, ruined and upset.
It was at this time that Bahá'u'lláh appeared.His father was one of the viziers, not one of the 'UlamA.1 As all the people of Persia know, he had never studied in any school, nor had he associated with the 'UlamA or the men of learning.
The early part of his life was passed in the greatest happiness. His companions and associates were Persians of the highest rank, but not learned men.
As soon as the Bib became manifested, Bahá'u'lláh said, "This great man is the Lord of the righteous, and faith in him is incumbent upon all," And he arose to assist the Bib, and gave many proofs and positive evidences of His truth, in spite of the fact that the 'Ulami of the state religion had constrained the Persian Government to oppose and resist him, and had further issued decrees ordering the massacre, pillage, persecution and expulsion of His followers. In all the provinces they began to kill, to burn, to pillage the converts and even assault the women and children. Regardless of this, Bahá'u'lláh arose to proclaim the word of
1 ClergyNot for one moment was he in concealment; he mixed openly with His enemies. He was occupied in showing forth evidences and proofs, and was recognized as the herald of the worJ of God. In many changes and chances he endured the greatest misfortunes, and at every moment he ran the risk of being martyred.
He was put into chains, and confined in an underground prison. His vast property and inheritance were pillaged and confiscated. He was exiled four times, and found rest oniy in the
"Greatest Prison."2In spite of all this he never ceased for one instant his proclamation of the greatness of the Cause of God. He manifested such virtue, knowledge, and perfections, that he became a wonder to all the people of Persia. So much so that in TihrAn, BaghdAd, Constantinople, Roumelia, and even in 'Akka, every one of the learned and scientific men who entered His presence, whether friend or enemy, never failed to receive the most sufficient and convincing answer to whatever question was propounded. All frequently acknowledged that he was alone and unique in his perfections.
It often happened that in Baglid~d certain Muhamm&dan 'Ulam6, Jewish rabbis, and Christians, met together with some European scholars, in a blessed reunion: each one had some question to propose, and although they were possessed of varying degrees of culture, they each heard a sufficient and convincing reply, and retired satisfied.
Even the Persian2 Exiled first to Bashd~d, then to Constantinople, then to Adrianople, he was imprisoned in 'Akka (Acre), t~the Greatest Prison," in 1869.
Page 160'Ulam~ who were at Karbil4 and Najaf chose a wise man whom they sent on a mission to him; his name was Mulli Hasan Amu. He came into the Holy Presence, and proposed a number of questions on behalf of the 'Ulami, to which Bahá'u'lláh replied. Then Hasan Amu said: CCThe 'UlamA recognize without hesitation and confess the knowledge and virtue of Bahá'u'lláh, and they are unanimously convinced that in all learning he has no peer or equal; and it is also evident that he has never studied or acquired this learning"; but still the 'Ulam~ said: tt'We are not contented with this, we do not acknowledge the reality of his mission by virtue of wisdom and righteousness. Therefore we ask him to show us a miracle in order to satisfy and tranquillize our hearts."
Bahá'u'lláh replied: "Althoughyou have no right to ask this, for God should test His creatures, and they should not test God, still I allow and accept this request. But the Cause of God is not a theatrical display that is presented every hour, of which some new diversion may be asked for every day. If it were thus, the Cause of God would become mere child's play.
The cUlami must therefore assemble and with one accord choose one miracle, and write that after the performance of this miracle they will no Longer entertain doubts about me, and that all will acknowledge and confess the truth of my Cause.
Let them seal this paper and bring it to me. This must be the accepted criterion: If the miracle is performed, no doubt will remain for them; and if not, we shall be convicted of imposture." The learned man, Hasan Amu, rose and replied, "There is no more to be said"; he then kissed the knee of the Blessed One although he was not a believer, and went. He gathered the 'Ulami and gave them the sacred message. They consulted together and said, CtThis man is an enchanter: perhaps he will perform an enchantment, and then we shall have nothing more to say." Acting on this belief, they did not dare to push the matter further.
This man, Hasan Amu, mentioned this fact at many meetings.
After leaving Kar-bilAhe went to Kirm4nshTh and Tihr4n, and spread a detailed account of it everywhere, laying emphasis on the fear and the withdrawal of the 'U1am~.
Briefly, all his adversaries in the Orient knowledged his greatness, grandeur, knowledge, and virtue; and though they were his enemies, they always spoke of him as "the renowned Bahá'u'lláh."
At the time when this great Light suddenly arose upon the horizon of Persia, all the people, the ministers, the 'Ulam~, and men of other classes rose against him, pursuing him with the greatest animosity, and proclaiming tCthat this man wishes to suppress and destroy religion, the law, the nation, and the empire." The same was said of Christ. But Bahá'u'lláh alone and without support resisted them all, without ever showing the least weakness. At last they said: (CAS long as this man is in Persia there will be no peace and tranquillity; we must banish him, so that Persia may return to a state of quietude."
They proceeded to use violence towards him to oblige him to ask for permission to leave Persia, thinking that by this means the light of his truth would be extinguished; but the result was quite the contrary.
The Cause became magnified, and its flame more intense.
At first it spread throughout Persia only, but the exile of Bahá'u'lláh caused the diffusion of the Cause throughout other countries. Afterwards his enemies said, 'IrAq ('Arabi) 1 is not far enough from Persia; we must send him to a more distant kingdom." This is why the Persian Government deter~ mined to send Bahá'u'lláh from 'Iraq to Constantinople.
Again the event proved that the Cause was not in the least weakened; once more they said, UConstantinople is a place of passage and of sojourn for various races and peoples, among them are many Persians." For this reason the Persians further exiled him to Roumelia; but, when there, the flame became more powerful, and the Cause more exalted.
At last the Persians said, ccNt one of these places is safe from his influence; we must send him to some place where he will be reduced to powerlessness, and where his family and followers will have to submit to the direst afflictions."
So they chose the prison of 'Akka, which is reserved especially for murderers, thieves, and highway robbers, and in truth they classed 'The district in which Baghdad is situated.
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him with such people.But the power of God became still further manifested, for his prison became the means of the promulgation of his doctrine, and the proclamation of his word.
The greatness of Bahá'u'lláh then became evident, for it was from this prison and under such circumstances that he caused Persia to advance from knowledge to knowledge. He overcame all his enemies, and proved to them that they could not resist the Cause.
11% holy teachings penetrated all regions, and his Cause was established.
Indeed, in all parts of Persia his enemies arose against him with the greatest hatred, imprisoning, killing, and beating his converts; and burning and razing to the ground thousands of dwellings, striving by every means to exterminate and crush the Cause. In spite of all this, from the prison of murderers, highway robbers, and thieves, it became exalted.
His teachings were spread abroad, and his exhortations affected many of those who had been the most full of hatred, and made them firm believers; even the Persian government itself became awakened, and regretted the evils that had arisen through the fault of the 'Ulami.
When Bahá'u'lláh came to this prison in the Holy Land, the wise men realized that the glad tidings which God gave through the tongue of the Prophets two or three thousand years before, were again manifested, anti that God was faithful to His promise; for to some of the Prophets He had revealed and given the good news that the Lord of Hosts should be manifested in the Holy Land." All these promises were hi-filled; and it is difficult to understand how Bahá'u'lláh could have been obliged to leave Persia, and to pitch his tent in this Holy Land, but for the persecution of his enemies, his banishment, and exile.
His enemies intended that his imprisonment should completely destroy and annihilate the blessed Cause, but this prison was in reality of the greatest assistance, and became the means of its development.
The divine renown of Bahá'u'lláh reached the East and the West, and the rays of the Sun of Truth illuminated all the world. Praise be to God! though he was a prisoner, his tent was raised on Mount Carmel, and he moved abroad with the greatest majesty.
Every person, friend, or stranger, who was honoured by his presence used to say, "This is a prince, not a captive."
As soon as he arrived at this prison he addressed an epistle to Napoleon,' which he sent throu~h the French ambassador.
The gist of it was: ttAsk what is our crime, and why we are confined in this prison and this dungeon."
Napoleon made no reply.Then a second epistle was issued, which is contained in the &&ratu'1-Haykali The epitome of it is: C~Oh Napoleon, as thou hast not listened to my proclamation, and as thou has not answered it, thy dominion will before long be taken away from thee and thou wilt be utterly destroyed." This epistle was sent to Napoleon by post, through the care of Cesar J(etafagoo,3 as was known to all the companions of his exile.
Copies of this epistle were rapidly spread throughout the whole of Persia, for the Kiiibu'1-Haykal was then in circulation in Persia, and this letter was among the contents of this book. This happened in 1869 A.D., and as the Sfiratu'1-Haykal was circulated in Persia and India, and was in the hands of all believers, the fulfilment of the prophecy contained in this letter was confidently expected.
Not long after, in 1870 AD., the war between Germany and France broke out; and though no one at that time expected the victory of Germany, Napoleon was defeated, and dishonoured, he surrendered to his enemies, and his glory was changed into deep abasement.
Tablets4 were also sent to other kings, and amongst them was the letter to H.M. Nisiri'd-Din Shih.
In that epistle Bahá'u'lláh said: c(Have me summoned, gather the 'U1am~, and ask for proofs and arguments, so that the truth and falsehood may become known."
H.M. N~siri'd-Din ShAh sent the blessed epistle to the 'UlamA and proposed to them that they should undertake this mission, but they dared not do so. Then he asked seven of the most celebrated among them to write an answer to the challenge. After some time they returned the
1 Napoleon III.in Syria with whom I3ahA'u'IMh had friendly relations.
Name given to the epistles of Bahá'u'lláh.blessed letter, saying, !Q1j�j8 man is the opposer of religion and the enemy of the SiPh." His majesty the ShAh of Persia was much vexed, and said, "This is a question for proofs and arguments, and of truth or falsehood: bow can it refer to politics? Alas!
how much we respected these 'U1am~, who cannot even reply to this epistle."
Briefly, all that was recorded in the Tablets to the Kings has nearly been fulfilled: if from the year 1870 A.D. we compare the events that have occurred, we will find that nearly all have appeared as predicted; oniy a few remain which will afterwards become manifested.
So also foreign peoples, and other sects who were not believers, attributed many wonderful things to Bahá'u'lláh: some believed that he was a saint, and some even wrote of him. One of than Sayyid Dawoudi, a Sunnite savant of Baglidid, wrote a short treatise in which he recorded some supernatural acts. Even now, in all parts of the East, there are some people who, though they do not believe in his Manifestation, nevertheless believe him to be a saint and have faith in his miracles.
To sum up, both his antagonists and his partisans, as well as all those who were received in the sacred spot, acknowledged and bore witness to the greatness of Bahá'u'lláh; though they did not believe in him, still they acknowledged his grandeur, and as soon as they entered the sacred spot, the presence of Bahá'u'lláh produced such an effect on most of them that they could not utter a word. How many times it happened that one of his most bitter enemies would resolve within himself: "I will say such and such things when I reach his presence, and I will dispute and argue thus with him," but when he entered the Holy Presence he would become amazed and confounded, and remain speechless.
Bahá'u'lláh had never studied Arabic, he had not had a tutor or teacher nor had he entered a school; nevertheless the eloquence and elegance of his blessed expositions in Arabic, as well as his Arabic writings, caused astonishment and stupefaction to the most accomplished Arabic scholars, and all recognized and declared that he was incomparable and unequalled.
If we carefully examine the text of the Bible, we see that the Divine Manifestation never said to those who denied him, ttWhat-ever miracle you desire, I am ready to perform, and I will submit to whatever test you propose."
But in the Epistle to the ShAh, Bahá'u'lláh said clearly, "Gather the 'Ulam6 and summon me, that the evidences and proofs may be established."
For fifty years Bahá'u'lláh faced his enemies like a mountain: all wished to annihilate him and sought his destruction.
A thousand times they planned to crucify and destroy him, and during these fifty years he was in constant danger.
The Blessed PerfectionBahá'u'lláh belonged to the royal family of Persia. From earliest childhood he was distinguished among his relatives and friends.
They said, ttThis child has extraordinary power."In wisdom, intelligence and as a source of new knowledge he was advanced beyond his age and superior to his surroundings. All who knew him were astonished at his precocity. It was usual for them to say, ttSucb a child will not live," for it is commonly believed that precocious children do not reach maturity. During the period of youth the Blessed Perfection did not enter school. He was not willing to be taught. This fact is well established among the Persians of Tihr6n.
Nevertheless he was capable of solving the difficult problems of all who came to him. In whatever meeting, scientific assembly or theological discussion he was found, he became the authority of explanation upon intricate and abstruse questions presented.
Until his father passed away Bahá'u'lláh did not seek position or political station notwithstanding his connection with the government. This occasioned surprise and comment.
It was frequently said ttHow is it that a young man of such keen intelligence and subtle perception does not seek lucrative appointments?
As a matter of fact, every position is open to him." This is a historical statement fully attested by the people of Persia.
He was most generous, giving abundantly to the poor. None who came to him were turned away.
The doors of his house wereopen to all. He always bad many guests. This unbounded generosity was conducive to greater astonishment from the fact that he sought neither position nor prominence. In commenting upon this his friends said he would become impoverished, for his expenses were many and his wealth becoming more and more limited. "Why is he not thinking of his own affairs?" they inquired of each other; but some who were wise declared "This personage is connected with another world; he has something sublime within him that is not evident ndw; the day is coming when it will be manifested."
In truth the Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak one, a shelter for every fearing one, kind to every indigent one, lenient and loving to all creatures.
He became well known in regard to these qualities before His Holiness the
Bib appeared. Then Bahá'u'lláhdeclared the Mb's mission to be true and promulgated his teachings. The Báb announced that the greater Manifestation would take place after him and called the promised one "Him whom God would manifest," saying that nine years later the reality of his own mission would become apparent. in his writings he stated that in the ninth year this expected one would be known; in the ninth year they would attain to all glory and felicity; in the ninth year they would advance rapidly. Between Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb there was communication privately. The Báb wrote a letter containing three hundred and sixty derivatives of the root "Bli'" The Bib was martyred in Tabriz, and Bahá'u'lláh exiled into 'Ir~q-Arabi in 1852, announced himself in Baghd6d.
For the Persian Governmenthad decided that as long as he remained in Persia the peace of the country would be disturbed; therefore he was exiled in the expectation that Persia would become quiet.
His banishment however produced the opposite effect.
New tumult arose and the mention of his greatness and influence spread everywhere throughout the country. The proclamation and mission was made in Baghd~id. He called his friends together there and spoke to them of God.
Afterwards he left the city and went alone into the mountains of Kurdist&n where he made his abode in caves and grottoes.
A part of this time he lived in the city of Sulimaniyye. Two years passed during which neither his friends nor family knew just where he was.
Although solitary, secluded and unknown in his retirement, the report spread throughout KurdistAn that this was a most remarkable and learned personage gifted with a wonderful power of attraction.
In a short time Kurdistdn was magnetized with his love. During this period Bahá'u'lláh lived in pow. erty.
His garments were those of the poor and needy.His food was that of the indigent and lowly. An atmosphere of majesty haloed him as the sun at midday. Everywhere he was greatly revered and beloved.
After two years he returned to Baghchicl.The Persian government believed the banishment of the Blessed Perfection from Persia would be the extermination of his cause in that country. These rulers now realized that it spread more rapidly. His prestige increased, his teachings became more widely circulated. The chiefs of Persia then used their iniluence to have Bahá'u'lláh exiled from Baglidid. He was summoned to Constantinople by the
Turkish authorities. Whilein Constantinople he ignored every restriction, especially the hostility of ministers of state and clergy. The official representatives of Persia again brought their influence to bear upon the Turkish authorities and succeeded in having Bahá'u'lláh banished from Constantinople to Adrianople, the oh-ject being to keep him as far away as possible from Persia and render his communication with that country more difficult. Nevertheless the cause still spread and strengthened. Finally they consulted together and said, "We have banished Bahá'u'lláh from place to place, but each time he is exiled his cause is more widely extended, his proclamation increases in power and day by day his lamp is becoming brighter.
This is due to the fact that we have exiled him to large cities and popuious centers. Therefore we will send him to a penal colony as a prisoner so that all may know he is the associate of murderers, robbers and criminals; in a short time he and his followers will perish."
The sultan of Turkey then banished him to the prison of 'Akka in Syria.
When Bahá'u'lláh arrived at 'Akka, through the power of God he was able to
Page 164hoist his banner. His light at first had been a star; now it became a mighty sun and the illumination of his cause expanded from the east to the west.
Inside prison waIls he wrote epistles to all the kings and rulers of nations summoning them to arbitration and Universal Peace. Some of the kings received his words with disdain and contempt.
One of these was the sultan of the Ottoman kingdom. Napoleon III of rrance did not reply.
A second epistle was addressed to him. It stated ~J have written you an epistle before this, summoning you to the cause of God but you are of the heedless.
You have proclaimed that you were the defender of the oppressed; now it hath become evident that you are not. Nor are you kind to your own suffering and oppressed people. Your actions are contrary to your own interests and your kingly pride must fall. Because of your arrogance God shortly will destroy your sovereignty.
France will flee away from you and you will be overwhelmed by a great conquest. There will be lamentation and mourning, women bemoaning the ioss of their Sons." This arraignment of Napoleon III was published and spread.
Read it and consider: One prisoner, single and solitary, without assistant or defender, a foreigner and stranger imprisoned in the fortress of 'Akka writing such letters to the emperor of France and sultan of Turkey.
Reflect upon this, how Bahá'u'lláh upraised the standard of his cause in prison. Refer to history.
It is without parallel.No such thing has happened before that time nor since; a prisoner and an exile advancing his cause and spreading his teachings broadcast so that eventually he became powerful enough to conquer the very king who banished him.
His cause spread more and more. The Blessed Perfection was a prisoner twenty-five years. During all this time he was subjected to the indignities and revilement of the people.
He was persecuted, mocked and put in chains. In Persia, his properties were pillaged and his possessions confiscated.
First, banishment from Persia to Baghdad; then to Constantinople; then to Adrianople; finally from Roumelia to the prison fortress of 'Akka.
During his lifetime he was intensely ac-five.He bore these ordeals, suffered these calamities and difficulties in order that a manifestation of selflessness and service might become apparent in the world of humanity; that the tCMGst Great Peace" should become a reality; that human souis might appear as the angels of heaven; that heavenly miracles would be wrought among men; that human faith should be strengthened and perfected; that the precious, priceless bestowal of God � the human mind � might be developed to its fullest capacity in the temple of the body; and man become the reflection and likeness of ~3od, even as it hath been revealed in the Bible "We shall create man in our own ~ The Blessed Perfection, Bahá'u'lláh, endured hardships and vicissitudes nearly fifty years. There was no ordeal or difficulty he did not experience, yet he endured all in perfect joy and happiness.
Those who beheld him were assured of his great happiness for no trace of sadness or sorrow was ever visible upon his face. Even in prison he was iike a king enthroned in maiesty and greatness, and lie ever bore himself with supreme confidence and dignity. When the officers and grandees of the government were presented to him they became respectful at once. His maiesty and dignity were awe-inspiring.
Remember he was a prisoner � he was in prison. He endured ordeals and calamities for the sole purpose of illuminating us and in order that our hearts might be attracted to the kingdom of God, our faces become radiant with the Glad Tidings of God; in order that we might be submerged in the ocean of lights and be as brilliant and shining candles illuminating the dark recesses and flooding the regions with brightness.
In the Orient, the various peoples and nations were in a state of antagonism and strife, manifesting the utmost enmity and hatred toward each other. Darkness encompassed the world of mankind. At such a time as this, Bahá'u'lláh appeared. He re
Page 165EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 165
Tha New Entrance to the Garden surrounding the Resting Places of the Sister, Mother, Brother, and Wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, on Mt. Carmel, Haif a. moved all the imitations and prejudices which had caused separation and misunder-. standing, and laid the foundation of the one religion of God.
When this was accomplished, Muhammadans, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists all were united in actual fellowship and love.
They live together in love, fellowship and unity. They have attained to the condition of rebirth in the spirit of God. They have become revivified and regenerated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God! this light has come forth from the East, and eventually there shall be no discord or enmity in the Orient.
Through the power of Bahá'u'lláh all will be united. His Holiness upraised this standard of the oneness of humanity in prison. When subjected to banishment by two kings, while a refugee from enemies of all nations and during the days of his long imprisonment he wrote to the kings and rulers of the world in words of wonderful eloquence arraigning them severely and summoning them to the divine standard of unity and justice. He exhorted them to peace and international agreement, making it incum � bent upon them to establish a board of international arbitration; that from all nations and governments of the world there should be delegates selected for a congress of nations which should constitute a universal arbitral court of justice to settle international disputes.
He wrote to Victoria, queen of Great Britain, the Czar of Russia, the emperor of Germany, Napoleon Ill of France, and others, inviting them to world unity and peace. Through a heavenly power he was enabled to promulgate these ideals in the Orient.
Kings could not withstand him. They endeavored to extinguish his light but served oniy to increase its intensity and illumination.
While in prison he stood against the shili of Persia and sultAn of Turkey and promulgated his teachings until he firmly established the manner of truth and the oneness of humankind.
I was a prisoner with him for forty years until the Young Turks of the Committee of Union and Progress overthrew the despotism of 'Abdul Hamid, dethroned him and proclaimed liberty.
This committee set me free from tyranny and oppression; otherwise I should
Page 166have been in prison until the days of my life were ended.
The purport is this, that Bahá'u'lláh in prison was able to proclaim and establish the foundations of peace, although two despotic kings were his enemies and oppressors.
The king of Persia,had killed twenty thousand Baha'is, martyrs who in absolute severance and complete willingness offered their lives joyfully for their faith. These two powerful and tyrannical kings could not withstand a prisoner; this prisoner upheld the standard of humanity and brought the people of the Orient into agreement and unity. Today in
THE LIFE AND THE WORDSTHOUGH young and tender of age, and though the Cause He revealed was contrary to the desire of all the peoples of earth, both high and 'ow, rich and poor, exalted and abased, king and subject, yet He arose and steadfastly proclaimed it. All have known and heard this. He was afraid of no one; He was regardless of consequences. Could such a thing be made manifest except through the power of a divine Revelation, and the potency of God's invincible Will? By the righteousness of God! Were any one to entertain so great a Revelation in his heart, the thought of such a declaration would alone confound him!
Were the hearts of all men to be crowded into his heart, he would still hesitate to venture upon so awful an enterprise. He could achieve it only by the permission of God, only if the channel of his heart were to be linked with the Source of divine grace, and his soul be assured of the unfailing sustenance of the Almighty. To what, we wonder, do they ascribe so great a daring? Do they accuse Him of folly as they accused the Prophets of old? Or do they maintain that His motive was none other than leadership and the acquisition of earthly riches?
the East, oniy those who have not followed Bahá'u'lláh are in opposition and enmity. The people of the nations who have accepted him as the standard of divine guidance enjoy a condition of actual fellowship and love. If you should attend a meeting in the East you could not distinguish between Christian and Mussulman; you would not know which was Jew, Zoroastrian or Buddhist, so completely have they become f rat-ernized and their religious differences been Leveled. They associate in the utmost love and spiritual fragrance as if they belonged to one family, as if they were one people.
MISSION OF THE Bábbook, which He hath entitled ttQ''IA 62" � the first, the greatest and mightiest of all books � He prophesied His own martyrdom. In it is this passage: "0 thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake; and have yearned for naught but rnartrydom in the path of Thy love.
Sufficient Witness unto me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the
Ancient of Days!"Likewise, in His interpretation of the letter "Ha," He craved martyrdom, saying: ttMethinks I heard a Voice calling in my inmost being: Do thou sacrifice the thing which Thou lovest most in the path of God, even as ~1usayn, peace be upon him, bath offered up his life for My sake?"
And were I not regardful of this inevitable mystery, by Him, Who hath my being between His hands, even if all the kings of the earth were to be leagued together they would be powerless to take from me a single letter, how much less can these servants who are worthy of no attention, and who verily are of the outcast That all may know the degree of My patience, My resignation, and self-sacrifice in the path of God."
Page 167AS FOR the BTh � may my soui be his sacrifice! � ar a youthful age, that is to say when he had reached the twenty-fifth year of his blessed life, he stood forth to proclaim his Cause. It waS universally admitted by the Shiites that he had never studied in any school, and had not acquired knowledge from any teacher; all the people of Shiraz bear witness to this. Nevertheless, he suddenly appeared before the people, endowed with the most complete erudition.
Although he was but a merchant, he confounded all the 'Ulami1 of Persia.
All alone, in a way which is beyond imagination, he upheld the Cause against the Persians, who are renowned for their religious fanaticism. This illustrious soui arose with such power that he shook the supports of the religion, of the morals, the conditions, the habits, and the customs of Persia, and instituted new rules, new laws, and a new religion. Though the great personages of the State, nearly all the clergy, and the public men, arose to destroy and annihilate him, he alone withstood them,, and moved the whole of
Persia.Many 'Ulam6. and public men, as well as other people, joyfully sacrificed their lives in his Cause, and hastened to the plain of martyrdom.
The government, the nation, the doctors of divinity, and the great personages, desired to extinguish his light, but they could not do so. At last his moon arose, his star shone forth, his foundations became firmly established, and his dawning-place became brilliant. He imparted divine education, and produced marvellous results on the thoughts, morals, customs, and conditions of the Persians. He announced the glad tidings of the manifestation of the Sun of Baha to his followers, and prepared them to believe.
The appearance of such wonderful signs and great results, the effects produced upon the minds of the people, and upon the prevailing ideas; the establishment of the foundations of progress, and the organization of the principles of success and prosperity by a young merchant, constitute the Doctors of the religion of IslAm.
greatest proof that he was a perfect educator.A just person will never hesitate to believe this.
This is May 23, the anniversary of the message and declaration of His Holiness the Báb.
It is a blessed day and the dawn 0f manifestation, for the appearance of the Báb was the early light of the true morn whereas the manifestation of the Blessed Beauty, Bahá'u'lláh, was the shining forth of the sun. Therefore it is a blessed day, the inception of the heavenly bounty, the beginning of the divine effulgence.
On this day in 1844, His Holiness the Bib was sent forth heralding and proclaiming the kingdom of God, announcing the glad-tidings of the coming of His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh and withstanding the opposition of the whoP Persian nation.
Some of the Persians followed him. For this they suffered the most grievous difficulties and severe ordeals. They withstood the tests with wonderful power and sublime heroism, Thousands were cast into prison, punished, persecuted and martyred. Their homes were pillaged and destroyed, their possessions confiscated.
They sacrificed their lives most willingly and remained unshaken in their faith to the very end. Those wonderful souL are the lamps of God, the stars of sanctity, shining gloriously from the eternal horizon of the will of God.
His Holiness the Bib was subjected to bitter persecution in Shiriz, where he first proclaimed his mission and message.
A period of famine afflicted that region and the Mb journeyed to I~f4h~n.
There the karned men arose against him in great hostility. He was arrested and sent to Tabriz. From thence he was transferred to Maku and finally imprisoned in the strong castle of Chihrik. Afterward he was martyred in Tabriz.
This is merely an outline of the history of Hiswithstood all persecutions and bore every suffering and ordeal with unflinching strength. The more his enemies endeavored to extinguish that flame the brighter it became.
Day by dayTwo Views of the Interior of the International Archives.
Recently opened auxiliary archives building in the Garden surrounding the Resting Places of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í family, on Mt. Carmel and containing relics associated with His Sister, Mother, and Brother.
Page 169EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 169
his cause spread and strengthened.During the time when he was among the people he was constantly heralding the coming of Bahá'u'lláh.
In all his books and tablets he mentioned Bahá'u'lláh and announced the glad-tidings of his manifestation, prophesying that he would reveal himself in the ninth year. He said that in the ninth year "you will attain to all happiness"; in the ninth year "you will be blessed with the meeting of the promised one of whom I have spoken." He mentioned the Blessed Perfection, Bahá'u'lláh, by the title "Him whom God should make manifest."
In brief, that blessed soui offered his very life in the pathway of Bahá'u'lláh even as it is recorded in historical writings and records. In his first book The Best of Stories he says CCO Remnant of God!
I am wholly sacrificed to thee; I am content with curses in thy path; I crave nought but to be slain in thy love; and God the supreme sufliceth as an eternal protection."
THE LIFE AND MISSI IN THEWHEN the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root. The object of this sacred verse is none except the Most Mighty Branch ('Abdu'l-Bahá).
When the Mystic Dove will have winged its flight from its Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off goal, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who branched from this mighty Stock.
My glory, the ocean of My loving-kind-ness, the sun of My bounty, the heaven of My mercy rest upon Thee. We pray God to illumine the world through Thy knowledge and wisdom, to ordain for Thee that which will gladden Thine heart and impart consolation to Thine eyes.
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláhwas a Persian personage having descended from prominent lineage. During his early years a youth whose name was 'Au Mohammed appeared in Persia. He was entitled the ttB6b," which means tcdoor~~ or "gate." 'The bearer of this title was a great soui from whom spiritual signs and evidences became manifest. He withstood the tests of time and lived contrary to the custom and usages of Persia. He revealed a new system of faith opposed to the beliefs in his country and promulgated certain principles contrary to the thoughts of the people.
For this, that remarkable personality was imprisoned by the
Persian government. Eventuallyby order of the government he was martyred. The account of this martyrdom briefly stated is as follows: He was suspended in a square as a target and shot to death. This revered personage foreshadowed the advent of another soul of whom he said Cewli he cometh he shall reveal greater things unto you.
ON OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ. OFWe have made Thee a shelter for all mankind, a shield unto all who are in heaven and on earth, a stronghold for whosoever hath believed in God, the Incomparable, the All-knowing. God grant that through Thee He may protect them, may enrich and sustain them, that He may inspire Thee with that which shall be a wellspring of wealth unto all created things, an ocean of bounty unto all men, and the dayspring of mercy unto all people.
Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His countenance, the car that hath been honored by hearkening to His call, the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings.
Page 170DURING our imprisonment in 'Akka, means of comfort were lacking, troubles and persecutions of all kinds surrounded us, yet notwithstanding such distressful conditions we were able to endure these trials for forty years. The climate was very bad, necessities and conveniences of life were denied us, yct we endured this narrow prison forty years.
What was the reason? The spirit was strengthening and resuscitating the body constantly. We lived through this long, difficult period in the utmost love and heavenly servitude. The spirit must assist the body under certain conditions which surround us, because the body of itself cannot endure the extreme strain of such hardships.
I was a prisoner with him (Bahá'u'lláh) for forty years until the Young Turks of the Committee of Union and Progress overthrew the despotism of 'Abdu'1-Hami d,de-throned him and proclaimed liberty.
This committee set me free from tyranny and oppression.
I was happy in imprisonment.I was in the utnnst elation because I was not a criminal.
They had imprisoned me in the path of God. Every time I thought of this, that I was a prisoner in the pathway of God, the utmost elation overcame me. I was happy that � praise be to God! � J was a prisoner in the cause of God, that my life was not wasted, that it was spent in the divine service. Nobody who saw me imagined that I was in prison. They beheld me in the utmost joy, complete thankfulness and health, paying no attention to the prison.
I have come from distant countries of the Orient where the lights of heaven have ever shone forth; from regions where tbe Manifestations of God have appeared and the radiance and power of God have been revealed to mankind. The purpose and intention of my visit is that perchance a bond of unity and agreement may be established between the East and West, that divine love may encompass all nations, divine radiance enlighten both continents and the bounties of the Holy Spirit revivify the body of the world.
I was in the Orient, and from the Orient to this part of the world is a long distance. Travel is difficult, especially difficult for me on account of my infirmities of body, increased by forty years in prison. My physical powers are weak; it is the power of will that sustains me.
Realize from this how great has been my exertion and how strong my purpose in accomplishing this journey through the will of God. May it be the cause of great illumination in the Occident.
In Washington we met a group of important people.
One prominent in political circles came with a justice of the supreme court. There were also dignitaries present at this meeting, several cabinet officers, United States senators, many from the foreign diplomatic service, army and navy officials and other dignitaries.
We spoke to all from their own standpoints with most satisfactory results; working day and night, so there was very little time for individual and private interviews. In Washington too, we called a meeting of the colored and white people. The attendance was very large, the colored people predominating.
At our second gathering this was reversed, but at the third meeting we were unable to say which color predominated. These meetings were a great practical lesson upon the unity of colors and races in the Bahá'í teaching.
In this world we judge a cause or movement by its progress and development.
Some movements appear, manifest a brief period of activity, then discontinue, Others show forth a greater measure of growth and strength, but before attaining mature development, weaken, disintegrate and are lost in oblivion.
Neither of these mentioned are progressive and permanent.
There is still another kind of movement or cause which from a very small, inconspicuous beginning goes forward with sure and steady progress, gradually broadening
Page 171EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ'Í SACRED WRITINGS 171
and widening until it has assumed universal dimensions.
The Baha movement is of this nature. For instance, when Bahá'u'lláh was exiled from Persia with 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the rest of his family, they traveled the long road from Tihrin to BaghdAd, passing through many towns and villages. During the whole of that journey and distance they did not meet a single believer in the cause for which they had been banished. At that time very little was known about it in any part of the world.
Even in Baghd~id there was but one believer who had been taught by Bahá'u'lláh himself in Persia. Later on two or three others appeared.
YouTI-ITS people have passed beyond the nar-now straits of names, and pitched their tents upon the shores of the sea of renunciation. They would willingly lay down a myriad lives, rather than breathe the word desired by their enemies.
They have clung to that which pleaseth God, and are wholly detached and freed from the things which per-tarn unto men. They have preferred to have their heads cut off rather than utter one unseemly word. Ponder this in thine heart. Methinks they have quaffed their fill of the ocean of renunciation.
The life of the present World bath failed to withhold them from suffering martyrdom in the path of God.
In Mizindar~n a vast number of the servants of God were exterminated. The Governor, under the influence of calumniators, robbed a great many of all that they possessed. Among the charges he laid against them was that they bad been laying tip arms, whereas upon investigation it was found out that they had nothing but an unloaded rifle! Gracious God!
This people need no weapons of destruction, inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstruct the world.
Their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds, and their arms the arms of upright conduct, and their commander the fear of God. Blessed that one that judgeth with fairness. By the righteousness of God!
will see therefore that at the beginning, the cause of Bahá'u'lláh was almost unknown, but on account of being a divine movement it grew and developed with irresistible spiritual power until in this day wherever you travel east or west and in whatever country you journey you will meet Bahá'í assemblies and institutions. This is an en-dence that the Bahá'ís are spreading the blessings of unity and progressive development throughout the world under the direction of divine guidance and purpose, while other movements which are oniy temporary in their activities and accomplishments have no real, universal significance.
THE FOLLOWERS ND THE BábSuch hath been the patience, the calm, the resignation and contentment of this people that they have become the exponents of justice, and so great hath been their f or-bearance, that they have suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill, and this notwithstanding that these whom the world bath wronged have endured tribulations the like of which the history of the world hath never recorded, nor the eyes of any nation witnessed.
What is it that could have induced them to reconcile themselves to these grievous trials, and to refuse to put forth a hand to repel them? What could have caused such resignation and serenity? Thz true cause is to be found in the ban which the Pen of Glory hath, day and night, chosen t') impose, and in Our assumption of the reins of authority, through the power and might of Him Who is the Lord of all mankind.
Remember the father of BadE They arrested that wronged one, and ordered him to curse and revile his Faith. He, however, through the grace of God and the mercy of his Lord, chose martyrdom, and attained thereunto. If ye would reckon up the martyrs in the path of God, ye could not count them.
Do th3u ponder on the penetrative influence of the Word of God. Every single
Page 172one of these souis was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his faith, yet none was found to prefer his own will to the Will of God.
For the victims of oppression to intercede in favor of their enemies is, in the estimation of rulers, a princely deed. Some must have certainly heard that this oppressed people have, in that city ('Ishqabad), pleaded with the Governor on behalf of their murderers, and asked for the mitigation of their sentence. Take, then, good heed, ye who are men of insight!
Such was their faith, that most of them renounced their substance and kindred, and cleaved to the good-pleasure of the All-Glorious.
They laid down their lives for their 'Well-Beloved, and surrendered their all in His path. Their breasts were made targets for the darts of the enemy, and their heads adorned the spears of the infidel.
Their deeds, alone, testify to the truth of their words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souis, who have so gloriously risen to offer up their lives for their Beloved that the whole world marvelled at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the people of this day?
Should anyone seek to be acquainted with the condition of this Wronged One, let him be told that these captives whom the world hath persecuted and the nations wronged have, for days and nights, been entirely denied the barest means of subsistence.
We are loth to mention such things, neither have We had, nor do We have now, any desire to complain against Our accuser. Within the walls of this prison a highly-esteemed man was for some time obliged to break stones that he might earn a living, whilst others had, at times, to nourish themselves with that Divine sustenance which is hunger! We entreat God � exalted and glori-fled be He � to aid all men to be just and fair-minded, and to graciously assist them to repent and return unto Him. He, verily, heareth, and is ready to answer.
IN THE WORDS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁB AHA'U'LLAH declared the ~cMost Great Peace" and international arbitration.
He voiced these principles in numerous epistles which were circulated broadcast throughout the east. He wrote to all the kings and rul-encouraging, advising and admonishing them in regard to the establishment of peace; making it evident by conclusive proofs that the happiness and glory of humanity can oniy be assured through disarmament and arbitration.
This was nearly fifty years ago. Because he promulgated the message of Universal Peace and international agreement, the kings of the Orient arose against him for they did not find their personal and national benefits advanced by his admonition and teaching. They persecuted him bitterly, inflicted upon him every torment, imprisoned, bastinadoed, banished him and eventually confined him in a fortress.
Then they arose against his followers. For the establishment ment of international peace the blood of twenty thousand Bahá'ís was spilt. Their homes were destroyed, their children made captives and their possessions pillaged, yet none of these people waxed cold or wavered in devotion. Even to this day the Bahá'ís are persecuted, and quite recently a number were killed, for wherever they are found they put forth the greatest� efforts to establish the peace of the world. They not o.niy promulgate principles; they are peopie of action.
In Persia today through the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh you will find people of various religious beliefs and denominations living together in the utmost peace and agreement. The former enmities and hatred have passed away and they exercise the utmost love toward all mankind for they realize and know that all are the creatures and servants of one God.
Page 173IN December, 1942, with the laying of the last step section, the exterior ornamentation of the Bahá'í Temple was completed. Thus has been achieved a task which the followers of the faith of Bahá'u'lláh the world over have earnestly and prayerfully labored for during the past one-third of a century.
cAbd~1B (Servant of God), came from the Holy Land westward, first through Egypt and then Europe and America, in 1912, with a universal message of the oneness of mankind and of peace.
In June, 1912, He spoke of the universal temple and at that time went out to Wilmette, on the shores of Lake Michigan, where the north channel of the Chicago Drainage District takes the water out of the Lake, and laid a stone saying here would be erected this first universal temple of the Faith in the world; it would be the center of community life, surrounded by other buildings, such as the educational institution, the hospital, the hospice to take care of visitors, the community home for orphans, the aged and indigent, and provide housing for the various other humanitarian agencies of the community. He said that this whole community would be known as the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar � that is the Arabic for Dawning Place of the Men-titrnings of God.
In June 1920, at an annual convention in the Engineering Societies' Building in New York City, followers of the Faith from all over America, with many visitors from other parts of the world, assembled to select a temple design. Among six different sets of designs presented, was a very beautiful and unique plaster model submitted by one who at that time was relatively an unknown architect,
Louis Jean Bourgeois.To aid in the selection the convention called in as consulting architect H. Van Buren Magonigle, who made this statement in regard to the Bourgeois design: CCMr Bourgeois has conceived a Temple of light in which structure,, as usually understood, is to be concealed, visible support eliminated as far as possible, and the whole fabric to take on the airy substance of a dream; it is a lacy envelope, enslirining an idea; the idea of Light, a shelter of cobweb interposed between earth and sky, struck through and through with Light � Light which shall partly consume the forms and make of it a thing of faery."
The Designspoke in these words concerning the significance of his design as expressed in this beautiful model: "The teachings of Bahá'u'lláh (Glory of God) unify the religions of the world into one universal religion, and as we know that all great historic religions developed a new architecture, so the Bahá'í Temple is the plastic teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. In the Bahá'í Temple is used a composite architecture, expressing the essence in line of each of the great architectural styles, harmonizing them into one whole."
Mr. Bourgeois' design was selected for the temple.
The late Major Henry J.Burt, first structural engineer for the temple trustees, was the chairman of a board of engineers and architects selected to consult with the trustees, who were given the task of pro173 173
Page 174Detail of Main Story Ornamcntaticn of the Bahá'í Temple. An extra casting of this was presented to Shoghi Effendi and has been placed in the gardens surrounding the Tomb of the Mb on Mt. Carmel, in Haifa.
viding the ways and means a seven-sided structure, for the construction crude and unsatisfactory.
of this unique structure. One night he had a vision Mr. Bourgeois explained and it was so strong that to this board how this he got up and lighted the very remarkable and unique lamp in the little home vision, as he called it, where he lived then, in came into being. He stated West Englewood, New Jersey, that over a period of and made some sketches years he had been working on the backs of some envelopes; on designs for the templeof a nine-sided building of Peace at the Hague. with
Page 175Castings of the steps of the Bahá'í Temple being prepared and cured prior to being placed in position out of doors.
minarets at the corners.The oniy part of the vision that came to him then was just the two stories.
CCFor three months I worked and placed all kinds of domes on those two stories and could not get anything that was satisfactory; nothing seemed to be in proportion. I became impatient and was almost frantic trying to complete this design. Then one morning I had about given up hope when, in a flash of light, I was awakened and saw the dome of this building. It was on the building.
I got up and snatched a piece of wrapping paper and made a sketch of the building and the dome and then went back to bed. I arose the next morning and there I found my temple. I realized that this temple was so different and so new and unique, that any drawings I might prepare would not give a satisfactory idea of it. I decided that the thing to do was to make a plaster model."
Following the convention of 1920, a model was shipped through the country and exhibited in museums and art studios. The money for the site, which was purchased just prior to the time that 'Abdu'l-Bahá. came to this country and the building of the temple was decided on, was secured entirely by voluntary contributions from followers of the Faith throughout the world; all nations, all creeds, rich and poor, high and iow, Gentile and Jew, Zoroastrian and Buddhist, have contributed to this temple, largely, because most of them are poor, at some sacrifice.
The building, as originally designed by Mr. Bourgeois, is nine-sided, and all of the sides are alike, with a doorway at the center, flanked on either side by two ornamental windows and enclosed with a flat arch. At the intersection of the sides, there is a pylon or minaret. The sides are curved, concave and that, as Mr. Bourgeois explained, is a symbol of the building, extending outstretched arms. The first story is 36 ft. high, on a circular foundation with 19 steps from the ground surface up to the main
Page 176The Temple steps being placed in position, in September, 1942.
The eighteen steps are built up by placing the units in the concrete supports, each step interlocking with the step below and above. There will be 900 units in the completed steps. These units have the same appearance as the exterior ornamentation itself.
floor; a second story 45 ft. high is considerably recessed, again with nine sides each having a group of windows. Above is the clerestory, 19 ft. to the dome, which rises a little over 200 ft. above the ground, just about the same height as the Capitol dome in Washington. Unique are the temple's nine sides.
The second story is offset in reference to the first, a feature that caused considerable comment when the design was first exhibited, because everybody said that the ribs of the second story should be in line with the pyions of the first story. Mr. Bourgeois stated that he had introduced a new principle in design; the ribs are curved and abut against the arched faces of the building.
The criticism at that time was so great that Mr. Bourgeois made a sketch swinging the whole building around through twenty degrees so that the ribs and the minarets of the first gallery were in line with the pylons of the first story, and the whole design became lifeless and dead. The feature of the nine ribs which extend over the dome is their unique termination at the top; symbolizing hands lifted in prayer.
Symbolic in the design are: "In the geometric forms of the ornamentation covering the columns and surrounding windows and doors of the temple, one deciphers the religious symbols of the world.
Here are the swastika cross, the circle, the triangle, the double triangle or SIX pointed star (or Solomon's seal), but more than this the noble symbol of the spiritual Orb, the Greek Cross, the Roman or Christian Cross; and supreme above all the wonderful nine pointed star, figured in the structure of the temple itself, and appearing again and again in its ornamentation, as significant of the Spiritual Glory of the world today.
ttThe nine pointed star reappears in the formation of the windows and doors, which are all topped by this magnificent allegory of spiritual glory, from which extend gilded rays covering the lower surfaces, and illus-From Architectural Record, June, 1920.
Page 177trating, in this vivid and artistic limning, the descent of the Holy Spirit.
"The numbers 9 and 19 recur again and again in the temple, illustrating its basic principle of Unity � nine being the number of perfection, containing in itself the completion of each perfect number cycle, and 19 representing the Union of God and man, as manifested in life, civilization and all things."
As a member of the Advisoryand Architects making a study of this structure for the Temple Trustees, the writer had a very interesting time for a period of about twelve years. Many people when they saw the model in the Engineering Society Building there in 1919, said, CCThat is very beautiful but it cannot be built.
That lace-like design of the dome and of the windows and the whole thing is a very lovely conception, but absolutely impracticable."
So it became the function of the board of engineers and architects, to try to materialize the vision of the architect. As we look at the design many of us, especially those of a mathematical type of mind, see the unusual opportunity for working out an elastic structure.
This idea was considered by the Board of Engineers and Architects some years ago, but after considerable discussion it was finally decided to consider this project in two different parts.
First, to build a skeleton structure of the general form and shape of the design, and then to clothe that structure with what Mr. Magonigle has referred to as a "lacy envelope"; that is, clothe the skeleton or superstructure with ornamentation, and so the work has proceeded along those lines.
Foundation StructureThe work began in 1921 with the building of the foundation. in the summer of 192 1, nine concrete caissons were built to support the Temple foundation structure. These concrete piers extended from the original ground surface to bedrock; about 120 feet, 90 feet below the water level of adjacent Lake Michigan. Upon these piers and surrounding concrete and wood piles, the basement structure was erected the fol lowing year. This structure consisted of a circular wall of reinforced concrete, 202 feet in diameter and about 20 feet high, supporting the main floor and the sloping deck, upon which the eighteen circular steps were built. Within the central portion of this basement a circular hail with a domed ceiling was constructed and has been temporarily used for public meetings, sessions of the Annual Bahá'í Convention and other gatherings of the Faith.
SuperstructureBy 1929 the Trustees had received cash donations amounting to $400,000, sufficient to proceed with the building of the superstructure. The materials committee recoin-mended to the Trustees the construction of the entire superstructure framework enclosed with a metal-glass dome and metal frame windows and temporary doors. A careful cost analysis had disclosed the practicability of constructing the skeleton structure for the estimated cost of building the first story complete with a temporary roof, as originally contemplated by the architect and the Trustees, who realized that the Temple work must proceed in stages, as funds from time to time became available.
This plan was adopted and in August 1930, a contract was awarded to the George A. Fuller Company of New York to build this framework superstructure on the foundation. On account of the financial depression at that time, the contractor was enabled to do the work with expedition and such economy that the plumbing and part of the heating and lighting systems were installed with available funds � thus providing a completely enclosed and tisable building.
The structural design was prepared by Benjamin B. Shapiro, Consulting Engineer, Chicago, and the building was erected under his immediate supervision.
As this project started, the architect died in his studio home on the Temple property. He had completed his design, including fullsized drawings of all of the exterior ornamentation, great drawings of remarkable beauty and accuracy, some of them reaching a length of 109 feet.
Page 178Castings of the Greatest Name which go over the nine Main Entrances of th@ Temple. The Persian inscription means ~'O Thou Glory of Glorics." The fist of these sections were placed in position in November, 1940.
Investigation of Materials Earlyin 1921, the Executive Board appointed a materials committee, consisting of the late Major H. J. Burt, the structural engineer, as chairman, Louis Bourgeois, the architect, NV. S. Maxwell, architect, E. R. Boyle, builder, and Allen B. McDaniel, engineer, to study the problems of materials to be used in the building of the Temple, with special relation to the exterior material. The unique and elaborate design of this nine-sided building had evoked considerable comment at the time of its selection and during subsequent years when the model was exhibited in museums, art centers, libraries and other public places in the larger Cities of the United States and Canada. Over a period of nine years, and with a personnel changed through the death of Major Burt and other causes, this committee made three reports based on a worldwide study and investigation of building materials and their use in monumental structures.
Samples of cast stone, terra cotta, aluminum alloy and architectural concrete were prepared by various concerns and placed on the property adjacent to the basement to test their durability, weathering, and discoloration. Conferences were held with leading representatives of the stone, cast stone, terra cotta, metals and concrete industries. After months of studies, investi~ations and conferences the committee was able to get only one definite estimate for the exterior ornamenta don. The Earley Studio, Washington, D. C., submitted a fullsize sample of the dome ornamentation and a preliminary estimate for the entire project. Soon after the acceptance of his design, the architect, in search of a suitable, practicable material of which his unique design could be executed, had met and interested John J. Earley, an architectural sculptor, who had developed a new type (exposed aggregate) of architectural concrete.
The nature of the design with its intricate ornamentation and repetition of forms and details was especially adapted to a material such as concrete, plastic when placed in molds or on the building, and becoming as hard and durable as stone upon setting.
The Exterior Ornamentationthe John J. Earley Studio had available a plant at Rosslyn, Va., especially adapted to the construction of the dome ornamentation.
This plant was assigned to the project and early in July, 1932, the preliminary work was started. This involved the layout and construction of a fullsized wooden model of one panel of the structural outer framework of the existing dome structure that would finally support the concrete or-narnentatlon.
An analysis quickly indicated that it would be more efficient and economical in the end to make the dome ornamentation at this plant rather than on the Temple property, as originally contemplated by the architect.
Page 179One of the arches which go over the nine Main Entrances. The first ones were placed in position during October and November, 1940.
The principal purpose of this model of the dome panel was to serve as a standard of measurement from which the dimensions of the various sections of the field and the ribs of the dome could be taken off later and used.
Also this model was used for the purpose of studying the plaster of Paris casts of the dome ornamentation.
It was necessary to study the dome ornamentation, which is unique in having about one-third of its area perforated. If these perforations were too large they would destroy the architectural continuity. Were they too small they would not be apparent. All of the exterior surfaces of the ornamentation were carefully modeled and this modeling studied so as to secure the proper lights and shades and thus give character to the surface, especially when seen from a distance. It was necessary to study every ornamentation detail over a period of several months, so that it would fit into the design, as the brush strokes of the painter fit into and form a part of his masterpiece.
The first step in the preparation of the ornamentation was the modeling and carving of the original clay model for each and every section. The sculptor made a tracing of the architect's original fullsized draw. ing for each surface and then transferred this design on the clay surface.
From this outline he modeled and carved out the fullsized clay model. Plaster of Paris impressions were taken of the clay surfaces and from these the plaster of Paris model was prepared.
These models were well reinforced with hemp and jute and rods. The rough plaster of Paris model was carefully carved to give the final surface texture and modeling.
From each plaster cast or model a plaster of Paris mold was made and this represented the negative of the final cast section.
The unique feature in the casting of the concrete sections is the use of a mat or framework of high carbon steel rods which forms the reinforcement, supplying high early strength to the casting for handling and subsequently making of each section a structure which is designed to resist the highest possible pressures produced from wind, snow, ice and other factors.
After the concrete casts are taken out of the molds a group of skilled laborers scrape the mortar from the outer surfaces and thoroughly clean these surfaces down to the
Page 180Working on the Main Story Pylons of the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill.,
during April, 1940.exposed aggregate. This leaves the entire outer surface of a white radiant quality.
An interesting feature of the dome ornamentation is its division into the two hundred and seventy sections of the field and the one hundred and seventeen sections of the great ribs. These sections are separated by a space of a half inch to allow for deflection and temperature changes in both the steel structure and concrete material of the ornamentation.
Following the placing of the dome ornamentation, a second contract was awarded to Mr. Earley in March, 1934, for the ornamentation of the cleresrory � the 19-foot drum below the dome. This project was consummated in July, 1935.
When the Seven Year Planby a message from the Guardian of the Baha Faith, the continuance and completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Universal House of 'Worship at Wilmette, Illinois was the first item of the program.
The ornamentation of the dome and clere � story had been finished nearly two years when the followers of the Faith of Bah&'u' 11Th considered the details of this program at their Annual Convention, held in the Temple foundatjon hail during the last of April, 1937.
During the year period between the Annual Conventions of 1936 and 1937, a Technical Committee consisting of three Bahá'í laymen and three nonBahá'í technical experts, had made a survey of the work done by the Earley
Studio since June, 1932� the time of the commencement of the exterior ornamentation � and of the most efficient and economical method of carrying on the work in the future. This Board in its report to the Temple Trustees, unanimously recommended the continuance of the ornamentation under the same procedure as had obtained during the dome and cicrestory projects; the Earley Studio performing the work under a cost-plus percentage fee type of contract, and under the supervision of Allen B. McDaniel as managing engineer.
The work that remained to be done, under the Seven Year Plan, to complete the exterior ornamentation, included the second or gallery story, the main story and the steps. The estimated total cost of these three projects was $350,000.
Metal doors and window grilles were considered as elements of the design t~ be executed toward the completion of the work, but subsequently were found to be impracticable under wartime conditions of 1942 and 1943.
In September, 1937, the contract for decorating the gallery story was placed with the Earley Studio at an estimated cost of $125,000. During the fall and winter of 1937 and the spring of 1938 with the efficient technique developed in the Earley plant in the handling of the work under the dome and clerestory contracts, the necessary plaster of Paris casts and molds were prepared and the concrete casts made. Early in May, construction work began at the Temple; window grilles, the spandrels and the cornice sections were erected, and the piers and pilasters were poured in place. The nine faces were completed early in November, 1938, and the pouring of the nine pyions at the corners begun.
These great columns, rising to a height of 45 feet at the intersections of the gallery faces, were built in sections; each section about nine feet in height was poured into a mold composed of plaster of Paris sections which were moved and set up in place at each of the nine corners as the work progressed.
The nine pylons were completed by the pouring of their capitals on July 31, 1939.
Impelled by the need for haste in prosecuting the work as rapidly as practicable, especially in view of the potential restrictions in building under the rapidly spreading war conditions abroad, the Temple Trustees had authorized the Earley
Studio in December, 1938to proceed with the making of the models and in February, 1938 to continue with the making of the molds for the main story ornamentation. These preliminary steps for the main story ornamentation were taken with such expedition and economy that by the latter part of the summer of 1938, it was evident that a saving of $10,000 would be made over the original estimate of $50,000.
At the request of the contractor, John J. Earley, the Temple Trustees authorized him to proceed with the pouring in place of the lowest section of the nine pylons at the corners of the main story faces. By the middle of October these sections were cast, the mold sections and scaffolding removed, and the structure ready for the continuance of the erection of the main story ornamentation in the spring of 1940.
Foreseeing future difficulties in the procurement of materials, the Contractor, under instructions of the Temple Trustees, purchased the reinforcing steel for the main story ornamentation and for the eighteen circular steps, and 600 tons of white quartz from Annapolis Rock, Maryland. Negotiations were entered into for the purchase of the white Portland cement, which would be required for the concrete casts of the main story and steps.
Subsequent events, involving the United States in the world conflict, and the curtailment of the use of essential
Page 182Ornamentation of the Main Story of the Bahá'í Temple, 'Wilmette, Ill.,
being placed in position, April, 1941.building materials, in nonwar building tivjties, early proved the wisdom of this pre � planning.
The casting and erection of the concrete sections of the ornamentation of the gallery story involved no especial problems nor difficulties and the work was executed e3pedi-tiously and at a cost exceeding the estimate of $125,000 by $2,782.18. As the making of the casts for the main story progressed at the Earley Studio, however, complications developed, due largely to the great size of the arch spandrels and the main doorway panels, and to the angle shape of the cornice sections.
Subsequently, the erection of these sections above the great arches of the main story, involved such expenditures of time and skill in stone setting, that the costs far exceeded the estimates, which were based on the previous work of the clerestory and gallery story.
As funds became available, largely througha few large contributions, the work of the main story ornamentation was carried on during 1939 and 1940 and completed in July, 1942. The first step was the casting, in place on the Temple, of the upper sections of the nine pylons. The wall surfaces below the windows were poured, followed by the piers and pilasters above these bases to the springing lines of the great arches. The window grilles and screens, which had been received from the Studio in Virginia, were set in place.
Meanwhile the casting of the quotations from the Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh � a different inscription above each of the great arches � of the spandrel sections, and of the cornice blocks was under way at the Studio. When winter weather interrupted the work at the Temple in December, 1941, seven faces of the main story had been completed and the casts for the completion of the last two faces were on the grounds.
Early in the spring of 1942, the contractor was authorized to proceed with the construction of the eighteen circular steps which will provide access from the grounds to the main floor of the Temple. During the preceding years the preliminary work under the steps contract had been carried on at the Studio, including the preparation of the design and working drawings, forms for the carriages to support the step sections, and the purchase and storage of reinforcing steel and cruThed stone for the carriages and step sections.
Early in May, 1942, work was resumed at the Temple and continued uninterruptedly until January 8, 1943. During this period of eight months, the last two main story faces were finished and the eighteen steps comprising 54 reinforced concrete carriages, 914 step sections, 9 deck slabs and 9 plinth faces of the pylons were constructed.
The carriages were poured in place on the sloping deck of the foundation structure; the step sections were cast in groups of from 10 to 17 on the main floor under the dome and moved and set in place on the carriages with a portable hoist. The method of step construction is unique in that the onehalf inch spaces between adjacent step sections provide for adequate expansion and contraction of the two miles of steps so as to eliminate the usual cracking and distortion that occur in long concrete steps, walks and pavements.
Soon after the entrance of the United States into the global strife of World War H, the War and Navy Departments entered into contracts with the Earley Studio for emergency war construction works and practically took over the Studio personnel and plant for the first four months of 1942. In spite of this handicap, the contractor so expedited his work as to release his foreman and two assistants to get to the Temple, organize a labor force and get the main story ornamentation and steps work under way by the middle of May.
War conditions involving increased labor wage rates, the necessity of working the force six days a week, with double pay for the sixth day, increased freight rates, higher liability and social security insurance rates and other factors resulted in the steps costing $21,700 more than the original estimate of $30,000, which had been previously based on a much simpler type of construction.
In a report of a review of the Temple ornamentation made by Mr. E. Roger Boyle, construction expert of Washington, D. C., in consultation with the writer � supervising engineer of the Temple construction � the construction costs of the various stages of the exterior ornamentation were given as follows: Dome $168,821.97 Clerestory and Ribs 41,984.88 Gallery 127,782.18 Main story 207,552.39 Steps 51,701.05 Engineering, travel, office and field expenses
Grand Total$597,842.47 13,427.85 $611,270.32 A review of the cost of the building of the Temple structure from its inception in 1921 to the completion of the steps in 1943, gives the following main items of expenditures: Caissons$ 76,350.00 Foundation and equipment 120,476.46 Superstructure, utilities, etc418,173.31 Exterior ornamentation 611,270.32 Architect's fees and expenses42,900.00 Temple model and plans19,246.68 Engineers' fees and expenses 54,396.32 $1,342,813.09
Page 184Preparing to place the steps in position on the Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Iii., July, 1942.
In a report to the Temple Trustees made in 1929, the writer estimated the total cost of the Temple structure, under building conditions and costs of that time, as $1,200,000.
On the Temple property, in addition to the Temple structure, during the period of the Seven Year Plan, an office building for the use of the Publishing Committee and the Treasurer's office, tunnels to the two entrances to the foundation, areaways for air intakes, an oil tank vault, grading and seeding of the grounds, a storm enclosure for the Linden Avenue entrance and a steel wire fence along the Linden Avenue and Sheridan Road property lines, were built at various times to meet the needs of the expansion of the administrative activities of
Page 185The Bahá'í Temple, Wilmette, Ill., as it appeared in November, 1938.
the National Office and of the development of the area adjacent to the Temple structure. These projects involved expenditures of funds as follows: Administrative building$ 5,688.47 Tunnels, vault and areaways10,742.87 Storm enclosure, garages, etc 571.21 Grading and seeding grounds9,444.63 Fences1,614.86 Total$28,062.04 Twenty-two and onehalf years after the selection of the unique and beautiful design submitted in June, 1920, by Louis Bourgeois at the 12th Annual Convention of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, the first Universal House of Worship stood forth in all its radiant glory in the heart of the American continent. The project which was regarded as impracticable by architects, engineers, builders and others who viewed the plaster model at the 1920 Convention had been built in enduring concrete and steel. Through long years of study, research and toil, many problems were solved,' new techniques of contruction were evolved, special adaptations of materials
Page 186were developed and labor relations were established to furnish the required craftsmen under Union rules.
Never before in the history of building construction had the casting and setting in concrete of such intricate detail been executed.
No other material could have fulfilled the requirements of this design within reasonable cost. A survey extending over many years indicated the impracticability of the use of the age-old materials of stone, brick, and timber, as well as of the more modern materials such as terra-cotta, cast iron and cast stone.
Thus at the time of need, when the great structural framework was ready to be clothed with its ornamentation, the science of architectural concrete had developed to a stage where a suitable material was available in the exposed aggregate type of concrete.
Thus the Temple, the ornamentation of which symbolizes life and progress, was developed as a constructive organism and evolved through experience, step by step. As man's ascendancy from the animal to the spiritual has been a victorious record of progress, so the building of the Temple is a triumph of human achievement.
2.THE unity of men in the love of God, destined by Bahá'u'lláh to pervade the whole earth, has at last, during the closing years of the first Bahá'í century, been extended to all the Americas. At some point in each state and province in the north, in each republic in the south and central portions of the hemisphere, a few people have sensed the nearness of God in His latest Manifestation, have dedicated their lives to His service, and have thus experienced such a feeling of brotherhood with one another and with all men everywhere as to promise deliverance from the suspicions which have long kept apart the American nations, from the class and racial cleavages which have riven them internally, and from the scepticisms which have paralyzed their energies. The pattern of the Bahá'í Administration, instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace, is being stamped upon every portion of the western world.
To contemplate this event is to realize the inevitability of the Divine Plan for the spiritualization of the world. Marking the various stages of its progress, one comes to understand that each evolves in its own divinely appointed time and employs its own divinely prepared instruments.
Preliminary EventsAt the center of the Bahá'í world, the Guardian of the Cause of God, foreseeing this act in the drama of the world's destiny, had since 1921 been training the North American believers for their part in it. In 1935 he began to enlarge their spiritual consciousness by the translation of the r!Gleanings from the
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh"and thereby opened to their minds the sublime potentialities of the Day of God. At the same time he announced that the first stage of the formative period had come to an end and directed their energies to a more active teaching program.
It was not until May 1, 1936, however, while the Convention was in session, that the full extent of the program was revealed. No one who was present on that historic oc � casion will forget the astounding manifestation of unity between the North American Bahá'ís and the Guardian which appeared when, just after one of the delegates had proposed a rereading of the long neglected Tablets of the Divine Plan revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá twenty years before, the following cablegram from Shoghi Effendi was received:
"Convey (to) Americanbelievers abiding gratitude efforts unitedly exerted (in) teaching field.
Inaugurated campaign should be vigorously pursued, systematically extended. Appeal (to) assembled delegates ponder historic appeal voiced by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (in) Tablets of the Divine Plan. Urge earnest deliberation with incoming National Assembly (to) insure its complete fulfilment.
Page 187Gathered together on the Bahá'í New Year, March 21st, 1941. (Miss Elisabeth Cheney, pioneer teacher, seated in center.)
First century of Bahá'í era drawing to a close.Humanity entering outer fringes most perilous stage of its existence.
Opportunities (of) present hour unimaginably precious. Would to God every State within American Republic and every Republic in American continent might ere termination (of) this glorious century embrace the light (of the) Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and establish structural basis of His World Order."
(Signed) Shoghi.Tardily aware of the instructions given so long ago by the Master, only half comprehending their implications, slow to believe in their own ability to pursue a teaching program so much more extensive than that of the present time, the American Bahá'ís were at first dazed and then galvanized into action by the sweeping demands of the message.
To most of the people in the United States, the countries in South and Central America, thus opened up before us, were unknown, romantic lands much more distant than the continent of Europe soon to be closed to us completely. Teaching in the United States and Canada seemed already to tax to the utmost our spiritual energies.
How then could we succeed in establishing the Cause in every republic of the southern continent?
The time for the unfoldment of that particular phase of the Divine Plan had, however, come, and on May 19 the Guardian cabled his call for pioneers permanently to reside in Central and South America, and gave 300 lbs. as the nucleus of a fund for the new teaching work. The action of the National Spiritual Assembly in response to these messages was the establishment of a special teaching fund of $30,000 in the national budget and the appointment of the first Inter America
Committee.~?The Seven Year Plan proper, however, was not inaugurated until 1937 when the Guard* * Its members were: Loulie A. Mathews, Chairman E. R. Mathews, Siegfried
Schopflocher, DudleyBlakely, Elsa R. Blakely, Leonora Holsapple, E. R. Cartwright, Miguel
Calderon, Isabelle Stebbinsian cabled to the Convention, urging the uninterrupted prosecution of the teaching program undertaken in 1936, and continued: ccAdvise prolongation (of) Convention sessions (to) formulate feasible Seven Year Plan (to) assure success Temple enterprise. No sacrifice too great for community so abundantly blessed (so) repeatedly honored." Thus the two great programs were merged into one: before the expiration of the first Bahá'í century, the external ornamentation of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar was to be completed; an assembly was to be established in every state of the United States and in every province of Canada; and a permanent center of the Faith was to be set up in each of the republics of Central and South America.
It is with the last mentioned portion of the plan that we are, in this paper, primarily concerned.
Let us glance for a moment at the condi � tions existing in these southern nations. Like the rest of the world, they contain a great variety of peoples in different stages of mental and spiritual development. Like the rest of the world, they exhibit great extremes of poverty and wealth, of culture and ignorance.
These nations, each differing widely from its neighbors, are populated by many races, not entirely unified, professing, in spite of an apparent religious homogeneity, a variety of faiths.
Political corruption, so strongly emphasized by the Guardian as an evil in the United States, is prevalent in these countries also, undermining the high ideals of their founders. No two nations are alike in their social and political conditions, yet in all there are enlightened people looking for a soiu-don to the grievous problems of our day and ready, even eager for the Message of That this Faith should be destined to come to them from the United States and Canada was a severe test of the purity of their vision and their ability to overcome prejudice, for friendly overtures on the part of North Americans have justly been regarded by Latin-Americans with suspicion. Commercial exploitation has too often been the motive for such overtures. Contempt for a culture older than their own and for manners more courtly has too often been the attitude hardly concealed beneath the cloak of good will assumed by commercial emissaries and tourists.
It is a glowing proof of the potency and universality of Bahá'u'lláh's Faith that, having chosen as its bearers to the South and Central American countries servants from a nation most sus-pea, it should have been so readily, so wholeheartedly received by a few people in every nation.
At the inauguration of the Seven Year Plan, inAmerica had been touched by the light of the new Day � but barely touched. The foundation of the Faith in that part of the world had been laid by Bahá'u'lláh in the Tablet to the Americas enshrined in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, that
Most Holy Book. Thismessage, though never delivered to the Americas directly, had created in them the potential capacity to accept the raith. In 1919 Martha Root had made her historic teaching journey in South America. Early in the
'2 0's Miss Leonora Holsappleand Miss Maude M. Mickle had gone to live in Baha,
Brazil, and Miss Holsappleand Portuguese. There were two other known resident Bahá'ís in South America in 1937. Mrs. Isabelle Stebbins Dodge had gone to Peru with her husband, who was engaged in nun-ing activities there; and Mrs. Stewart, during her journey in 1936, had discovered an isolated believer, Mrs. Krug, in STh Paulo. In 1935, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mathews had, at the suggestion of the Guardian, made an extended teaching trip through all the countries of South America, where they had found, here and there, a number of individuals eager to hear of the Cause. In 1936, Mr. and
Mrs. Dudley Blakely visited BritishGuiana, stopping at Trinidad, Haiti, and Venezuela on the way. In British Guiana they found the newspapers hospitable to the message, and were able to give radio talks and a number of public lectures.
In the fall of 193 6 outward events, the ominous rumblings preceding the disaster which was about to shake the whole world, had begun to draw the American nations together in an attempt at political friendship. The People's
Peace Conference at BuenosBenedict Stewart, who, finding a surprising number of eager listeners, remained to spread the Teachings in Argentine, in Brazil, and in Chili. It was about this time that Mr. and Mrs. Stuart W. French made a trip to the southern continent, stopping at Lima, Valparaiso, Magallanes, STh Paulo, Baha, and Trinidad, among other places. Mr. and Mrs. Mathews also visited South America again on a trip around the world.
Meanwhile Beatrice Irwinand Orcella Rexford were lecturing in Mexico, and Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gregory had gone to Haiti to begin the ardwous task of opening that conservative island to the Cause.
With this preliminary work accomplished, the North American Bahá'ís received at the Convention of 1937 the cablegram from the Guardian which inaugurated the Seven Year Plan.
The First VictoryThe teaching in Latin America under the Seven Year Plan can be divided, for convenience, into four periods: (1) that between the Conventions of 1937 and 1939; (2) that between 1939 and the midpoint in the Plan; (3) October, 1940, to April, 1942; and (4) the final two years.
The first phase is characterized by a series of apostolic journeys, resulting in the establishment of study groups in a number of places and the organization of the first Latin American assembly.
Mrs. Joel Stebbins visited her daughter, Mrs. Dodge, in Peru and together they gave the Message to a group in Lima got together by Sra. Rosell, who had herself become interested through Mrs. Stewart in Buenos Aires.
Mrs. Stewart, who had returned to the United States, sailed again f or South America in the fall of 1938. She lectured in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Valparaiso, leaving study groups in those places. Early in 1939 she went to Santiago, arriving there just at the moment when an earthquake, terrible reminder of the might of God, foreshadowed the insecurity and desolation of the coming years throughout the world.
Cuba was visited by Mr. and Mrs. Ward Calhoun and by Philip Marangella.
They made many contacts and Mr. Marangella se cured promises of speaking engagements when he should return. Mr. William de Forge made a similar trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Meanwhile Miss BeatriceIrwin continued her work in Mexico, where the inestimable bounty of Bahá'u'lláh was preparing the first fruits of the Seven Year Plan, ripened and ready to pluck. This first victory, which served as a miraculous confirmation of the whole Latin American undertaking, a divine encouragement, is one of the most dramatic events of the whole seven years. Mrs. Stewart, who arrived in Mexico City in July, 1937, recounts it as follows: ttjn Mexico City, while speaking to a Woman's Club on the subject of tPeace in a New World Order' and quoting from the 'Writings quite freely, I noticed the deep interest of a lady not far from me.
After the meeting she hurried to beg me to go with her that evening to the home of a friend where a group met weekly for study and discussion. I felt impelled to break a former engagement and gladly went with Miss Aurora Gutierrez to meet nine Mexican peopie who later became the first believers in Mexico. My friend explained that for several years this group of seekers had met regularly to discuss spiritual questions and to study the increasing turmoil in the world. After a beautiful prayer given by Mr. Pedro Espinosa, the group leader, in which he asked for spiritual vision and understanding, they asked me to repeat the message I had given at the club in the afternoon.
I then asked if I might tell them of the Bahá'í Message.
"Way into the morning hours they listened and asked questions about the Cause and asked that I meet with them often and they would bring to the circle all of their group. After three such meetings with an ever larger group, the leader told me that they had for some time been convinced that somewhere in the world a New Manifestation had appeared to give the Truth for the New Era. So convinced had they been that they had sent their leader, Mr. Espinosa, to the United States, where he traveled from New York City to California in search of evidence of this New Manifestation.
He did not find it but returned toMexico convinced tthat from a foreign country a Teacher would bring them the Good News of a New Manifestation.'
They had continued their regular studies and when they heard the Bahá'í Message, they were convinced it was the Truth they had long sought. At this meeting Mr. Espinosa handed me a paper on which were written the names of the nine I had first met saying they wished to be received as Believers of the Bahá'í Faith and would become the center for spreading the Message throughout Mexico."
The Spiritual Assemblyof Mexico City was organized at Ridv An, 1938. This was the greatest of those early triumphs of which the Guardian wrote: CCThrough their initial victories they (the American believers) have provided the impulse that must now surge and, with relentless force sweep over their sister communities and eventually overpower the entire human race."
When, in 1939, the National Spiritual Assembly extended the hospitality of the Convention to a representative of the new Latin American sister community, so great was the enthusiasm of the Mexican believers that three others came as well. Among these visitors was Sra. Maria dcl Refugio Ochoa, recorded as the first Mexican Baha'i. The occasion was one of great rejoicing, inspiring both to the older community and to the new believers, who on their return to Mexico City, incorporated their assembly, began issuing a News Letter, and plunged into the work of translating the Writings into Spanish.
Central AmericaThe Convention of 1939 was significant, not only because there, for the first time, the North American believers entered into a communion of spirit with their Latin American brothers and sisters, but also because it marked the end of the first phase of their mission and the beginning of the second and most arduous stage of the work. The Guardian's cablegram, expressing joy in the enlistment of Mexico in the CCfore~ front of the southward marching army" of Bahá'u'lláh, indicated also the new work to be accomplished.
The settlement of Central America was to be the next step in the campaign, with Guatamala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti as the immediate objectives.
A new epoch, one of arduous work, of grinding sacrifice, was beginning, an epoch
Page 191Bahá'í Youth Day being celebrated by the Bahá'ís of Santiago de Chile.
which was to demand martyrs and provide glorious rewards.
~~N11 hd Central Americancampaign," cabled the Guardian, "marks official inauguration (of) long-de-ferred World Mission constituting 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í distinctive legacy (to the) Bahá'í Community (of) North America. Chosen Community broadening its basis, gaining (in) stature, deepening (in) consecration. Its vanguard now entering arena monopolized (by) entrenched forces (of) Christendom's mightiest ecclesiastical institutions. Laboring amidst race foreign in language, custom, temperament embracing vast proportion (of) New 'World's ethnic elements. American believers' isolated oversea teaching enterprises hitherto tentative, intermittent, now at end. New epoch openings, demanding exertions incomparably more strenuous, unflinchingly sustained, centrally directed, systematically organized, efficiently conducted."
This message was reinforced by the publication of
"The Advent of DivineJustice" with its stirring call for pioneers not oniy to arise at once and, "unrestrained as the wind, carry the Word of God to the uttermost end of the Southern Continent," but also to establish their residence in the various countries comprehended in the Plan and t~ seek permanent means of earning their live � lihood there.
In this letter also the Guardian pointed out, as 'Abdu'l-Bahá had done before him, the importance of the Central American countries, and especially Panama, as the link between the northern and southern continents, and warned the American believers of the grave results to themselves and to the work at large if they should fail to carry out their share of the Divine
Plan.The appeal stirred the members of the American community to a new consecration. It came at a time of tension, of ominous stillness before the storm of violence and terror moving across the earth.
The Inter American Committee*entered energetically upon plans for the settlement of Central America, for the training of teachers, for translation of the
Writings into Spanishand Portuguese, and for the furtherance of teaching in the Latin American communities of the United
States and Canada.Kenny, secretary, Mr. E. R. Mathews, Myrtle Dodge, Mrs. Amelia Collins, Leroy Joas, and Mrs. Helen Bishop. Associate members: Mrs. A. E. Stewart, Siegfried Schopflocher, and Pedro Espinosa of
MexicoSoon pioneers began to scatter southward in obedience to the Guardian's instructions for ccsystematic penetration" into the territories to be settled. Immediately after the Convention, Matthew Kaszab, fired with enthusiasm, departed precipitately for Panama.
He began giving lectures and received some good publicity, and by fall he had sent in the name of the first believer in Central America, Sr.
Joseph Wantuck of BalboaThey began attending the University of Panama and at once established friendly relations with the members of its faculty.
Gerrard Sluter of Torontowent to Guata-mala, where, though he was restricted to some extent by government regulations, he obtained the assistance of three
Theosophical Societiesand succeeded in establishing a study group. He was visited by Antonio Rocca on his way to Honduras.
Antonio Rocca approached Tegucigulpa with eager curiosity. He describes the city as a town of about 45,000 inhabitants, the oniy capital in the world without railway connections, the main transportation facilities being trucks but mostly oxcarts.
The town is small, colonial style, mostly one and two story buildings and some of the streets are still not paved. In the main Plaza there stands the great tColonial Time Cathedral,' which my ancestors had given to the Central American Republics. I was overjoyed to be the chosen one to give the message to those people so very much needed in this 20th century." He found the newspapers friendly but the people indifferent. The inhabitants were made up of many nationalities: Spanish, Palestinians, Arabians, Germans, and
North Americans. The Spaniardswere surprised that a born Spaniard would promulgate such teachings and the other peoples were equally conservative.
After a period of loneliness and discouragement, a period such as that which Abdu'l-Bahá foresaw for the pioneers and against which He fortified them by the glorious prayers in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, Mr. Rocca was able to give the Message to many hundreds of people. He came in contact, at length, with Sra.
Angela OchoaVelasquez, who was to become the first believer, and who introduced him to a group more open to the Teachings than any he had yet encountered.
Some of these were fearful of government regulations, a fear which turned out to be baseless, however, as the government employees were friendly and granted full freedom to teach.
In March, 1940, Mrs. Schopflocher came and her short visit stimulated much enthusiasm. When Mr. Rocca left, soon after, he could report that during his six months' stay over 7,000 people had heard the Message and a group of seven believers had been formed. Gerrard Sluter, who went to replace him, organized the group into a teaching and executive committee and established the
Bahá'í Fund.Eichenauer to enter school and thus perfect himself in the language while he was teaching the Cause.
He found little or no race prejudice and no active opposition � only indifference, which, by the fire of his spirit he soon began to overcome, for, by the end of 1939, he was able to report three believers: the first, Luis 0. Perez, and the others, Emilie
Ber-mudez and Jos6 Manueljoined him in 1940, and Mrs. Schop-flocher gave the two of them much assistance during a teaching visit. Early in his career as a pioneer John Eichenauer began to show his great aptitude for getting excellent publicity.
He was able to place World Order in two of the principal clubs of San Salvador and to insert a quotation from the Writings in Cypactiy, one of the most important literary magazines of the country.
The magazines of Costa Rica also showed themselves favorable to the Cause.
Mrs. Gayle Woolson and Mrs. Amelia Ford, who had immediately responded to the call for pioneers, obtained the consent of the editor of ANna Tica to publish a Spanish translation of the Guardian's pamphlet "World Religion."
These pioneers established weekly classes, which grew in attendance.
Meanwhile Philip Marangellahad returned to Havana for an extended stay and Margaret Lentz had gone to the Dominican Republic. She reported her first believer during this time, Maria Theresa Martin de Lopez, who determined to give all her time to the
Page 193Cause, and Mr. Marangella was able to confirm four persons: Sr. Perfecto Toledo, the first to accept the Faith; Sr. Eugenio Gin6s, the second; Mr. Jack
Zoller; and Sr. DomingoTeaching in Haiti was still a very difficult task.
After the termination of the Gregorys' teaching visit, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had stopped there for a while before going on to Jamaica. They were replaced by Mrs. Ellsworth Blackwell, who was later joined by her husband.
Perhaps these pioneers experienced greater discouragement than any others in the Latin American work.
In Jamaica the Shaws found that the greatest obstacle to the spread of the Bahá'í spirit was class distinction. And yet they were given a hopeful sign when Mrs. Shaw, falling into conversation with three ladies on a Street corner, learned that one of them had worked for Mrs. Maxwell in Montreal and had there attended Bahá'í meetings. Thus May Maxwell, that gracious and serene soul so soon tQ sacrifice her life for the teaching of the cause in Latin America, had already extended her influence into that part of the world.
The concentration of effort on the countries of Central America and on the islands of the West Indies was bearing good fruit, but South America had not been neglected. Mrs. Nourse and Wilfred Barton had departed for Uruguay.
Eve Nicklin went to Rio de Janeiro. Emeric and Rosemary Sala settled in Venezuela. John Stearns took up his residence in Ecuador. And Mr. and
Mrs. Worley joined MissHolsapple in Baha, where an assembly was organized in April, 1940. In March of that year Mr. and Mrs. Worley had become the parents of Anthony Roy Worley, the first Bahá'í baby to be born in South
America.To Buenos Aires was given the glorious and tragic bounty of receiving from May Maxwell the sacrifice of her life. In the early spring of 1940, she and her niece, Jeanne Bolles, went down to that city, well prepared by Bahá'u'lláh to receive so generous and exalted a gift. Mrs. Stewart, in 1936 and again in 1939, had spoken before numerous gatherings. Men and women of a wide variety of races and nationalities had heard the Message. A group of believers, growing steadily in devotion and faith under the guidance of Sr. Tormo, was almost ready to form an assembly.
And now May Maxwell came � to imprint on this community the traces of her radiant spirit and to leave forever in its keeping her ioveiy earthly garment. "Laden with the fruits garnered through well-nigh half a century of toilsome service to the Cause she so greatly loved," wrote Shoghi Effendi, "and afire with the longing to worthily demonstrate her gratitude in her overwhelming awareness of the bounties of her Lord and Master, she set her face towards the southern outposts of the Faith in the New World, and laid down her life in such a spirit of consecration and self-sacrifice as has truly merited the crown of martyrdom."
On April 23rd the pioneers in Latin America, some of them alone, some in the consoling and inspiring presence of the new friends they had drawn into the Community of the Most Great Name, joined with the North American believers to commemorate the ascension of that pure and martyred spirit.
It was a signal demonstration of unity throughout a large part of the globe, brought about by one glorious act of sacrifice.
The unity thus dearly bought was now binding the countries of the North American continent more and more closely together. The United States and Canada, long closely united in their common Spiritual Assembly, had drawn into the family of the Bahá'í Administration their sister nation to the south, and now the Mexican community was developing rapidly. It had outgrown its center; it had a flourishing youth group and had established children's classes; it was publishing a six-page news letter; and its members had been busy translating the Bahá'í Writings, among them "Some Answered Questions," ~tThe Foundations of
World Unity," "The WisdomThe work of the pioneers and of the new believers throughout the southern Americas could not have been accomplished without the support of the body of the North American believers as a whole, and although this
Page 194support is hidden and cannot be estimated, it must not go unmentioned.
The prayers of the believers throughout North America were the spiritual sustenance of the whole endeavor; their gifts, steadily pouring into the national treasury provided its material nourishment.
Many are the sacrifices which will never be recorded except in the just and accurate annals of the
AbM Kingdom.One gift, however, we can gratefully acknowledge, that of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mathews, who, in a beautiful spirit of generosity, gave to the National Spiritual Assembly the title to the property known as Temerity Ranch at Pine Valley, Colorado, to be used as a training school for teachers in Latin America. This was to become the International School; and in the summer of 1940, under a committee consisting of Loulie Mathews, Mary Barton, Helen Bishop, George Latimer, and E. R. Mathews, it held its first session, an event which not oniy inaugurated the training program for which it was founded, but also aided the North American teaching work by spreading a knowledge of the Faith in its vicinity.
Certain communities in the United States were endeavoring, meanwhile, to reach Latin Americans in our own country. Of these efforts that of New York is the most distinguished. A series of programs at which visitors from the various American countries demonstrated the arts and culture of their native lands provided an opportunity to spread the Bahá'í teachings among them. These meetings were so successful that they have been continued at intervals throughout the succeeding years.
In October, 1940, the midpoint of the Seven Year Plan, the task set by the Guardian for that period had been accomplished.
There were assemblies in Mexico City, Baha, and Buenos Aires, groups in Havana, Tegucigulpa, Guatamala, Montevideo, and Panama. As early as April, Shoghi Effendi cabled ~o the Convention his joy that the believers had outstripped the goal set for 19391940: "Inter-continental crusade, through path broken by Martha Root and seal set by May Maxwell's death, yielding destined fruit. Galvanized, permanently safeguarded."
ClimaxThe period of eighteen months which followed the midpoint in the Seven Year Plan was the turning-point in the great drama of the Americas, the axis in point of time upon which the destiny of this hemisphere, and indeed of the world, was to revolve. It saw the United States and several of her sister American nations drawn into total global war, climax of evil and pain, marking the end of a long cycle; it saw a multiplication of difficulties and frustrations in the way of carrying the Bahá'í message; but it saw also the divine miracle of vernal growth in the spiritual soil of Latin America. For during this time the Faith was planted in all the remaining territories of the south, and those older communities, thrusting down new roots, began to grow and spread.
This period was marked by the settlement of devoted and able pioneers in Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Colombia, by the rapid flowering into assemblies of already established groups, and by independent work on the part of those groups and assemblies.
The sending out of pioneers now became more difficult.
Passports were held up; transportation was hard to obtain. Moreover, the journey to Central and South America had become increasingly dangerous. It was fortunate that to the Inter America Committee, which by this time had undergone some changes of personneP was added at this time (October, 1940) Miss Edna True, whose experience in conducting a travel bureau was invaluable and to whom must be given much of the credit for enabling the many pioneers who had arisen, to get to their appointed posts.
The new pioneers who went out at this time were Mrs. Eleanor Smith (Adler), Mrs. Marcia Steward (Atwater), Miss Elisabeth Cheney, and Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe
Wood. Miss Jeanne Bollesand Mr. Philip Sprague also departed for extensive teaching trips.
To the lofty and lonely heights of Bolivia, Eleanor Smith (Adler) carried the Mrs. Mathews, now intensively occupied in the establishment of the International School, had yielded the chairmanship to Mrs. Stuart W. French. Other members of the Committee at this time were: Mr. and Mrs. Octavio Illescas, Mr. David R. Rubin, Mrs. isabelle S. Dodge, Mrs.
Thomas Collins, and MissBahá'í Message in December, 1940. There she found a few responsive listeners and, although the tremendous altitude made activity on the part of the pioneer arduous and acceptance on the part of the people a matter of very slow growth, she warmed the hearts of many in La Paz with her loving spirit and prepared them for the great Teachings which they must ultimately accept. Before her return to the United States in July of the next year, she had welcomed into the Community of Bahá'u'lláh Bolivia's first believer, Mine. Yvonne de Cuellar.
Mrs. Steward, meanwhile, had gone to Santiago, where she joined forces with Sn. Espinosa, an Argentine who had been attracted to the Teachings in Buenos Aires by Mrs.
Frances Stewart. Thesetwo, with the help of Erica Lobi, the first person to be interested by Mrs. Atwater, started classes almost at once. N(/orking with nerve-shattering intensity, Mrs. Atwater spread the fire of the Bahá'í Faith with astounding rapidity through Santiago.
The first Chilean believer was Paul Bravo, a child of twelve. In April, 1941, the first adult, Mr. Bittencourt accepted the Faith. On April 21st there were five believers and soon this group had increased to ten. In May Mrs. Steward lectured at the University before an audience of three hundred or more.
And by summer a knowledge of the Bahá'í Teachings had spread outward in many directions: through a theosophical society; through a university group; among American newspaper people; and, because of Mrs. Steward's connection with the press, to the Chilean government itself.
With astounding rapidity the Cause in Santiago ran through phases of development which bad required in many North American communities a range of years: the growth from isolated believer to group, the development of wide publicity, the testing of the believers whereby they were trained in unity among themselves, the beginning of extension work, and finally, in 1943, the organization of an assembly. A part of this progress took place in Mrs. Steward's absence, for she returned for an extended visit to the
United States and Canadain March, 1942. But while she was away the responsibilities of the pioneer were assumed most ably by Mr. Tony Fillon, one of the new believers, until her place could be temporarily filled by Virginia Orbison.
Meanwhile Paraguay had received Elisabeth Cheney, who attracted to her weekly meetings a group of intellectual and artistic people, among them a former minister of education and a sculptor.
By March, 1941, in spite 0f revolution and the enervating effects of the unaccustomed tropical climate, Miss Cheney had stai4ed a youth group and was organizing an advanced study class of fifteen members. But Elisabeth Cheney was one of those who suffered the martyrdom of illness for the sake of the Seven Year Plan, an illness so serious as to jeopardize her life and force her to return home in the fall of 1941.
In Rio de Janeiro Leonorahad established themselves in an apartment and were holding small weekly meetings.
Elisabeth Cheney had visited them, passing through to Asunci6n; Mrs. Barton stopped on her way to Montevideo; Philip Sprague and later the Mottahedehs paused there on their teaching trips; Beatrice Irwin lectured there; and early in 1941 Mr. and Mrs. 'Wood arrived as settlers.
Gerrard Sluter had gone from Guatarnala to Colombia, and Eve Nicklin took up her residence in Lima, Peru, where she started a successful nursery school.
Meanwhile those groups and communities established during the first stages of the Seven Year Plan were entering a new phase of development. They showed an independent vitality which enabled the pioneers to change the character of their work to that so beautifully outlined by the Guardian at this time: "to nurse these tender plants of the Vineyard of God, to foster their growth, to direct their development, to help resolve their problems, to familiarize them with gentleness, patience and fidelity with the processes of the Administrative Order and thus enable them to assume independently the conduct of future local and national Bahá'í activities."
For this task the Inter America Bulletin was an instrument of great value.
Begun in July 1940 as a circular letter to pioneers, it soon began to carry a page or two of Spanish translations of the Writings, mes
Page 196sages from the Guardian, and other material valuable in bringing to the new groups and communities a sense of belonging to the worldwide fabric of the Cause. Thus these radiant new centers escaped the tendency to become separate ingrown little organisms and developed the spirit of brotherhood with the rest of the Bahá'í world so beautifully evident in their communication with the North American believers.
Even without pioneers some groups of believers were carrying on th5ir study of the Ba1A'i teachings. The Bahá'ís in Guatamala and Honduras were maintaining enthusiastic study classes alone.
Another sign of growth was an increase in newspaper and magazine publicity, especially in San Salvador and Costa Rica. John Eichenauer continued to write tactful and persuasive newspaper articles, which he began to get published in several countries of Central America, and in Costa Rica the magazine Alma Tica, edited by Senora de la Frank, one of the believers, printed several excellent articles about the Cause.
In Costa Rica the Causewas indeed developing rapidly. Not only was an assembly organized in 1941, but the community was carrying on extension work. It had started a study class at Puntarenas, had confirmed several believers there, and had given the Bahá'í message in five of the seven provinces of the country.
In Honduras also, the Faith was soon carried beyond its initial center, for John Eichenauer, leaving Clarence Iverson in San Salvador, settled in Rosario and began to introduce the
Teachings.Extension work was carried on even by the very young group in Chile, which sent a teacher for a month to Valparaiso, as well as by that oldest Latin American community, Mexico City, which had planted the Faith in Puebla.
In Buenos Aires PhilipSprague found that the attendance at meetings had grown tremendously.
A youth group had been organized; articles were being published; a translation of (CThe Dispen~ation of Bahá'u'lláh" was under way; a series of radio programs, two halfhour programs each week, was being given; extension work in Patagonia was planned; and the country home of Sr. Tormo was becoming a kind of summer school.
All along the line the same vitality was evident.Study classes became groups of be � lievers. Groups flowered into assemblies. In Ecuador, where John Stearns had as yet confirmed only one believer, Sr. Les Gonzales, an enthusiastic audience assembled to hear the Mottahedehs, and several professed themselves ready to become Baha'is.
In Nicaragua where MatthewKaszab had been confronted by serious difficulties, the two first believers were Srta. Blanca Mejia and Mr. Henry Wheelock.
In Cuba Mrs. Hoagg and then Miss Kruka steadily added to the group of Baha'is, and even Haiti, which bad hitherto presented to those devoted pioneers, the Blackwells, the stony face of indifference, produced a study class which yielded three believers: Mr. and Mrs. McBean and Miss
Muriel Johnson. By April1942 the number of assemblies was nine: Mexico City, Puebla, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Tegucigulpa, San Salvador, San Jos6, Punta-renos, and Havana.
The CulminationThe Guardian's cable to the Convention outlined the history of Inter America teaching beginning with the Aqdas, announced the final phase of the Seven Year Plan, called for many more pioneers, an~ instituted with a gift of $5000 the Shoghi Effendi
Deputization Fund.Many believers in North America who were unable to leave their homes found in the new fund an incentive to project themselves by their contributions into the Inter America teaching work. New pioneers were added to those ready to depart.
Flora Hottes, who had been awaiting transportation, flew down to Bolivia to take up the work begun by Eleanor Smith (Adler) � to encourage and strengthen the four Bolivian believers with her warm and sunny presence. Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Hamilton went to reside in Cristobal and so give help to those steadfast pioneers in Panama, Louise Caswell and Cora Oliver, who were further reinforced a little later by Julia Regal. Mr. Malcolm King of Milwaukee prepared to return to Jamaica, his
Page 197native land, to teach the Faith. Clarence Iverson in San Salvador, was joined by his mother.
Gertrude Eisenberg went to Brazil and Virginiawere later to teach in Paraguay. Ruth Shook, bound for Colombia, rather than wait for air transportation, went by rail to Mexico City and then by way of Guatamala and San Salvador. John Eichenauer, now in Guatamala, had with him his brother
Marshall. And PhilipSprague planned another teaching trip which took him through Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. That winter also, Winifred Baker sailed for Colombia, Gwen Sholtis went to Venezuela, and Mrs. Barton visited 'Wilfred in
Montevideo. Later EttaMae Lawrence went down to Buenos Aires to work with the youth group there.
The stories of these pioneers and of those who preceded them are tissues woven of the darkness of discouragement and the shining threads of victory. The recounting of the many small miracles by which human hearts were changed and the light of Bahá'u'lláh was spread must be left to the men and women who helped to bring them about.
They will constitute a glorious chapter in the history of mankind.
Here there is only space enough to record the great sweep of the conquest and to mention a few of its incidents.
The growth of the Cause was steady. In 1943 there were newly organized assemblies in Port au
Prince, Haiti; Guatamalaand Baha, Brazil, where the assembly, once disbanded could now be reinstated.
New teaching centers had been established, one of the most important being at Magallanes whither Mrs. Steward, at the request of the Guardian, went to carry the Faith to the southernmost end of the Americas. Gwen Sholtis sent in her first registration card from Venezuela, that of Srta. Leonora Mann. John Stearns began sponsoring a radio program in Quito under the auspices of his Kandy Kitchen, which provided a program of good music interspersed with readings from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This program could be picked up all over South America and occasionally in Spain.
But the most noticeable characteristic of this last period of the Seven Year Plan was the work undgrtaken by the local believers. Many of them were engaged in translating Bahá'í literature. The Mexican believers, as we have seen, had begun that great task. It was continued by the Bahá'ís of Buenos Aires, and in Uruguay three believers, hay' � ing finished the ccThirty~Six Lessons," embarked upon the gigantic task of translating "The
Dawn-Breakers."Not oniy were the new Bahá'ís translating the Writings � they were also publishing articles of their own. In Costa Rica two magazines were open to the Faith, Alma Tica and Repertoria Americano, edited by Sr. Gracia Monge who himself has written some articles on the Baha Teachings. Sr. Santos
Dominguez of Tegucigulpapublished a valuable little booklet, "Premier Cente-nario" which states the teachings and tells of the development of the Cause in Honduras.
Latin American teachers arose. Sr. Tormo went, with Wilfred Barton, to Paraguay. Sr. Ulloa went from Costa Rica to Panama to assist the pioneers there. Study groups in three cities of Argentine were taught by believers from Buenos
Aires. The Bahá'ís of Santiagowere carrying the Faith into other parts of Chile.
As time went on the visits between communities were more frequent until in 1941 the Inter America Committees wrote:
"Thus the Divine Plancontinually evolves. Threads of friendly human contacts weave back and forth, bringing out in ever elaborated beauty the Divine Plan of
World Unity."As individuals became more active, the communities as units began also to take on more responsibilities, demonstrating their growing maturity under the Administrative Order.
One sign of their development was the recognition of the Costa Rican assemblies and that of Montevideo by their respective governments.
The Assembly of BuenosAires now accepted the responsibility of publishing and disseminating Bahá'í books in Latin America. The Mexican assemblies were carrying on extension work in various parts of their country. San Salvador had begun teaching in Santa Ana, the second largest city of El Salvador.
Youth groups and children's classes wereorganized. Tegucigulpa inaugurated a Sunday school with sixteen members under the leadership of Sr. Tani Viana, and the Havana Assembly, aided by Josephine Kruka and Jean Silver, started children's classes which grew to number more than fifty enthusiastic members.
The youth work in San Salvador deserves special mention. It took the form of a youth academy, a schoal for boys, sixteen to twenty years old, who lacked the means to complete their education. They are given courses in Bahá'í culture, English, Grammar, Shorthand, Radio Telegraphy, Arithmetic, and First Aid. For this there are no charges, except a few cents a month for the hail and the chairs.
This remarkable demonstration of the Bahá'í spirit in action resulted in the formation of a strong youth group in San Salvador.
In 1943 youth symposiums were held in Cuba, Costa Rica, in Honduras, in El Salvador, in Chile, although there were only two young Baha, and perhaps in other places from which we have no report.
Meanwhile the Latin Americanwork in the United States continued. The sessions of the Internatonal School at Temerity Ranch, product of the generous, glowing sQlrlt of Loulie Mathews, became increasingly valuable.
Th2 collected notes of four sessions brings together with an attractive presentation of the Faith an extraordinary amount of information about the South and Central American countries.
New York continued its Latin American programs and friendship gatherings of various kinds were held elsewhere. One of them sponsored by the Regional Committee of the West Coast and financed by Loulie Mathews was held in the Brazilian
Room near Berkeley. Themayor of Berkeley, the consul general from Peru and consuls from various countries were guest speakers. Latin American musicians performed, and Marzieh Gail read the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
On another occasion Mrs.persuaded a group of distinguished Latin Americans attending the International Conference of the New Education Fellowship at Ann Arbor to attend some of the classes at
Louhelen.Realizing the desperate need of Bahá'í literature in French, she typed copies of some of the Writings, bound them herself and sent them to the friends in Haiti.
In North America also, working steadily through the years, was the Committee. Finding and training pioneers, arranging the minute details of their going and coming, coordinating their activities, keeping them in touch with the Cause in North America, tran:mtting the Guardian's messages, encouraging them, supporting them in difficulty and discouragement, recording their achievements and arousing for them the support of the whole North American community, year after year the committee pushed the work ahead. Each member contributed his own special quality to the work. The spiri~ua1 fire and energy of Loulie Mathzws launched the enterprise under special instructions from the Guardian; the wise kindliness and serene patience of Nellie French and her gift for organization have carried it on. The industry and practical experience of Edna True, the ardor and warmth of OctaviG Illescas and his knowledge of South America, and the special gifts and the devotion of all the other members have made the success of the Inter America work possible.
But it is the pioneers after all to whom we owe our homage. It is they to whom Bahá'u'lláh wrote: CCShould a man, all alone, arise in the name of Baha and put on the armor of His love, him will the Almighty cause to be victorious, though the forces of earth and heaven be arrayed against him." Th:y sacrificed their homes, their comfort, sometimes their health, or even life itself to carry the
Message of Bahá'u'lláh.They worked intensely, gave of themselves lavishly.
They endured terrible heart-search-ings with the strength of deep humility. ttPioneering is a constant discipline of no uncertain strength," wrote one of them. ~ are sent to teach, but I sometimes wonder if The complete list of those who have served on the
Inter America CommitteeDodge, Amelia Collins, Lervy loas, Frances Stewart, Siegfried Schopflocker,
Pedro Espinoza, OctavioBell, Mrs. II. J. Stanudigi, Christine Lofstedt and
Dr.the pioneer doesn't learn as much as he imparts � I mean in understanding, character building, patience, especially patience, compassion, and especially also he must learn how to !take things'! The range is all the way from a New Year's party on the roof, watching the sun rise ovet the magnificent Cordillera, to giving blood for transfusions to someone who has tried to die � all part of carrying the Cause which is assurance, to the unassured."
There were martyrdoms � of the spirit and of the flesh. Some of these bearers of the Word of God � Elisabeth Cheney, Matthew Kaszab, Gwen Sholtis, and John Stearns became very ill. Matthew Kaszab suffered imprisonment because his mission was tragically misunderstood.
Ill and alone he journeyed back to Texas and there died. In Brownsville a burial stone erected by Mrs. Mathews marks his grave. It bears a design of the Greatest Name and a quotation from the Guardian's cable.
Matthew KaszabIn Buenos Aires there is another monument � a pure white shaft of Carrara marble crowned with wings, symbol of the victory of sacrifice. Designed for the beloved May Maxwell by her husband, it was erected by the Guardian and the North American community in 1943. Mrs. Collins, representing the National Spiritual Assembly, selected the sculptor and placed the contract.
Sr. Tormo and WilfredBarton were left to supervise the work. Thus, cooperating in loving reverence to commemorate one of the three great martyrs to the spread of the Faith throughout the world, the North and South American believers sealed a union which will last forever.
As this is written nearly two months of the first century still remain.
The final records are not in, but victory for the Seven Year Plan in Central and South America has long been assured. It was consolidated by a recent visit to South America by Dorothy Baker, representing the National Spiritual Assembly. Mexico, the first assembly to be formed, has created sister assemblies in Puebla and Vera Cruz and has believers in six other places. In the remaining territory included in the Plan there arc sixteen assemblies, including Puerto Rico, not strictly a part of the Inter American work under the Seven Year Plan. No Latin American country is without a group of believers. From Magallanes to Alaska Bahá'u'lláh is known and believers throughout the Americas stand ready for new tasks in a new century.
The American Bahá'ís have worked devotedly to achieve this victory but it could never have been accomplished without the Guardian.
Behind the pioneers, behind the cQmmittee, the National Spiritual Assembly, and the community at large, he stood, plan-fling each step firing us all for its accomplishment, giving generously of money and of spirit. His letters sustained the pioneers and encouraged the new assemblies. With his steadfast strength he has compensated for our frailty. He is the pillar on which the unity of the western hemisphere is built.
3.THE believers of God throughouttising them with the fire all the republics of America,of the love of God, the through the divine power, water of life, and the must become the cause breaths of the Holy Spirit of the promotion of heavenlyso that the second birth teachings and the estab-lishmentmay become realized. For of the oneness of humanity.it is written in the Everyone of the importantGospel, tthat which is souls must arise blowing overborn of the flesh is all parts of America, flesh; and that which the breath of life, conferringis born of the spirit upon the people a new is spirit.'
spirit, bap 'Abdu'l-BaháHumanity entering outer fringes most perilous stage (of) its existence, Opportunities of present hour unimaginably precious.
WOULD TO GOD EVERY STATE~'J cannot forbear address my particular plea to focus, owing to virtual termination of Temple ornamentation, attention on teaching requirements of the Plan. I appeal to incoming National Assembly, its auxiliary Teaching Committees and subsidiary agencies to deliberate and devise means to � and formation of Assembly in each newly-opened State and Province of North America.~~
� Shoghi EffendiFor seven challenging years, the American Bahá'í Community has engaged in a mighty effort, the spiritual conquest of a "front extending the entire length and breadth of the Western Hemisphere."
These last seven years of the first Bahá'í Century (19371944) ushered in an era whose splendor must outshine the heroic age of our beloved Cause."
They inaugurated the world mission to which 'Abdu'l-Bahá called America in the Tablets of the
Divine Plan. 'Abdu'l-BaháHimself set the confines of this initial stage of the era of Ccdd expansion," of the Faith;~ccEveryone of the important souls must arise, blowing over all parts of America, the breath of life."
In North America, this tremendous undertaking called for the establishment of a Spiritual Assembly in each State and Province of the North American continent, including Alaska. In the preliminary months of its operation, it claimed the exertions of only a few; but under the stimulus of the Guardian s messages took shape as a major objective of the Seven Year Plan; continuously calling more and more torchbearers of the new civilization to scale Id tier heights; until literally hundreds of pioneers, teachers, and administrators, focusing their entire energies on the goals, forever immortalized the sixth and crucial year with the establishment of twenty-eight new Assemblies; assuring at the height of the seventh year, on March 28, 1944, the attainment of its final consummation in "total and resounding victory."
The Prelimimiry StageIn reviewing the valorous deeds of the Faithful during this greatest collective effort of the American Baha'is, we should turn back to the early glimmerings of the opening of this new day of teaching service. Did not the Guardian as early as 1932 recognize the "reconstructed teaching program and set as the high standard of sacrificial effort, the immortal deeds of the Dawn-breakers? "Feel impelled appeal entire body American believers henceforth regard Nabil's soul-stirring Narrative as essential adjunct to reconstructed
Teaching program." Duringthis same year, 1932, the exterior ornamentation of the Bahá'í House of Worship was started, and teaching work in Latin-America was initiated by the first of its roll of pioneer workers.
There evolved during these preliminary days, a transition in the outlook and efforts of the friends. The conception of teaching as being solely a series of individual achievements developed into the realization that to gain the greatest results for the Faith, these separate efforts must be coordinated and canalized through proper channels and committees. Finally there opened the glorious vista that the entire administrative structure of the Faith had been laboriously reared for the one purpose of providing an instrument through which the Call of God might reach effectively all the denizens of the earth.
The friends gradually grew to understand that the success of the new teaching era of the Faith depended upon a rededication to the service of the Faith and a vastly increased activity on the part of everyone; that the confirmations of God descended on even the humblest regardless of the manner or the field in which they laboured.
Thus,tTI ~T1 The 32nd Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April 2528, 1940.
Page 202each one, finding the niche he could best fill, found there the confirmations and blessings of the Holy Spirit as well as the means for his own individual spiritual growth.
It became clear also that the previous methods of extending the Faith into new areas by itinerant teachers, lecturers and limited followup were not sufficiently effective, but that the only method whereby lasting results could be achieved was through the settlement plan. By 1 935, the Guardian's call was for settlers who, "in utter disregard of their own weAnesses and limitations, and with hearts afire with the love of God, forsake their all, for the sake of spreading and establishing His Faith. In other words, what is mostly needed is a Bahá'í pioneer."
The Tasks of the SevenAt the beginning of the Seven Year Plan, after the Faith had existed in this country for 43 years, there were 72
Spiritual Assembliesin 26 States and Provinces, with 24 Bahá'í Groups and 246 Isolated Believers, with the Faith established in 303 cities.
In the remaining seven years of the first Bahá'í century, the American Bahá'ís were called upon to establish the Faith in 34 new States and Provinces, 10 of which did not have even one Baha'i. Furthermore, these areas were found to be among the most backward, not oniy from the standpoint of religious intolerance, but also in the way of educational development, cultural achievements, and economic welfare.
with the dramatic achievement of the greatly coveted goal on March 28, 1944, we find 136 Spiritual Assemblies, 197 Bahá'í Groups, and the Faith vigorously functioning in over 1,300 cities on the North American continent; � the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh shining in resplendent glory from the vast expanses of Alaska to the Keys of Florida; and from the isolation of Prince Edward Island to the sunny shores of California.
"The brilliant achievements of the heroic pioneers, the itinerant teachers, the indefatigable administrators of Bahá'í teaching activities, whether local, regional, or national," cables the Guardian, C!set the seal of total victory on the Seven Year Plan, befittingly consummate the fifty year long enterprises undertaken by the American Bahá'í community, and adorn the concluding chapter of the first Bahá'í century.
My heart is thrilled with joy, love, pride and gratitude at the contemplation of the stupendous shining deed immortalizing the valiant prosecutors of the greatest collective enterprise ever launched in the course of the history of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh."
The American Bahá'ís in turn are humbly grateful for the privilege of having participated in laying firmly the foundation on which the spiritual mission of America is to be built.
Deepening Realizationof the Significance of the Plan Little did the Convention of 1936 suspect the far-reaching implications of Shoghi Effendi's words, the sacrifices entailed, and the heights of spiritual service to be reached. But when we look back at the course which the Faith and the world have run, their import is clarified!
~~Appea1 assembled delegates ponder historic appeal voiced by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (in) Tablets (of) Divine Plan.
First century Bahá'íHumanity entering outer fringes most perilous stage its existence.
Opportunities (of) present hour unimaginalAy precious.
Would to God every State within American Republic and every Republic in American continent might ere termination of this glorious century embrace (the) light (of the) Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and establish structural basis of His 'World Order."
The progress of the Seven Year Plan, not clearly evaluated by the believers at its start, came to be realized as "an initial stage in the unfoldment of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í vision of America's spiritual destiny."
It came to be regarded as a sequence in a vast enterprise of teaching, inaugurating that Divine Plan "for whose execution the entire machinery of the Administrative Order was for no iess than sixteen years patiently and laboriously erected."
Above all, the teaching phases of the Seven Year Plan came to be recognized as a providential mission of the American Baha'is, to carry the life-giving
Message of Bahá'u'lláhto a deprived and struggling generation in the hour of its judgment and promise.
Page 203tTl The 33rd Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April 2427, 1941.
Page 204Early in the course of the Plan, the Guardian disclosed its potentialities as a befitting climax to this first Bahá'í Century. As the final months drew near, he revealed it as "the crowning crusade of the first century," its consummation the floodgate "to release the flow of those blessings that must signalize the termination of the first, and usher in the dawn of the second, Bahá'í
Century."How glorious a privilege to be chosen as "��tl descendants" of the Dawn-breakers!
How rich our destiny to support, in the midst of world conflict and despite formidable obstacles, this vast tin-dertaking, this organized crusade, which, the Guardian assures us, has '~ga1vanized into action" our sister communities and provided "the chief impulse to the extraordinary expansion" of their activities.
In the light of such remarkable testimony, at this hour of triumph after prolonged and arduous trial, the hearts of all American Bahá'ís are truly filled with awe and gratitude as we contemplate the outcome of these past seven years.
Only the words of our beloved Guardian, whose aid and guidance evoked this teglorious consummation," can acclaim or measure it: C!Th prosecution of the Plan, whose scope transcends every other enterprise launched by Baha communities throughout the whole century must cre the hundred years run out, culminate in one last, supreme effort whose repercussions will resound throughout the Bahá'í world."
WINNING THE GOALSStates and Provinces, 10 of which (marked "4 had no Baha'is. Alabama% Arkansas*, Delaware*, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico,
North Carolina, NorthDakota, OklahQma, Rhode Island*, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah't Vermont,
Virginia, WestVirginia*, Wyoming, Alaskat Alberta, Manitoba'� New Brunswick,
Nova Scotia%Bahá'ís arose enthusbstically to play their parts in the
Divine Dramawhich was opening in their country's spiritual destiny.
The impact of the call of the Guardian, as well as the realization that at long last they were collectively launching a campaign to fulfill the injunctions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, brought forth unceasing sacrifice, untiring efforts and heroic deeds, as well as a depth of spiritual consciousness which it is impossible to measure.
Forty-eight devoted souis arose for the diffusion of the Faith in this vast area; twenty becoming permanent settlers, and twenty-eight covering as much territory as possible with teaching campaigns. Four virgin areas were won to the Faith during this year � Kansas,
Oklahoma, New BrunswickWhile settlements were arranged in Alabama and West Virginia, unfortunately isolated Bahá'ís moved from South Carolina and Vermont, leaving at the close of the year, ten
States and ProvincesStates and Proyinces, 10 of which (marked *) have no Baha'is. Alabama, Arkansas% Dela � ware*, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada*. New Hampshire, New Mexico,
North Carolina, NorthDakota, Texas, Utaht Vermont '&, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska% Alberta,
Manitoba*, Nova Scotia'�The Second Year of the Seven Year Plan was marked by a translation of the growing appreciation of increasing responsibility into vigorous action on the part of individuals, action on the part of groups and action on the part of Assemblies. A period of renewed activity followed and in no case was there any recession. The doors of guidance opened wider and wider � and the confirmations from on High were well-nigh staggering. Every individual and group testified to the manner in which divine blessing descended on each effort, no matter how small. Little wonder that the Guardian challenged the Bah4~is~~ccLet the doubter arise and himself verify the truth of such assertions.
Page 205The new surge of pioneer service was launched by the Guardian's historic message of January 2, 1939 � ttThe Concourse on high expectantly await, ready (to) assist (and) acclaim (the) nine Holy souls who, independently, or as deputies, will promptly, fearlessly volunteer (to) forsake (their) homes, cast away (their) attachments (and) definitely settle (in) these territories (to) lay firm anchorage (of the) Administrative Order (of this) undefeatable
Faith."~To the amazement of the Friends, not only nine souis arose in response to the Guardian's appeal, but a total of eighty-one sought pioneer posts. By the close of the year pioneers had settled in the nine remaining virgin areas without believers, while six additional pioneers joined the ranks of the tthb" of the Faith.
Moreover, the work of the first year was strengthened and consolidated, with
Spiritual Assembliesbeing formed in Montana and New Mexico. For the first time every State and Province throughout the
United States and Canadawas illumined by the light of Bahá'u'lláh through the settlement of at least one Baha'i.
The second year saw tenorganized increasing the total Assemblies to 88; with 15 pioneers moving into virgin areas.
THIRD YEARAreas. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, SouthDakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
Saskatchewan.The third year opened auspiciously by the tremendous movement of "holy souls" into virgin areas, until the settlement of 48 pioneers had been concluded.
This intense spirit of pioneering manifested itself not only among those who had gone into the field, but as strongly among those who had remained at home. Thus the entire year was marked by an energy and enthusiastic service such as the Cause in America had never known.
The entire Bahá'í community arose as one unit to spread Ccthe elixir that is life itself," over the entire country. Isolated Believers became veritable lighthouses in the surrounding darkness, groups grew very rapidly, and to climax these great achievements the Guardian made an urgent appeal that the work for the year be consummated with at least 100 Spiritual
Assemblies.The response of the American Bahá'ís was immediate, producing at the end of the year, a total of 16 new Assemblies, which gained not oniy the goal called for by th~ Guardian, but actually, 102 Spiritual
Assemblies.Of the sixteen new Assemblies, three were in virgin areas � Nebraska,
South Carolina and Utah;while the Assembly in New Brunswick reverted to group status, thus leaving 26 virgin areas.
The third year witnessed remarkable advancement on four fronts: the Southern States, Canada, Alaska, and aPioneering at Home."
In the Tablets of thecalled attention to the fact that in the Soutbern States CC13~ adequate and befitting motion has been realized and no great acclamation and acceleration has been witnessed." At the opening of the Seven Year Plan, there existed in the sixteen Southern States only S Assemblies, 2 groups and 46 isolated believers; while six of these States possessed no Baha'is.
During this year the National Assembly adopted a policy for teaching in the South, which the Guardian referred to as the most progressive plan for teaching in the Southern States yet devised; and under which the Cause moved forward swiftly. At the end of the third year there were 9 Assemblies, 12 Bahá'í groups and 90 isolated believers, and no States without a Baha'i.
25 of the 48 pioneers who went into the virgin areas, permanently settled in Southern States. Thus, ttt]~ fragrance of holiness (was) diffused with swiftness and rapidity."
The expansion in Canada was equally notable. At the beginning of the Seven Year Plan there were Assemblies in Montreal and Vancouver, with no groups listed and only four isolated Baha'is. In 1938 Moncton, St. Lambert and Toronto were organized. In the third year of the plan, however, the
Page 2060', The 34th Bahá'í National Convention of Canada and United States � April 30-May 3, 1942.
Page 207Cause spread through the prairie provinces with great momentum with public campaigns in such cities as Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon and Calgary. At the end of 1940, believers were found in every province, four Assemblies had been established, two groups were functioning and there were 19 isoLated believers.
During this year, the Cause spread in Alaska.Pioneers moved to Anchorage and Juneau, and the first Alaskan Bahá'í under the Seven Year Plan settled in Fairbanks.
There also developed a new movement of intensive teaching by all of the Assemblies. This concept of tpioneering at home," enabled each Assembly to survey the areas under its jurisdiction and to assign to various Baha'is, the introduction of the Cause into new civil areas. "Pioneering at home" was soon launched as the basis of a national pioneering movement.
FOURTH YEARAreas. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
Saskatchewan.With over 2 50 cities represented in the membership lists of the 102 Spiritual
Assemblies, the Guardianinstituted a reorganization of Assemblies on the basis of residence within civil limits. Although a number of Assemblies were thereby forced to disband; at the same time a great increase in the number of Bahá'í groups resulted, laying a solid base for the further expansion of the
Faith.The development of Regional Committees likewise took on new dimensions. Up to the fourth year all virgin areas had been under the immediate direction of the National Teaching Committee, but now that Bahá'ís and groups were vigorously functioning in all States and Provinces, the National Teaching Committee recommended that Regional Committees be established in every area in North America. Nine additional Regional Committees were appointed; this gave a total of 22, embracing within their jurisdiction the whole of the United States and Canada. Thus the Committee felt that an effective instrument had at last been established to assist it in carrying on the rapidly expanding teaching work. The Guardian himself further strengthened this teaching instrument by explaining that the Regional Committees would report directly to the National Teaching Committee and would serve as "auxiliaries" and tcrs~~ in carrying on the tremendous teaching obligations.
In this transition year the number of Assemblies in the country were reduced to 95, while one settlement project was concluded.
FIFTH YEARAreas. Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada,
New Hampshire, NorthCarolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan.
The fifth year opened with the Guardian's decision to extend our teaching goals for North America from a nucleus of believers in every State and Province to the establishment of Local Spiritual Assemblies.
For the first time it seemed the American Bahá'ís came to real grips with the realization that if Bahá'u'lláh's Divine Order is to be established on this continent, all minor issues must be set aside for the 'tall important task."
'What in the past had been a matter of sporadic effort now compelled primary and complete concentration.
The National TeachingCommittee immediately initiated studies of the status of teaching work, and of available resources; while detailed surveys of every virgin area were prepared. Broad objectives, as well as specific teaching projects were evolved and promptly set in motion. Each Regional Committee was asked to select a goal city in each virgin area and to concentrate on winning a Spiritual Assembly in that city. All Assemblies were requested to lend every possible assistance in the way of settlers, itinerant teachers, and travelling
Baha'is.First Alaskan BaU'i Assembly, formed in Anchorage, 1943.
Calls were made by theand the National Spiritual Assembly for additional pioneers and for a resurgence of that spirit which had brought such marked success in the third year of the Plan.
The story of the fifth year is one of canalization, of focusing of energies on the part of individuals and collective bodies. The surveys and projects inaugurated laid the foundation for the truly stupendous achievements which followed in the sixth year. At the same time, the fifth year gained lost ground and succeeded in recruiting 1 2 additional pioneers, and forming 14 Spiritual Assemblies, S in virgin areas. At the end of the year there were 101 Spiritual Assemblies in the United States and Canada; while the virgin areas were reduced to 24, the lowest point reached during the plan.
SIXTH YEARAreas. Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,
Mississippi, NeMexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Alberta, Prince Edward Island,
Saskatchewan.The challenge of the sixth year is manifest in the fact that only 10 of the original 34 virgin areas had been won in five years; while 24 remained to be conquered.
The Guardian cabled to the Convention "upon crucial years ahead hinge the fortunes of this historic crusade." In October, C~f ate of Seven Year Plan is perilously hanging in the balance. I am moved to plead afresh for the immediate multiplication of pioneers in teaching field on a scale far surpassing anything hitherto contemplated."
Renewed surveys were made of the unfinished tasks and urgent appeals issued by the National Spiritual Assembly and the National
Teaching Committee. FromJanuary 2225, twelve area conferences were held throughout the United States and Canada by the
National Spiritual Assemblyto create the dedication and spirit necessary to achieve success, to "determinedly press forward, nobly persevere."
The supreme requirement in the sixth year, the Guardian made clear, was "the increase in the number of pioneers of every class, race, age and outlook," irrespective of qualifications, (Cwhether newly enrolled or of old standing in the Faith."
The need is to get the people to settle in these virgin tern-tories as quickly as possible. Speed should be your motto."
Speed, in the face of the increasing restrictions on travel, resources and manpower. Speed marked the-swiftly vanishing months of the last two years.
Speed became the motto of all who yearned to pioneer.
The history of these months is rich with the devotion and sacrifice of the friends.
'With little or no regard for their own affairs, our pioneers and settlers hastened to rake up their posts. Yet their testimony is that the bounties of Bahá'u'lláh exceeded many fold the deprivations.
The financial independence alone, which all were able to establish almost at once was truly miraculous.
And how many pioneers extolled the privileges and joys of their tasks! A surprising evidence of the virility of this campaign has been the youthfulness of many of the pioneers, at least fifteen being youths in their early twenties, while many were but little older.
The great activity aroused by the seriousness of the development of the Seven Year Plan brought new victories and this most crucial year'' on whose achievements hung the fate of the Seven Year Plan, garnered the greatest results of any year of the entire plan. During this year 105 pioneer settlers moved into the virgin areas conquering 17 of them for the Faith, while a total of 28 Spiritual Assemblies were organized, bringing the number of Spiritual Assemblies to 124. Thus the most crucial and critical year saw more pioneers going into virgin areas than the first five years combined. It conquered more virgin areas for the Faith than the total of the first five years; and likewise produced more Spiritual Assemblies than had ever been produced in one year in the history of the Faith in North
America."I acclaim magnificent victory in the Teaching field in the course of the sixth year of the Seven Year Plan," cabled Shoghi Eflendi, when apprised of the results of this supreme effort. CCJ heartily congratulate the National Teaching Committee and feel proud of its high endeavors and of the sacrifices of the beloved pioneers.~~
SEVENTH YEARAreas. Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Alaska, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan.
The opening of the seventh year found the believers full of hope for a speedy conclusion of the Plan.
"Total victory is within sight," cabled the Guardian. Only seven tin-finished tasks remained and their conquest was stimulated by Shoghi Effendi's decision that "Local Spiritual Assemblies may be formed as soon as nine believers available." Now, which should be the first to organize, which the last?
How quickly could the goals be realized? These were the questions which dominated the American Bahá'í Community.
At the same time, the friends were Conscious of a weighty responsibility to safeguard the spiritual prizQs already won. By all means each State and Province must have its Spiritual Assembly so complete victory might be the foundation Lor the new administrative procedure of State and Province elections of Convention Delegates. Nor must the elaborate preparations in connection with the celebration of our glorious Centennial be overlooked or neglected, "jf we would befittingly consummate this most fecund century of the Bahá'í era," wrote Shoghi Effendi in March, 1943. "An unprecedented, a carefully conceived, efficiently coordinated and nationwide campaign, aiming at the proclamation of the message of Bahá'u'lláh through speeches, articles in the press, radio broadcasts should be promptly initiated and vigorously prosecuted."
Speed was still the motto so the unfinished tasks might be promptly and quickly consummated, permitting undivided application of the energies of the friends on the unprecedented and systematic teaching campaign planned to befittingly crown the last year of the first Bahá'í century.
Thus the seventh year opened with threedistinct teaching responsibilities; the completion of the unfinished tasks of the Seven Year Plan; the carrying forward of this great national teaching campaign; and the preparations for the great celebrations of the centennial period.
The unfinished tasks of the seventh year required the settlement of 26 believers in seven virgin areas. In addition to this, it was desirable to strengthen Assemblies in a number of the virgin areas.
The onrushing tide of pioneers continued into the seventh year, so that 69 pioneers moved into virgin areas during this last year.
The long-sought goals were won in two surging periods of achievement, in the fall and in the spring, culminating in the election of three Canadian Assemblies on March 28, 1944, a day immortalized as marking the triumph of the Seven
Year Plan.~ congratulate the best beloved American Believers.
I share their joy, and wish them God speed, confident of still greater victories, as they forge ahead in the course of the second Bahá'í century, along the path leading them to their high destiny."
Shoghi Effendi.Anticipating early completion of the unfinished tasks in the virgin areas in the corn � ing year, the National Teaching Committee expressed the hope in its annual report of the sixth year that the closing months of the Seven Year Plan might be devoted to a teaching campaign "worthy in scope to crown this century."
That this should become one of the major responsibilities of the American Bahá'í Community in the closing year of this Bahá'í century was made clear in the Guardian's message to the Convention quoted above, calling for an "unprecedented and carefully conceived, efficiently coordinated nationwide teaching campaign." Accordingly the NationA Spiritual Assembly approved a program proposed by the National Teaching Committee which would integrate all of the teaching resources and personnel of the Bahá'í community in a mighty teaching effort. This plan divided the remainder of the Bahá'í year into five teaching periods of two months each, during each of' which, public meetings, publicity, radio programs, and all teaching activities would revolve around a given theme. The five themes adopted were, Race Unity,
Religious Unity, WorldOrder, the Manifestation, and the Bahá'í Centennial.
All of the National Committees oriented their work for the seventh year on the subjects so as to provide a continuous flow of teaching material for the use of the groups and Assemblies.
Regional Teaching Committeesarranged teaching circuits within their respective areas, so as to make the maximum use of teachers in their goal cities, as well as assist all groups participating in the centennial year teaching campaign.
This combined planning and service on the part of all of the administrative bodies and committees, together with the harnessing and release of all the resources and energies of the Bahá'í community as a whole, resulted in the most widespread teaching program ever witnessed in the history of the Cause in
America.From the first dawn of this mighty enterprise � the conquest of thirty-four virgin States and Provinces, ten of which possessed not a single Bahá'í � the instrument of achievement and the thrilling focus of service has been pioneering.
The accomplishment of so vast a project could not be conceived without the courageous settlement of countless believers.
Their exploits, their sacrifices, their enduring and heroic loyalty will never be exceeded. How great the honor accorded these 293 friends, who, since the Guardian initial call, have contributed their "decisive share to so gigantic, so sacred and historic an undertaking."
To find� the source of such an unequalled movement of settlers, we must turn to the first nineteen days of this spiritual enterprise, for on May 19, 1936, Shoghi Effendi informed the American friends that his "con-vention plea cannot achieve its purpose unless dauntless pioneers promptly arise and, forsaking (their) homeland, permanently reside (in) countries where light of Faith (has) not yet penetrated." Today as we review the course of the Plan, it is evident that every renewed surge toward victory, resulted from some similar call, which, re
Page 211verberating in the hearts of the faithful, summoned an ever-increasing number to the pioneer front.
How clear it was from the beginning that the privilege of pioneering for the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh was open to all. c(Who among its stalwart defenders," asked the Guardian in 1937, "will arise to implant its banner in those States, Provinces (and) countries where its standard is still unhoisred?" And in 1939: "God's own Plan has been set in motion. It is gathering momentum with every passing day. Let the doubter arise and himself verify the truth of such assertions." In 1942 the Guardian emphasized again and again: "The increase in the number of pioneers, of every class, race, age and outlook is the vital need of the present hour," and indeed, it was only in the sixth year that we began to appreciate the import of his repeated messages. Yet almost throughout the seventh year the roll was still incomplete, and the priceless opportunities were offered to "all ranks of the faithful," even to the tC1th~~ hour.
"Whoever will arise, in these concluding, fast-fleeting months of the last year of the first Bahá'í Century to fill the remaining posts, and thereby set the seal of total victory on a Plan so pregnant with promise, will earn the lasting gratitude of the present generation of believers in both the East and the 'West, will merit the acclaim of posterity, will be vouchsafed the special benediction of the Concourse on High, and be made the recipient of the imperishable bounties of Him Who is the Divine Author of the Plan itself." (November 1, 1943.)
The Pioneer Roll of Honor, eternally inscribing the names of the "trajibreakers" of the Formative Age, bears astonishing witness to the diversity and truly representative quality of those who waged this historic campaign. From the North and South, the East and West, from the ranks of youth and of age, from a rich variety of racial and national background, "veteran believers" and 'tneophytes" alike � we find them all included here. The support and sacrifices of Local Spiritual Assemblies are reflected as we", for some have contributed in great number from their community ranks.
But no one who scans theand has not himself experienced the vicissitudes and joys of the pioneer front, can know what chapters of vital history go unrecorded. What will the future say of men and women, who, in the midst of an unparalleled depression, forsook their positions and security and established their independence anew, often in areas of underprivileged and low economic level?
'Who can estimate the obstacles which beset them in all the aspects of life, as they found new homes, sought work, built friendships, adjusted the relationships of their children, carried the responsibilities of the Faith, and held "aloft and undimmed the torch of Divine Guidance"?
How fully do we appreciate the arduous labors of the pioneers to establish and organize administrative institutions, often with little or no experience, learning as they taught, hdping new friends to mature, and repeating in the swift passage of a few months the process of growth and consolidation which engaged the American Community for a decade?
And how clearly have we realized their dynamic initiative in teaching and the ambitious scope of their activities, which have yielded in numbers of new believers confirmed actual re-suits exceeding the endeavors of organized communities?
Above all, what will human-fry conclude, when, looking back on this darkest period and appalled by the problems and agonies of war, it discovers these "stal-wart warriors" of God, who pursued their undeviating course while the nations crumbled, erecting the foundations of the coming world?
No, though we extol their fortitude, though the accounts of their deeds have thrilled us these seven years, it is not for us to evaluate that Ccsuperb spirit evinced by the pioneers holding their lonely posts in widely scattered areas throughout the Americas.
As we read their names, we can but turn to the promises of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, which gleam in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, confident that these souTh are in the vanguard of His good pleasure: "The full measure of your success is as yet unrevealed, its significance still unapprehended. Ere long ye will, with your own eyes, witness how brilliantly every one of you, even as a shining star, will radiate, in the firmament of your country, the light of
Divine Guid �ance, and will bestow upon its people the glory of an everlasting life."
Teaching AdministrationThose who reflect on the expansion of teaching effort in North America during the Seven Year Plan will recognize the incomparable part played by the Teaching Committees.
Indeed, one of the most impressive results of this continent-wide campaign has been the development of a teaching instrument adequate in scope and sufficiently flexible to deal with the multiplicity of problems and details which have required attention during the uphuilding of this work.
As we look back to even the preliminary stages leading up to the development of the Seven Year Plan, we find that the National Teaching Committee, as early as 193233 proposed regional representation in carrying out the ccrecGnstructed teaching campaign." As the teaching work developed it required more and more coordination, planning and direction.
The need for canalizing programs of activity became imperative. By the opening of the Seven
Year Plan Regional Representationin those days the National Teaching Committee could look for assistance to ten Resional Committees, not too closely related, and responsible for only 37 States and Provinces, the majority of which had Assemblies. Thus, the settlement of most of the virgin areas of the Plan, was handled directly by the National Teaching Committee; and all arrangements with pioneers were made by the National Committee.
Finally, after the initial goal of at least one Bahá'í in each virgin area had been reached, and the number and scope of our teachers increased, it was found necessary to bring all the expanse of North America, including Alaska, under the embracing arms of
Regional Committees.It was in this same year that the Guardian clarified the relationship of Regional Committees with the National Committee; and thus firmly established the teaching administration which had gradually evolved over a period of nine years, as an effective instrument of teaching service.
The last three years have seen a remarkable growth in the endeavors and capabilities of Regional Committees.
Increasingly, .they have absorbed a formidable mass of teaching responsibility, exercised great initiative, envisioned and prosecuted ambitious projects, and canalized and directed immense energies within the teaching areas assigned to their care.
Cooperating with LocalCommittees in supervision for groups and isolated believers, they have concentrated their efforts upon the cherished goals of the Seven Year Plan. At the same time, they have carried their counsel and support to the development of other new communities and to the widespread stimulation of teaching work.
Their own reports, throughout these years, bear witness to the scope of their undertakings and to their brilliant achievements in organizing new Assemblies, arranging teaching circuits, publishing bulk tins, sponsoring teacher training, organizing regional conferences, and maintaining intimate contact with hundreds of groups and isolated believers.
Nor should we overlook the significance to the future unfoldment of the Faith, of the fact that some 336 individuals have served as members of Regional Committees during the past seven years, gaining thereby an invaluable experience, and widening the base of nationwide participation in active prosecution of the Plan.
Teaching CircuitsOne of the outstanding and vital elements of the success of the Seven Year Plan has been the active cooperation and support given to every pioneer and every pioneering venture.
Not oniy the moral and spiritual backing of the friends was given to the trailblazers of the New Day, but likewise material and personal assistance in the way of teaching material, teaching assistance, with active support of itinerant and resident teachers.
Under the direction of the National and Regional Committees teaching circuits were continuously maintained, assuring all pioneers and all key cities regular and consistent public teaching assistance.
This in itself entailed extensive administrative handling so that every teaching effort would be given proper and adequate followup.
Page 213During the first year of the teaching program, there were five teaching circuits. This project expanded constantly until in the seventh year of the Plan, the National Teaching Committee alone arranged for 78 inter-regional teaching circuits, routing some 47 teachers. Regional Committees likewise conducted teaching circuits within their respective areas � so that during the seventh year there was a movement of over 100 Bahá'í teachers on at least 150 teaching circuits.
Development of Bahá'í TeachersEven in the first year of the Plan, the prophecy of tAbdu'1-Bahi that we would in the near future have an insufficient number of Bahá'í teachers, was fulfilled.
The National and RegionalCommittees reported that they were unable to meet the demand for teachers immediately after the Plan got under way, and the "end was not yet."
All administrative agencies were urged to immediately devise ways and means to stimulate potential
Bahá'í teachers. Spiritual Assembliesset up teacher training classes. All three Bahá'í Summer Schools created ideal opportunities for intensive study and preparation of teachers. At these schools the student had engraved on his heart the all important fact that "living the Bahá'í life" is the most effective means of teaching.
For the Bahá'í Faith is not a philosophy or a code of ethics, but a tCway of life," and it is to this life of the Kingdom to which we are inviting the wandering peoples of the earth.
Young Baha took advantage of the opportunity of accompanying veteran teachers and thereby gained invaluable experience in meeting the public and presenting the Bahá'í Faith.
The National Teaching Committeearranged for three experimental laboratory courses for teacher training in order to discover basic principles on which to build a national program of teacher training.
These courses were aimed to develop teachers effectively and quickly who could present the Faith either on the public platform at Firesides or at discussion groups.
A wealth of practical data, techniques, principles and suggestions were garnered and have recently been made available to all Bahá'ís in a publication "Training for Bahá'í Teaching."
The Structural Basis ofThat the whole movement of the Seven Year Plan has, since its inception, been directed toward the establishment in this continent of the structural basis of NQ'orld Order, has been a primary emphasis of the Guardian, from his Convention cablegram of 1936, to a recent message in the seventh year (May 27, 1943). In the perspective of such a mighty task, the building of World Order in this age of humanity's destiny, we perceive the real and thrilling significance of our work, while the first fruits are garnized in the Centennial Convention.
For, the Guardian has said, his decision to arrange for election of delegates by every State and Province, was prompted by c(the multiplication of Bahá'í Centers and the remarkable increase in the number of groups and isolated believers.
Only as we trace the unfoldment of the Seven Year Plan, from its first goal, to assure Bahá'ís in ten remaining virgin areas, to the widening of that goal to include the formation of Spiritual Assemblies in thirty-four States and Provinces, to the "Glorious consummation" of March, 1944 � only in this unfolding design is the Plan's full scope and challenge revealed. With renewed feeling we recall the cctruly remarkable" vic � tories won during the sixth year, and thHll to the Guardian's expression of (cimmense pride and satisfaction" in "the almost miraculous success" attending those efforts.
The progress of the seventh year was immediately accelerated by Shoghi Effendi's action to permit early formation of Assemblies, "in order to speed and stimulate the teaching work." How immense the destinies borne by the last seven virgin areas, and how crucial their progress!
Little wonder that the friends, throughout the seventh year, worked with a constant realization of the anxious hopes which hung on the election of the needed Assemblies. The drama of March 28, 1944 � when in one night the remaining three virgin areas formed their Spiritual Assemblies � has won enduring fame and rejoiced the Baha'i
Page 214World. Moreover, by its fortuitous timing, the "structural basis" was fulfilled and the American Community was enabled to participate on April 9th, 1944, with each area vigorous and complete, in the election of its Centennial delegates.
ConclusionThe teaching phase of the Seven Year Plan in North America, focus of all our struggles and hopes since 1937, has come to an end. The campaign so nobly waged by the American Bahá'ís has been crowned with success, with magnetic force it has drawn for its progress upon the resources of all sections of the Community.
Like a rising tide which mounts and overleaps all barriers, the dynamic energies of the American friends � individually, as pioneers, teachers, and administrators; collectively through Assemblies, Teaching Committees, area and regional conferences, schools, and summer conferences � have swept away "formidable obstacles," captured "new heights," and founded Ctmighty institutions."
Now we are standing on the threshold of a new Century, endowed with tasks we cannot at this early hour conceive.
But greater tasks must surely await, as we extend the opportunities and consolidate the achievements of Bahá'u'lláh's world-&mbrac-ing Faith.
C(The harvest of every other seed is limited, but the bounty and the blessing of the seed of the Divine Teachings is unlimited. Throughout the coming centuries and cycles many harvests will be gathered."
'Abdu'l-Bahá.at end of year Virgin areas without Assemblies at end of year Number of pioneers during year
May 1,19441937-1938-1939-1940-1941-1942-19431938 8 1959 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
7th Year Year� 70788810295101124 �910168142819 � 10215856 70 788810295101124136 302826292470 2015481.1210569
ROLLwere 34 virgin areas when the Plan opened, to which
Coloradoopened but later disbanded; reorganized during the Plan.
PIONEER ROLL OF HONORThese are the names of pioneers and settlers who, in response to the Guardian's call, moved to virgin areas and disbanded Assemblies during the course of the Seven Year Plan, 19371944. We have also included those pioneers who anticipated the Plan, by moving in the year 193637, when the Guardian first inaugurated America's teaching mission undet the Divine Plan.
A. THE YEAR 19361937Bruegger, Mrs. Marguerite Fargo, N. Dakota Chicago, Ill.
Eason, Mrs. Sarah M Raleigh, N. Carolina Cleveland, 0.
Entzminger, Mr. and Mrs. Albert and two children Oklahoma City, Okia Geyserville, Calif.
Frankland, Mrs. Kathryn San Antonio, Texas Berkeley, Calif.
Corpus Christi, TexasName Pioneer Front Home City
LilLywhite, Raphael Laramie, Wyoming Denver, Colorado Lillywhite, Mrs. Helen (deceased) Laramie, Wyoming Denver, Colorado Lillywhite, Theresa (youth) Regina, Sask Laramie, Wyo.
Martin, Lydia ... Raleigh, N. C Cleveland, 0.
Murray, Mrs. Ethel Richmond, Va New York, N. Y. B. VIRGIN AREAS, 193744 Adler, Mrs. Eleanor Reno, Nevada Alianello, Mrs. Anne McNally Allen, Mrs. Joy Allyn, Mrs. Frances Anderson, Mrs. Gladys Anderson, Mrs. Helen Angell, Mr. and Mrs. George
Ashton, FrankCharleston, W. Va New York, N. Y. Fargo, N. D Lansing, Mich.
Portsmouth, N. H. Kittery, Maine New Orleans, La. Miami, Florida Atlanta, Ga.
Philadelphia, Pa.� St. Catherines, Ont. �Hamilton, Ont. Kansas City, Mo. Brattleboro, Vt. Jackson, Miss.
� Regina, Sask.Bode, Mrs. Mary Bodmer, Mrs. Gladys Reno, Nevada San Francisco, Calif.
Bower, Miss Mary Providence, R. I Brooklyn, N. Y. Bower, Mrs. Viola Greenville, S. C Brooklyn, N. Y. Boyle, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Albuquerque, N. M Toledo, Ohio Brandon, Sam Houston, Texas Detroit, Mich.
Byars, Lloyd Salt Lake City, Utah Bakersfield, Calif.
Caihoon, Mr. and Mrs. Ward Houston, Texas Milwaukee, Wis.
Campbell, Mrs. Dorothy Jackson, Miss Pascagoula, Miss.
Caswell, Mrs. Louise Knoxyille, Tenn Portland, Ore.
Louisville, Ky.Champ, Miss Dorothy Wilmington, Del New York, N. Y. China, Mrs. Viola R Regina, Sask Vancouver, B. C. Christie, W. J Charlottetown, P. E. Is Nobel, Ont. Clark, Miss Betty Little Rock, Ark New Haven, Conn.
Clark, Mrs. Marion Little Rock, Ark New Haven, Conn.
Clark, Mrs. Mildred Hiatt Denver, Cob San Francisco, Calif.
Corbin, Mr. and Mrs. Don . Palacios, Texas Seattle, Washington
Corpus Christi, Texas� ... Syracuse, N. Y. New York, N. Y. � ... Augusta, Georgia .... Buffalo, N. Y. � Worcester, Mass.
� Beverly Hills, Calif.�Greenville, S. C Larchmont, N. Y. �Charleston, W. Va Chicago,
Ill.Providence, R. I New York, N. Y. �Sioux Falls, S. D South Bend, md.
�Fargo, N. D Detroit,Atlanta, Ga New York, N. Y. �Reno, Ncv Los Angeles,
Calif.�Decatur, Ala Miama,
Fla.Charlottetown, P. E. Moncton, N. B... Birmingham, Ala.
Charlottetown, P. E.Columbia, S. C Greenville, S. C. Huntington, W. Va.. San Bernardino, Calif. Charlottetown, P. E. Is.. Lima,
Ohio... Laramie, Wyo Newport,
Ore.�Arlington, Va New
York, N. Y.�Brattleboro, Vt Port
Chester, N. Y. Homalos, Mr. andHonnold, Mrs. Annamarie Hopper, Mrs. Marie � Payson, Ill.
.... New York, N. Y. ... Waterloo, N. Y. ... Washington, D. C. � New Rochelle, N. Y. ... Vancouver, B. C. Is.. Moncton, N. B. � St. Lambert, Que.
� New York, N. Y. Is. Toronto, Ont. � Forest Hills, Ill.
� Forest Hills, Ill.� Basking Ridge, N. J. � South Bend, md.
�Detroit, Mich.Huribut, Howard (deceased) Ingliam, Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Joas, Miss AnitaLogelin, Mrs. Dorothy Lohse, Mrs. Adline, and daughter
Lohse, Miss DorisMcAllister, Mrs. Ethel McAllister, Mrs. Eva Flack McClennen, Mrs. Mary McCurdy, Mrs. Barbara ...
McGee, Mrs. AnneHalifax, Nova Scotia... New York, N. Y. Huntington, W. Va.. Washington, D. C. � Halifax, Nova Scotia. Hamilton, Ont. San Antonio, Texas San Francisco, Calif.
� Boise, Idaho Los Angeles, Calif.Sioux Falls, S. D. Albuquerque, N. M. Charlottetown, P. E. Birmingham, Ala.
Sioux Falls, S. D.Providence, R. I... Moncton, N. B.... Portsmouth, N. H.. Sioux Falls, S. D.. Greensboro, N. C. Portsmouth, N. H.. Seattle, 'Wash.
... Toledo, Ohio Is. Chicago, Ill.
� New York, N. Y. Spokane, Wash.
� Chicago, Ill.
� Los Angeles, Calif.
� Forest Hills, N. Y.
� Cincinnati, Ohio
� San Francisco, Calif.
Chepatchet, R. I. � Chicago, Ill.
Chicago, Ill.� New York, N. Y.� ... Miami, Fla.
.... Washington, D. C. .... Washington, D. C. � No. Attieboro, Mass.
.... Toronto, Ont. .... New York, N. Y. � Berkeley, Calif.
� Los Angeles, Calif.� Charlotretown, P. E. Is. Rochester, N. Y. � Moncton, N. B Jamestown, N. Y. Chariottetown, P. E. Is. Charlottetown, P. E. Is Beverly, Mass.
Providence, R. I Milwaukee, Wis.Portsmouth, N. H Geneva, N. Y. Mickle, Mrs. Alice Sioux Falls, S. D Inglewood, Calif.
Mickle, Miss Maud Columbia, S. C Eliot, Maine Brattleboro, Vt. Moore, Mr. and Mrs. William Holland, Va Tuskegee, Ala.
Vancouver, B. C.Morris, Dr. A. L. and E. Lenore Albuquerque, N. M Racihe, Wis.
Mothersill, Mrs. Rachel Greenville, S. C Hadley, Mich.
Murray, Miss Beth Providence, R. I New York, N. Y.
Murray, CharlesPeterson, Mrs. Carrie Peterson, Mrs. Grace Peterson, Lotus (youth) Phanco, Mrs. Zara
Powell, Miss CynthiaCharlottetown, P. E. Is.. Ottawa, Ont. Portsmouth, N. H Kittery, Me.
Cedar Rapids, IowaProvidence, R. I Lima, Ohio Columbia, S. C New York, N. Y. Louisville, Ky.
Jackson, Miss.� Moncton, N. B � Halifax, N. S � Jersey City, N. J. � Pine Castle, Fla.
� Duluth, Minn.� Regina, Sask Hamilton, Ont. � Omaha, Neb Chicago, Ill.
Reno, Nev Fort Ord, Calif.Halifax, N. S New York, N. Y. New Orleans, La Urbana, Ill.
Boise, Idaho San Francisco, Calif.Schierholz, Mrs. Doris CooperBoise, Idaho Schulte, Mr. and Mrs. ArthurTopeka, Kansas ...
Schott, Miss Adah Charleston, W Va.. Schott, Mr. and Mrs. Harlyn Charleston, W Va.. Shaver, Mrs. Fritzie Sioux Falls, S D.. Shaw, Mrs. Rosa Halifax, N. S Sheets, Miss Dorothy Regina, Sask Sheben, Mrs. Hattie Jackson, Miss Shurcijif, Mrs. Eunice Lararnie, Wyo Silk, Miss Isabelle Boise, Idaho
Skinner, Miss DorisSioux Falls, S. D.. Greensboro, N. C.. Sioux Falls, S. D.. Wilmington, Del..
Greensboro, N. C.. Sioux Falls, S. D.� ... New York, N. Y. Romer, Mrs. Annie Ruhe, Mrs. Margaret
Sanor, Miss Sally� Binghamton, N. Y. � Vancouver, B. C. � Minneapolis, Minn.
... New York, N. Y. ... Minneapolis, Miun.� Washington, D. C... ... Yonkers, N. Y. Stirratt, Miss Charlotte ... Los Angeles, Calif
Page 220Stone, Mr. and Ivtrs. Oscar P Brattleboro, Vt Englewood, N. J. Stout, Verne L Anchorage, Alaska Syracuse, N. Y. Sunshine, Miss Reszie Little Rock, Ark. New York, N. Y. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. John.
Thompson, Mrs. EthelTowart, William, Jr Valentine, Mrs. Flora Vaughn, Mrs. Villa
Vento, Miss ElsaVoelz, Miss. Lauretta Wade, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Walters, Mr. and Mrs. Richard.
Wells, Mrs. Frances Westberg, Mrs. EdwardYoung, Mrs. Mollie Wilmington, Del Atlantic City, N. J.
Boise, Idaho Rural BoiseCharleston, S. C Eliot, Maine Charleston, S. C Eliot, Maine Laramie, Wyo Beverly Hills, Calif.
Salt Lake City, UtahProvidence, R. I Bennington, Vt. Portsmouth, N. H Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Greenville, S. C New York, N. Y. Portsmouth, N. H. Charlottetown, P. E. Is Toronto, Ont. Regina, Sask Kenosha, Wis.
Halifax, N. S Montreal, Que.Albuquerque, N. M Brooklyn, N. Y. Anchorage, Alaska San Bernardino, Calif.
Reno, NevadaGreenville, S. C Rocky Mount, N. C. Laramie, Wyo Beverly Hills, Calif.
Salt Lake City, UtahDuftield, Mrs. Ella Glass, Mrs. Mayme Goodrick, Mr. and
Mrs. AsherMatteson, Mn and Mrs. J. V Morris, Mrs. Lillian Newman, Mrs. Margaret
Rice-Wray, Miss EllaScott, Mrs. Hazel Smith, Miss Mary M. Steinberg, Mrs. Rose Storts, Mrs. Dorothy Zmeskal, Dr. and Mrs.
OttoIT HAS been the general characteristic of religion that organization marks the interruption of the true spiritual influence and serves to prevent the original impulse from being carried into the world. The organization has invariably become a substitute for religion rather than a method or an instru � ment used to give the religion effect. The separation of peoples into different traditions unbridged by any peaceful or constructive intercourse has made this inevitable.
Up to the present time, in fact, no Founder of a revealed religion has explicitly laid down the principles that should guide the administrative machinery of the Faith He has established.
In the Bahá'í Cause, the principles of world administration were expressed by Bahá'u'lláh, and these principles were developed in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, more especially in His Will and Testament.
The purpose of this organization is to make possible a true and lasting unity among peoples of different races, classes, interests, characters, and inherited creeds.
A close and sympathetic study of this aspect of the Bahá'í Cause will show that the purpose and method of Bahá'í administration is so perfectly adapted to the fundamental spirit of the Revelation that it bears to it the same relationship as body to soui. In character, the principles of Bahá'í administration represent the science of cooperation; in application, they provide for a new and higher type of morality worldwide in scope.
In the clash and confusion of sectarian prejudice, the Bahá'í religion is impartial and sympathetic, offering a foundation upon which reconciliation can be firmly based.
Amid the complex interrelations of governments, the religion stands absolutely neutral as to political purposes and entirely obedient to all recognized authority.
It will not be overlooked by the student that Bahá'u'lláh is the only religious teacher making obedience to just governments and rulers a definite spiritual command.
In this brief analysis of the several features of the Bahá'í system of administration the purpose is rather to place in the hands of the believers themselves a convenient summary of the available instructions than to clarify this aspect of the teachings to the non-BaM'i. Until one has made contact with the spirit of the Bahá'í teachings and desires to cooperate wholeheartedly with their purpose, the administrative phase of the Faith can have little real meaning or appeal.
At the time of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the organization was fully defined but not yet established among His followers. The responsibility for carrying out the instructions was placed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá upon His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to whom was assigned the function of ccGrdi of the Cause." Obedience to the authority of the Guardian was definitely enjoined upon all Bahá'ís by 'Abdu'l-Bahá but this authority carries with it nothing of an arbitrary or personal character, being limited as to pur 223
Page 224The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
pose and method by the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The Guardian unifies the efforts to bring into complete application those principles of world administration already clearly defined.
To assist the Guardian in his maflifold responsibilities and duties and particularly in the promotion of the teaching work, 'Abdu'1 � Báb provided for the appointment of a group of coworkers to be known as "The Hands of the Cause of God."
The appointment of this body is a function of the Guardian, and these from their own number are to elect nine persons who will be closely associated with the Guardian in the discharge of his duties.
It is the function of the Guardian also to appoint his own successor, this appointment to be ratified by the nine Hands of the
Cause.It is the genius of the Bahá'í Faith that the principle underlying the administration of its affairs aims to improve the life and uphuild the character of the individual believer in his own local community, wherever it may be, and not to enhance the prestige of those relativefy few who, by election or appointment, hold positions of higher authority. Bahá'í authority is measured by self-sacrifice and not by arbitrary power. This fundamental aim can We seen clearly on studying the significant emphasis which 'Abdu'l-Bahá placed upon the local
Bahá'í community. Thelocal group, involving as it does men and women in all the normal activities and relations of life, is the foundation upon which rests the entire evolution of the Cause.
The local Bahá'í community is given official recognition only after its number of adult declared believers has become nine or more.
Up to this point, the community exists as a voluntary group of workers and students of the Cause.
In this connection, the word CCcommu~ nity" is not used in the sense of any locality, exclusively Bahá'í in membership, nor of any manner of living differing outwardly from the general environment, such as has been attempted by religionists and also members of philosophic and economic movements in the past. A Bahá'í community is a unity of
Page 225THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 225
minds and hearts, an association of people entirely voluntary in character, established upon a common experience of devotion to the universal aims of Bahá'u'lláh and agreement as to the methods by which these aims can be advanced.
A Bahá'í community differs from other voluntary gatherings in that its foundation is so deeply laid and broadly extended that it can include any sincere soui. Whereas other associations are exclusive, in effect if not in intention, and from method if not from ideal, Bahá'í association is inclusive, shutting the gates of fellowship to no sincere soul. In every gathering there is latent or developed some basis of selection. in religion this basis is a creed limited by the historical nature of its origin; in politics this is party or platform; in economics this is a mutual misfortune or mutual power; in the arts and sciences this basis consists of special training or activity or interest.
In all these matters, the more exclusive the basis of selec � tion, the stronger the movement � a condition diametrically opposed to that existing in thc Bahá'í Cause. Hence the Cause, for all its spirit of growth and progress, develops slowly as regards the numbers of its active adherents.
For people are accustomed to exclusiveness and division in all affairs.
The important sanctions have ever been warrants and justifications of division.
To enter the Bahá'í religion is to leave these sanctions behind � an experience which at first invariably exposes one to new trials and sufferings, as the human ego revolts against the supreme sanction of universal love. The scientific must associate with the simple and unlearned, the rich with the poor, the white with the colored, the mystic with the literalist, the Christian with the Jew, the Muslim with the Parsee: and on terms removing the advantage of long established presumptions and privileges.
But for this difficult experience there are glorious compensations. Let us remember that art grows sterile as it turns away from the common humanity, that philosophy likewise loses its vision when developed in solitude, and that politics and religion never succeed apart from the general needs of mankind. Human nature is not yet known, for we have a!! lived in a state of mental.
moral, emotional or social defense, and the psychology of defense is the psychology of inhibition. But the love of God removes fear; the removal of fear establishes the latent powers, and association with others in spiritual love brings these powers into vital, positive expression. A Bahá'í community is a gathering where this process can take place in this age, slowly at first, as the new impetus gathers force, more rapidly as the members become conscious of the powers unfolding the flower of unity among men.
Where the community is small and insignificant, in comparison with the population of the city or town, the first condition of growth is understanding of the Manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh, and the next condition is that of true humility. If these two conditions exist, the weakest soui becomes endowed with effective power in service to the Cause. The result of unity, in fact, is to share the powers and faculties of all with each.
The responsibility for and supervision of local Bahá'í affairs is vested in a body known as the
Spiritual Assembly. Thisbody (limited to nine members) is elected annually on April 1, the first day of Ridvan (the Festival commemorating the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh) by the adult declared believers of the community, the voting list being drawn up by the outgoing Spiritual
Assembly. Concerningthe character and functions of this body, 'Abdu'l-Bahá has written as follows: cdt is incumbent upon everyone (every believer) not to take any step (of Bahá'í activity) without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soul its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently and, after his own judgment, will follow his own desire, and do harm to the Cause.
"The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His divine fragrance, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and longsuffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold.
Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom
Page 226of Bah& shall be vouchsafed to them. In this day, Assemblies of consultation are of the greatest importance and a vital necessity. Obedience unto them is essential and obligatory. The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise.
This can be attained when every member expresses with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should anyone oppose, he must on no account feel hurt, for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed.
The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions. If after discussion a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise, the majority of voices must prevail.
"The first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the Assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the Unity of God, for they are the waves of one sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden.
Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that Assembly be brought to naught.
"The second condition: They must when coming together turn their faces to the Kingdom on high and ask aid from the realm of Glory. Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souis, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavor to fulfill these conditions the grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them and that Assembly shall become the center of the divine blessings, and hosts of divine confirmation shall come to their aid, and thei shall day by day receive a new effusion of spirit."
The letters of Shoghi Effendi quote the fundamental instructi6ns contained in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the character of BaM administration, and give them definite application: "A careful study of Bahá'u'lláh's and 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Tablets will reveal that other duties (besides teaching the Cause), no less vital to the interests of the Cause, devolve upon the elected representatives of the friends in every locality.
ccThey must endeavor to promote amity and concord amongst the friends and secure an active and wholehearted cooperation for the service of the Cause.
"They must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow, irrespective of color, caste and creed.
"They must promote by every means in their power the material as well as spiritual enlightenment of youth, the means for the education of children; institute, whenever possible, Bahá'í educational institutions; organize and supervise their work, and provide the best means for their progress and development.
ttThey must bend every effort to promote the interests of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (that is, House of Worship) 1 and hasten the day when the work of this glorious Edifice2 will have been consummated.
ccThey must encourage and stimulate by every means at their command, through subscriptions, reports and articles, the development of the various Bahá'í magazines.
"They must undertake the arrangement of the regular meetings of the friends, the feasts and anniversaries, as well as the special gatherings designed to serve and promote the social, intellectual and spiritual interests of their fdllowmen.
"They must supervise in these days when the Cause is still in its infancy all Bahá'í publications and translations, and provide in general for a dignified and accurate presentation of all Bahá'í literature and its distribution to the general public.
"These rank among the most outstanding obligations of the members of every
Spiritual Assembly. Inwhatever locality the Cause has sufficiently expanded, and in order to insure efficiency and avoid confusion, each of these manifold functions will have to be referred to a special Committee, responsible to Referring particularly to Spiritual Assemblies in America.
On the shore of Lake Michigan.THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 227
that Assembly, elected by it from among the friends in that locality, and upon whose work the Assembly will have to exercise constant and general supervision.
"In every locality, be it city or hamlet, where the number of adult declared believers exceed nine, a local Spiritual Assembly must be forthwith established.
"As the progress and extension of spirrual aqtivities is dependent and conditioned upon material means, it is of absolute necessity that immediately after the establishment of local as well as national Spiritual
Assemblies, a Bahá'í Fundbe established, to be placed under the exclusive control of the Spiritual Assembly.
All donations and contributions should be offered to the Treasurer of the Assembly, for the express purpose of promoting the interests of the Cause throughout that locality or country.
It is the sacred obligation of every conscientious and faithful servant of Bahá'u'lláh, who desires to see His Cause advance, to contribute freely and generously for the increase of that Fund. The members of the Spiritual Assembly will at their own discretion expand it to promote the teaching campaign, to help the needy, to establish educational Bahá'í institutions, to extend in every way their sphere of service.
"Nothing whatever should be given to the public by any individual among the friends, unless fully considered and approved by the Spiritual Assembly in his locality; and, if this (as is undoubtedly the case) is a matter that pertains to the general interests of the Cause in that land, then it is incumbent upon the Spiritual Assembly to submit it to the consideration and approval of the National Body representing all the various local Assemblies.
Not oniy with regard to publication, but all matters without any exception whatsoever, regarding the interests of the Cause in that locality, individually or collectively, should be referred exclusively to the Spirtual Assembly in that locality, which shall decide upon it, unless it be a matter of national interest, in which case it shall be referred to the National (Baha'i)
Body. With this NationalBody also ~jll rest the decision whether a given question is of local or national interest. (By national affairs is not meant matters that arc political in their character, for the friends of God the world over are strictly forbidden to meddle with political affairs in any way whatever, but rather things that affect the spiritual activities of the body of the friends in that land.)
"Full harmony, however, as well as cooperation among the various local Assemblies and the members themselves, and particularly between each Assmbly and the National Body is of the utmost importance, for upon it depends the unity of the Cause of God, the solidarity of the friends, the full, speedy and efficient working of the spiritual activities of His loved ones.
"The various Assemblies, local and national, constitute today the bedrock upon the strength of which the
Universal House (of Justice)is in future to be firmly established and raised.
Not until these function vigorously and harmoniously can the hope for the termination of this period of transition be realized. Bear in mind that the keynote of the Cause of God is not dictatorial authority, but humble fellowship; not arbitrary power, but the spirit of frank and loving consultation. Nothing short of the spirit of a true Bahá'í can hope to reconcile the principles of mercy and justice, of freedom and submission, of the sanctity of the right of the individual and of self-surrender, of vigilance, discretion and prudence on the one hand, and fellowship, candor, and courage on the other."
Experience in the life of a Bahá'í community and participation in the details of its several activities impresses one with the fact that Bahá'í unity has in it new elements which work powerfully to expand one's area of sympathy, deepen one's insight, develop one's character and bring order and stability into all of one's affairs.
There can be no higher privilege than the experience of attempting to serve faithfully upon a Spiritual Assembly, conscious as its members are of the unique standard upheld by 'Abdu'l-Bahá and bringing as it does the opportunity of dealing with a large range and diversity of human problems from an impersonal point of view. It is inevitable that the nine elected members shall exemplify diverse interests and types of character, with the result that unity of heart and conscience with the other eight members is a direct training to enter
Page 228into spiritual unity with the larger body of mankind.
No such schools of discipline and inspiration exist on earth today, for one must bear in mind that a Bahá'í community can never be an exclusive group nor a closed circle of interests, but, on the contrary, its fundamental purpose is to unify and cooperate with every possible element in the surrounding population.
The local Spiritual Assemblyafter election organizes by electing from its own number a chairman, corresponding secretary, recording secretary and treasurer. It should appoint from its own members or from the local Bahá'í community working committees responsible for the various permanent activities of the Cause.
Since a Spiritual Assemblyis established upon a new and higher ideal, the character, knowledge and purity of its members is essential to success.
Wherever personal ambition, narrowness or impurity enters a Spiritual Assembly, the results are invariably to check the growth of the Cause and, if these conditions are prolonged, to destroy the foundation already laid. The careful student of the teachings will accept this result as one more vindication of the all-surrounding spirit protecting this Faith.
The elimination of an unworthy group from the Bahá'í Cause would be a bitter disappointment but not an evidence that the Cause had failed. On the contrary, the Cause could only ha declared a failure if personal ambition, pride. narrowness and impurity should so prevail as to build a worldwide organization able to pervert the original purpose.
The local Spiritual Assembliesof a country are linked together and coordinated through another elected body of nine members, the
National Sniritual Assembly.This body comes into being by means of an annual election held by elected delegates representing the Bahá'ís of the States of the United States and the Provinces of Canada.
The delegates are elected by all the adult declared be � lievers. The National Convention in which the delegates are gathered together is composed, of an elective body based upon the principle of proportional representation.
The total nunTher of delegates is fixed by Shoghi EfTendi for each country, and this number is fulfilled by assigning to each State and Province the number of delegates called for by its relative numerical strength. These National Conventions are preferably held during the period of Ridvan, the twelve days beginning April 21, which commemorate the Declaration made by Bahá'u'lláh in the Garden of Ridvan near Baghdad. The recognition of delegates is vested in the outgoing National
Spiritual Assembly.is an occasion for deepening one's understanding of Baha activities and of sharing reports of nationil and local activities for the period of the elapsed year. It has been the custom to hold a public Bahá'í Congress in connection with the Convention. The function of a Bahá'í delegate is limited to the duration of the National Convention and participation in the election of the new National
Spiritual Assembly. Whilegathered together, the delegates are a consultative and adyisory body whose recommendations are to be carefully considered by the members of thz elected
National Spiritual Assembly.Delegates unable to attend the Convention in person are permitted to vote for the new National Spiritual Assembly by mail.
The relation of the National Spiritual Assembly to the local Spiritual Assemblies and to the body of the believers in the country is thus defined in the letters of the Guard-tan of the
Cause:"Regarding the establishment of National Assemblies, it is of vital importance that in every country, where the conditions are f a-vorable and the number of the friends has grown and reached a considerable ~ize � that a
National Spiritual Assemblybe immediately established, representative of the friends throughout that country.
"Its immediate purpose is to stimulate, unify and coordinate, by frequent personal consultations, the manifold activities of the friends as well as the local Assemblies; and by keeping in close and constant touch with the Holy Land, initiate measures, and direct in general the affairs of the Cause in that Country.
(cIt serves also another purpose, no less essential than the first, as in the course of time it shall evolve into the
National House of Justice(referred to in 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Wilt as the tSecondary House of Justice')
Page 229THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 229
which according to the explicit text of the Testament will have, in conjunction with the other National Assemblies throughout the Bahá'í World, to elect directly the members of the International or Universal House of
Justice, that SupremeCouncil that will guide, organize and unify the affairs of the Movement throughout the world.
"This National SpiritualAssembly witch, pending the establishment of the Universal House of Justice, will have to be reelected once a year, obviously assumes grave responsibilities for it has to exercise full authority over all the local Assemblies in its province, and will have to direct the activities of the friends, guard vigilantly the Cause of God, and control and supervise the affairs of the Movement in general.
"Vital issues, affecting the interests of the Cause in that country, such as the matter of translation and publication, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the teaching work, and other similar matters that stand distinct from strictly local affairs, must be under the full jurisdiction of the National Assembly.
"It will have to refer each of these ques~ tions, even as the local Assemblies, to a special committee, to be elected by the hers of the National Spiritual Assembly from among all the friends in that country, which will bear to it the same relations as the local committees bear to their respective local
Assemblies."With it, too, rests the decision whet�er a certain point at issue is strictly local in its nature, and should be reserved for the consideration and decision of the local Assembly, or whether it should fall under its own province and be a matter which ought to receive its special attention.
"It is the bounden duty, in the interest of the Cause we all love and serve, of the members of the incoming National Assembly, once elected by the delegates at Convention time, to seek and have the utmost regard, individually as well as collectively, for the advice, the considered opinion and the true sentiments of the assembled delegates.
Ban � ishing every vestige of secrecy, of undue reticence, of dictatorial aloofness from their midst, they should radiantly and abundantly unfold to the eyes of the delegates by whom they were elected, their plans, their hopes and their cares. They should familiarize the delegates with the various matters that will have to be considered in the current year, and calmly and conscientiously study and weigh the opinions and judgments of the delegates.
The newly elected National Assembly, during the few days when the Convention is in session, and after the dispersion of the delegates, should seek ways and means to cultivate understanding, facilitate and maintain the exchange of views, deepen confidence, and vindicate by every tangible evidence their one desire to serve and advance the common weal.
(cThe National Spiritual Assembly, however, in view of the unavoidable limitations imposed upon the convening of frequent and long � standing sessions of the Convention, will have to retain in its hands the final decision on all matters that affect the interests of the Cause � such as the right to decide whether any local Assembly is functioning in accordance with the principles laid down for the conduct and the advancement of the Cause.
(cThe seating of delegates to the Convention (that is, the right to decide upon the validity of the credentials of the delegates at a given Convention), is vested in the outgoing National Assembly, and the right to decide who has the voting privilege is also ultimately placed in the hands of the National Spiritual Assembly, either when a local Spiritual Assembly is for the first time being formed in a given locality, or when differences arise between a new applicant and an already established local Assembly.
t~WTere the National Spiritual Assembly to decide, after mature deliberation, to omit the holding of the Bahá'í Convention and Congress in a given year, then they could, only in such a case, devise ways and means to insure that the annual election of the National Spiritual Assembly should be held by mail, provided it can be conducted with sufficient thoroughness, efficiency and dispatch. It would also appear to me unobjectionable to enable and even to require in the last resort such delegates as cannot possibly undertake the journey to the seat of the Bahá'í Convention to send their votes, for the election of the
National Spiritual AssemblyConcerning the matter of drawing up the voting list to be used at the annual local Bahá'í elections, the responsibility for this is placed upon each local Spiritual Assembly, and as a guidance in the matter the Guardian has written the following: "To state very briefly and as adequately as present circumstances permit, the principal factors that must be taken into consideration before deciding whether a person may be regarded a true believer or not: Full recognition of the station of the Forerunner, the Author and the True Exemplar of the Bahá'í Cause, as set forth in 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í 1W111 and Testament; unreserved acceptance of and submission to whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of our
Beloved's sacred Will;and cHose association with the spirit as well as the form of the presentday Bahá'í administration � these I conceive to be the fundamental and primary considerations that must be fairly, discreetly and thoughtfully ascertained before reaching such a vital decision.~~ 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í instructions provide for the further development of Bahá'í organization through an
International SpiritualAssembly to be elected by the members of the National
Spiritual Assemblies.This international body has not yet come into existence, but its special character has been clearly defined: (tAnd now, concerning the
Assembly (Baytu'1 � 'Ad'1:that is, House of Justice) which God bath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error, it must be elected by universal suffrage, that is, by the believers. Its members must be manifestations of the fear of God, and daysprings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's Faith, and the well-wish-ers of all mankind. By th% Assembly is meant the Universal Assembly: that is, in each country a secondary Assembly must be instituted, and these secondary Assemblies must elect the members of the Universal one.
"Unto this body all things must be referred. It enacteth all ordinmces and regulations that are not to be found in the explicit Holy Text.
By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved, and the Guardian of the Cause is its sacred head and the distinguished member, for life, of that body.
Should he not attend in person its deliberations, he must appoint one to represent him. This assembly enacteth the laws and the executive enforceth them.
The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body, so that, through the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may become firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself.
"Unto the Most Holy Bookeveryone must turn, and all that is not expressly recorded therein must be referred to the Universal Assembly.
That which this body, either unanimously or by a majority, doth carry, that is verily the truth and the purpose of God Himself.
Whoso doth deviate therefrom is verily of them that love discord, hath shown forth malice and turned away from the Lord of the
Covenant."Even at the present time, the Baha in all parts of the world maintain an intimate and cordial association by means of regular correspondence and individual visits.
This contact of members of different races, nationalities and religious traditions is concrete proof that the burden of prejudice and the historical factors of division can be entirely overcome through the spirit of oneness established by Bahá'u'lláh.
The general student of religion will not fail to note four essential characteristics of Bahá'í administration. The first is its completely successful reconciliation of the usually opposed claims of democratic freedom and unanswerable authority.
The second is the entire absence from the Bahá'í Cause of anything approaching the institution of a salaried professional clergy. The Bahá'í conception of religion is one which combnes mysticism, which is a sacred personal experience, with practical morality, which is a useful contact between the individual and his fellow man. In the nature of things, some souis are more advanced than others, and the function of spiritual teaching is given special importance in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and
'Abdu'l-Bahá. The Bahá'íteacher, however, has no authority over the individual conscience.
The individual conscience must be subordinated to the decisions of a duly
Page 231THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 231
elected Spiritual Assembiy, but this relationship is entirely different in character and results, from the relationship of an individual with minister or priest.
The third characteristic is the absence of internal factionalism, that bane of all organized effort, and the sure sign of the presence of spiritual disease. The predominant spirit of unity which distinguishes the Bahá'í Cause in its relation to the world, making its followers strive for reconciliation rather than partisan victory; creates an internal condition, unlike that which exists in movements which accept partisan victory, in one or another form, as their very reason for being.
Such movements can but disintegrate from within; the Bahá'í Order can but grow.
Significant also is the fourth characteristic, namely, that the Bahá'í Cause has within it an inherent necessity operating slowly but surely to bring its administration into the hands of those truly fitted for the nature of the work. The lesser vision gives way invariably for the larger vision, itself replaced by the still larger vision in due time.
The result is an inevitable improvement in the qualities placed at the service of the Cause, until the highest attributes of humanity will be enrolled.
In the Baha Cause we are actually witnessing the fulfillment of the strange and cryptic saying, "The meek shall inherit the earth."
That the administrative machinery is not an end in itself but merely the means to spread everywhere the light of faith and brotherhood, is frequently expressed by the Guardian in his general letters, and this brief survey may weii close with one of those passages: rcJq0~t by the force of numbers, not by the incre cx~osit;on of a set of new and noble principles, ~iot by an organized campaign of teaching � no matter bow worldwide and elaborate in its character � not even by the staunchness of our faith or the exaltation of our enthusiasm, can we ultimately hope to vindicate in the eyes of a critical and skeptical age the supreme claim of the Abhd Revelation. One thing and only one thing will unfailingly and alone secure the undoubted triumph of this sacred Cause, namely, the extent to which our own inner life and private character mirror forth in their manifold aspects the splendor of those eternal principles proclaimed by Bat J'u'lldh."
A PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT OF THEAdopted by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bábd'is of the
United States and CanadaA PERUSAL of some of the words of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá on the duties and functions of the Spiritual Assemblies in every land (later to be designated as the local Houses of Justice), emphatically reveals the sacredness of their nature, the wide scope of their activity, and the grave responsibility which rests upon them." � SHOGHI EFFENDI, March 3, 1922.
c(The Lord hath ordained that in every city a-House of Justice be established wherein shall gather counselors to the number of Baha. It behooveth them to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to regard themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwell on earth.
It is incumbent upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for I-us sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly. Thus hath the Lord your God commanded you. Beware lest ye put away that which is clearly revealed in His Tablet. Fear God, 0 ye that perceive." � BAHÁ'Í 'LLA�T.
"It is incumbent upon every one not to take any step without consulting the Spiritual Assembly, and they must assuredly obey with heart and soui its bidding and be submissive unto it, that things may be properly ordered and well arranged. Otherwise every person will act independently and after his own judgment, will follow his own desire, and do harm to the Cause.
Page 232"The prime requisites for them that take counsel together are purity of motive, radiance of spirit, detachment from all else save God, attraction to His Divine Fragrance, humility and lowliness amongst His loved ones, patience and longsuffering in difficulties and servitude to His exalted Threshold. Should they be graciously aided to acquire these attributes, victory from the unseen Kingdom of Baha shall be vouchsafed to them. In this day, Assemblies of consultation are of the greatest importance and a vital necessity.
Obedience unto them is essential and obligatory.The members thereof must take counsel together in such wise that no occasion for ill-feeling or discord may arise. This can be attained when every member expresseth with absolute freedom his own opinion and setteth forth his argument. Should any one oppose, he must on no account feel hurt for not until matters are fully discussed can the right way be revealed. The shining spark of truth cometh forth oniy after the clash of differing opinions. If, after discussion, a decision be carried unanimously, well and good; but if, the Lord forbid, differences of opinion should arise a majority of voices must prevail.
ttTh first condition is absolute love and harmony amongst the members of the Assembly. They must be wholly free from estrangement and must manifest in themselves the unity of God, for they are the waves of one sea, the drops of one river, the stars of one heaven, the rays of one sun, the trees of one orchard, the flowers of one garden.
Should harmony of thought and absolute unity be nonexistent, that gathering shall be dispersed and that Assembly be brought to naught. The second condition: They must when coming together turn their faces to the Kingdom on High and ask aid from the Realm of Glory. They must then proceed with the utmost devotion, courtesy, dignity, care and moderation to express their views. They must in every matter search out the truth and not insist upon their own opinion, for stubbornness and persistence in one s views will lead ultimately to discord and wrangling and the truth will remain hidden.
The honored members must with all freedom express their own thoughts, and it is in no wise permissible for one to belittle the thought of another, nay, he must with moderation set forth the truth, and should differences of opinion arise a majority of voices must prevail, a~d all must obey and submit to the majority. It is again not permitted that any one of the honored members object to or censure, whether in or out of the meeting, any decision arrived at previously, though that decision be not right, for such criticism would prevent any decision from being enforced. In short, whatsoever thing is arranged in harmony and with love and purity of motive, its result is light, and should the least trace of estrangement ~revai1 the result shall be darkness upon darkness. If this be so regarded, that Assembly shall be of God, but otherwise it shall lead to coolness and alienation that proceed from the Evil One. Discussions must all be confined to spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy Word. Should they endeavor to fulfill these conditions the grace of the Holy Spirit shall be vouchsafed unto them, and that Assembly shall become the center of the Divine blessings, the hosts of Divine confirmation shall come to their aid and they shall day by day receive a new effusion of Spirit." � 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ.
"The importance, nay the absolute neces-shy, of these local Assemblies is manifest when we realize that in the days to come they will evolve into the local House of Justice, and at present provide the firm foundation on which the structure of the Master's Will is to be reared in the future.
"In order to avoid division and disruption, that the Cause may not fall a prey to conflicting interpretations, and lose thereby its purity and pristine vigor, that its affairs may be conducted with efficiency and promptness, it is necessary that every one (that is, every member of the Bahá'í community) should conscientiously take an active part in the election of these Assemblies, abide by their decision, enforce their decree, and cooperate with them whole-heatedly in their task of stimulating the growth of the Move
Page 233THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH ment throughout all regions.
The members of these Assemblies, on their part, must disregard utterly their own likes and dislikes, their personal interests and3 inclinations, and concentrate their minds upon those measures that will conduce to the welfare and happiness of the Bahá'í community and promote the common weal." � SnoGlI EFFENDI, March 12, 1923.
"Let us recall His explicit and often-repeated assurance that every Assembly elected in that rarefied atmosphere of selflessness and detachment is, in �ruth, appointed of God, that its verdict is truly inspired, that one and all should submit to its decision unreservedly and with cheerfulness."
� SHOGHI EFFENDI, rebruary 23, 1924.The various functions of the local Spiritual Assembly, and its nature as a constitutional body, are duly set forth in Article VII of the ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly, and are more definitely defined in the ByLaws of a local Spiritual Assembly approved by the National Spiritual Assembly and recommended by the Guardian. Each local Spiritual Assembly, and all members of the local Bahá'í community, shall be guided and controlled by the provisions of those ByLaws.
II. MEETINGS OF THE LOCALIn addition to its observance of the general functions vested in the institution of a Spiritual Assembly, each Spiritual Assembly has need of a procedure for the conduct of its meetings.
The following items represent the outline of the parliamentary rules of procedure which the National Spiritual Assembly has adopted and recommends to each and every local Spiritual Assembly throughout the
United States and Canada.A meeting of the Spiritual Assembly is valid only when it has been duly called, that is, when each and every member has been informed of the time and place. The general practice is for the Assembly to decide upon some regular time and place for its meetings throughout the Bahá'í year, and this decision when recorded in the minutes is sufficient notice to the members.
When the regular schedule cannot be followed, or the need arises for a special meeting, the secretary, on request by the chairman or any three members of the Spiritual Assembly, should send due notice to all the members.
Order of BusinessRoll call by the Secretary (or Recording Secretary).
Prayer.Reading and approval of minutes of previous meetings.
Report of Secretary (or Corresponding Secretary), including presentation of letters received by the Assembly Since its last meeting, and of any and all recommendations duly adopted by the community at the last Ninetedn
Day Feast.New business, including conferences with members of the community and with applicants for enrollment as members of the community.
Closing Prayer.A Spiritual Assembly, in maintaining its threefold function of a body given (within the limits of its jurisdiction) an executive, a legislative and a judicial capacity, is charged with responsibility for initiating action and making decisions.
Its meetings, therefore, revolve around various definite matters which require deliberation and coi-lective decision, and it is incumbent upon the members, one and all, to address themselves to the subject under discussion and not engage in general speeches of an irrelevant character.
Every subject or problem before an Assembly is most efficiently handled when the following process is observed: first, ascertainment and agreement upon the facts; second, agreement upon the spiritual or administrative Teachings which the question involves; third, full and frank discussion of
Page 234the matter, leading up to the offering of a resolution; and fourth, voting upon the resolution.
A resolution, or motion, is not subject to discussion or vote until duly made and seconded. It is preferable to have each resolution clear and complete in itself, but when an amendment is duly made and seconded, the chairman shall call for a vote on the amendment first and then on the original motion. An amendment must be relevant to, and not contravene, the subject matter of the motion.
The chairman, or other presiding officer, has the same power and responsibility for discussion and voting upon motions as other members of the Assembly.
Discussion of any matter before the Assembly may be terminated by a motion duly made, seconded and voted calling upon the chairman to put the matter to a vote or to proceed to the next matter on the agenda. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent any member or members from prolonging the discussion beyond the point at which full opportunity has been given all members to express their views.
When the Assembly has taken action upon any matter, the action is binding upon all members, whether present or absent from the meeting at which the action was taken. Individual views and opinions must be sub � ordinated to the will of the Assembly when a decision has been made. A Spiritual Assembly is an administrative unit, as it is a spiritual unit, and therefore no distinction between "majority" and c!iit~~ groups or factions can be recognized.
Each member must give undivided loyalty to the institution to which he or she has been elected.
Any action taken by the Assembly can be reconsidered at a later meeting, on motion duly made, seconded and carried. This reconsideration, according to the result of the consultation, may lead to a revision or the annulment of the prior action. If a majority is unwilling to reconsider the prior action, further discussion of the matter by any member is improper.
The Assembly has a responsibility in filling a vacancy caused by the inability of any member to attend the meetings. "It is only too obvious that unless a member can attend regularly the meetings of his local Assembly, it would be impossible for him to discharge the duties incumbent upon him, and to fulfill his responsibilities as a representative of the community. Membership in a local Spiritual Assembly carries with it, indeed, the obligation and capacity to remain in close touch with local BaLM activities, and ability to attend regularly the sessions of the Assembly." � SHOGHI EFFENDI, January 27, 1935.
The Spiritual Assembly, as a permanent body, is responsible for maintaining all its records, including minutes of meetings, correspondence and financial records, throughout its existence as a Bahá'í institution. Each officer, therefore, on completing his or her term of office, shall turn over to the Assembly all records pertaining to the business of the
Assembly.A. The institution of the Nineteen Day Feast provides the recognized and regular occasion for general consultation on the part of the community, and for consultation between the Spiritual Assembly and the mern � bets of the community. The conduct of the period of consultation at Nineteen Day Feasts is a vital function of each Spiritual Assembly.
From Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá thi, "The Nineteen Day Fast was inaugurated by the Bib and ratified by Bahá'u'lláh, in His Holy Book, the tAqdas,' so that people may gather together and outwardly show fellowship and love, that the Divine mysteries may be disclosed.
The object is concord, that through this fellowship hearts may become perfectly united, and reciprocity and mutual helpfulness be established.
Because the members of the world of humanity are unable to exist without being banded together, cooperation and helpfulness is the basis of human society. Without the realization of these two great principles no great movemeiit is pressed forward." London, Enghnd, December 29, 1912.
(Quoted in Bin-rk'f NEWSt has been described by the Guardian a~ the foundation of the World Order of Bat i'u'llib.
It is to be conducted according to the followingTHE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 235
program: the first part, entirely spiritual in character, is devoted to readings from Bahá'í Sacred Writings; the second part consists of general consultation on the affairs of the Cause.
The third part is the material feast and social meeting of all the believers, and should maintain the spiritual nature of the Feast.
Bahá'ís should regard this Feast as the very heart of their spiritual activity, their participation in the mystery of the Holy Utterance, their steadfast unity one with another in a universality raised high above the limitations of race, class, nationality, sect, and personality, and their privilege of contributing to the power of the Cause in the realm of collective action.
March21calendar for some adequate reason cannot be observed, the Assembly may arrange to hold a Feast at the nearest possible date.
Only members of the Baha community, and visiting Bab4'is from other communities, may attend these meetings, but young people of less than twenty-one years of age, who have studied the Teachings and declared their intention of joining the community on reaching the age of twenty-one, may also attend.
Regular attendance at the Nineteen Day Feast is incumbent upon every Baha'i, illness or absence from the city being the oniy justification for absence. Believers are expected to arrange their personal affairs so as to enable them to observe the Bahá'í calendar.
Order of Business for theThe chairman or other appointed representative of the Spiritual Assembly presides during the period of consultation.
The Spiritual Assemblyreports to the community whatever communications have been received from the Guardian and the National Spiritual Assembly, and provides opportunity for general discussion.
The Assembly likewise reports its own activities and plans, including committee appointments that may have been made since the last Feast, the financial report, arrangements made for public meetings, and in generaL share with the community all matters that concern the Faith. These reports are to be followed by general consultation.
A matter of vital importance at this meeting is consideration of national and international Bahá'í affairs, to strengthen the capacity of the community to cooperate in promotion of the larger Bahá'í interests and to deepen the understanding of all believers concerning the relation of the local community to the Bahá'í
World Community.Individual Bahá'ís are to find in the Nineteen Day Feast the channel through which to make suggestions and recommendations to the National Spiritual Assembly. These recommendations are offered first to the local community, and when adopted by the community come before the local Assembly, which then may in its discretion forward the recommendation to the
National Spiritual AssemblyProvision is to be made for reports from committees, with discussion of each report. Finally, the meeting is to be open for suggestions and recommendations from individual believers on any matter affecting the Cause.
The local Bahá'í community may adopt by majority vote any resolution which it wishes collectively to record as its advice and recommendation to the
Spiritual Assembly.Upon each member of the community lies the obligation to make his or her utmost contribution to the consultation, the ideal being a gathering of Bahá'ís inspired with one spirit and concentrating upon the one aim to further the interests of the
Faith.The Secretary of the Assembly records each resolution adopted by the community, as well as the various suggestions advanced during the meeting, in order to report these
Page 236Whatever action the Assembly takes is to be reported at a later Nineteen Day Feast.
Matters of a personal nature should be brought before the Spiritual Assembly and not to the community at the Nineteen
Day Feast. Concerningthe attitude with which believers should come to these Feasts, the Master has said, CCYOU must free yourselves from everything that is in your hearts, before you enter." (Baha'i' News Letter of the N. S. A. of Germany and Austria, December, 1934.)
B. The Annual Meeting on April 21, called for the election of the Spiritual Assembly, provides the occasion for the presentation of annual reports by the Assembly and by all its
Committees.The chairman of the outgoing Assembly presides at this meeting.
The order of business includes: Reading of the call of the meeting, reading of appropriate Bahá'í passages bearing upon the subject of the election, appointment of tellers, distribution of ballots, prayers for the spiritual guidance of the voters, the election, presentation of annual reports, tellers' report of the election, approval of the tellers' report.
C. In addition to these occasions for general consultation, the Spiritual Assembly is to give consultation to individual believers whenever requested.
During such consultation with individual believers, the Assembly should observe the following principles: the impartiality of each of its members with respect to all matters under discussion; the freedom of the individual Bahá'í to express his views, feelings and recommendations on any matter affecting the interests of the Cause, the confidential character of this consultation, and the principle that the Spiritual Assembly does not adopt any resolution or make any final decision, until the party or parties have withdrawn from the meeting.
Appeals from decisions of a local Spiritual Assembly are provided for in the ByLaws and the procedure fully described in a statement published in BANAl NEWS, February, 1933.
When confronted with evidences of unhappiness, whether directed against the Assembly or against members of the community, the Spiritual Assembly should realize that its relationship to the believers is not merely that of a formal constitutional body but also that of a spiritual institution called upon to manifest the attributes of courtesy, patience and loving insight. Many conditions are not to be remedied by the exercise of power and authority but rather by a sympathetic understanding of the sources of the difficulty in the hearts of the friends. As 'Abdu'l-Bahá has explained, some of the people are children and must be trained, some are ignorant and must be educated, some are sick and must be healed.
'Where, however, the problem is not of this order but represents flagrant disobedience and disloyalty to the Cause itself, in that case the Assembly should consult with the
National Spiritual AssemblyMembers of the Bahá'í community, for their part, should do their utmost by prayer and meditation to remain always in a positive and joyous spiritual condition, bearing in mind the Tablets which call upon Bahá'ís to serve the world of humanity and not waste their precious energies in negative complaints.
IV. BAHÁ'Í ANNIVERSARIES,The Spiritual Assembly, among its various duties and responsibilities, will provide for the general oUservance by the local community of the following
Holy Days:Period of the Fast, nineteen days begin-fling March 2.
Feast of Naw-Riiz (Bahá'íTHE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 237
THE ANNUAL BAHÁ'Í CONVENTION(Approved by the Guardian) DESPITE the repeated explanations given by the Guardian on this subject, there seems to exist each year, prior to and also during the Convention period, some misunderstanding as to the nature of the Annual
Meeting.In order to establish a definite standard of Convention procedure, the following statement has been approved and adopted, and in accordance with the vote taken by the National Assembly, a copy of the statement is placed in the hands of the presiding officer of the Convention to control the Conven-don procedure, after being read to the delegates by the officer of the National Spiritual Assembly by whom the Convention is convened.'
"The delegates present at this Annual Bahá'í Convention are called upon to render a unique, a vital service to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Their collective functions and responsibilities are not a matter of arbitrary opinion, but have been clearly described by the Guardian of the Cause. If civil governments have found it necessary to adopt the doctrine that ~ignorance of the law is no excuse,' how much more essential it is for Baha'is, individually and collectively, to base their responsible actions upon thorough comprehension of the fundamental principles which underlie that Administrative Order which in its maturity is destined to become the
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh."Considerable confusion would have been avoided at Conventions held during the past three years had the delegates, and all man-hers of the National Spiritual Assembly itself, given sufficient consideration to the fact that BATVTAA NEWS of February, 1930, contained an explanation of the Annual Convention which had been prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly, submitted to Shoghi Effendi, and definitely approved by him.
It is because this statement of four This reference to t%eing read to the delegates" was in connection with the
1934 Convention only. Thestatement is here published for the general information of the believers.
years ago has gone unnoticed that successive Conventions, acting upon some matters as a law unto themselves, have inadvertently contravened the Guardian's clear instructions.
ccThe National Spiritual Assembly now calls attention to two specific portions of the 1930 statement approved by the Guardian which have been neglected in subsequent Conventions: first, the ruling that non-dele-gates do not possess the right to participate in Convention proceedings; and, second, that the time of the election. of members of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be fixed in the Agenda at such a time as to allow the outgoing Assembly full time to report to the delegates, and to allow the incoming Assembly to have full consultation with the assembled delegates.
It is surely evident that a procedure or principle of action once authorized by the Guardian is not subject to alteration by any Bahá'í body or individual believer to whom the procedure directly applies.
C�[ order to remove other sources of misunderstanding, the National Spiritual Assembly now feels it advisable to point out that the Guardian's letters on the subject of the Convention, received and published in BArA'f Nrws this year,2 do not, as some believers seem to feel, organically change the character and function of the Annual Meeting, but reaffirm and strengthen instructions and explanations previously given. In the light of all the Guardian's references to this subject, compiled and published by the National Spiritual Assembly in BAHÁ'Í NEWS of November, 1933 and February, 1934, the following brief summary has been prepared and is now issued with the sole purpose of contributing to the spiritual unity of the chosen delegates here present: � "1. The Annual Bahá'í Convention has two unique functions to fulfill, discussion of current Bahá'í matters and the election 2 February, 1934.
Page 238of the National Spiritual Assembly. The discussion should be free and untrammeled, the election carried on in that spirit of prayer and meditation in which alone every delegate can render obedience to the Guardian s expressed wish. After the Convention is convened by the Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly, and after the roil call is read by the Secretary of the Assembly, the Convention proceeds to the election of its chairman and secretary by secret ballot and without advance nominatiofl, according to the standard set for all Bahá'í elections.
ce2. Non-delegates' may not participate in Convention discussion. All members of the National Sp~ritua1 Assembly may participate in the discussion, but oniy those members who have been elected delegates may vote on any matter brought up f or vote during the proceedings.
tt3� The outgoing National Spiritual Assembly is responsible for rendering reports of its own activities and of those carried on by its committees during the past year. The annual election is to be held at a point midway during the Convention sessions, so that the incoming Assembly may consult with the delegates.
tC4 The Convention is free to discuss any Bahá'í matter, in addition to those treated in the annual reports. The Convention is responsible for making its own rules of procedure controlling discussion; for example, concerning any limitations the delegates may find it necessary to impose upon the time allotted to or claimed by any one delegate. The National Assembly will maintain the rights of the delegates to confer freely and fully, free from any restricted pressure, in the exercise of their function.
~~5� The Convention as an organic body is limited to the actual Convention period. It has no function to discharge after the close of the sessions except that of electing a member or members to fill any vacancy that might arise in the membership of the National Spiritual Assembly during the year.
CC6 The Convention while in session has no independent legislative, executive or judicial function.
Aside from its action in electing the National Spiritual Assembly, its discussions do not represent actions but recommendations which shall, according to the Guardian's instructions, be given conscientious consideration by the National Assembly.
!C7~ The National SpiritualAssembly is th2 supreme Bahá'í administrative body within the American Bahá'í community, and its ju � riscliction continues without interruption during the Convention period as during the remainder of the year, and independently of the individuals composing its membership. Any matter requiring action of legislative, executive or judicial nature, whether arising during the Convention period or at any other time, is to be referred to the
National Spiritual Assembly.is responsible for upholding the administrative principles applying to the holding of the Annual Convention as it is for upholding all other administrative principles. If, therefore, a Convention departs from the principles laid down for Conventions by the Guardian, and exceeds the limitations of function conferred upon it, in that case, and in that case alone, the National Spiritual Assembly can and must intervene. It is the National Spiritual Assembly, and not the Convention, which is authorized to decide when and why such intervention is required.
~ The National SpiritualAssembly feels that it owes a real duty to the delegates, and to the entire body of believers, in presenting any and all facts that may be required in order to clarify matters discussed at the Convention.
There can be no true Bahá'í consultation at this important meeting ~f any incomplete or erroneous view should prevail.
"9. The National Assemblyin adopting and issuing this statement does so in the sincere effort to assure the constitutional freedom of the Convention to fulfill its high mission.
The path of true freedom lies in knowing and obeying the general principles given to all Bahá'ís for the proper conduct of their collective affairs. While the entire world plunges forward to destruction, it is the responsibility of the National Spiritual Assembly to uphold that Order on which peace and security solely depends."
Page 239THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 239
THE NONPOLITICAL CHARACTER OFA Statement Prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly in Response to the Request for Clarification of the Subject Voiced by the 1933 Annual Convention IT is the view of the
National Spiritual Assemblythat the Guardian's references to the nonpolitical character of the Bahá'í Faith, when studied as a whole, are so clear that they can be fully grasped by all believers and rightly applied by all Local Spiritual Assemblies to any problems they may encounter. Should special circumstances arise, however, the National Assembly will make every effort to assist any Local Assembly to arrive at fuller understanding of this important subject.
The first reference to consider is taken from the letter written by
Shoghi Effendi on March21, 1932, published under the title of ttThe Golden Age of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh."
~~]j feel it, therefore, incui'nbent upon me to stress, now that the time is ripe, the importance of an instruction which, at the present stage of the evolution. of our Faith, should be increasingly emphasized, irrespective of its application to the East or to the West.
And this principle is no other than that which involves the nonparticipation by the adherents of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, whether in their individual capacities or collectively as local or national Assemblies, in any form of activity that might be interpreted, either directly or indirectly, as an interference in the political affairs of any particular government.
C(Let them refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions.
In such controversies they should assign no blame, take no side, further no design, and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best interests of that worldwide Fellowship which it is their aim to guard and foster. Let them beware lest they allow themselves to become the tools of unscrupulous politicians, or to be entrapped by the treacherous devices of the plotters and the perfidious among their countrymen. Let them so shape their lives and regulate their conduct that no charge of secrecy, of fraud, of bribery or of intimidation may, however ill-founded, be brought against them.
It is their duty to strive to distinguish, as clearly as they possibly can, and if needed with the aid of their elected representatives, such posts and functions as are either dip1o~ matic or political, from those that are purely administrative in character, and which tinder no circumstances are affected by the changes and chances that political activities and party government, in every land, must necessarily involve. Let them affirm their unyielding determination to stand, firmly and unreservedly, for the way of Bahá'u'lláh, to avoid the entanglements and bickerings inseparable from the pursuits of the politician, and to become worthy agencies of that Divine Polity which incarnates God's immutable Purpose for all men.
"Let them proclaim that in whatever country they reside, and however advanced their institutions, or profound their desire to enforce the laws and apply the principles enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, they will, unhesitatingly, subordinate the operation of such laws and the application of such principles to the requirements and legal enactments of their respective governments. Theirs is not the purpose, while endeavoring to conduct and perfect the administrative affairs of their Faith, to violate, under any circumstances, the provisions of their country's constitution, much less to allow the ma~ chinery of their administration to supersede the government of their respective coun tries."
This instruction raised the question whether believers should vote in any public election. A Tablet revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Mr. Thornton Chase was sent to the Guardian, and the following reply was received, dated January 26, 1933: ttTh Guardian fully recognizes the au
Page 240thenticity and controlling influence of this instruction from 'Abdu'l-Bahá upon the question. He, however, feels under the responsibility of stating that the attitude taken by the Master (that is, that American citizens are in duty bound to vote in public elections) implies certain reservations.
He, therefore, lays it upon the individual conscience to see that in following the Master's instructions no Bahá'í vote for an officer nor Bahá'í participation in the affairs of the Republic shall involve acceptance by that individual of a program or policy that contravenes any vital principle, spiritual or social, of the Faith."
The Guardian added to this letter the following postscript: ~ feel it incumbent upon me to clarify the above statement, written in my behalf, by stating that no vote cast, or office undertaken, by a Bahá'í should necessarily constitute acceptance, by the voter or office holder, of the entire program of any political party. No Bahá'í can be regarded as either a Republican or Democrat, as such. He is, above all else, the supporter of the principles enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, with which, I am firmly convinced, the program of no political party is completely harmonious.~~ In a letter dated March 16, 1933, the Guardian sent these further details:
CONCERNING MEMBE RELIGIOUSHE instruction written by Shoghi TM-fendi concerning membership in non-Bahá'í religious organizations, published in the July, 1935, number of BANAl Nrws, has brought forth some interesting and important communications from local Spiritual Assemblies and also from individual believers, to all of which the National Spiritual Assembly has given careful and sympathetic attention.
The National Assemblyitself, on receiving that instruction, made it the subject of extensive consultation, feeling exceedingly responsible for its own understanding of the Guardian's words and anxious to contribute to the understanding of the friends.
In October, 1935, the Assembly sent in reply to some of these communications a "As regards the nonpolitical character of the Bahá'í
Faith, Shoghi Effendifeels that there is no contradiction whatsoever between the Tablet (to Thornton Chase, referred to above) and the reservations to which he has referred.
The Master surely never desired the friends to use their influence towards the realization and promotion of policies contrary to any of the principles of the Faith. The friends may vote, if they can do it, without identifying themselves with one party or another. To enter the arena of party politics is surely detrimental to the best interests of the Faith and will harm the Cause. It remains for the individuals to so use their right to vote as to keep aloof from party politics, and always bear in mind that they are voting on the merits of the individual, rather than because he belongs to one party or another. The matter must be made perfectly clear to the individuals, who will be left free to exercise-their discretion and judgment. But if a certain person does enter into party politics and labors for the ascendancy of one party over another, and continues to do it against the expressed appeals, and warnings of the Assembly, then the Assembly has the right to refuse him the right to vote in Bahá'í elections.
RSHJP IN NONBAHÁ'Í GANIZATIONSgeneral letter embodying its thoughts on the subject, and a copy of that letter was forwarded to Shoghi Effendi for his approval and comment. His references to its contents, made in letters addressed to the National Spiritual
Assembly on November29 and December 11, 1935, are appended to this statement.
Now that Shoghi Effendi'sapproval has been received, the National Assembly feels it desirable to publish, for the information of all the American believers, the substance of the October letter.
While so fundamental an instruction is bound to raise different questions corresponding to the different conditions existing throughout the Bahá'í community, the most
Page 241THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 241
A Gathering of the Bahá'ís of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
important consideration is our collective need to grasp the essential principle underlying the new instruction, and our capacity to perceive that the position which the Guardian wishes us to take in regard to church membership is a necessary and inevitable result of the steady development of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
This essential principle is made clear when we turn to Shoghi Effendi's further reference to the subject as published in BAHÁ'Í NEWS for October, 1935 � words written by the Guardian's own hand.
In the light of these words, it seems fully evident that the way to approach this instruction is in realizing the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh as an ever-growing organism destined to become something new and greater than any of the revealed religions of the past. 'Whereas former Faiths inspired hearts and illumined souls, they eventuated in formal religions with an ecclesiastical organization, creeds, rituals and churches, while the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, likewise renewing man s spiritual life, will gradually produce the institutions of an ordered society, fulfilling not merely the function of the churches of the past but also the function of the civil state.
By this manifestation of the Divine Will in a higher degree than in former ages, humanity will emerge from that immature civilization in which church and state are separate and competitive institutions, and partake of a true civilization in which spiritual and social principles are at last reconciled as two aspects of one and the same Truth.
No Bahá'í can read the successive World Order letters sent us by Shoghi Effendi without perceiving that the Guardian, for many years, has been preparing us to understand and appreciate this fundamental purpose and mission of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Even when the Master ascended, we were for the most part still considering the Bahá'í Faith as though it were only the (creturn of Christ" and failing to perceive the entirely new and larger elements latent in the
Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.Thus, in the very first of the World Order letters, written February 27th, 1929, Shoghi Effendi said: CCWho I may ask, when viewing the international character of the Cause, its far-flung ramifications, the increasing complexity of its affairs, the diversity of its adherents, and the state of confusion that assails on every side the infant Faith of God, can for a moment qtves-don the necessity of some sort of administrative machinery that will insure, amid
Page 242Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Havana, Cuba, 1943.
the storm and stress of a struggling civilization, the unity of the Faith, the preservation of its identity, and the protection of its interests?"
Although for five years the Guardian had been setting forth the principles of Bahá'í Administration in frequent letters, in 1927 he apparently felt it necessary to overcome some doubts here and there as to the validity of the institutions the Master bequeathed to the Bahá'ís in His Will and Testament. The series of World Order letters, however, goes far beyond the point of defending and ex � plaining their validity as an essential element in the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh � the Guardian vastly extended the horizon of our understanding by making it clear that the Administrative Order, in its full development, is to be the social structure of the future civilization.
Thus, in that same letter quoted above, he wrote: ttNoc oniy will the presentday Spiritual Assemblies be styled differently in future, but will be enabled also to add to their present functions those powers, duties, and prerogatives necessitated by the recognition of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, not merely as one of the recognized religious systems of the world, but as the State Religion of an independent and Sovereign Power.
And as the Bahá'í Faith permeates the masses of the peoples of East and West, and its truth is embraced by the majority of the peoples of a number of the Sovereign States of the world, will the Universal House of Justice attain the plenitude of its power, and exercise, as the supreme organ of the Bahá'í Commonwealth, all the rights, the duties, and responsibilities incumbent upon the world's future super � state.~~ This passage stands as the keystone in the noble structure which Shoghi Effendi has raised in his function as interpreter of the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
The Master developed the Cause to the point where this social Teaching, always existent in the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, could be explained to the believers and given its due significance as the fulfillment of Baha evolution. As the Guardian expressed it: "That Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Baha Faith." (World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 34.)
For us these words mean that a Bahá'í is not merely a member of a revealed Religion, he is also a citizen in a World Order even though that Order today is still in its infancy and still obscured by the shadows thrown by the institutions, habits and attitudes derived from the past.
But since the aim and end has been made known, our devotion and loyalty must surely express itself, not in clinging to views and thoughts emanating from the past, but in pressing
Page 243THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 243
forward in response to the needs of the new creation.
That true devotion, which consists in conscious knowledge of the "primary mission," and unified action to assist in bringing about its complete triumph, recognizes that a Bahá'í today must have singleness of mind as of aim, without the division arising when we stand with one foot in the Cause and one foot in the world, attempting to reconcile diverse elements which the Manifestation of God Himself has declared to be irreconcilable.
The principle underlying the Guardian's instruction about membership in non-Bahá'í religious bodies has already been emphasized by Shoghi Effendi in another connection � the instruction about the nonpolitical character of the Faith which he incorporated in his letter entitled "The Golden Age of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh."
For example: ~'J feel it, therefore, incumbent upon me to stress, now that the time is ripe, the importance of an instruction which, at the present stage of the evolution of our Faith, should be increasingly emphasized, irrespective of its application to the East or to the West. And this principle is no other than that which involves the nonparticipation by the adherents of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, whether in their individual capacities or collectively as local or national Assemblies, in any form of activity that might be interpreted, either directly or indirectly, as an interference in the political affairs of any particular government."
Again, when the question was raised as to membership in certain non-Bahá'í organizations not directly religious or political in character, the Guardian replied: CcRegarding association with the World Fellowship of Faiths and kindred Societies, Shoghi Effendi wishes to reaffirm and elucidate the general principle that Bahá'í elected representatives as well as individuals should refrain from any act or word that would imply a departure from the principles, whether spiritual, social or administrative, established by Bahá'u'lláh. Formal affiliation with and acceptance of membership in organizations whose programs or policies are not wholly reconcilable with the Techings is of course out of the question."
(BAHÁ'Í NEWS, August, 1933.)Thus, not once but repeatedly the Guardian has upheld the vital principle underlying every type of relationship between Bahá'ís and other organizations, namely, that the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh is an ever-growing organism, and as we begin to realize its universality our responsibility is definitely established to cherish and defend that universality from all compromise, all admixture with worldly elements, whether emanating from our own habits rooted in the past or from the deliberate attacks imposed by enemies from without.
It will be noted that in the instruction published in July, 1935, BAHÁ'Í NEWS, the Guardian made it clear that the principle involved is not new and unexpected, but rather an application of an established principle to a new condition. ccconcerning membership in non-Bahá'í religious associations, the Guardian wisbes to reemphasize the general principle already laid down in his communications to your Assembly and also to the individual believers that no Bahá'í who wishes to be a wholehearted and sincere upholder of the distinguishing principles of the Cause can accept full membership in any non-Bahá'í ecclesiastical organization.
For it is only too obvious that in most of its fundamental assumptions the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh is completely at variance with outworn creeds, ceremonies and institutions.
During the days of the Master the Cause was still in a stage that made such an open and sharp dissociation between it and other religious organizations, and particularly the Muslim Faith, not only inadvisable but practically impossible to establish.
But since His passing events throughout the Bahá'í world, and particularly in Egypt where the Muslim religious courts have formally testified to the independent character of the Faith, have developed to a point that has made such an assertion of the independence of the Cause not oniy highly desirable but absolutely essential."
To turn now to the Guardian's words published in October BAHÁ'Í NEWS: "The separation that has set in between The institutions of the Bahá'í Faith and the IsUmic ecclesiastical organizations that oppose it imposes upon every loyal upholder of
Page 244the Cause the obligation of refraining from any word or action that might prejudice the position which our enemies have of their own accord proclaimed and established. This historic development, the beginnings of which could neither be recognized nor even anticipated in the years immediately preceding 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í passing, may be said to have signalized the Formative Period of our Faith and to have paved the way for the consolidation of its administrative order.
Though our Cause unreservedly recognizes the Divine origin of all the religions that preceded it and upholds the spiritual truths which lie at their very core and are common to them all, its institutions, whether administrative, religious or humanitarian, must, if their distinctive character is to be maintained and recognized, be increasingly divorced from the outworn creeds, the meaningless ceremonials and manmade institutions with which these religions are at present identified. Our adversaries in the East have initiated the struggle.
Our future opponents in the West will, in their turn, arise and carry it a stage further. Ours is the duty, in anticipation of this inevitable contest, to uphold unequivocally and with undivided loyalty the integrity of our Faith and demonstrate the distinguishing features of its divinely appointed institutions."
Nothing could be clearer or more emphatic. These words, asserting again the essential universality of the Cause, likewise repeat and renew the warning that the organized religions, even in America, will become bitterly hostile to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, denounce and oppose it, and seek its destruction in vain effort to maintain their own ~coutworn creeds" and material power. Informed of this inevitable development, can a Bahá'í any longer desire to retain a connection which, however liberal and pleasing it now seems, is a connection with a potential foe of the
Cause of God? The Guardian'sinstruction signifies that the time has come when all American believers must become fully conscious of the implications of such connections, and carry out their ioy-alty to its logical conclusion.
Shoghi Effendi's latest words are not merely an approval of the foregoing statement, ment, but a most helpful elucidation of some of the problems which arise when the friends turn to their local Assemblies for specific advice under various special circumstances.
t~The explanatory statement in connection with membership in non-BaM'i religious organizations is admirably conceived, convincing and in full conformity with the principles underlying and implied in the unfolding world order of Bahá'u'lláh." (November 29, 1933.)
~'The Guardian has carefully read the copy of the statement you had recently prepared concerning non-membership in non.-Bahá'í religious organizations, and is pleased to realize that your comments and explanations are in full conformity with his views on the subject. He hopes that your letter will serve to clarify this issue in the minds of all the believers, and to further convince them of its vital character and importance in the present stage of the evolution of the Cause.
In this case,1 as also in that of suffering believers, the Assemblies, whether local or national, should act tactfully, patiently and in a friendly and kindly spirit. Knowing how painful and dangerous it is for such believers to repudiate their former allegiances and friendships, they should try to gradually persuade them of the wisdom and necessity of such an action, and instead of thrusting upon them a new principle, to make them accept it inwardly, and out of pure conviction and desire. Too severe and immediate action in such cases is not only fruitless but actually harmful.
It alienates people instead of winning them to the Cause.
ttThe other point concerns the advisability of contributing to a church. In this case also the friends must realize that contributions to a church, especially when not regular, do not necessarily entail affiliation. The believers can make such offerings, occasionally, and provided they are certain that while doing so they are not connected as members of any church. There should be no 1 A special case involving an aged believer, afflicted with illness, for whom severance of church relations might have been too great a shock.
Page 245THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 245
confusion between the terms affiliation and association.
While affiliation with ecclesiastical organizations is not permissible, association with them should not only be tolerated but even encouraged. There is no better way to demonstrate the universality of the Cause than this. Bahá'u'lláh, indeed, urges His followers to consort with all religions and nations with utmost friendliness and love.
This constitutes the very spirit of His message to mankind." (December 11, 1935.)
The National SpiritualAssembly trusts that the subject will receive the attention of local Assemblies and communities, and that in the light of the foregoing explanations the friends will find unity and agreement in applying the instruction to whatever situations may arise. In teaching new believers let us lay a proper foundation so that their obedience will be volUntary and assured from the beginning of their enrollment as Baha'is.
In our attitude toward the older believers who are affected by the instruction let us act with the patience and kindliness the Guardian has urged.
BAHÁ'ÍS AND WARONE of the chief responsibilities of Bahá'ís in this transitional era is to grasp the principle upon which rests their loyalty to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in relation to their duty toward their civil government. This problem arises in its most difficult form in connection with our individual and collective attitude toward war.
Nothing could be more powerful than the Bahá'í teachings on the subject of peace. Not only does Bahá'u'lláh confirm the teachings of all former Manifestations which uphold amity and fellowship between individual human beings, and the supremacy of 'ove as the end and aim of mutual intercourse and association, but He likewise extends the divine law of peace to governments and rulers, declaring to them that they are called upon to establish peace and justice upon earth, and uproot forever the dire calamity of international war.
Despite His Revelation, a most agonizing and excruciating conflict raged in Europe for four years, and since that war many other wars and revolutions have dyed the earth, while at present the heaven of human hope is black with the approach of a final world-shaking catastrophe.
What wonder that faithful Baha'is, abhorring and detesting war as insane repudiation of divine law, as destroyer of life and ruin of civilization, should now, in these fateful days, ponder how they may save their loved ones from the calamity of the battlefield, field, and how they may contribute their utmost to any and every effort aimed at the attainment of universal peace?
Conscious of these heart-stirrings, and mindful of its responsibility toward all American believers, and particularly that radiant youth which would first of all be sacrificed in the event of a declaration of war by the government, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to express its view upon the matter, tn the hope that the result of its study of the Teachings and of the Guardian s explanations will assist in bringing a unity of opinion and a clarification of thought among the friends.
Concerning the duty of Bahá'ís to their government, we have these words, written by Shoghi Effendi on January 1, 1929 (see CCBah~~i Administration," page 152): "To all these (that is, restrictive measures of the SoViet r~gime) the followers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh have with feelings of burning agony and heroic fortitude unanimously and unreservedly submitted, ever mindful of the guiding principle of Bahá'í conduct that in connection with their administrative activities, no matter how grievously interference with them might affect the course of the extension of the Movement, and the suspension of which does not constitute in itself a departure from the principle of loyalty to 1 "The Guardian has carefully read the N. S. A's statement on the Bahá'í attitude toward war, and approves of its circulation among the believers." � Shoghi Effendi, through his secretary, Haifa, January 10, 1936.
Page 246their Faith, the considered judgment and authoritative decrees issued by their responsible rulers must, if they be faithful to Bahá'u'lláh's and 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í express injunctions, be thoroughly respected and lop-ally obeyed. In matters, however, that vitally affect the integrity and honor of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and are tantamount to a recantation of their faith and repudiation of their innermost belief, they are convinced, and are unhesitatingly prepared to vindicate by their lifeblood the sincerity of their conviction, that no power on earth, neither the arts of the most insidious adversary nor the bloody weapons of the most tyrannical oppressor, can ever succeed in extorting from them a word or deed that might tend to stifle the voice of their conscience or tarnish the purity of their faith."
In view of the fact that early Christians were persecuted because they refused to render military service, the question might be raised whether the above statement means that the Guardian includes refusal to bear arms as one of those matters which ~~vitally affect the integrity and honor of the Faith and are tantamount to a recantation of their faith and repudiation of their innermost belief" � a question the more important in that the early Christians preferred persecution to military service.
The answer to this question is that the Guardian instructs us that the obligation to render military duty placed by governments upon their citizens is a form of loyalty to one s government which the Bahá'í must accept, but that the believers can, through their National Assembly, seek exemption from active army duty provided their government recognizes the right of members of religious bodies making peace a matter of conscience to serve in some noncombatant service rather than as part of the armed force.
The National SpiritualAssembly has investigated carefully this aspect of the situation, and has found that, whereas the government of the United States did, in the last war, provide exemption from military duty on religious grounds, nevertheless this exemption was part of the Statutes bearing directly upon that war, and with the cessation of hostilities the exemption lapsed.
In other words, there is today'~ no basis on which any Bahá'í may be exempted from military duty in a possible future conflict. The National Assembly, consequently, cannot at present make any petition for exemption of Bahá'ís from war service, for such petitions must be filed with reference to some specific Act or Statute under which exemption can be granted. The Assembly understands that, in the event of war, there will be some kind of provision for exemption enacted, but as far as Bahá'ís are concerned, no steps can be taken until this government declares itself in a state of war.
This explanation, it is hoped, will satisfy those who for some years have been urging that protection be secured for American Bahá'í youth.
On the other hand it must be pointed out that it is no part of our teaching program to attract young people to the Cause merely in order to take advantage of any exemption that may later on be officially obtained for duly enrolled Baha'is. The only justifiable reason for joining this Faith is because one realizes that it is a divine Cause and is ready and willing to accept whatever may befall a believer on the path of devotion. The perse-curions which have been inflicted upon Bahá'ís so frequently make it clear that the path of devotion is one of sacrifice and not of ease or special privilege.
Another question encountered here and there among believers is what can Bahá'ís do to work for peace? Outside the Cause we see many organizations with peace programs, and believers occasionally feel that it is their duty to join such movements and thereby work for a vital Bahá'í principle.
It is the view of thethat activity in and for the Cause itself is the supreme service to world peace. The Bahá'í community of the world is the true example of peace. The Bahá'í principles are the oniy ones upon which peace can be established.
Therefore, by striving to enlarge the number of declared believers, and broadcasting the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, we are doing the utmost to rid humanity of the scourge of war. Of what use to spend time and money upon incomplete human programs when we have the universal program of the Manifestation of God? The firm * 1936.
Page 247THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 247
union of the Bahá'ís in active devotion to the advancement of their own Faith � this is our service to peace, as it is our service to all other human needs � economic justice, race amity, religious unity, etc. Let nonbelievers agitate for disarmament and circulate peti � tions for this and that pacifist aim � a Bahá'í truly alive in this Faith will surely prefer to base his activities upon the foundation laid by Bahá'u'lláh, walk the path which the Master trod all His days, and heed the appeals which the Guardian has given us to initiate a new era in the public teaching of the Message.
THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BATIAand rendereth thanks unto his Lord! For He assuredly will be made manifest.
God hath indeed ordained it in the Bayin. � Tnr Bin. (The
Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláhThe world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life bath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System � the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. � BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
(The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, page 54.)It is incumbent upon the Agh~in, the AfnAn and My kindred to turn, one and all, their faces towards the Most Mighty Branch. Consider that which We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book: !cWhen the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed. Who bath branched from this Ancient Root."
The object of this sacred verse is none except the Most Mighty Branch ('Abdu'l-Bahá). Thus have We graciously revealed unto you Our potent Will, and I am verily the Gracious, the AT1-Powerful. � BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
(The Dis-frensation of Bahá'u'lláh, page 42.)There hath branched from the Sadratu'1-MuntahA MuntahA this sacred and glorious Being, this Branch of Holiness; well is it with him that hath sought His shelter and abideth beneath His shadow. Verily the Limb of the Law of God Lath sprung forth from this Root which God hath firmly implanted in the Ground of His 'Will, and Whose Branch hath been so uplifted as to encompass the whole of crea � tion. � BAHÁ'U'LLÁH.
(The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, page 43.)In accordance with the explicit text of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá'u'lláh hath made the Center of the Covenant the Interpreter of His Word � a Covenant so firm and mighty that from the beginning of time until the present day no religious Dispensation hath produced its like.. � 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ.
(The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, page 44.)'Abdu'l-Bahá, Who incarnates an institution for which we can find no parallel whatsoever in any of the world's recognized religious systems, may be said to have closed the Age to which He Himself belonged and opened the one in which we are now 1abor~ ing. His Will and Testament should thus be regarded as the perpetual, the indissoluble link which the mind of Him Who is the Mystery of God has conceived in order to insure the continuity of the three ages that constitute the component parts of the Bahá'í Dispensation.
The creative energies released by the Law of Bahá'u'lláh, permeating and evolving within the mind of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, have, by their very impact and close interaction, given birth to an Instrument which may be viewed as the Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the
Page 248may thus be acclaimed as the inevitable offspring resulting from that mystic intercourse between Him Who communicated the generating influence of His divine Purpose and the One Who was its vehicle and chosen recipient.
Being the Child of the� the Heir of both the Originator and the Interpreter of the Law of God � the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá cah no more be divorced from Him Who supplied the original and motivating impulse than from the One Who ultimately conceived it. Bahá'u'lláh's inscrutable purpose, we must ever bear in mind, as been so thoroughly infused into the conduct of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and their motives have been so closely wedded together, that the mere attempt to dissociate the teachings of the former from any system which the ideal Exemplar of those same teachings has established would amount to a repudiation of one of the most sacred and basic truths of the Faith.
The Administrative Order, which ever since 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í ascension has evolved and is taking shape under our very eyes in no fewer than forty countries of the world, may be considered as the framework of the Will itself, the inviolable stronghold wherein this newborn child is being nurtured and developed.
This Administrative Order, as it expands and consolidates itself, will no doubt manifest the potentialities and reveal the full implications of this momentous Document � this most remarkable expression of the 'Will of One of the most remarkable Figures of the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. It will, as its component parts, its organic institutions, begin to function with efficiency and vigor, assert its claim and demonstrate its capacity to be regarded not only as the nucleus but the very pattern of the New World Order destined to embrace in the fullness of time the whole of mankind. � SnoGrn
EFFENDI. (The DispensationCIVILIZATION is the social expression of the human spirit. In every age this spirit first becomes articulate in a Gospel or ttBook" and every age requires its own voice to cry its latent ideals in the wilderness of confusion � that period of transition from one social era to another.
The Bahá'í Faith has been called the spirit of this age, and Bahá'u'lláh, its Author, is acclaimed by His followers as the Messenger of God for today. His revelation deals directly with the problems of the age, spiritually and practically.
The Will and Testamentof 'Abdu'l-Bahá, His son, constitutes the "indissoluble link" between the Revelation itself and the world order which that Revelation is destined to promote.
"The creative energies released by the Law of Bahá'u'lláh, permeating and evolving within the mind of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, have, by their very impact and close interaction, given birth to an Instrument which may be viewed as the Charter of the New World Order which is at once the glory and the promise of this most great Dispensation." (Shoghi
Effendi in "The Dispensationof Bahá'u'lláh.") No human being would claim today, to understand fully the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. To us, ccth generation of the half-light," is given oniy a dim perception of its major features � the main institutions, the most brilliant light and the darkest shade, a clouded vision of the whole and only an intimation of the subtle and hidden relationships between the component bodies.
But because of this we are also given the opportunity to probe that mystery, to seek, in the ever increasing light of this wondrous dawn, to discover more and more of the picture, to attain, by experience of the society which Rah4'u'Ilali's almighty Spirit
Page 249THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 249
has already raised, and by striving to pierce the mystery of His Revelation, a clearer vision of that Divine Order of which the 'Will and Testament is the Charter.
In order to obtain this fuller understanding, it is necessary to approach the Will as one would approach a great work of art; free of all objective conceptions, shapes, colors, institutions, methods, free particularly of any expectation and of the tttales of the past."
It is essential to approach the Will, not looking for confirmation of anything of one's own, but waiting only to see what the Author has to say.
With this attitude ever in mind, we may consider the social and political theory of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, which is to operate through the provisions and institutions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It is summed up in the word Theocracy, or, as an earlier dispensation had it, "God Himself shall rule His people." Such a system can neither be entirely democratic, nor aristocratic, nor autocratic. It must, and does, rest on different sanctions and operate through different channels, without, however, discarding what has been fou,nd good in human experience.
No modern people will ever think of God as an incarnate Being, administering world affairs from some earthly capital. The conception of Theocracy therefore, in its true sense of rule by the Will of God, is not new to human imagination and hope, but it is definitely new (and as yet remains unknown) to conscious experience.
The greatest efforts of peoples, whether exemplified in the once mighty system of Christendom, based on the undoubted primacy of Peter and reinforced by whatever the Roman genius had to offer, or in the siow and empirical growth of the British Constitution, or in the painstaking efforts of the framers of the American Constitution, cannot be said to bear that stamp of perfection which must characterize Theocracy. Nor indeed can it be expected that they should, since such a system is only practicable to a generally mature society. And humanity even now stands oniy at the gate of that condition, unable to put away its youth and advance joyfully to its destiny.
The attributes of God exist in perfection only in His Manifestation.
rcwhoso hath seen me bath seen the Father"; !rwhen I content-plate, 0 my God, the relationship that bind-eth me to Thee, I am moved to proclaim to all created things ~verily I am God!'; and when I consider my own self, Jo, I find it coarser than clay!" Therefore, as long as the Manifestation dwells with men, the Will of God may be known without fear of pollution from the channel through which it is revealed. Only seldom, however, is the Manifestation called upon to administer the social order which His Revelation creates. The problem, therefore, is to protect the word and to find adequate and safe channels for the continuous flow of Divine guidance, after the ascension of the Prophet. This is an essential condition of Theocracy, the sine qua non without which any order, no matter how good, lacks the ultimate sanction of the authentic interpretation of the "Book."
Little wonder that Muhammad should characterise His Book and His Family (among whom was 'Au, the appointed successor) as the greatest gifts which He left to His followers. It is upon the Book, the written 'Word, and its interpretation as au-thorised by its Author, that a theocratic state must rest.
The unique and peerless feature of the Bahá'í Revelation is that for the first time in history, full and undeniable provision has been made for the protection of the Word and for the continuity of Divine guidance, without in the least constricting that creative force latent in every human soul, and which, when evoked by the Word of God, is the motivating power of civilization. Far from hampering the operation of this mighty force, the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh provides for its fullest expression, and by eliminating "economi&' fear, offers it greater scope and a longer period of effective strength.
In addition it provides adequate channels for its direction and the overshadowing guidance of the Covenant, so that the excesses and wastefulness and confusion common to the early days of a new vitality, are avoided.
Reference is made to such times as the Renaissance, or, on a lesser scale, the settlement of the 'West in America.
Notably in the case ofThe institutions provided by the Baha Revelation to guard the Book from interpolation and to keep open the channel of Guidance, are the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, the "twin pillars" of the World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh.The Guardian as interpreter of what is in the Book, and the Universal House of Justice as legislator on matters not provided for in the Book, are ~both under the care and protection of the rAbhd Beauty,' under the shelter and unerring guidance of
His Holiness, the ExaltedOne." The close spiritual relationship between these two institutions is commented on later, although it is clearly apparent that this is one of the features of Bahá'u'lláh's World Order at present shrouded in mystery, a mystery which experience and the passage of time will do more to clarify than present meditation.
The Guardianship is another mystery whose full significance will only be discovered by later generations.
To us it means, from our own experience, unity, preservation, and an ultimate authority, but to future generations it may mean both more and less. Less because the Universal House of Justice will be fully established and active, and able to exercise those functions which now devolve upon the Guardian; more, by virtue of the reinforcement of the institution through the full development of all the other component parts of the Bahá'í World Order, and because of the extension of its activity from the inspirer, champion and beloved guide of a small and struggling world community, to the full exercise of its duties and prerogatives as one of the twin pillars sustaining the single social order of the planet.
But we may say something of the significance of this mighty institution in the light of historical experience. In any highly developed, and therefore complex, modern state, guarantee has had to be created or developed for the protection of the constitution.
In England the constitution (elusive and indefinable) is guaranteed by the monarchy. The king is the guarantor of the rights and freedom of the individual and the upholder of constitutional authority. In America the Supreme Court fulfils this function.
It is apparent that the most politically mature peoples have realized and tried to meet, the need for safeguarding the basis of their society.
'Warned by historical experience, where every covenant has eventually been broken, every order eventually corrupted, man still seeks the assured foundation and the house builded upon a rock.
This basic need is filled in the Order of Bahá'u'lláh through the unique institution of the Guardianship. Not only is the Guardian the channel of Divine guidance, but he is the protector, the "Guardian of the Cause of God." The Book, the "Mother Book" from which this mighty order springs, This is the oniy similarity of the institutions.
Some of the First Bahá'ís of La Paz, Bolivia.THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 251
claims him as its guardian and interpreter, and no other may serve. The Guardian is under the protection of the Manifestation of God, and therefore through him "the mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe."
Beyond this the author does not wish to go at present, other commentary on the Guardianship being too nebulous for assured expression.
Here then, based on the inviolable sanction of the Word of God, Divine guidance is given to man in respect of interpretation of what has already been revealed, and in respect of whatever additions to the Book are necessary for the transaction of affairs. It is from these complementary functions of the two main institutions that the flexibility of the Administrative Order is derived. For the interpretation of the Guardian may vary in application (never in principle) while the House of Justice is specifically empowered to repeal and modify its own laws, which form no part of the Book.
The various agencies for bringing this guidance to bear on the energy generated by the action of the creative 'Word on the souis of men, are dealt with in the text.
It is desired to stress here that the guidance and the energy meet in the same institutions and operate through the same channels. This is the spiritual process implied when it is said that Bahá'í institutions are not solely political, social, judicial or religious.
They are all these things at the same time, organic, complex, highly developed, mature institutions, and therefore exceedingly difficult to establish and their mysterious operation exceedingly difficult to understand, as the present world community of Bahá'ís knows to its pain and its joy.
Energy is generated from the mass, guidance is diffused from the top; the two, mingling in the arteries of this organic order and spreading throughout its nervous system, constitute its life force.
It should be borne in mind that the Will and Testament is an integral part of Scripture and can no more be divorced from the rest of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í utterances than can any part of the creative Word from the whole Revelation. It should be remembered too that the Master's other statements on the functions of Houses of Justice, on consultation, on the general conduct of affairs, on the rights and obligations of individuals, are of equal importance to the 'World Order of Bahá'u'lláh.
But the Will and Testament is the clear and authentic charter of this Order; it establishes its institutions and defines its relationships.
Through this document the rights of all are protected, authority is upheld and power delegated. It is no iess than the charter of world civilization, the Bill of Rights of all mankind.
In the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, power and initiative are vested in the people.
The power is expressed through the control of all local affairs by the local
House of Justice� a body elected from the residents in each locality, which must present its records periodically (every 19 days) and seek the advice, opinions and comment of the community which it serves. Initiative is evoked by the direct injunction of Bahá'u'lláh on each individual to engage in rcsome one occupation, such as arts, crafts, trades, professions and the like." We have made this, your occupation, identical with the worship of God, the True One."
It is also a basic teaching of Bahá'u'lláh that whatever is given by God � His Revelation, Guidance, Knowledge � is in direct proportion to the receptive capacity of mankind. Therefore to some extent � certainly within the space of one dispensation � man is the arbiter of his own destiny. For the gifts and bounties available are conferred according to his efforts. rcWhoso maizeth efforts for us, him will we cause the faithful spirit. ." So that the oniy limit set to the outward expression of the sovereignty of the Manifestation, is the state of development of man's power to respond to the Word of God. This power is his highest faculty, and in this dispensation it reaches maturity. This motivating power of society, arising from the people, remains vested in the people by the institutions and ordinances of
Bahá'u'lláh.is the Source of all. Through Him power and initiative are evoked in the mass of mankind. Through His Covenant, specifically centred in 'Abdu'l-Bahá interpretation and protection
Page 252is given. Through the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá the Covenant is preserved and extended for the whole length of the dispensation.
Authority and Divine guidance are vested in the House of Justice, and guarantee and Divine guidance are vested in the Guardian.
A close relationship is revealed between the component and integral parts of the
World Commonwealth.Power and initiative evoked by the Word of God; authority conferred by the Word of God; guarantee and guidance given and maintained by the Word of God. Everything rests on the creative Word and God Himself rules His people.
Such a comprehensive and unquestionably authorised system is new to human experience. Neither the Christian Faith, nor IslAm, can claim the written, undisputable author-fry of the Manifestation of God for any system within their folds. Consequently their socially creative power is paralyzed by the spirit of modern criticism, and they are unable to make any significant contribution to the reorganization of world society. Sincere and altruistic as is the desire of many within these Faiths, and of many in the other great religious systems of the planet, those very systems arrest the vision of their members at their own borders, so that there is small hope of their aspirations being realized, save through the Most Great Covenant whose promise is enshrined within their Holy Books.
'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Will and Testament is divided into three parts, each apparently written at different times, the last two some time later than the first part. It is a matter of inference that parts two and three were added by the Master after two particularly flagrant violations by the traitorous members of His own Family. Part 1 has the following note at the end: re~~jg written paper hath far a long time been preserved underground, damp having affected it. When brought forth to the light, it was observed that certain parts of it were injured by the damp, and the Holy Land being sorely agitated it was left untouched."
Parts 2 and 3 each recount fresh violations of the Covenant and dwell upon the importance of preserving the Faith. The Guardian and the Universal House of Justice are mentioned in each part.
Some conception of the trials which 'Abdu'l-Bahá faced may be gathered by a single perusal of the Will; from such sentences as this: ~O dearly beloved friends! I am now in very great danger and the hope of even an hour's life is lost to me." Under such conditions the Master's oniy thought was for the friends and the preservation of the Faith. He prays for both, sends His iove and confers His blessing, and ends with mention of the Guardian.
We now come to the text.The opening paragraph serves as introduction to the high theme which is to follow, and reveals its main outline. That outline is the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh.
re~,~/ praise to Him .," this refers to Bahá'u'lláh, rr� Who by the shield of His Covenant hath guarded the Temple of His Cause from the darts of doubtfulness The Covenant, which shields the Faith from schism and protects it from the violators, is inseparable from the name of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, whose "Will and Testament is as essential a part of it as is the 'Will and
Testament of Bahá'u'lláh.The main theme of the Covenant is protection of the Word and the continuity of Divine guidance. In the Testament of Bahá'u'lláh this theme has a single expression, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Greatest Branch, the Centre of the
Covenant. In the Willand Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá it has two expressions, the Guardianship and the
Universal House of Justice.This second paragraph bears much meditation. In itself it is a complete statement, perfectly constructed and fitting into the whole Will and Testament as an integral unit.
It begins with the Guardian and ends with the Guardian, but not before every member of the great world order, destined to rise on this Charter, has been included. CrSalutation and praise, blessing and glory rest upon that primal branch of the Divine and Sacred Late Tree, grown out, blest, tender, verdant, and flourishing front the Twin Holy Trees. ."
The erprimal branch" isand Sacred Lote-Tree is the Manifestation of God (specifically Bahá'u'lláh in this in
Page 253and the Báb, Shoghi Effendi being descended from both houses, that of the Báb through his father, that of Bahá'u'lláh through his mother.
This is the first mention of the Guardian and follows immediately upon the praise to Bahá'u'lláh and His Covenant. Note the tender and loving language which the Master uses, and then consider the next part of this long sentence: "The most wondrous, unique and priceless pearl that doth gleam from oitt the twin surging seas This is 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í testimony to the first Guardian. The Twin surging Seas again designate Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb.
We may note here that throughout Bahá'í Scripture, the Divine Lote Tree, the Ocean, the Nightingale, are symbols of the Manifestation of God, and that whenever the twin symbols are used, reference is made to the two Manifestations of this Dispensation, Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb.
The statement now continues with mention of others in the Faith upon whom "salutation and firaise" is invoked.
~. the offshoots of the Tree of Holiness," that is Bahá'u'lláh's children; % the twigs of the CeIes fiat Tree," descendants and members of His Family and of that of the Bib; rr~ they that in the day of the Great dividing have stood firm in the Covenant." This refers to the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh when many sought leadership and violated the explicit written Covenant. The great dividing was between those who were steadfast and the violator, and bears no reference whatever to a schism.
As time has shown, the Covenant flourished and the violators came to nothing. Next are the Hands (pillars) of the Cause of God, those who have spread the Message and rrstood for righteousness in this world, and kindled the Fire of the love of God in the very hearts and souls of His servants." Finally rrthein that have believed, rested assured, stood steadfast in His Covenant and followed the Light that after my passing shine/h from the Days pring of Divine guidance � f or beixilci!
he is the blest and sacred bough that hath branched out franz the Twin Holy Trees.
Here is a definite assurance that after the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Divine guidance will be given through the Guardian, a written statement made even more explicitly later, unique in the religious history of the world.
The paragraph closes: erWell is it with bun that see izeth the shelter of his shade that shadoweth all mankind." How great is this passage, how perfect in composition, how beautiful in design. Opening with the theme of the Guardianship, continuing throughout the whole body of believers, it returns easily and smoothly to its theme, carries it to a great crescendo, stops, and then concludes with that thunderous chord, Well is it with hint that seeketh the shelter of his shade that sbado'zveth all mankind." Some comment is necessary on the term re0fj mankind." Not only the believers, but every human being is under the shadow of the Guardian.
This is not difficult to realise when we understand that the Manifestation of God is the Tree upon which all human beings are the leaves. We all belong to that Tree, consciously, unconsciously, or even unwillingly.
The Manifestation is the Lord of the Age and real! else are servants unto Hi-rn and do His bidding." Direct from the Manifestation by His explicit will, through the centre of the Covenant, the light of Divine guidance continues to shine through the Guardian, and will do so until God is again manifested ~ the noble form of the human temple."
All development is of the spirit. The milestones of progress what we call events are reached first in the spiritual world and later objectified in human affairs. Thus the sovereignty of Christ was a spiritual fact at the time of His Manifestation, but there was a lag of some hundreds of years before human consciousness caught up with it. It is so today with the sovereignty of Bahá'u'lláh, and therefore with the
Guardianship of ShoghitAbdu'1-BaM continues by urging the friends to protect the Faith of God, a duty which can be accomplished, as He states later, by obedience to him who is the Guardian of the Cause of God."
He recounts the martyrdoms of the early believers and some of the afflictions heaped upon Bahá'u'lláh and the Mb. "Ten thousand souls a constant perusal of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í writings leads one to feel that the term is not
Page 254intended exactly, but means a great number. The Will continues with an account of the base treason of Yabya, Bahá'u'lláh ~h's half-brother, a tale known only too well by those who have wept for the afflictions of the Blessed Beauty.
The dark story is not complete however; by no means. Muhammad 'Au, the Thentre of sedition," the prime mover of mischief"; Bahá'u'lláh, too weak for constancy in faith or treason; Shu4'u' ~ "~ ccincert with others," plot and scheme and work mischief with all their might, motivated by black hatred deep in their miserable natures which inipels them to oppose the Light of God and to attempt to destroy the Centre of the Covenant. The story of their countless machinations is surely without equal.
Little wonder the Master sought refuge with thefound so perfect an expression in Him. � Graciously assist me, through my love for Thee, that I may drink deep of the chalice that brhnrneth over with faithfulness to Thee and is filled with Thy bountiful Grace. Lord! Shield Thou from these Covenant breakers the might5; stronghold of Thy Faith and protect Thy secret sanctuary from the onslaught of the ungodly.
Thou in truth art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Gracious, the Strong.~~ He next proclaims that Muhammad tAli is "cut off from the Holy Tree"; expelled from the community of the believers, for whom He reveals a prayer.
~O God, my God! ShieldThy trusted servants from the evils ctf self and ~assian, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy loving kindness from all rancor, hate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy Cause and, safe from the darts of doubt fill-ness, make them inanijestations of Thy glorious signs, illumine their faces wit/a the effulgent rays shed front the Dayspring of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thine all swaying power that coineth from Thy realm of glory. Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious."
Now, having established the Guardianship, and exposed the violators (who. crimes He concealed when they affected only
Him.self), He exhorts the friends in the strongest language to engage in teaching the Cause far and wide, r!that throughout the East and the West a vast concourse may gather under the shadow of the Word of God, that the sweet savors of holiness may be diffused, that faces may shine radiantly, hearts be filled with the Divine spirit and souls be matte heavenly." Nt be/ioveth them not to rest for a moment, neither to seek repose.
They must disperse themselves in every land, pass by every clime and travel throughout all regions." And in the midst of such activity He wishes the friends eeto achieve renown in the world wherever they go.,, On another occasion He said, N desire for you distinction" frThe disciples of Christ forgot themselves and a11 earthly things, forsook all their cares and belongings, purged 1/acm � selves of self and passion and with absolute detachment scattered far and wit/c and engaged in calling the peoples of the 'world to the Divine guidance, till at last they made the world another ivoild, illumined ibe surface of the earth and even to their last hour proved self-sacrificing in the pathway of that Beloved One of God. Finally in various lands they sitifered glorious martyr-dam. Let them that are men of action follow in their footsteps."
The remainder of Part 1 delineates the main features of the Administrative Order. The Guardian is named and appointed. All the "branches," twigs, hands,~~ and believers must return unto Shoghi Effendi as foe is the sign of Cod, the chosen branch, the guardian of the Cause of God." !CHC is the expounder of the Words of God and after him will succeed the firstborn of his lineal descendants."
Thus the authority of the interpreter, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, is conferred upon the Guardian.
(The succession is amplified later.)Immediately following this the Guardian is declared to be trunder the care and protection of the Ablod Beauty (Bahá'u'lláh) under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness, the Exalted One" (the Bib). The command of obedience to the Guardian and to the Universal House of Justice, which is under the same protection and guidance, is as strong and emphatic as any
Page 255THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 255
First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bogota, Colombia, 1944, with Mrs. Dorothy Baker, representing the Inter-America Committee.
thing found in the Master's Writings, and the passages require constant reading to allow their forcefulness to sink in. The succession is established, calling into the picture another institution, that of the Hands of the Cause of God. The Guardian must, in his own lifetime, nominate his successor (previously designated as his first born son).
The Hands of the Cause of God are to elect nine from their own number, and this body of nine, by secret vote, must approve of the Guardian's nomination, unanimity or majority vote prevailing. Should they not uphold the nomination, the Guardian must appoint eranothet. branch to succeed him." This means a descendant of Bahá'u'lláh.
The Hands of the Cause are all appointed by the Guardian, men and women of exalted spiritual character.
'Abdu'l-Bahá describes them thus: Their duties are !!to diffuse the Divine fragrances, to edify the souls of men, to promote learning, to improve the character of all men, and to be, at all times and under a11 conditions, sanctified and detached from earthly things. They must manifest the fear of God by their conduct, their manners, their deeds and their words."
The whole body of the Hands of the Cause is under fCthe direction of the Guar dian of the Cause of God," but the small body of nine which they elect from among themselves shall at all times be occupied in the important services in the work of the Guardian of the Cause of God." Thus the Guardianship has an attendant body of helpers, elected from the spiritual aristocracy of mankind, and the Guardian also has at his direction spiritually exalted characters throughout the planet, wherever he may be guided to appoint them.
There is nothing in the Will and Testament from which to infer that the Hands of the Cause have any political, social, or economic privilege.
They are spiritual advisers and teachers and must obey the Houses of Justice like any other believer. It may be meant that they are to be supported from Huqiiq as this money is to be expended t~f or the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Word, for benevolent pursuits and for the common weal," which are the duties of the Hands of the Cause. The Guardian's interpretation will decide that, but in any case the nonecclesiastical character of the Faith is not changed, since the direction of affairs, administration of the House of Worship, meetings and celebration of festivals and anniversaries, remain the inviolable right
Page 256First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 1942.
of the Houses of Justice in each locality. The purpose for which all these forces are to be mobilised is !!that the existent world may become even as the Abhd Paradise, that the surf ace of the earth may become heavenly, that contention and conflict amidst peoples, kindreds, nations and governments may disappear, that all the dwellers on earth may become one people and one race, that the world may become even as one home. Should differences arise they shall be amicably and conclusively settled by the Supreme Tribunal, that shall include members from all the governments and peoples of the world."
Here is the first, and oniy mention of this important institution in the Will and Testament. A World Court of arbitration, Supreme Tribunal, drawing its members from all nations will, as the Guardian has already written ctadjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system."
Throughout the Will and Testament, as indeed throughout all 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í writings, there breathes that ideal of boundless love, of reconciliation, amity and universality, of which He was the perfect Exemplar. This is nowhere more apparent than in this mighty Charter, where the intrigues and hatred of the Covenant breakers have to be exposed, and the organism kept healthy by their expulsion. However strong and vehement the Master's denunciation of the violators of the Covenant, there is only prayer and forgiveness for the oppressors of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The breakers of the Covenant are consigned to the wrath of God, but for these same people, the contemptible enemies of 'Abdu'1 � Baha, there is only this: !e0 my Lord! Have mercy upon them, shield them fro'm all afflictions in these troubled times and grant that all trials and hardship may be the lot of this Thy servant that loath fallen into this darlzsoine pit.
o God! my God! lowly, suppliant and fallen upon my face, I beseech Thee with all the ardor of my invocation to pardon whosoever hath hurt me, forgive him that loath
Page 257THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 257
conspired against me and offended me, and wash a'way the misdeeds of them that have wrought injustice 'upon me.
His prayers for the believers and the Cause are fervent and simple. For protection from self and passion, for safety from the violators.
He now exhorts them: ~O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere ki~nd!iness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers.
So intense must be the spirit of love and lovingkindness, that the stranger may find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them.
For univer-satity is of God and all limitations earthly. Thus man must strive that his reality iiiay manifest virtues and perfections, the light whereof may shine upon everyone. The light of the sun shineth upon all the world and the merciful shou'ers of Divine Providence fall upon all peoples. The vivifying breeze reviveth every living creature and all beings endued with life obtain their share and port km at His heavenly board. In like manner, the affections and loving kindness of the servants of the One True God must be bountifully and universally extended to all mankind.
Regarding this, restrictions and limitations are in no wise permitted."
~Wheref ore, 0 my loving friends, consort with all the peoples, kindreds and re1ig~ons of the world with the uiinost truthfulness, uprightness, faithfulness, kindliness, good-ivill and friendliness; that all the world of being may be filled with the hoiy ecstasy of the grace of Baha, that ignorance, enmity, hate and rancor may vanish from the world and the darkness of estrangement amidst the peoples and kindreds of the world may give way to the Light of Unity. Should other peoples and nations be unfaithful to you show your fidelity to them, should they be unjust towards you show justice towards them, should they keep aloof from you attract them to yourself, should they show the iir enmity be friendly towards them, should they poison your lives sweeten their souls, should they inflict a wound upon you, be a salve to their sores.
Such are the attributes of the sincere. Such are the attributes of the truthful."
This quotation will serve to remind us that theis no mere system to be laid over a dead society. Its motivating force, its life, its breath, is the love and service of
God; the Administrative Orderis the Divinely appointed scheme by which the mature expression of such spiritual force may find its fullest expression.
'Abdu'l-Bahá deals next with the House of Justice, explaining that He means the Universal House of Justice ~wbich God bath ordained as the source of all good and freed from all error." This refers to its establishment by Bahá'u'lláh Himself and to its being under the same protection and guidance as overshadow the Guardian.
~It must be elected by i~niversal suffrage"; a direction later specified to mean that the members of the National Houses of Justice must constitute the electorate of the supreme Universal House.
The Master states the qualities which the voters must consider when electing this world government.
!rlts members must be the manifestations of the fear of God and days prings of knowledge and understanding, must be steadfast in God's faith and the well-wishers of all mankind."
The close and indissoluble relationship between the two '~Pillars" of Bahá'u'lláh's World Order, the twin institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, is now more clearly revealed than formerly, when they were linked together ~under the care and protectio~n of the Abhd Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His Holiness, the Exalted One." The Guardian, whose duty of interpretation has already been laid down, is appointed permanent head of the Universal House of Justice. He must attend its deliberations or send someone to represent him. He has ~at his own discretion, the right to expel" any member who commits a sin "in juricnts to the common weal." The obvious comment is that the guidance which is given to the institution does not descend ~o individuals by right of membership.
Only the Guardian has this individual protection.The House of Justice, however, has its own defined func
Page 258!?fl enact el/i all ordinances and regulations that are not to be found in the exfihicit Holy Text.
By this body all the difficult problems are to be resolved.
This House of Justiceenacteth the laws and the government enjorceth them." The House of Justice deliberates on all matters not in the Book, and legislates, majority vote prevailing.
The Guardian has one vote and no power of veto.Should he believe an adopted measure to be contrary to the spirit of the Faith, he will most certainly ask for a reconsideration, and it is impossible to imagine the House of Justice not seeking the true spiritual foundation of the matter in consultation with the Guardian.
It is noteworthy too that just as both institutions receive the same Divine care and protection, so the Guardian, by virtue of his membership, partakes of the authority vested in the House of Justice, although he has no individual legislative power.
These twin pillars of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, acting in close harmony, yet within clearly defined spheres, ensure the continuity of Divine guidance not oniy with respect to interpretation of the revealed Word, but also with respect to the practical application of the spiritual principles of the Faith to world affairs, as well as to legislative on those matters which Bahá'u'lláh has "deliberately left" out of "the body of His legislative and administrative ordinances."
Authority therefore is vested in the House of Justice, according to the Will of Bahá'u'lláh and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'1 � Baha. Guarantee, or guardianship, comes from the Guardian by virtue of his interpretation of the Word of God, the bedrock on which the whole structure is raised. We have already shown that power and initiative reside in the mass of believers � in the people � who constitute the seedhed of human development.
This paragraph about the House of Justice concludes with a statement which penetrates deep into the muddle and confusion of modern administration, and yet bears that stamp of deep wisdom, simplicity.
t~The legislative body must reinforce the executive, the executive must aid and assist the legislative body, so that thraugh the close union and harmony of these two forces, the foundation of fairness and justice may became firm and strong, that all the regions of the world may become even as Paradise itself ."'~ The executive body is composed in part of the
National and Local Housesof Justice, but there will undoubtedly be a permanent executive service, such as some countries already have, and such as the League of Nations has already foreshadowed in its committees on nutrition, drug and white slave traffic, wage standards, education, and in the secretariat of its own council.
The mandate of the Universal House of Justice is clear and definite. It must deliberate upon ~ all problems that are obscure and matters that are not expressly recorded in the Book. Whatsoever they decide has the same effect as the text itself."
But in spite of such compelling authority bestowed upon it, its enactments are not in the same station as the Word of God, a distinction which the Master clearly upholds and of which he shows the implication.
The decisions and laws formulated by the House of Justice may be abrogated by the House of Justice, whereas the text of the Book remains supreme and inviolate throughout the Dispensation.
The membership of the House of Justice will change, but the institution is created by Bahá'u'lláh.
The Guardian, by virtue of his permanent membership, gives to it that continuity of vision and disinterestedness which is so strong a feature of monarchy.
The National House of Justice, or t!d~~ House as it is termed in the Will, is 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í own contribution to the institutions of the world order. The Universal and Local Houses were designed by Bahá'u'lláh, but it is the Master who institutes the intermediary or secondary body. ~.
in all countries, a secondary House of Justice must be ins tituted, and these secondary Houses of Justice must elect the members of the Universal one."
or the fixed money offering ordained by Bahá'u'lláh is to be offered frthrough the Guardian of the Cause of For Abdu'l-Bahá'í further discussion of the relationship between these two functions see His essay on politics, published in English as feThe Mysterious Forces of Civilization."
Page 259THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 259
God, that it may be expended for the diffusion of the Fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Word for benevolent pursuits and for ~he common weal." The amount is not mentioned here (actually it is one nineteenth of income after expenses have been deducted) but the Master tells the friends that God is independent of all created things, and that this offering is a favor from Him which "causeth the people to become firm and steadfast and draweth Divine increase upon them."
The machinations of Muhammad 'Au and his fellow conspirators were a constant source of danger to the Master, and at one time He was constrained to Write the following~ ~!This wronged one hat h in no wise borne, nor doth he bear a grudge against anyone; towards none dot/i he entertain any ill-feeling and uttereth no word save for the good of the world. My supreme obli-gatian, however, of necessity, proinpieth me to guard and preserve the Cause of God. Thus with the greatest regret I counsel you saying: Guard ye the Cause of God, protect His Law and have the utmost fear of discord. This is the foundation of the belief of the people of Baha (may my life be offered up for them).
rHis Holiness, the Exalted One (the Báb) is the Manifesfation of the unity and Oneness of God and the forerunner of the
Ancient Beauty. His Holinessthe Abhd Beauty (may my life be a sacrifice for His steadfast friends) is the sit preme Manifestation of God and the Dayspring of His Most Divine Essence.
All others are servants unto Him and do His bidding.'
The final sentence is a direct repudiation of the charge which the violators made, that 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by claiming to be in the same station a~ the
Manifestation, proved Himselfan imposter according to the terms of Bahá'u'lláh's Will, which stated clearly that after Him no Manifestation should appear for a full thousand years. (It is interesting to note their time honored method of using certain sentences for perverted ends whilst utterly ignoring the main substance.) It was a few of the Master's own followers, who in their immaturity and overwhelming love, unwittingly lent assistance to this charge, by insisting on the same station for 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Whom they had seen and to 'Whom they had delivered their hearts, as for Christ and Bahá'u'lláh Who were remote, and could not even in imagination surpass their perfect Master.
It is an understandable view. The child models its unknown Father in heaven upon its known father, and many have mistaken the perfect expression for the reality. It is understandable even in view of the Master's repeated statements to the contrary, although here understanding falls short of charity, for there is surely something of egotism in maintaining one's own opinion at the cost of regarding the statements of the Centre of the Covenant as veils to shield the Truth from unworthy ones.
Be that as it may, it lent some countenance to the violators, who were not siow to wrest whatever support they could from the fact of a few devoted believers regarding 'Abdu'l-Bahá as Christ. Thus the Cause of God suffers as much, or more, ~from the unwisdom of its friends" as the Guardian puts it, than from the hatred of its enemies.
The ~Ji11 concludes with a restatement of its major theme � the Guardianship of Shoghi Effendi. ~O ye the faithful loved ones of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. It is incumbent upon you to take the greatest care of Shoghi Effendi, the twig that halh branched from, and the fruit given forth by the two hallowed and Divine Lote Trees, that no dust of despondency may stain his radiant nature, that day by day he may wax greater in happiness, in joy and spiritually, and may grow to become even as a fruitful tree."
~For he is, after eAbdu)l~Bahd, the guardian of the Cause of God; the Ajndn, the Hands of the Cause and the beloved of the Lord must obey him and turn unto him. He Ihat obeyeth him not, hath not obeyed God; he that turneth away from him, hath turned away from God and he that denieth him hath denied the True One.
Beware lest ~snyone falsely interpret these words, and like unto them that have broken the Covenant ~sfter the Day of Ascension (of Bahá'u'lláh) advance a pretext, raise the st~rndard of revolt, wax stubborn and open wide (he door of false interpretation.
To none is given the right to put forth his own opinion or express his particular convictions.
Allmust seek guidance and turn unto the Centre of the Cause and the House of Jus-lice. And he that turneth unto whatsoever else is indeed in grievous error."
The glory of Glories rest upon you."The sentence r!to none is given the right to ~ut forth his own opinion or express his particular convictions" cannot be lifted from its context and applied to anything else but the succession. Indeed such a statement in any other setting would be a direct contradiction of the Bahá'í principle of consultation and a complete denial of the God given right of free speech.
It refers only to the appointment of the first Guardian, about which no one must quibble. By now, of course, all likelihood of such a thing is past, but the pitiful experiences of 'Abdu'l-Bahá proved oniy too clearly how the darkness in human nature is ever on the watch to take advantage of a sudden hiatus, caused by the removal from mortal sight of such a Figure as the Báb or Bahá'u'lláh. He wished to prevent a repetition of those dreadful days.
History proves that He did so, and the Covenant which revolved around Him, was not broken. Violated by many, as traitors are counted, by few as the faithful are numbered, the mighty stronghold remained "impregnable and safe," unbroken and unimpaired in its efficacy as a shelter for all mankind.
Rather did it gain in strength through the casting off of inorganic elements, but at the cost of such tribulation to the Founders of the Faith as oniy the Holy Ones can bear.
W~ may wonder what happens to "Judas" in each dispensation.
What of the mob that cries "crucify Him"; that assembles on the roof tops of Tabriz to watch His execution; that howls for blood and is hardly calmed by His bastinado; the mob that picks up stones to hurl at Majesty in chains. These qualities are manifested during each reve-. lation, and must be, in order that the victory over death may be won again by that transcendent !rpure and stainless soul," the
Manifestation of God.The vessels of darkness doubtless are broken; so that the Light may enter. !f Father forgive them for they knoiv not what they do."
For those who sin against the Holy Ghost, that is recognise the Truth and receive its light, and then set themselves against it with the power which it has given them, we are told in the Gospel there is no forgiveness. To the Baha'i, eternity means the duration of a dispensation, at the end of which time there is a ~ heaven and a new earth" and "all things are made new." Maybe this tortured being, conscious of God but excluded from "heaven" is given another chance at the day of judgment, when the Lord of the Age purifies all things.
The more frequently one reads the Will and Testament the more is one intrigued and delighted by its artistic and %sthetic qualities.
Its construction, form, design and unity all proclaim it the work of a creative, superbly balanced mind � as between the subjective values and objective forms. Written under stress and difficulty it never loses that mysterious quality which can elevate a painting or musical work to the realm of art.
Briefly the main design is the kingdom of God on earth; the theme, stated immediately after the introduction is Divine protection and guidance, a theme which has two phases, the Guardianship, and the Universal House of Justice, a theme which is repeated in each part of the work, which is perceptible in the many variations (prin-ciples of action and subsidiary institutions) and is itself expanded and developed in the main body of the work. It provides the closing sentence of the document. Dramatic value and contrast are provided by the opposition of the violators, a shade so black and strong as to t�etIji.eaten to subvert the Divine edifice itself."
Over all is the glory of Bahá'u'lláh, and throughout, in the repetition of the major and minor themes, in the trials and persecutions of the Great Ones, in the all-conquering iove showered on friend and foe alike, breathes that spirit of harmony and high drama, the Day and Night of the cosmos, which, by the creation of form in wood or stone, paint or music, language or social order, we humans strive perpetually to enshrine.
Page 261the beloved of God and the handmaids of the MercifiA throughout the West.
Friends and fellow-heirs of the Kingdom of Bahá'u'lláh: A tempest, unprecedented in its violence, unpredictable in its course, catastrophic in its immediate effects, unimaginably glorious in its ultimate consequences, is at present sweeping the face of the earth.
Its driving power is remorselessly gaining in range and momentum. Its cleansing force, however much undetected, is increasing with every passing day. Humanity, gripped in the clutches of its devastating power, is smitten by the evidences of its resistless fury.
It can neither perceive its origin, nor probe its significance, nor discern its outcome.
Bewildered, agonized and helpless, it watches this great and mighty wind of God invading the remotest and fairest regions of the earth, rocking its foundations, deranging its equilibrium, sundering its nations, disrupting the homes of its peo-pies, wasting its cities, driving into exile its kings, pulling down its bulwarks, uprooting its institutions, dimming its light, and harrowing up the souis of its inhabitants.
!CThe time for the destruction of the world and its people," Bahá'u'lláh's prophetic pen has proclaimed, re/oath arrived." The hour is approaching," He specifically affirms, "when the most great convulsion will have appeared." erThe promised day is come, the day when tormenting trials will have surged above your heads, and beneath your feet, saying: !Taste ye what your hands have wrought!'" rfSo~ shall the blasts of His chastisement beat upon you, and the dust of hell enshroud you."
And again: rrAnd when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake." re The day is approaching when its (civilization) flame will devour the cities, when the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim: The Kingdom is God's, the Almighty, the All-Praised!' "The day will soon come," He, referring to the foolish ones of the earth, has written, ~'whereon they will cry out for help and receive no answer." crThe day is approaching," He moreover has prophesied, eewhen the wrath fzid anger of the Almighty will have taken hold of them. He, verily, is the. Omnipotent, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful. He shall cleanse the earth from the defilement of their corruption, and shall give it for an heritage unto such of His servants as are nigh unto Him."
r!AS to those who deny Him Who is the Sublime Gate of God," the Báb, for His part, has affirmed in the Qayyiimu'1-Asm~', ~ or them We have prepared, as justly decreed by God, a sore torment. And He, God, is the Mighty, the Wise." And further, !fQ peoples of the earth!
I swear by your Lord!Warn ye, then, yourselves of the terrible, the most grievous vengeance of God. For Gad is, verily, potent over all things."
And again: !rBY My glory! I will make the infidels to taste, with the hands of My tower, retributions unknown of any one except Me, and will waft over the faithful those musk-scented breaths which I have nursed in the midmost heart of My throne."
Dear friends! The powerful operations of this titanic upheaval are comprehensible to none except such as have recognized the claims of both Bahá'u'lláh and the Mb. Their followers know full well whence it comes, and what it will ultimately lead to. Though ignorant of how far it will reach, they clearly recognize its genesis, arc aware of its direction, acknowledge its necessity, observe confidently its mysterious processes, ardently pray for the mitigation of its severity, intelligently labor to assuage its fury, and anticipate, with undimmed vision, the consummation of the fears and the hopes it must necessarily engender.
This Judgment of GodThis judgment of God, as viewed by those who have recognized Bahá'u'lláh as His Mouthpiece and
His greatest Messengeron earth, is both a retibutory' calamity and an act of holy and supreme discipline.
It is atonce a visitation from God and a cleansing process for all mankind. Its fires punish the perversity of the human race, and weld its component parts into one organic, indivisible, world-embracing community. Mankind, in these fateful years, which at once signalize the passing of the first century of the Bahá'í Era and proclaim the opening of a new one, is, as ordained by Him Who is both the Judge and the Redeemer of the human race, being simultaneously called upon to give account of its past actions, and is being purged and prepared for its future mission.
Jr can neither escape the responsibilities of the past, nor shirk those of the future.
God, the Vigilant, the Just, the Loving, the All-Wise Ordainer, can, in this supreme Dispensation, neither allow the sins of an unregenerate humanity, whether of omission or of commission, to go unpunished, nor will He be willing to abandon His children to their fate, and refuse them that culminating and blissful stage in their long, their siow and painful evolution throughout the ages, which is at once their inalienable right and their true destiny.
rrBestir yourselves, 0 people," is, on the one hand, the ominous warning sounded by Bahá'u'lláh Himself, ~7n anticipation of the days of Divine Justice, for the promised hour is now come." ~Abandon that which ye possess, and seize that which God, Who layeth low the necks of men, hath brought.
Know ye of a certainty that if ye turn not back from that which ye have committed, chastisement will overtake you on every side, and ye shall behold things in ore grievous
Page 263THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 263
Pope Pius iX than that which ye beheld aforetiine." And again: "We have fixed a time for you, 0 people! If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievo1~ts afflictions to assail you from every direction.
How severe indeed is the chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!" And again: ~God assuredly dominateth the lives of them that wronged Us, and is well aware of their doings.
He will most certainly lay hold on them for their sins. He, verily, is the fiercest of Avengers."
And finally, ~O ye peoples of the world! Know verily that an unforeseen calamity is following yoit and that grievous retribution await eth you. Think not the deeds ye have committed have been blotted fro'm
My sight. By My Beauty! Allyour doings hath My pen graven with open characters upon tablets of chrysolite." !~The whole earth," Bahá'u'lláh, on the other hand, forecasting the bright future in store for a world now wrapt in darkness, emph~tica11y asserts, ~is now in a state of pregnaiwy. The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings."
!~ The time is approaching when every created thing will have cast its burden.
Glorified be God Who hath vouchsafed this grace that encom-passeth all things, whether seen or unseen!" rrThese great oppressions," He, moreover, foreshadowing humanity's golden age, has written, ~are preparing it for the advent of the
Most Great Justice."structure of the Most Great Peace can alone, and must eventually, rest, while the Most Great Peace will, in turn usher in that Most Great, that World Civilization which shall remain for ever associated with Him Who beareth the Most Great Name.
Beloved friends! Wellnigh a hundred years have elapsed since the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh dawned upon the world � a Revelation, the nature of which, as affirmed by Himself, rrnone among the Manifestations of old, except to a prescribed degree, bath ever completely apprehended." For a whole century God has respited mankind, that it might acknowledge the Founder of such a
Revelation, espouse HisCause, proclaim His greatness, and establish His Order.
In a hundred volumes, the repositories of priceless precepts, mighty laws, unique principles, impassioned exhortations, reiterated warnings, amazing prophecies, sublime invocations, and weighty commentaries, the Bearer of such a Message has proclaimed, as no Prophet before Him has done, the Mission with which God had entrusted Him. To emperors, kings, princes and potentates, to rulers, governments, clergy and peopies, whether of the East or of the West, whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Zoroastrian, He addressed, for well-nigh fifty years, and in the most tragic circumstances, these priceless pearls of knowledge and wisdom that lay hid within the ocean of His matchless utterance. Forsaking fame and fortune, accepting imprisonment and exile, careless of ostracism and obloquy, submitting to physical indignities and cruel deprivations, He, the Vicegerent of God on earth, suffered Himself to be banished from place to place and from country to country, till at length He, in the Most Great Prison, offered up His martyred son as a ransom for the redemption and unification of all mankind. frWe verily," He Himself has testified, have not fallen short of Our duty to exhort men, and to deliver that whereunto I was bidden by God, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Had they hearkened unto Me, they would have beheld the earth another earth."
And again: is there any excuse left for any one in this Revelation? No, by God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne! My signs have encompassed the earth, and My power enveloped all mankind, and yet the people are wrapped in a strange sleep)"
What Response to His Call?How � we may well ask ourselves � has the world, the object of such Divine solicitude, repaid
Him Who sacrificed Hisall for its sake? What manner of welcome did it accord Him, and what response did His call evoke? A clamor, unparalleled in the history of Shi'ih IsUm, greeted, in the land of its birth, the infant light of the Faith, in the midst of a people notorious for its crass ignorance, its fierce fanaticism, its barbaric cruelty, its ingrained prejudices, and the unlimited sway held over the masses by a firmly entrenched ecclesiastical hierarchy. A persecution, kindling a courage which, as attested by no less eminent an authority than the late Lord Curzon of Kedleston, has been unsurpassed by that which the fires of Smithfield evoked, mowed down, with tragic swiftness, flO less than twenty thousand of its heroic adherents, who refused to barter their newly-born faith for the fleeting honors and security of a mortal life.
To the bodily agonies inflicted upon these sufferers, the charges, so unmerited, of Nihil-. ism, occultism, anarchism, eclecticism, immorality, sectarianism, heresy, political partisanship � each conclusively disproved by the tenets of the Faith itself and by the conduct of its followers � were added, swelling thereby the number of those who, unwittingly or maliciously, were injuring its cause.
Unmitigated indifference on the part of men of eminence and rank; unrelenting hatred shown by the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the Faith from which it had sprung; the scornful derision of the people among whom it was born; the utter contempt which most of those kings and rulers who had been addressed by its Author manifested towards it; the condemnations pronounced, the threats hurled, and the banishments decreed by those under whose sway it arose and first spread; the distortion to which its principles and laws were subjected by the envious and the malicious, in lands and among peoples far beyond the country of its origin � all these are but the evidences of the treatment meted out by a generation sunk in self-content, careless of its God, and oblivious of the
Page 265THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 265
omens, prophecies, warnings and admonitions revealed by His Messengers.
The blows so heavily dealt the followers of so precious, so glorious, so potent a Faith failed, however, to assuage the animosity that inflamed its persecutors.
Nor did the deliberate and mischievous misrepresentations of its fundamental teachings, its aims and purposes, its hopes and aspirations, its institutions and activities, suffice to stay the hand of the oppressor and the calumniator, who sought by every means in their power to abolish its name and extirpate its system. The hand which had struck down so vast a number of its blameless and humble lovers and servants was now raised to deal its Founders the heaviest and cruelest blows.
The Báb � ~~the Point" as affirmed by Bahá'u'lláh, Cf round Whom the realities of the Prophets and Messengers revulve" � was the One first swept into the maelstrom which engulfed His supporters.
Sudden arrest and confinement in the very first year of His short and spectacular career; public affront deliberately inflicted in the presence of the ecclesiastical dignitaries of Shir4z; strict and prolonged incarceration in the bleak fastnesses of the mountains of Adhirb6yj in; a contemptuous disregard and a cowardly jealousy evinced respectively by the Chief Magistrate of the realm and the foremost minister of his government; the carefully staged and farcical interrogatory sustained in the presence of the heir to the Throne and the distinguished divines of Tabriz; the shameful infliction of the bastinado in the prayer-house, and at the hands of the Shaykhu'1-Isl4m of that city; and finally suspension in the barrack-square of Tabriz and the discharge of a volley of above seven hundred bullets at His youthful breast under the eyes of a callous multitude of about ten thousand people, culminating in the ignominious exposure of His mangled remains on the edge of the moat without the city gate � these were the progressive stages in the tumultuous and tragic ministry of One Whose age inaugurated the consummation of all ages, and Whose Revelation fulfilled the promise of all Revelations.
swear by God!" the B~bto Muhammad Sh&h has written, f!Shouldst thou know the things which in the space of these four years have befallen Me at the hands of thy people and thine army, thou wouldst hold thy breath from fear of God.
Alas, alas, for the things which have touched Me!Wert thou to be told in what place I dwell, the first person to have mercy on Me would be thyself.
In the heart of a mountain is a fortress (Mikia) the inmates of which are confined to two guards and four dogs.
Picture, then, My plight.In this mountain I have remained alone, and have come to such a pass that none of those gone before Me have suffered what I have suffered, nor any transgressor endured what I have endured!"
How veiled are ye, 0 My creatures," He, speaking with the voice of God, has revealed in the Bay~n, ~ who, without any right, have consigned Him unto a mountain (M4kii), not one of whose inhabitants is worthy of mention.
With Him, which is with Me, there is no one except him who is one of the Letters of the Living of My Book. In His presence, which is My Presence, there is not at night even a lighted lamp! And yet, in places (of worship) which in varying degrees reach out unto Him, unnumbered lamps are shining! All that is on earth Lab been created for Him, and all partake with delight of His benefits, and yet they are so veiled from Him as to refuse Him even a lamp!"
What of Bahá'u'lláh, the germ of Whose Revelation, as attested by the BTh, is endowed with a potency superior to the combined forces of the Báb Dispensation?
Was He not � He for Whomthe Mb had suffered and died in such tragic and miraculous circumstances � made, for nearly half a century and under the domination of the two most powerful potentates of the East, the object of a systematic and concerted conspiracy which, in its effects and duration, is scarcely paralleled in the annals of previous religions?
e!The cruelties inflicted by My oppressors," He Himself in His anguish has cried out, rrhave bowed Me down, and turned My hair white. Shouldst thou present thyself before My throne, thou wouldst fail to recognize the Ancient Beauty, for the freshness of His countenance is altered and its brightness hat/i faded, by reason of the oppression of the
Page 266~Wert thou to hear with Mine ear," He also declares, ~thou wouldst hear how 'All
(The Báb) bewaileth Mein the presence of the Glorious Companion, and how Muhammad wee peth over Me in the all-highest Horizon, and how the Spirit
(Jesus) beate~h Himselfupon the head in the heaven of My decree, by reason of what hadh befallen this Wronged One at the hands of every un pious sinner."
~Bef ore Me," He elsewhere has written, ~riseth ~p the Serpent of wrath with jaws stretched to engulf Me, and behind Me stalketh the lion of anger intent on tearing Me in pieces, and above Me, 0 My Well-Beloved, are the clouds of Thy decree, raining 'upon Me the showers of trib-idation~, whilst beneath Me are fixed the spears of misfortune, ready to wound My limbs ~nd My body." ~Couldst thou be told," He further affirms, what bath befallen the Ancient Beauty, thou wauldst flee into the wilderness, and weep with a great weeping, in thy grief, thou wouldst smite thyself on the head, and cry out as one stung by the sting of the adder.
By the righteousness of God! Every morning I arose from My bed I discovered the hosts of countless afflictions massed behind My door, and every night when 1 lay down, lo!
My heart was torn with agony at what it had suffered from the fiendish cr2telty of its foes.
With every piece of bread the Ancient Beauty breaketh is coupled the assa~iIt of a fresh aifliction, and with every drop He drinketh ~s mixed the bitterness of the most woeful of trials. He is preceded in every step He taizeth by an army of ~tn foreseen calamities, while in His rear follow legions of agonizing sorrows."
~~7as it not He Who, at the early age of twenty~seven, spontaneously arose to champion, in the capacity of a mere fol-~ lower, the nascent Cause of the
Bib? Was He not the OneWho by assuming the actual leadership of a proscribed and harassed sect exposed Himself, and His kindred, and His possessions, and His rank, and His reputation to the grave perils, the bloody assaults, the general spoliation and furious defamations of both government and people? Was it not He � the Bearer of a Revelation,
Whose Day !!every Prophethath announced," for which the soul of every Thyme Messenger kath thirsted," and in which ~God hath proved the hea4s of the en/ire company of His Messengers and Pro phets" � was not the Bearer of such a Revelation, at the instigation of Shi'ih ecciesiastics and by order of the ShTh himself forced, for no less than four months, to breathe, in utter darkness, whilst in the company of the vilest criminals and freighted down with galling chains, the pestilential air of the vermin-infested subterranean dungeon of Tihr~n � a place which, as He Himself subsequently declared, was mysteriously conveyed into the very scene of the annunciation made to Him by God of His
Prophethood?~We were consigned," He wrote in His ~Epist1e to the Son of the Wolf," ~rfor four months to a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon in which this Wronged One and others similarly wronged were confined, a dark a d narrow pit 'were preferable.
The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and Our felloiv-prisoi'zers nuinbeied nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins, and highwaymen. Though crowded, it had iso other outlet than the passage by which We enlered. No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe ifs loathsome smell. Most of these men had neither cloihes nor bedding to lie osi. God alone knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-snselling and gloomy place!" Abdu'l-Bahá," writes Dr. J. E. Esslemont, "tells how one day He was allowed to enter the prison-yard to see His beloved Father when He came out for His daily exercise. Bahá'u'lláh was terribly altered, so ill He could hardly walk. His hair and beard unkempt, His neck galled and swollen from the pressure of a heavy steel collar, His body bent by the weight of His chains."
~For three days and three nights," Nabil has recorded in his chronicle, ~no manner of food or drink was given to Bahá'u'lláh.
Rest and sleep were both impossible to Him. The place was infested with vermin, and the stench of that gloomy abode was enough to crush the very spirits of those who were condemned to suffer its horrors." "Such was the intensity of His suffering that the marks of that cruelty remained imprinted upon His body all the days of His life."
And what of the other tribulations which, before and immediately after this dreadful episode, touched Him? What of His confine
Page 267ment in the home of one of the Kad-Khudis of Tihr~n?
What of the savage violence with which He was stoned by the angry people in the neighborhood of the village of Niyili? What of His incarceration by the emissaries of the army of the shAh in M~zindar4n, and His receiving the basrinado by order, and in the presence, of the assembled siyyids and mujtahids into whose hands He had been delivered by the civil authorities of Amul? What of the howls of derision and abuse with which a crowd of ruffians subsequently pursued Him? What of the monstrous accusation brought against Him by the Imperial household, the Court and the people, when the attempt was made on the life of N~siri'd-Din ShTh? What of the infamous outrages, the abuse and ridicule heaped on Him when He was arrested by responsible officers of the government, and conducted from Niy&vadtn ~ foot and in chains, with bared head and bare feet," and exposed to the fierce rays of the midsummer sun, to the siyTh-chM of Tihr~n?
What of the avidity with which corrupt officials sacked His house and carried away all His possessions and disposed of His fortune? What of the cruel edict that tore Him from the small band of the Bib's bewildered, hounded, and shepherdless followers, separated Him from His kinsmen and friends, and banished Him, in the depth of winter, despoiled and defamed, to 'Iraq?
Severe as were these tribulations which succeeded one another with bewildering rapidity as a result of the premeditated attacks and the systematic machinations of the court, the clergy, the government and the people, they were but the prelude to a harrowing and extensive captivity which that edict had formally initiated. Extending over a period of more than forty years, and carrying Him successfully to 'Iraq, Sulay-m4niyyih, Constantinople, Adrianople and finally to the penal colony of 'Akka, this long banishment was at last ended by His death, at the age of over three score years and ten, terminating a captivity which, in its range, its duration and the diversity and severity of its afflictions, is unexampled in the history of previous Dispensations.
No need to expatiate on the particular episodes which cast a lurid light on the moving annals of those years.
No need to dwell on the character and actions of the peoples, rulers and divines who have participated in, and contributed to heighten the poignancy of the scenes of this, the greatest drama in the world's spiritual history.
Features of This MovingTo enumerate a few of the outstanding features of this moving drama will suffice to evoke in the reader of these pages, already familiar with the history of the Faith, the memory of those vicissitudes which it has experienced, and which the world has until now viewed with such frigid indifference. The forced and sudden retirement of Bahá'u'lláh to the mountains of Sulay-m4niyyih, and the distressing consequences that flowed from His two years' complete withdrawal; the incessant intrigues indulged in by the exponents of Shi'ih Isbim in Najaf and KarbilA, working in close and constant association with their confederates in Persia; the intensification of the repressive measures decreed by Sulv~n 'Abdu'1-'Aziz which brought to a head the defection of certain prominent members of the exiled community; the enforcement of yet another banishment by order of that same Sult&n, this time to that far off and most desolate of cities, causing such despair as to lead two of the exiles to attempt suicide; the unrelax-ing surveillance to which they were subjected upon their arrival in 'Akka, by hostile officials, and the insufferable imprisonment for two years in the barracks of that town; the interrogatory to which the Turkish p~sh~ subsequently subjected his Prisoner at the headquarters of the government; His confinement for no less than eight years in a humble dwelling surrounded by the befouled air of that city, His sole recreation being confined to pacing the narrow space of His room � these, as well as other tribulations, proclaim, on the one hand, the nature of the ordeal and the indignities He suffered, and point, on the other, the finger of accusations at those mighty ones of the earth who had either so sorely maltreated Him, or deliberately withheld from Him their succor.
No wonder that from the Pen of Him Who bore this anguish with, such sublime patience these words should have been re
Page 268vealed: ~He Who is the Lord of the seen and unseen is now manifest 'unto all men. His blessed Self hath been afflicted with such harm that if all the seas, visible and invisible, were turned into ink, and all that dwell in the kingdom into pens, and all that are in The heavens and all that are on earth into scribes, they would, of a certainty, be powerless to record it." And again: ~I have been most of the days of My life even as a slave sitting under a sword, hangii'tg oit a thread, knowing not whether it would fall soon or late upon Him."
~At1 this generation" He affirms, ~cou1d offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips was the cup of its venom.
On Our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty." ~Tiventy years have passed, 0 kings!"
He, addressing the kings of Christendom, at the height of His mission, has written, ~!during which We have, each day, tasted the agony of a fresh tribulation. None of them that were before Us hath endured the things We have endured. Would that ye could perceive it! They that rose up against Us have put Us to death, have shed Our blood, have plundered Our property, and violated Our honor. Though aware of most of Our afflictions, ye, nevertheless, have failed to stay / he hand of the aggressor. For is it not your clear duty to restrain the tyranny of the oppressor, and to deal equitably with your subjects, that your high sense of justice may be fully demonstrated to all mankind?"
Who is the ruler, may it not be confidently asked, whether of the East or of the West,
Page 269THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 269
Queen Victoriawho, at any time since the dawn of so transcendent a Revelation, has been prompted to raise his voice either in its praise or against those who persecuted it? Which people has, in the course of so long a captivity, felt urged to arise and stem the tide of such tribulations?
Who is the sovereign, excepting a single woman, shining in solitary glory, who has, in however small a measure, felt impelled to respond to the poignant call of Bahá'u'lláh Who amongst the great ones of the earth was inclined to extend this infant Faith of God the benefit of his recognition or support? Which one of the multitudes of creeds, sects, races, parties and classes and of the highly diversified schools of human thought, considered it necessary to direct its gaze towards the rising light of the Faith, to contemplate its unfolding sys � tern, to ponder its hidden processes, to appraise its weighty message, to acknowledge its regenerative power, to embrace its salutary truth, or to proclaim its eternal verities? Who among the worldly-wise and the socalled men of insight and wisdom can justly claim, after the lapse of nearly a century, to have disinterestedly approved its theme, to have considered impartially its claims, to have taken sufficient pains to delve into its literature, to have assiduously striven to separate facts from fiction, or to have accorded its cause the treatment it merits? Where are the preeminent exponents, whether of the arts or sciences, with the exception of a few isolated cases, who have lifted a finger, or whispered a word of commendation, in either the defense or the praise of a Faith that has conferred upon the world so
Page 270priceless a benefit, that has suffered so long and so grievously, and which enshrines within its shell so enthralling a promise for a world so woefully battered, so manifestly bankrupt?
To the mounting tide of trials which laid low the Bib, to the 1on~g-drawn-out calamities which rained on Bahá'u'lláh, to the warnings sounded by both the Herald and the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation, must be added the sufferings which, for no less than seventy years, were endured by 'Abdu'1 � Bah&, as well as His pleas, and entreaties, uttered in the evening of His life, in connection with the dangers that increasingly threatened the whole of mankind. Born in the very year that witnessed the inception of the Báb Revelation; baptized with the initial fires of persecution that raged around that nascent Cause; an eyewitness, when a boy of eight, of the violent upheavals that rocked the
Faith which His Fatherhad espoused; sharing with Him, the ignominy, the perils, and rigors consequent upon the successive banishments from His native-land to countries far beyond its confines; arrested and forced to support, in a dark cell, the indignity of imprisonment soon after His arrival in 'Akka; the object of repeated investigations and the target of continual assaults and insults under the despotic rule of SultAn 'Abdu'1-Hamid, and later under the ruthless military dictatorship of the suspicious and merciless JamAl Pash4 � He, too, the Center and Pivot of Bahá'u'lláh's peerless Covenant and the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, was made to taste, at the hands of potentates, ecciesiastics, governments and peoples, the cup of woe which the BAt and Bahá'u'lláh, as well as so many of their followers, had drained.
With the warnings which both His pen and voice have given in countless Tablets and discourses, during an almost lifelong incarceration and in the course of His extended travels in both the European and American continents, they who labor for the spread of His Father's Faith in the western world are sufficiently acquainted. How often and how passionately did He appeal to those in authority and to the public at large to examine dispassionately the precepts enunciated by His Father? With what precision and emphasis He unfolded the system of the faith He was expounding, elucidated its fundamental verities, stressed its distinguishing features, and proclaimed the redemptive character of its principles? How insistently did He foreshadow the impending chaos, the approaching upheavals, the universal conflagration which, in the concluding years of His life, had only begun to reveal the measure of its force and the significance of its impact on human society?
A co-sharer in the woeful trials and momentary frustrations afflicting the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh; reaping a harvest in His lifetime wholly incommensurate to the sublime, the incessant and strenuous efforts He had exerted; experiencing the initial perturbations of the world-shaking catastrophe in store for an unbelieving humanity; bent with age, and with eyes dimmed by the gathering storm which the reception accorded by a faithless generation to His Father's Cause was raising, and with a heart bleeding over the immediate destiny of God's wayward children � He, at last, sank beneath a weight of troubles for which they who had imposed them upon Him, and upon those gone before Him, were soon to be summoned to a dire reckoning.
reHasten, 0 my God!" He cried, at a time when adversity had sore beset Him, the days of my ascension untQ Thee, and of my coming before Thee, and of my entry into Thy presence, that I may be delivered from the darkness of the cruelty inflicted by them upon me, and may enter the luminous atmosphere of Thy nearness, 0 my Lord, the All-Glorious, and may rest under the shadows of Thy most great mercy."
~Yd-Bahd'u'l-Abhd (0 Thouthe Glory of Glories) I" He wrote in a Tablet revealed during the last week of His life, ~ have renounced the world and the people thereof, and am heartbroken and sorely-afflicted because of the unfaithful. In the cage of this world I flutter even as a frightened bird, and yearn every day to take my flight unto Thy
Kingdom. YJ-Bahd'u'l-Abhd! Makeme to drink of the cu~ of sacrifice, and set me free. Relieve me from these woes and trials, from these afflictions and troubles."
Dear friends! Alas, a thousand times alas,THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 271
that a Revelation so incomparably great, so infinitely precious, so mightily potent, so manifestly innocent, should have received, at the hands of a generation so blind and so perverse, so infamous a treatment! !CQ My servants!"
Bahá'u'lláh Himself testifies, reTbe one true God is My witness! This most great, this fathomless and surging ocean is near, astonishingly near, unto you. Behold it is closer to you than your life-vein!
Swift as the twinkling of an eye ye can, if ye but wish it, reach and partake of this imperishable favor, this God-given grace, this incorruptible gift, this most potent and unspeakably glorious bounty."
After a revolution of well nigh one hundred years what is it that the eye encounters as one surveys the international scene and looks back upon the early beginnings of Bahá'í history? A world convulsed by the agonies of contending systems, races and nations, entangled in the mesh of its accumulated falsities, receding farther and farther from Him Who is the sole Author of its destinies, and sinking deeper and deeper into a suicidal carnage which its neglect and persecution of Him Who is its Redeemer have precipitated. A Faith, still proscribed, yet bursting through its chrysalis, emerging from the obscurity of a cen-tury-old repression, face to face with the awful evidence of God's wratliful anger, and destined to arise above the ruins of a smitten civilization.
A world spiritually destitute, morally bankrupt, politically disrupted, socially convulsed, economically paralyzed, writhing, bleeding and breaking up beneath the avenging rod of God.
A Faith Whose call remained unanswered, Whose claims were rejected, Whose warnings were brushed aside, Whose followers were mowed down, Whose aims and purposes were maligned, Whose summons to the rulers of the earth were ignored, Whose Herald drained the cup of martyrdom, over the head of Whose Author swept a sea of unheard-of tribulations, and Whose Exemplar sank beneath the weight of lifelong sorrows and dire misfortunes.
A world that has lost its bearings, in which the bright flame of religion is fast dying out, in which the forces of a blatant nationalism and racialism have usurped the rights and pre � rogatives of God Himself, in which a flagrant secularism � the direct offspring of irreligion � has raised its triumphant head and is protruding its ugly features, in which the "maiesty of kingship" has been disgraced, and they who wore its emblems have, for the most part, been hurled from their thrones, in which the once all-powerful ecclesiastical hierarchies of IslAm, and to a lesser extent those of Christianity, have been discredited, and in which the virus of prejudice and corruption is eating into the vitals of an already gravely disordered society. A Faith Whose institutions � the pattern and crowning glory of the age which is to come � have been ignored and in some instances trampled upon and uprooted, Whose unfolding system has been derided and partly suppressed and crippled, Whose rising Order � the sole refuge of a civilization in the embrace of doom � has been spurned and challenged, Whose Mother-Temple has been seized and misappropriatod, and Whose rfHouse~~ the recynosure of an adoring world" � has, through a gross miscarriage of justice, as witnessed by the world's highest tribunal, been delivered into the hands of, and violated by, its implacable enemies.
We are indeed living in an age which, if we would correctly appraise it, should be regarded as one which is witnessing a dual phenomenon. The first signalizes the death-pangs of an order, effete and godless, that has stubbornly refused, despite the signs and portents of a century-old Revelation, to attune its processes to the precepts and ideals which that Heaven-sent Faith proffered it. The second proclaims the birth-pangs of an Order, divine and redemptive, that will inevitably supplant the former, and within Whose administrative structure an embryonic civilization, incomparable and world-embracing, is imperceptibly maturing. The one is being rolled up, and is crashing in oppression, bloodshed, and ruin.
The other opens up vistas of a justice, a unity, a peace, a culture, such as no age has ever seen.
The former has spent its force, demonstrated its falsity and barrenness, lost irretrievably its opportunity, and is hurrying to its doom. The latter, virile and unconquerable, is plucking asunder its chains, and is vindi
Page 272cating its title to be the one refuge within which a sore-tired humanity, purged from its dross, can attain its destiny.
~~Soon," Bahá'u'lláh Himselfhas prophesied, ~will the present day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead." And again: !~By Myself! The day is approaching when We will have rolled up the world and all that is ther'in, and spread out a new Order in its stead."
!The day is approaching when God will have raised up a people who will call to remembrance Our days, who will tell the tale of Our trials, who will demand the restitution of Our rights, from them who, without a tittle of evidence, have treated Us with manifest injustice."
Dear friends! For the trials which have afflicted the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh a responsibility appalling and inescapable rests upon those into whose hands the reins of civil and ecclesiastical authority were delivered. The kings of the earth and the world's religious leaders alike must primarily bear the brunt of such an awful responsibility. ~~Every one well knoweth," Bahá'u'lláh Himself testifies, ~tha~ all the kings have turned aside from Him, and all the religions hqve opposed Him." ~Froin thne immemorial" He declares, "they who have been outwardly invested with authority have debarred men from setflng their faces towards God. They have disliked that men should gather together around the Most Great Ocean, inasmuch as they have regarded, and still regard, such a gathering as the cause of, and the motive for, the disruption of their sovereignty." ~The kings" He moreover has written, !~have recognized that it was not in their interest to acknowledge Me, as have likewise the ministers and the dj~vines, notwithstanding that My purpQse hath been most explicitly revealed in the Divine Books and Tablets, and the True One hath loudly proclaimed that this Most Great Revelation hath appeared for the betterment of the wand and the exaltation of the nations." ~Gracioits God!" writes the B~b in the Da1~'i1-i-Sab'ih (Seven Proofs) with reference to the ~seven powerful sovereigns ruling the world" in His day, ~None of them hath been informed of His (the Wib) Manifestation, and if informed, none hath beUeved in Him. Who lznoweth they may leave this ivorid below full of desire, and wllhoitt having realized that the thing for which they were ivaiting had come to pass. This is what happened to the inon-archs that held fast unto the Gospel. They awaited the coming of the Prophet of God (Muhammad), and when He did appear, they failed to recognize Him.
Behold how great are the sums which these sovereigns expend 'without even the sUghtest than ght of appointing an official charged with the task of acquainting them in their own realms with the Manifestation of God! They would thereby hcive fulfilled the purpose for which they have been created. All their desires have been and are still fixed upon leaving behind them traces of their names."
The BTh, moreover, in that same treatise, censuring the failure of the Christian divines to acknowledge the truth of Mubammad's mission, makes this illuminating statement: ~The blame falleth upon their doctors, for if these had believed, they would have been followed by the mass of their countrymen. Behold, then, that which hath come to pass! The learned men of Christendom are held to be learned by virtue of their safeguarding the teaching of Christ, and yet consider how they themselves have been the cause of men's failure to accept the Faith and attain unto salvation!"
It should not be forgotten that it was the kings of the earth and the world's religious leaders who, above all other categories of men, were made the direct recipients of the Message proclaimed by both the B~b and Bahá'u'lláh.
It was they who were deliberately addressed in numerous and historic Tablets, who were summoned to respond to the Call of God, and to whom were directed, in clear and forcible language, the appeals, the admonitions and warnings of His persecuted Messengers.
It was they who, when the Faith was born, and later when its mission was proclaimed, were still, for the most part, wielding unquestioned and absolute civil and ecclesiastical authority over their subjects and followers.
It was they who, whether glorying in the pomp and pageantry of a kingship as yet scarcely restricted by constitutional limitations, or entrenched within the strongholds of a
Page 273THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 273
seemingly inviolable ecclesiastical power, assumed ultimate responsibility for any wrongs inflicted by those whose immediate destinies they controlled. It would be no exaggeration to say that in most of the countries of the European and Asiatic continents absolutism, on the one hand, and complete subservience to ecclesiastical hierarchies, on the other, were still the outstanding features of the political and religious life of the masses. These, dominated and shackled, were robbed of the necessary freedom that would enable them to either appraise the claims and merits of the Message proffered to them, or to embrace unreservedly its truth.
Small wonder, then, that the author of the Bahá'í Faith, and to a lesser degree its Herald, should have directed at the world's supreme rulers and religious leaders the full force of Their Messages, and made them the recipients of some of Their most sublime Tablets, and invited them, in a language at once clear and insistent, to heed Their call. Small wonder that They should have taken the pains to unroll before their eyes the truths of Their respective Revelations, and should have expatiated on Their woes and sufferings.
Small wonder that They should have stressed the preciousness of the opportunities which it was in the power of these rulers and leaders to seize, and should have warned them in ominous tones of the grave responsibilities which the rejection of God's Message would entail, and should have predicted, when rebuffed and refused, the dire consequences which such a rejection involved.
Small wonder that He Who is the King of Kings and the Vicegerent of God Himself should, when abandoned, contemned and persecuted, have uttered this epigrammatic and momentous prophecy: reFrons two ranks amongst men tower Lath been seized: kings and ecciesiastics."
As to. the kings and emperors who not only symbolized in their persons the majesty of earthly dominion but who, for the most part, actuaHy held unchallengeable sway over the multitudes of their subjects, their relation to the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh constitutes one of the most illuminating episodes in the history of the Heroic and Formative Ages of that Faith. The Divine summons which embraced within its scope so large a number of the crowned heads of both Europe and Asia; the theme and language of the Messages that brought them into direct contact with the
Source of God's Revelation;the nature of their reaction to so stupendous an impact; and the consequences which ensued and can still be witnessed today are the salienb features of a subject upon which I can but inadequately touch, and which will be fully and befittingly treated by future Bahá'í historians.
The Emperor of the French, the most powerful ruler of his day on the European continent,
Napoleon III; Pope PiusIX, the supreme head of the highest church in Christend&m, and wielder of the scepter of both temporal and spiritual authority; the omnipotent Czar of the vast Russian
Empire, Alexander II;the renowned Queen Victoria, whose sovereignty extended over the greatest political combination the world has witnessed; William I, the conqueror of Napoleon
III, King of Prussiaand the newiy acclaimed monarch of a unified Germany; Francis Joseph, the autocratic king-emperor of the Austro � Hungarian monarchy, the heir of the far-famed Holy Roman jEmpire; the tyrannical 'Abdu'1 � 'Aziz, the embodiment of the concentrated power vested in the Sultanate and the Caliphate; the notorious N~siri'd-Din SMh the despotic ruler of Persia and the mightiest potentate of Shi'ih Islim � in a word, most of the preeminent embodiments of power and of sovereignty in His day became, one by one, the object of Bahá'u'lláh's special attention, and were made to sustain, in varying degrees, the weight of the force communicated by His appeals and warnings.
Humiliation Immediateand Complete Of all the monarchs of the earth, at the time when Bahá'u'lláh, proclaiming His Messages to them, revealed the S4riy-i-Miiluk in Adrianople, the most august and influential were the French Emperor and the Supreme Pontiff.
In the political and religious spheres they respectively held the foremost rank, and the humiliation both suffered was alike immediate and complete.
Napoleon III, son of Louis Bonaparte (brother of Napoleon I), was, few historians
Page 274will deny, the most outstanding monarch of his day in the West. "The Emperor," it was said of him, "was the state." The French capital was the most attractive capital in Europe, the French court "the most brilliant and luxurious of the XIXth century."
Possessed of a fixed and indestructible ambition, he aspired to emulate the example, and finish the interrupted work, of his imperial uncle. A dreamer, a conspirator, of a shifting nature, hypocritical and reckless, he, the heir to the Napoleonic throne, taking advantage of the policy which sought to foster the reviving interest in the career of his great prototype, had sought to overthrow the monarchy.
Failing in his attempt, he was deported to America, was later captured in the course of an attempted invasion of France, was condemned to perpetual captivity, and escaped to London, until in 1848, the Revolution brought about his return, and enabled him to overthrow the constitution, after which he was proclaimed emperor. Though able to initiate far-reaching movements, he possessed neither the sagacity nor the courage required to control them.
To this man, the last emperor of the French, who, through foreign conquest, had striven to endear his dynasty to the people, who even cherished the ideal of making France the center of a revived Roman Empire � to such a man the Exile of 'Akka, already thrice banished by Su1~n 'Abdu'1-'Aziz, had transmitted, from behind the walls of the barracks in which He lay imprisoned an Epistle which bore this indubitably clear arraignment and ominous prophecy: rrWe testify that that which wakened thee was not their cry (Turks drowned in the Black Sea), but the promptings of thine own passions, for We tested thee, and found thee wanting.. Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst not have cast behind thy back the Book of God (previous Tablet), when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
For what thou heist done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punisinnent for that which thau East wrought."
Bahá'u'lláh's previous Message, forwarded through one of the French ministers to the Emperor, had been accorded a welcome the nature of which can be conjectured from the words recorded in the "Epistle to the Son of the 'Wolf": !fTO this (first Tablet), however, he did not reply.
After Our arrival in the Most Great Prison there reached Us a letter frcnn his minister, the first part of which was in Persian, and the latter in his own handwriting. In it he was cordial, and wrote the following: tJ have, as requested by you, delivered your letter, and until now have received no answer.
We have, however, issued the necessary recommendations to our Minister in Constantinople and our consuls in those regions. If there be anything you wish done, inform us, and we will carry it out.' From his words it became apparent that he understood the purpose of this Servant to have been a request for material assistance."
In His first Tablet Bahá'u'lláh, wishing to test the sincerity of the Emperor's motives, and deliberately assuming a meek and unprovocative tone, had, after expatiating on the sufferings He had endured, addressed him the following words: reTwo statements graciously uttered by the king of the age have reached the ears of these wronged ones. These pronouncements are, in truth, the king of a11 pronouncements, the like of which have never been heard from any sovereign. The first was the answer given the Russian government when it inquired why the war (Crimean) was waged against it. Thou didst reply: 'The cry of the oppressed who, without guilt or blame, were drowned in the Black Sea wakened me at dawn.
Wherefore, I took up arms against thee.' These oppressed ones, however, have suffered a greater wrong, and are in greater distress. Whereas the trials inflicted upan those people lasted but one day, the trcnsbles borne by these servants have continued for twenty and five years, every moment of which has held for us a grievous affliction. The other weighty statement, which was indeed a wondrous statement manifested to the world, was this: cOurs is the responsibility to avenge the oppressed and succor the helpless.'
The fame of the Emperor's justice and fairness hath brought hope to a great many souls.
It beseemeth the king of the age to inquire into the condition of such as have been wronged, and it behoveth him
Page 275THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 275
to extend his care to the weak. Verily, there hath not been, nor is there now, on earth any one as oppressed as we are, or as helpless as these wanderers."
It is reported that upon receipt of this first Message that superficial, tricky and pride-intoxicated monarch flung down the Tablet saying: "If this man is God, I am two gods!"
The transmitter of the second Tablet had, it is reliably stated, in order to evade the strict surveillance of the guards, concealed it in his hat, and was able to deliver it to the French agent, who resided in CAkk~ and who, as attested by Nabil in his Narrative, translated it into French and sent it to the Emperor, he himself becom.-ing a believer when he had later witnessed the fulfillment of so remarkable a prophecy.
The significance of the sombre and pregnant words uttered by Bahá'u'lláh in His second Tablet was soon revealed. He who was actuated in provoking the Crimean War by his selfish desires, who was prompted by a personal grudge against the Russian Emperor, who was impatient to tear up the Treaty of 1815 in order to avenge the disaster of Moscow, and who sought to shed military glory over his throne, was soon himself engulfed by a catastrophe that hurled him in the dust, and caused France to sink from her preeminent station among the nations to that of a fourth Power in Europe.
The Battle of Sedan in 1870 sealed the fate of the French Emperor. The whole of his army was broken up and surrendered, constituting the greatest capitulation hitherto recorded in modern history. A crushing indemnity was exacted. He himself was taken prisoner. His only son, the Prince Imperial, was killed, a few years later, in the Zulu War.
The Empire collapsed, its program unrealized.ttThe terrible year" marked by civil war, exceeding in its ferocity the Franco-German War, followed. William I, the Prussian king, was proclaimed German Emperor in the very palace which stood as a "mighty monument and symbol of the power and pride of Louis XIV, a power which had been secured to some extent by the humiliation of Germany." Deposed by a disaster "so appalling that it resounded throughout the world," this false and boastful monarch suffered in the end, and till his death, the same exile as that which, in the case of Bahá'u'lláh, he had so heartlessly ignored.
A humiliation less spectacular yet historically more significant awaited Pope
PiusIX. It was to him who regarded himself as the Vicar of
Christ that Bahá'u'lláhwrote that CC/he Word which the Son (Jesus) concealed is made manifest," that rrit bath been sent dawn in the form of the human temple," that the Word was Himself, and
He Himself the Father.It was to him who styling himself "the servant of the servants of God" that the Promised One of all ages, unveiling His station in its plenitude, an. nounced that rrHe Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds." It was he, who, claiming to be the successor of St. Peter, was reminded by Bahá'u'lláh that rrthis is the day whereon the Rock (Peter) crieth out and shouteth saying: To, the Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled.'" It was he, the wearer of the triple crown, who later became the first prisoner of the Vatican, who was commanded by the Divine Prisoner of tAkkh to cleave his palaces unto such as desire them,~~ to resell all the embellished ornaments" he possessed, and to reexpend them in the path of God," and to eraband~ his kingdom unto the kings," and emerge from his habitation with his face !!set towards the Kingdom."
Count Mastai-Ferretti, Bishop of Imola, the 2 54th pope since the inception of St. Peter's primacy, who had been elevated to the apostolic throne two years after the Declaration of the Báb, and the duration of whose pontificate exceeded that of any of his predecessors, will be permanently remembered as the author of the Bull which declared the
Immaculate Conceptionof the Blessed Virgin (1854), referred to in the KitTh-i-tq~n, to be a doctrine of the Church, and as the promulgator of the new dogma of Papal
Infallibility (1870).Authoritarian by nature, a poor statesman, disinclined to conciliation, determined to preserve all his authority, he, while he succeeded through his assumption of an ultramontane attitude
Page 276in defining further his position and in reinforcing his spiritual authority, failed, in the end, to maintain that temporal rule which, for so many centuries, had been exercised by the heads of the Catholic Church.
This temporal power had, throughout the ages, shrunk to insignificant proportions. The decades preceding its extinction were fraught with the gravest vicissitudes.
As the sun of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation was mounting to full meridian splendor, the shadows that beset the dwindling patrimony of St. Peter were correspondingly deepening. The Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh, addressed to Pius IX, precipitated its extinction. A hasty glance at the course of its ebbing fortunes, during those decades, will suffice.
Napoleon I had driven the Pope from his estates.had reestablished him as their head and their administration in the hands of the priests.
Corruption, disorganization, impotence to insure internal security, the restoration of the inquisition, had induced an historian to assert that tt~0 land of Italy, perhaps of Europe, except Turkey, is ruled as is this ecclesiastical state."
Rome was "a city of ruins, both material and moral."
Insurrections Led to Austria'sintervention. Five great Powers demanded the introduction of far-reaching reforms, which the Pope promised but failed to carry out..
Austria again reasserted herself, and was opposed by France. Both watched each other on the Papal estates until 1 838, when, on their withdrawal, absolutism was again restored.
The Pope's temporal power was now denounced by some of his own subjects, heralding its extinction in 1870. Internal complications forced him to flee, in the dead of night and in the disguise of a humble priest, from Rome which was declared a republic.
It was later restored by the French to its former status. The creation of the kingdom of Italy, the shifting policy of Napoleon HI, the disaster of Sedan, the misdeeds of the Papal government denounced by Clarendon, at the Congress of Paris, terminating the Crimean War, as a "disgrace to Europe," sealed the fate of that tottering dominion.
In 1870, after Bahá'u'lláhmanuel I went to war with the Papal states, and his troops entered Rome and seized it. On the eve of its seizure, the Pope repaired to the Lateran and, despite his age and with his face bathed in tears, ascended on bended knees the Scala Santa. The following morning, as the cannonade began, he ordered the white flag to be hoisted above the dome of St. Peter.
Despoiled, he refused to recognize this "creation of revolution," excommunicated the invaders of his states, denounced Victor Emmanuel as the "robber King" and as "forgetful of every religious principle, despising every right, trampling upon every law." Rome, t!the Eternal City, on which rest twenty-five centuries of glory," and over which the Popes had ruled in unchal � lengeable right for ten centuries, finally became the seat of the new kingdom, and the scene of that humiliation which Bahá'u'lláh had anticipated and which the Prisoner of the Vatican had imposed upon himself.
t~The last years of the old Pope," writes a commentator on his life, ctwere filled with anguish. To his physical infirmities was added the sorrow of beholding, all too often, the Faith outraged in the very heart of Rome, the religious orders despoiled and persecuted, the Bishops and priests debarred from exercising their functions."
Every effort to retrieve the situation created in 1870 proved fruitless.
The Archbishop of Posenwent to Versailles to solicit Bismarck's intervention in behalf of the Papacy, but was coldly received.
Later a Catholic party was organized in Germany to bring political pressure on the German Chancellor.
All, however, was in vain. The mighty process already referred to bad to pursue inexorably its course. Even now, after the lapse of above half a century, the socalled restoration of temporal sovereignty has but served to throw into greater relief the helplessness of this erstwhile potent Prince, at whose name kings trembled and to whose dual sovereignty they willingly submitted.
This temporal sovereignty, practically confined to the miniscule City of the Vatican, and leaving Rome the undisputed possession of a secular monarchy, has been obtained at the price of unreserved recogni-don, so long withheld, of the Kingdom of Italy.
The Treaty of the Lateran, claimingTHE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 277
Napoleon IIIto have resolved once and for all the Roman Question, has indeed assured to a secular Power, in respect of the Enclaved City, a liberty of action which is fraught with uncertainty and peril. ttThe two souls of the Eternal City," a Catholic writer has observed, ~~have been separated from each other, oniy to collide more severely than ever before."
Well might the Sovereign Pontiff recall the reign of the most powerful among his predecessors, Innocent III who, during the eighteen years of his pontificate, raised and deposed the kings and the emperors, whose interdicts deprived nations of the exercise of Christian worship, at the feet of whose legate the King of England surrendered his crown, and at whose voice the fourth and the fifth crusades were both undertaken.
Might not the process, to which reference has already been made, manifest, in the course of its operation, during the tumultuous years in store f or mankind, and in this same domain, a commotion still more devastating than it has yet produced?
The dramatic collapse of both the Third Empire and the Napoleonic dynasty, the virtual extinction of the temporal sovereignty of the Supreme Pontiff, in the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh, were but the precursors of still greater catastrophes that may be said to have marked the ministry of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The forces unleashed by a conflict, the full significance of which still remains unfathomed, and which may be considered as a prelude to this, the most devastating of all wars, can well be regarded as the occasion of these dreadful catastrophes.
The progress of the War of 19141918 dethroned the House of Romanoy, while its termination precipitated the downfall of both the Hapsburg and Hohenzollern dynasties.
The Crumbling of ReligiousDear friends! The decline in the fortunes of the crowned wielders of temporal power has been paralleled by a no less startling deterioration in the influence exercised by the world's spiritual leaders. The colossal events that have heralded the dissolution of so many kingdoms and empires have almost synchronized with the crumbling of the seemingly inviolable strongholds of religious orthodoxy. That same process which, swiftly and tragically, sealed the doom of kings and emperors, and extinguished their dynasties, has operated in the case of the ecclesiastical leaders of both Christianity and IslAm, damaging their prestige, and, in some cases, overthrowing their highest institutions.
~Tower bath been seized" indeed, from both rrkings and ecciesias tics." The glory of the former has been eclipsed, the power of the latter irretrievably lost.
Those leaders who exercised guidance and control over the ecclesiastical hierarchies of their respective religions have, likewise, been appealed to, warned, and reproved by Bahá'u'lláh, in terms no less uncertain than those in which the sovereigns who presided over the destinies of their subjects have been addressed. They, too, and more particularly the heads of Muslim ecclesiastical orders, have, in conjunction with despots and potentates, launched their assaults and thundered their anathemas against the Founders of the Faith of God, its followers, its principles, and its institutions. Were not the divines of Persia the first who hoisted the standard of revolt, who inflamed the ignorant and subservient masses against it, and who instigated the civil authorities, through their outcry, their threats, their lies, their calumnies, and denunciations, to decree the banishments, to enact the laws, to launch the punitive campaigns, and to carry out the executions and massacres that fill the pages of its history? So abominable and savage was the butchery committed in a single day, instigated by these divines, and so typical of the tCcallous~ ness of the brute and the ingenuity of the fiend" that Renan, in his "Les ApOtres," characterized that day as ccperhaps unparalleled in the history of the world."
It was these divines, who, by these very acts, sowed the seeds of the disintegration of their own institutions, institutions that were so potent, so famous, and appeared so mini-nerable when the Faith was born. It was they who, by assuming so lightly and foolishly, such awful responsibilities, were primarily answerable for the release of those violent and disruptive influences that have unchained disasters as catastrophic as those which overwhelmed kings, dynasties, and empires, and which constitute the most note
Page 279THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 279
worthy landmarks in the history of the first century of the Bahá'í era.
This process of deterioration, however startling in its initial manifestations, is still operating with undiminished force, and will, as the opposition to the Faith of God, from various sources and in distant fields, gathers momentum, be further accelerated and reveal still more remarkable evidences of its devastating power.
I cannot, in view of the proportions which this communication has already assumed, expatiate, as fully as I would wish, on the aspects of this weighty theme which, together with the reaction of the sovereigns of the earth to the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, is one of the most fascinating and edifying episodes in the dramatic story of His Faith. I will only consider the repercussions of the violent assaults made by the ecclesiastical leaders of IsUm and, to a lesser degree, by certain exponents of Christian orthodoxy upon their respective institutions.
I will preface these observations with some passages gleaned from the great mass of Bahá'u'lláh's Tablets which, both directly and indirectly, bear reference to Muslim and Christian divines, and which throw such a powerful light on the dismal disasters that have overtaken, and are still overtaking, the ecclesiastical hierarchies of the two religions with which the Faith has been immediately concerned.
It must not be inferred, however, that Bahá'u'lláh directed His historic addresses exclusively to the leaders of Islam and Christianity, or that the impact of an all-pervading Faith on the strongholds of religious orthodoxy is to be confined to the institutions of these two religious systems. !rThe time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth," affirms Bahá'u'lláh, ~is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled. This is the Day which the Pen of the Most High hath glorified in all the Holy Scriptures. There is no verse in them that doth not declare the glory of His holy Name, and no Book that doth not testify unto the loftiness of this most exalted theme."
~Were We," He adds, ~io make mention of edt that hath been revealed in these heavenly Books and Holy Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this
Tabletwould assume impossible dimensions." As the promise of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is enshrined in all the Scriptures of past religions, so does its Author address Himself to their followers, and particularly to their responsible leaders who have intervened between Him and their respective congregations.
Addressing the Jewishpeople Bahá'u'lláh has written: ~The Most Great Law is come, and the Ancient Beauty ruleth upon the throne of David. Thus hath My Pen spoken that which the histories of bygone ages have related. At this time, however, David crieth aloud and saith: ~O my loving Lord! Do Thou number me with such as have stood steadfast in
Thy Cause, 0 Thou through Whomthe faces have been illumined, and the footsteps have slipped!' " And again: !!The Breath hath been wafted, and the Breeze hath blown, and from Zion hath appeared that which was hidden, and from Jerusalem is heard the Voice of God, the One, the Incomparable, the Omniscient." Furthermore, in His "Epistle to the Son of the Wolf" Bahá'u'lláh has revealed: ~Lend an ear unto the song of David. He saith: rWho will bring me info the Strong City?' The Strong City is 'Akka, which hat/i been named the Most Great Prison, and which possesseth a fortress and mighty ramparts.
0 Shaykh! Peruse that which Isaiah hath spoken in His Book. He saith: ~Get thee up into the high mountain, 0 Zion, that bringest good tidings; lift up thy voice with strength, 0 Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings.
Lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities ofthe Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him.' This Day all (he signs have appeared.
A great City hath descended from heaven, and Zion trembleth and exulteth with joy at the Revelation of God, for it hath heard the Voice of God on every side."
To the priestly caste, holding sacerdotal supremacy over the followers of the Faith of Zoroaster, that same Voice, identifying itself with the voice of the promised SMh-Bahr~m, has declared: ~O high priests!
Ears have been given you that they may hearken unto the mystery of Him Who is the Self-Dependent, and eyes that they may behold Him. Wherefore flee ye? The Incomparable
Page 280Friend is manifest. He speaketh that wherein lieth salvation.
It is not, however, with either of these two Faiths that we are primarily concerned. It is to Islam and, to a lesser extent, to Christianity, that my theme is directly related.
Islam, from which the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh has 'sprung, even as did Christianity from Judaism, is the religion within whose pale that Faith first rose and devel.-oped, from whose ranks the great mass of Bahá'í adherents have been recruited, and by whose leaders they have been, and indeed are still being, persecuted. Christianity, on the other hand, is the religion to which the vast majority of Bahá'ís of non-Islamic extraction belong, within whose spiritual domain the Administrative Order of the Faith of God is rapidly advancing, and by whose ecclesiastical exponents that Order is being increasingly assailed.
Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and even Zoroastrianism which, in the main, are still unaware of the potentialities of the Cause of God, and whose response to its Message is as yet negligible, the Muhammadan and Christian Faiths may be regarded as the two religious systems which are sustaining, at this formative stage in its evolution, the full impact of so tremendous a Revelation.
Let us, then, consider what the Founders of the Ba'M'i Faith have addressed to, or written about, the recognized leaders of IslAm and Christianity. We have already considered the passages with reference to the kings of Islam, whether as Caliphs reigning in Constantinople or as Sh~hs of Persia who ruled the kingdom as temporary trustees for the expected Im~m.
We have also noted the Tablet which Bahá'u'lláh specifically revealed for the Roman Pontiff, and the more general message in the Siiriy-i-MiiThk directed to the kings of Christendom.
No less challenging and omino~is is the Voice that has warned and called to account the Muhammadan divines and the Christian clergy.
~eLeaders of religion," is Bahá'u'lláh's clear and universal censure pronounced in the Kitáb-i-1q~n, ~in every age, have h~n-dered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people.
By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory.
What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and learning have inflicted u~on the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of Divine virtue! Content wUh a transitory dominion, they have deprived themselves of an everlasting sovereignty."
And again, in that same~rAmong these ~veils of glory' are the dii4nes and doctors living in the days of the Manifestation of God, who, because of their want of discernment and their love and eagerness for Ieadersh~p, have failed to submit to the Cause of God, nay, have even refused to ~nc!ine their ears, unto the Divine Melody. !They have thrust their fingers into their ears.'
And the people aiso, utterly ignoring God and taking them for their masters, have placed themselves ~tnreservedIy under the authority of these pompous and hypocritical leaders, for they have no sight, no hearing, no heart, of their own to distinguish truth from falsehood. Notwithstanding the divinely-in-spired admonitions of all the Prophets, the Saints, and Chosen Ones of God, enjoining the people to see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears, they have disdainfully rejected their counsels and have blindly followed, and will continue to follow, the leaders of their FaHh. Should a poor and obscure person, destitute of the attire of the men of learning, address them saying: rFoI~ iow ye, 0 people, the Messengers of God,' they would, greatly surprised at such a state-inent, reply: !What! Meanest thou that all these divines, all these exponents of learning, with all their authority, their ~ and pageantry, have erred, and failed to distinguish truth from falsehood? Dost thou, and people like thyself, pretend to have corn pre-hended that which they have not understood?' If numbers and excellence of apparel be regarded as the criterions of learning and truth, the peoples of a bygone age, whom those of today have never surpassed in numbers, magnificence and power, should certainly be accounted a superior and worthier people." Furthermore, ~No1 one Prophet of
Page 281God was made manifest Who did not fall a victim to the relentless hate, to the denunciation, denial and execration of the clerics of His day! Woe unto them for the iniquities their hands have formerly wrought!
Woe unto them for that which they are now doing!What veils of glory more grievous than these embodiments of error! By the righteousness of God! To pierce such veils is the mightiest of all acts, and to rend them asunder the most meritorious of all deeds!" ~On their tongue," He, moreover has written, The men flon of God hath become an empty name; in their midst His holy Word a dead letter. Such is the sway of their desires, that the lamp of conscience and reason hath been quenched in their hearts.. No two are found to agree on one and the same law, for they seek no God but their own desire, and tread no path but the path of error. In leadership they have recognized the ulti-male object of their endeavor, and account pride and haughtiness as the highest attainments of their hearts' desire. They have placed their sordid machinations above the Divine decree, have renounced resign~u5ion unto the will of God, busied themselves with selfish calculation, and walked in the way of the hypocrite. With all their power and strength they strive to secure themselves in their petty pursuits, fearful lest the least discredit undermine their authority or blemish the display of their magnificence."
~The source and origin of tyranny," Bahá'u'lláh in another Tablet has affirmed, !rhave been the divines. Through the sentences pronounced by these haughty and wayward souis the rulers of the earth have wrought thai!
which ye have heard....The reins of the heedless masses have been, and are, in the hands of the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings. These decree what they please. God, verily, is clear of them, and We; too, are clear of them, as are such as have testified unto that which the Pen of the Most High hath spoken in this glorious
Station."Dear friends! I have, in the preceding pages, attempted to represent this world � afflicting ordeal that has laid its grip upon mankind as primarily a judgment of God pronounced against the peoples of the earth, who, for a century, have refused to recog nize the One Whose advent had been promised to all religions, and in Whose Faith all nations can ~ilone, and must eventually, seek their true salvation. I have quoted certain passages from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb that reveal the character, and f ore-shadow the occurrence of this divinely-in-flicted visitation. I have enumerated the woeful trials with which the Faith, its Herald, its Founder, and its Exemplar, have been afflicted, and exposed the tragic failure of the generality of mankind and its leaders to protest against these tribulations, and to acknowledge the claims advanced by those Who bore them. I have, moreover, indicated that a direct, an awful, an inescapable responsibility rested on the sovereigns of the earth and the world's religious leaders who, in the days of the BTh and Bahá'u'lláh, held within their grasp the reins of absolute political and religious authority.
I have also endeavored to show how, as a result of the direct and active antagonism of some of them to the Faith, and the neglect by others of their unquestioned duty to investigate its truth, and its claims, to vindicate its innocence, and avenge its injuries, both kings and ecciesiastics have been, and are still being, subjected to the dire punishments which their sins of omission and commission have provoked.
I have, owing to the chief responsibility which they incurred, as a result of the undisputed ascendancy they held over their subjects and followers, quoted extensively from the messages, the exhortations and warnings addressed to them by the Founders of our Faith, and expatiated on the consequences that have flowed from these momentous and epochmaking utterances.
This great retributive calamity, for which the world's supreme leaders, both secular and religious, are to be regarded as primarily answerable, as testified by Bahá'u'lláh, should not, if we would correctly appraise it, be re � garded solely as a punishment meted out by God to a world that has, for a hundred years, persisted in its refusal to embrace the truth of the redemptive Message proffered to it by the supreme Messenger of God in this day. It should be viewed also, though to a lesser degree, in the light of a divine retribution for the perversity of the human race in general, in casting itself adrift from those elementary
Page 282principles which must, at all times, govern, and can alone safeguard, the life and progress of mankind. Humanity has, alas, with increasing insistence, preferred, instead of acknowledging and adoring the Spirit of God as embodied in His religion in this day, to worship those false idols, untruths and half-truths, which are obscuring its religions, corrupting its spiritual life, convulsing its political institutions, corroding its social fabric, and shattering its economic structure.
Not oniy have the peoples of the earth ignored, and some of them even assailed, a Faith which is at once the essence, the promise, the reconciler, and the unifier of all religions, but they have drifted away from their own religions, and set up on their subverted altars other gods wholly alien not only to the spirit but to the traditional forms of their ancient faiths.
The face of the world," Bahá'u'lláh laments, rehath altered. The way of God and the religion of God have ceased to be of any worth in the eyes of men." erThe vitality of men's belief in God," He also has written, is dying out in every land The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society." ~~Religion" He affirms, ~zs verily the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world, and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion." And again: reReligion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world." !!AS the body of man," He, in another connection, has written, erneedeth a garment to clothe it, so the body of mankind must needs be adorned with the mantle of justice and wisdom. Its robe is the Revelation vouchsafed unto it by God."
The Three False GodsThis vital force is dying out, this mighty agency has been scorned, this radiant light is obscured, this impregnable stronghold abandoned, this beauteous robe discarded. God Himself has indeed been dethroned from the hearts of men, and an idolatrous world passionately and clamorously hails and worships the false gods which its own idle fancies have fatuously created, and its misguided hands so impiously exalted.
The chief idols in the desecrated temple of mankind are none other than the triple gods of Nationalism, Racialism and Communism, at whose altars governments and peoples, whether democratic or totalitarian, at peace or at war, of the East or of the West, Christian or Islamic, are, in various forms and in different degrees, now worshiping.
Their high priests are the politicians and the worldly-wise, the socalled sages of the age; their sacrifice, the flesh and blood of the slaughtered multitudes; their incantations outworn shibboleths and insidious and irreverent formulas; their incense, the smoke of anguish that ascends from the lacerated hearts of the bereaved, the maimed, and the homeless.
The theories and policies, so unsound, so pernicious, which deify the state and exalt the nation above mankind, which seek to subordinate the sister races of the world to one single race, which discriminate between the black and the white, and which tolerate the dominance of one privileged class over all others � these are the dark, the false, and crooked doctrines for which any man or people who believes in them, or acts upon them, must, sooner or later, incur the wrath and chastisement of God.
rfMovements~~ is the warning sounded by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, fenewly~born and worldwide in their range, will exert their utmost effort for the advancement of their designs. The Movement of the Left will acquire great importance. Its influence will spread."
Contrasting with, and irreconcilably opposed to, these war-engendering, world-convulsing doctrines, are the healing, the saving, the pregnant truths proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, the Divine
Organizer and Saviourof the whole human race � truths which should be regarded as the animating force and the hallmark of His
Revelation:The world is but one country, and mankind its citizens."
~~Let not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind." And again: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch." erBend your minds and wills to the education of the peoples and kindreds of the earth, that ha ply all
Page 283mankind may became the upholders of one order, and the inhabitants of one city.
Ye dwell in one world, and have been created through the operation of one Will." ~ lest the desires of the flesh and of a corrupt inclination provoke divisions among you. Be ye as the fingers of one hand, the members of one body." And yet again: All the saplings of the world have appeared from one Tree, and all the drops from one Ocean, and all beings owe their existence to one Being." And furthermore: erThat one indeed is a man who today dedi-cateth himself to the service of the entire human race.~~ The Weakened Pillars of
ReligianNot only must irreligion and its monstrous offspring, the triple curse that oppresses the soui of mankind in this day, be held responsible for the ills which are so tragically besetting it, but other evils and vices, which arc, for the most part, the direct consequences of the rrweakening of the pillars of religion," must also be regarded as contributory factors to the manifold guilt of which individuals and nations stand convicted.
The signs of moral downfall, consequent to the dethronement of religion and the enthronement of these usurping idols, are too numerous and too patent for even a superficial observer of the state of presentday society to fail to notice. The spread of lawlessness, of drunkenness, of gambling, and of crime; the inordinate love of pleasure, of riches, and other eart~1y vanities; the laxity in morals, revealing itself in the irresponsible attitude towards marriage, in the weakening of parental control, in the rising tide of divorce, in the deterioration in the standard of literature and of the press, and in the advocacy of theories that are the very negation of purity, of morality and chastity � these evidences of moral decadence, invading both the East and the 'West, permeating every stratum of society, and instilling their poison in its members of both sexes, young and old alike, blacken still further the scroll upon which are inscribed the manifold transgressions of an unrepentant humanity.
Small wonder that Bahá'u'lláh, the Divine Physician, should have declared: fJ~ this day the tastes of men have changed, and their power of perception hath altered. The contrary winds of the world, and its colors, have provoked a cold, and deprived men's nostrils of the sweet savors of Revelation."
Brimful and bitter indeed is the cup of humanity that has failed to respond to the summons of God as voiced by His Supreme Messenger, that has dimmed the lamp of its faith in its Creator, that has transferred, in so great a measure, the allegiance owed Him to the gods of its own invention, and polluted itself with the evils and vices which such a transference must necessarily engender.
Dear friends! It is in this light that we, the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, should regard this visitation of God which, in the concluding years of the first century of the Bahá'í era, afflicts the generality, and has thrown into such a bewildering confusion the affairs, of mankind.
It is because of this dual guilt, the things it has done and the things it has left undone, its misdeeds as well as its dismal and signal failure to accomplish its clear and unmistakable duty towards God, His Messenger, and His Faith, that this grievous ordeal, whatever its immediate political and economic causes, has laid its adarnantine grip upon it. God, however, as has been pointed out in the very beginning of these pages, does not oniy punish the wrongdoings of His chil � dren.
He chastises because He is just, and He chastens because He loves. Having chastened them, He cannot, in His great mercy, leave them to their fate. Indeed, by the very act of chastening them He prepares them for the mission for which He has created them. "My calamity is My providence," He, by the mouth of Bahá'u'lláh, has assured them, r!outwardly it is fire and vengeance, but inwardly it is light and mercy.~~ The flames which His Divine justice have kindled cleanse an unregenerate humanity, and fuse its discordant, its warring elements as no other agency can cleanse or fuse them. It is not only a retributory and destructive fire, but a disciplinary and creative process, whose aim is the salvation, though unification, of the entire planet. Mysteriously, slowly, and resistlessly God accomplishes
Page 284His design, though the sight that meets our eyes in this day be the spectacle of a world hopelessly entangled in its own meshes, utterly careless of the Voice which, for a century, has been calling it to God, and miserably subservient to the siren voices which are attempting to lure it into the vast abyss.
God's PurposeGod's purpose is none other than to usher in, in ways He alone can bring about, and the full significance of which He alone can fathom, the
Great, the Golden Ageof a long-divided, a long-afflicted humanity. Its present state, indeed even its immediate future, is dark, distressingly dark. Its distant future, however, is radiant, gloriously radiant � so radiant that no eye can visualize it. reThe winds of despair," writes Bahá'u'lláh, as He surveys the immediate destinies of mankind, reare, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order aftpears to be lamentably defective."
C rsU~j, shall be its plight," He, in another connection has declared, ~rthat to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly."
"These frz4tless strife's," He, on the other hand, contemplating the future of mankind, has emphatically prophesied, in the course of His memorable interview with the Persian orientalist, Edward G. Browne, erthese ruinous wars shall pass away, and the rMost Great Peace, shall come. These strifes and this bloodshed and discard must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family." ~ He predicts, !!wilI the presentday order be railed up, and a new one spread out in its stead." ~!A! ter a time," He also has written, r rail the governments on earth will change.
Oppression will envelop the world. And following a universal convulsion, the sun of justice will rise from the horizon of the unseen realm." The whale earth," He, moreover, has stated, rrj~ now in a state of pregnancy.
The day is approaching when it will have yielded its noblest fruits, when from it will have sprung forth the loftiest trees, the most enchanting chanting blossoms, the most heavenly blessings."
!fAii nations and kindreds," 'Abdu'l-Bahá likewise has written, will become a single nation. Religious and sectarian an-tagonisin, the hostility of races and peoples, and differences among nations, will be eliini-na/ed. 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."
What we witness at the present time, during "this gravest crisis in the history of civilization," recalling such times in which "religions have perished and are born," is the adolescent stage in the slow and painfuL evolution of humanity, preparatory to the attainment of the stage of manhood, the stage of maturity, the promise of which is embedded in the teachings, and enshrined in the prophecies, of Bahá'u'lláh. The tumult of this age of transition is characteristic of the impetuosity and irrational instincts of youth, its follies, its prodigality, its pride, its self-assurance, its rebelliousness, and contempt of discipline.
The Great Age to ComeThe ages of its infancy and childhood are past, never again to return, while the Great Age, the consummation of all ages, which must signalize the coming of age of the entire human race, is yet to come. The convulsions of this transitional and most turbulent period in the annals of humanity are the essential prerequisites, and herald the inevitable approach, of that Age of Ages, the time of the eAd," in which the folly and tumult of strife that has, since the dawn of history, blackened the annals of mankind, will have been finally transmuted into the wisdom and the tranquillity of an undisturbed, a universal, and lasting peace, in which the discord and separation of the children of men will have given way to the worldwide reconciliation, and the complete unification of the divers elements that constitute human society.
This will indeed be the fitting climax of that process of integration which, starting with the family, the smallest unit in the scale of human organization, must, after having called successively into being the
Page 285THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 285
tribe, the city-state and the nation, continue to operate until it culminates in the unification of the whole world, the final object and the crowning glory of human evolution on this planet. It is this stage which humanity, willingly or unwillingly, is resistlessly approaching.
It is for this stage that this vast, this fiery ordeal which humanity is experiencing is mysteriously paving the way. It is with this stage that the fortunes and the purpose of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh are indissolubly linked.
It is the creative energies which His Revelation has released in the a year sixty," and later reinforced by the successive cifusions of celestial power vouchsafed in the C year nine" and the rryear eighty" to all mankind, that have instilled into humanity the capacity to attain this final stage in its organic and cM-lective evolution. It is with the Golden Age of His Dispensation that the consummation of this process will be for ever associated. It is the structure of His New 'World Order, now stirring in the womb of the administrative institutions He Himself has created, that will serve both as a pattern and a nucleus of that world commonwealth which is the sure, the inevitable destiny of the peoples and nations of the earth.
Just as the organic evolution of mankind has been siow and gradual, and involved successively the unification of the family, the tribe, the city-state, and the nation, so has the light vouchsafed by the Revelation of God, at various stages in the evolution of religion, and reflected in the successive Dispensations of the past, been siow and progressive. Indeed the measure of Divine Revelation, in every age, has been adapted to, and commensurate with, the degree of social progress achieved in that age by a constantly-evolving humanity.
rry hath been decreed by us," explains Bahá'u'lláh, rrthat the Word of God, and all the potentialities thereof, shalt be manifested unto men in strict conformity with such conditions as have been foreordained by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.... Should the Word be allowed to release suddenly all the energies latent within it, no man could sustain the weight of so mighty a Revelation." !e,4fl created things," 'Abdu'l-Bahá elucidating this truth, has af firmed, rrhave their degree or stage of maturity.
The period of maturity in the life of a tree is the time of its fruit-bearing.
� The anhnal attains a stage of full growth and corn pleteness, and in the human kingdom man reaches his maturity when the light of his intelligence attains its greatest power and development. Similarly there are periods and stages in the collective life of humanity. At one time it was gassing through its stage of childhood, at another its period of youth, but now it has entered its long-predicted phase of maturity, the evidences of which are everywhere apparent.
� That which was applicable to human needs during the early history of the race can neither meet nor satisfy the demands of this day, this period of newness and consummation.
Humanity has emerged from its former state of limitation and pre-lhninary training.
Man must now become imbued with new virtues and powers, new moral standards, new cafiacities. New bounties, perfect bestowals, are awaiting and already descending upon him. The gifts and blessings of the period of youth, a!-though timely and snfficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the reqn-irernents of its maturity." "In every Dispensation," He moreover has written, erthe tight of Divine Guidance has been focussed upon one central theme. In this wondrous Revelation, this glorious century, the foundation of the Faith of God, and the distinguishing feature of His Law, is the consciousness of the oneness of mankind."
Religion and Social EvolutionThe 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
Page 286of 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 man � kind as a whole, has been definitely established: erVerily, He (Jesus) said: rCome ye after Me, and I ivill 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 IslAm, the succeeding link in the chain of Divine Revelation, introduced, as Bahá'u'lláh Himself testifies, 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: C~QJ old
(Islamic Dispensation)it loath been revealed: CLove 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 Muhammadan 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.
!f One of the great events," 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His tt%me Answered Questions" affirmed, which is to occur in the Day of the Manifestation of that Incorn parable 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 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 be eliminated. AU 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, t!hath in the Day of His Manifestation proclaimed: tit is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world.'" Cf Through the power," He adds, rcreleased 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 lhnitation from God's
Holy Book."A word of warning should, however, be uttered in this connection. The love of one s country, instilled and stressed by the teaching of IslAm, as !?g~ 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 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 Muhammad. 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,
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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 whole.
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'lláhhas, in His own words, crlent 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, worldwide, 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 mankind into one body, single, organically united, and indivisible.
World CommonwealthTo 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 un wittingly 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 worldwide 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 the Everlasting Covenant be fulfilled in its completeness. Thcn 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 Abhi 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 outs, 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
Page 288Calvary to its ultimate resurrection. Not ours, the living witnesses of the all-subdu-ing 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 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.
SHOGHI.THE contrast between the accumulating evidences of steady consolidation that accompany the rise of the Administrative Order of the Faith of God, and the forces of disintegration which batter at the fabric of a travailing society, is as clear as it is arresting. Both within and outside the Bahá'í world the signs and tokens which, in a mysterious manner, are heralding the birth of that World Order, the establishment of which must signalize the Golden Age of the Cause of God, are growing and multiplying day by day.
No fair-minded observer can any longer fail to discern them. He can, if he be fair in his judgment, recognize in the chain of events which proclaim on the one hand the irresistible march of the institutions directly associated with the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh and foreshadow on the other the downfall of those powers and principalities that have either ignored or opposed it � he can recognize in them all evidences of the operation of God's all-pervasive Will, the shaping of His perfectly ordered and world-embracing Plan.
This New World Order, whose promise is enshrined in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, whose fundamental principles have been enunciated in the writings of the Center of His Covenant, involves no less than the complete unification of the entire human race. This unification should conform to such principles as would directly harmonize with the spirit that animates, and the laws that govern the operation of, the institutions that already constitute the structural basis of the Administrative
Order of His Faith.No machinery falling short of the standard inculcated by the Bahá'í Revelation, and at variance with the sublime pattern ordained in His teachings, which the collective efforts of mankind may yet devise can ever hope to achieve anything above or beyond that CCL Peace" to which the Author of our Faith has Himself alluded in His writings. 'tNow that ye have refused the Most Great Peace," He, admonishing the kings and rulers of the earth, has written, cchold ye fast unto this the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents. Expatiating on this lesser Peace, He thus addresses in that same Tablet the rulers of the earth: "Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions.
... Be united, o kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend.
Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice."
The Most Great Peace, on the other hand, as conceived by Bahá'u'lláh � a peace that must inevitably follow as the practical consequence of the spiritualization of the world and the fusion of all its races, creeds, classes and nations � can rest on no other basis, and can be preserved through no other agency,
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except the divinely appointed ordinances that are implicit in the World Order that stands associated with His Holy Name. In His Tablet, revealed almost seventy years ago to Queen Victoria, Bahá'u'lláh, alluding to this Most Great Peace, has declared: "That which the Lord bath ordained as the sovereign remedy and the mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error...."
~ It beseemeth all men in this Day," He, in another Tablet, asserts, "to take firm hold on the Most Great Name, and to establish the unity of all mankind. There is no place to flee to, no refuge that any one can seek, except Him."
� SHOGHI EFFENDI, 1936I HAVE been acquainted by the perusal of your latest communications with the nature of the doubts that have been publicly expressed, by one who is wholly misinformed as to the true precepts of the Cause, regarding the validity of institutions that stand inextricably interwoven with the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. Not that I for a moment view such faint misgivings in the light of an open challenge to the structure that embodies the Faith, nor is it because I question in the least the unyielding tenacity of the faith of the American believers, if I venture to dwell upon what seems to me appropriate observations at the present stage of the evolution of our beloved Cause. I am indeed inclined to welcome these expressed apprehensions inasmuch as they afford mc an opportunity to familiarize the elected representatives of the believers with the origin and character of the institutions which stand at the very basis of the world order ushered in by Bahá'u'lláh. We should feel truly thankful for such futile attempts to undermine our beloved Faith � attempts that protrude their ugly face from time to time, seem for a while able to create a breach in the ranks of the faithful, recede finally into the obscurity of oblivion, and are thought of no more.
Such incidents we should regard as the interpositions of Provi-denc~, designed to fortify our faith, to clarify our vision, and to deepen our understanding of the essentials of His
Divine Revelation.It would, however, be helpful and instructive to bear in mind certain basic principles with reference to the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, which together with the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, constitutes the chief depository wherein arc enshrined those priceless elements of that Divine Civilization, the establishment of which is the primary mission of the Bahá'í Faith. A study of the provisions of these sacred documents will reveal the close relationship that exists between them, as well as the identity of purpose and method which they inculcate. Far from regarding their specific provisions as incompatible and contradictory in spirit, every fair-minded inquirer wifl readily admit that they are not oniy complementary, but that they mutually confirm one another, and are inseparable parts of one complete unit. A comparison of their contents with the rest of Bahá'í Sacred Writings will similarly establish the conformity of whatever they contain with the spirit as well as the letter of the authenticated writings and sayings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá In fact, he who reads the Aqdas with care and diligence will not find it hard to discover that the Most Holy Book [Aqdas] itself anticipates in a number of passages the institutions which tAbdu'1-BahA ordains in His Will. By leaving certain matters unspecified and unregulated in His
Book of Laws {Aqdas], Bahá'u'lláhseems to have deliberately left a gap in the general scheme of Bahá'í Dispensation, which the unequivocal provisions of the Master's Will has filled. To attempt to divorce the one from the other, to insinuate that the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh have not been upheld, in their entirety and with absolute integrity, by what 'Abdu'1.-
Page 290Baha has revealed in his Will, is an unpardonable affront to the unswerving fidelity that has characterized the life and labors of our beloved Master.
I will not attempt in the least to assert or demonstrate the authenticity of the Will and Testament of rAbdu~l~Ba lad, for that in itself would betray an apprehension on my part as to the unanimous confidence of the believers in the genuineness of the last written wishes of our departed Master.
I will only confine my observations to those issues which may assist them to appreciate the essential unity that underlies the spiritual, the humanitarian, and the administrative principles enunciated by the Author and the Interpreter of the Bahá'í raith.
I am at a ioss to explain that strange mentality that inclines to uphold as the sole criterion of the truth of the Bahá'í Teachings what is admittedly only an obscure and unauthenticated translation of an oral statement made by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in defiance and total disregard of the available text of all of His universally recognized writings.
I truly deplore the unfortunate distortions that have resulted in days past from the incapacity of the interpreter to grasp the meaning of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's, and from his incompetence to render adequately such truths as have been revealed to him by the Master's statements. Much of the confusion that has obscured the understanding of the believers should be attributed to this double error involved in the inexact rendering of an oniy partially understood statement. Not infrequently has the interpreter even failed to convey the exact purport of the inquirer's specific questions, and, by his deficiency of understanding and expression m conveying the answer of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, has been responsible for reports wholly at variance with the true spirit and purpose of the Cause. It was chiefly in view of this misleading nature of the reports of the informal conversations of 'Abdu'l-Bahá with visiting pilgrims, that I have insistently urged the believers of the West to regard such statements as merely personal impressions of the sayings of their Master, and to quote and consider as authentic only such translations as arc based upon the authenticated text of His recorded utterances in the original tongue.
It should be remembered by every follower of the Cause that the system of Bahá'í administration is not an innovation imposed arbitrarily upon the Bahá'ís of the world since the Master's passing, but derives its authority from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, is specifically prescribed in unnumbered Tablets, and rests in some of its essential features upon the explicit provisions of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
It thus unifies and correlates the principles separately laid down by Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and is indissolubly bound with the essential verities of the Faith. To dissociate the administrative principles of the Cause from the purely spiritual and humanitarian teachings would be tantamount to a mutilation of the body of the Cause, a separation that can oniy result in the disintegration of its component parts, and the extinction of the Faith itself.
LOCAL AND NATIONAL HOUSESIt should be carefully borne in mind that the local as well as the international Houses of Justice have been expressly enjoined by the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; that the institution of the National Spiritual Assembly, as an intermediary body, and referred to in the Master's Wilt as the ceSecondary House of Justice," has the express sanction of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; and that the method to be pursued for the election of the International and National Houses of Justice has been set forth by Him in His Will, as well as in a number of His Tablets. Moreover, the institutions of the local and national Funds, that are now the necessary adjuncts to all Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, have not only been established by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the Tablets He revealed to the Bahá'ís of the Orient, but their importance and necessity have been repeatedly emphasized by I-Tim in His utterances and writings.
The concentration of authority in the hands of the elected representatives of the believers; the necessity of the submission of every adherent of the Faith to the considered judgment of Bahá'í Assemblies; His preference for unanimity in decision; the decisive character of the majority vote; and even the desirability for the exercise of close supervision over all Bahá'í publications, have been sedulously
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Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of San Salvador, El Salvador.
instilled by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, as evidenced by His authenticated and widely-scattered
Tablets. To accept Hisbroad and humanitarian Teachings on one hand, and to reject and dismiss with neglectful indifference His more challenging and distinguishing precepts, would be an act of manifest disloyalty to that which He has cherished most in His life.
That the Spiritual Assembliesof today will be replaced in time by the Houses of Justice, and are to all intents and purposes identical and not separate bodies, is abundantly confirmed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself.
He has in fact in a Tablet addressed to the members of the first Chicago Spiritual Assembly, the first elected Bahá'í body instituted in the United States, referred to them as the members of the ~tHe of Justice" for that city, and has thus with His own pen established beyond any doubt the identity of the present
Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblieswith the Houses of Justice referred to by Bahá'u'lláh.
For reasons which are not difficult to discover, it has been found advisable to bestow upon the elected representatives of Bahá'í communities throughout the world the temporary appellation of Spiritual
Assemblies, a term which, as the position and aims of the Bahá'í Faith are better understood and more fully recognized, will gradually be superseded by the permanent and more appropriate designation of House of Justice. Not only will the presentday Spiritual Assemblies be styled differently in future, but will be enabled also to add to their present functions those powers, duties, and prerogatives necessitated by the recognition of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, not merely as one of the recognized religious systems of the world, but as the State Religion of an independent and Sovereign Power. And as the Bahá'í Faith permeates the masses of the peoples of East and West, and its truth is embraced by the majority of the peoples of a number of the Sovereign States of the world, will the Universal House of Justice attain the plenitude of its power, and exercise, as the supreme organ of the Bahá'í Commonwealth, all the rights, the duties, and responsibilities incumbent upon the world's future superstate.
It must be pointed out, however, in this connection that, contrary to what has been confidently asserted, the establishment of the Supreme House of Justice is in no way dependent upon the adoption of the Báb~i'i Faith by the mass of the peoples of the world, nor does it presuppose its acceptance by the majority of the inhabitants of any one country. In fact, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Himself, in one of His earliest Tablets, contemplated the possibility of the formation of the
Universal House of Justicein His own lifetime, and but for the unfavorable circumstances prevailing under the Turkish regime, would have, in all probability, taken the preliminary steps for its establishment.
It will be evident, therefore, that given favorable circumstances, under which the Bahá'ís of Persia and of the adjoining countries under Soviet Rule may be enabled to elect their national representatives, in accordance with the guiding principles laid down in 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í writings, the only remaining obstacle in the way of the definite formation of the International House of Justice will have been removed. For upon the National Houses of Justice of the East and West devolves the task, in conformity with the explicit provisions of the Will, of electing directly the members of the International
House of Justice. Notuntil they are themselves fully representative of the rank and file of the believers in their respective countries, not until they have acquired the weight and the experience that will enable them to function vigorously in the organic life of the Cause, can they approach their sacred task, and provide the spiritual basis for the constitution of so august a body in the Bahá'í world.
THE INSTITUTION OF GUARDIANSHIPIt must be also clearly understood by every believer that the institution of Guardianship does not under any circumstances abrogate, or even in the slightest degree detract from, the powers granted to the
Universal House of Justiceby Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and repeatedly and solemnly confirmed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His Will. It does not constitute in any manner a contradiction to the Will and Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, nor does it nullify any of His revealed instructions.
It enhances the prestige of that exalted assembly, stabilizes its supreme position, safeguards its unity, assures the continuity of its labors, without presuming in the slightest to infringe upon the inviolability of its clearly defined sphere of jurisdiction. We stand indeed too close to so monumental a document to claim for ourselves a complete understanding of all its implications, or to presume to have grasped the manifold mysteries it undoubtedly contains.
Only future generations can comprehend the value and the significance attached to this Divine Masterpiece, which the hand of the Master-builder of the world has designed for the unification and the triumph of the worldwide
Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.Only those who come after us will be in a position to realize the value of the surprisingly strong emphasis that has been placed on the institution of the House of Justice and of the Guardianship.
They oniy will appreciate the significance of the vigorous language employed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá with reference to the band of Covenant-breakers that has opposed Him in His days. To them alone will be revealed the suitability of the institutions initiated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá to the character of the future society which is to emerge out of the chaos and confusion of the present age.
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THE ANIMATING PURPOSEAnd now, it behooves us to reflect on the animating purpose and the primary functions of these divinely-established institutions, the sacred character and the universal efficacy of which can be demonstrated oniy by the spirit they diffuse and the work they actually achieve.
I need not dwell upon what I have already reiterated and emphasized that the administration of the Cause is to be conceived as an instrument and not a substitute for the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, that it should be regarded as a channel through which His promised blessings may flow, that it should guard against such rigidity as would clog and fetter the liberating forces released by His Revelation. Who, I may ask, when viewing the international character of the Cause, its far-flung ramifications, the increasing complexity of its affairs, the diversity of its adherents, and the state of confusion that assails on every side the infant Faith of God, can for a moment question the necessity of some sort of administrative machinery that will insure, amid the storm and stress of a struggling civilization, the unity of the Faith, the preservation of its identity, and the protection of its interests? To repudiate the validity of the assemblies of the elected ministers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh would be to reject these countless
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláhand 'Abdu'1 � Baha, wherein they have extolled their privileges and duties, emphasized the glory of their mission, revealed the immensity of their task, and warned them of the attacks they must needs expect from the unwisdom of friends, as well as from the malice of their enemies.
It is surely for those to whose hands so priceless a heritage has been committed to prayerfully watch lest the tool should supersede the Faith itself, lest undue concern for the minute details arising from the administration of the Cause obscure the vision of its promoters, lest partiality, ambition, and worldliness tend in the course of time to becloud the radiance, stain the purity, and impair the effectiveness of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
February 27, 1929.Great as is my love and admiration for you, convinced as I am of the paramount share which you can, and will, undoubtedly have in both the continental and international spheres of future Bahá'í activity and service, I feel it nevertheless incumbent upon me to utter, at this juncture, a word of warning. The glowing tributes, so repeatedly and deservedly paid to the capacity, the spirit, the conduct, and the high rank, of the American believers, both individually and as an organic community, must, under no circumstances, be confounded with the characterstics and nature of the people from which God has raised them up.
A sharp distinction between that community and that people must be made, and resolutely and fearlessly upheld, if we wish to give due recognition to the transmuting power of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, in its impact on the lives and standards of those who have chosen to enlist under His banner.
Otherwise, the supreme and distinguishing function of His Revelation, which is none other than the calling into being of a new race of men, will remain wholly unrecognized and completely obscured.
THE SUPREME FUNCTION OFHow often have the Prophets of God, not excepting Bahá'u'lláh Himself, chosen to appear, and deliver their Message in countries and amidst peoples and races, at a time when they were either fast declining, or had already touched the lowest depths of moral and spiritual degradation.
The appalling misery and wretchedness to which the Israelites had sunk, under the debasing and tyrannical rule of the Pharaohs, in the days preceding their exodus from Egypt under the leaderlip of Moses; the decline that had set in in the religious, the spiritual, the ciA-tural, and the moral life of the Jewish people, at the time of the appearance of Jesus Christ; the barbarous cruelty, the gross idolatry and immorality, which had for so long been the most distressing features of the tribes of Arabia and brought such shame upon them when Mu!iammad arose to proclaim His Message in their midst; the indescribable state of decadence, with its attendant corruption, confusion, intolerance,
Page 294and oppression, in both the civil and religious life of Persia, so graphically portrayed by the pen of a considerable number of scholars, diplomats, and travelers, at the hour of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh � all demonstrate this basic and inescapable fact. To contend that the innate worthiness, the high moral standard, the political aptitude, and social attainments of any race or nation is the reason for the appearance in its midst of any of these Divine Luminaries would be an absolute perversion of historical facts, and would amount to a complete repudiation of the undoubted interpretation placed upon them, so clearly and emphatically, by both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
How great, then, must be the challenge to those who, belonging to such races and nations, and having responded to the call which these Prophets have raised, to unreservedly recognize and courageously testify to this indubitable truth, that not by reason of any racial superiority, political capacity, or spiritual virtue which a race or nation might possess, but rather as a direct consequence of its crying needs, its lamentable degeneracy, and irremediable perversity, has the Phophet of God chosen to appear in its midst, and with it as a lever has lifted the entire human race to a higher and nobler plane of life and conduct. For it is precisely under such circumstances, and by such means that the Prophets have, from time immemorial, chosen and were able to demonstrate their redemptive power to raise from the depths of abasement and of misery, the people of their own race and nation, empowering them to transmit in turn to other races and nations the saving grace and the energizing influence of their Revelation.
In the light of this fundamental principle it should always be borne in mind, nor can it be sufficiently emphasized, that the primary reason why the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh chose to appear in Persia, and to make it the first repository of their Revelation, was because, of all the peoples and nations of the civilized world, that race and nation had, as so often depicted by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, sunk to such ignominious depths, and manifested so great a perversity, as to find no parallel among its contemporaries. For no more convincing proof could be adduced demonstrat ing the regenerating spirit animating the Revelations proclaimed by the Bib and Bahá'u'lláh than their power to transform what can be truly regarded as one of the most backward, the most cowardly, and perverse of peoples into a race of heroes, fit to effect in turn a similar revolution in the life of mankind. To have appeared among a race or nation which by its intrinsic worth and high attainments seemed to warrant the inestimable privilege of being made the receptacle of such a Revelation would in the eyes of an unbelieving world greatly reduce the efficacy of that Message, and detract from the self-sufficiency of its omnipotent power.
The contrast so strikingly presented in the pages of Nabil's Narrative between the heroism that immortalized the life and deeds of the Dawn-Breakers and the degeneracy and cowardice of their defamers and persecutors is in itself a most impressive testimony to the truth of the Message of Him Who had instilled such a spirit into the breasts of His disciples. For any believer of that race to maintain that the excellence of his country and the innate nobility of its people were the fundamental reasons for its being singled out as the primary receptacle of the Revelations of the Báb and Baha'-. u'114h would be untenable in the face of the overwhelming evidence afforded so convincingly by that
Narrative.To a lesser degree this principle must of necessity apply to the country which has vindicated its right to be regarded as the cradle of the World
Order of Bahá'u'lláh. Sogreat a function, so noble a r6le, can be regarded as no less inferior to the part played by those immortal souis who, through their sublime renunciation and unparalleled deeds, have been responsible for the birth of the Faith itself. Let not, therefore, those who are to participate so predominantly in the birth of that world civilization, which is the direct offspring of their Faith, imagine for a moment that for some mysterious purpose or by any reason of inherent excellence or special merit Bahá'u'lláh has chosen to confer upon their country and people so great and lasting a distinction. It is precisely by reason of the patent evils which, notwithstanding its other admittedly great characteristics and achievements, an excessive and
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binding materialism has unfortunately engendered within it that the Author of their Faith and the
Center of His Covenanthave singled it out to become the standard-bearer of the New World Order envisaged in their writings. It is by such means as this that Bahá'u'lláh can best demonstrate to a heedless generation His almighty power to raise up from the very midst of a people, immersed in a sea of materialism, a prey to one of the most virulent and longstanding forms of racial prejudice, and notorious for its political corruption, lawlessness and laxity in moral standards, men and women who, as time goes by, will increasingly exemplify those essential virtues of self-renunciation, of moral rectitude, of chastity, of indiscriminating fellowship, of holy discipline, and of spiritual insight that will fit them for the preponderating share they will have in calling into being that World Order and that World Civilization of which their country, no less than the entire human race, stands in desperate need. Theirs will be the duty and privilege, in their capacity first as the estab-ushers of one of the most powerful pillars sustaining the edifice of the Universal House of Justice, and then as the champion-builders of that New World Order of which that House is to be the nucleus and forerunner, to inculcate, demonstrate, and apply those twin and sorely-needed principles of Divine justice and order � principles to which the political corruption and the moral license, increasingly staining the society to which they belong, offer so sad and striking a contrast.
Observations such as these, however distasteful and depressing they may be, should not, in the least, blind us to those virtues and qualities of high intelligence, of youthfulness, of unbounded initiative, and enterprise which the nation as a whole so conspicuously displays, and which are being increasingly reflected by the community of the believers within it. Upon these virtues and qualities, no less than upon the elimination of the evils referred to, must depend, to a very great extent, the ability of that community to lay a firm foundation for the country's future rOle in ushering in the Golden Age of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.
How STAGGERING THE RESPONSIBILITYHow great, therefore, how staggering the responsibility that must weigh upon the present generation of the American believers, at this early stage in their spiritual and administrative evolution, to weed out, by every means in their power, those faults, habits, and tendencies which they have inherited from their own nation, and to cultivate, patiently and prayerfully, those distinctive qualities and characteristics that are so indispensable to their effective participation in the great redemptive work of their Faith. Incapable as yet, in view of the restricted size of their community and the limited influence it now wields, of producing any marked effect on the great mass of their countrymen, let them focus their attention, for the present, on their own selves, their own individual needs, their own personal deficiencies and weaknesses, ever mindful that every intensification of effort on their part will better equip them for the time when they will be called upon to eradicate in their turn such evil tendencies from the lives and the hearts of the entire body of their fellow-citizens. Nor must they overlook the fact that the World Order, whose basis they, as the advance guard of the future Bahá'í generations of their countrymen, are now laboring to establish, can never be reared unless and until the generality of the people to which they belong has been already purged from the divers ills, whether social or po-utica1, that now so severely afflict it. Surveying as a whole the most pressing needs of this community, attempting to estimate the more serious deficiencies by which it is being handicapped in the discharge of its task, and ever bearing in mind the nature of that still greater task with which it will be forced to wrestle in the future, I feel it my duty to lay special stress upon, and draw the special and urgent attention of the entire body of the American believers, be they young or old, white or colored, teachers or administrators, veterans or new-corners, to what I firmly believe are the essential requirements for the success of the tasks which are now claiming their undivided attention. Great as is the importance of fashioning the outward instruments, and of perfecting the
Page 296administrative agencies, which they can utilize for the prosecution of their dual task under the Seven Year Plan; vital and urgent as are the campaigns which they are initiating, the schemes and projects which they are devising, and the funds which they are raising, for the efficient conduct of both the Teaching and Temple work, the imponderable, the spiritual, factors, which are bound up with their own individual and inner lives, and with which are associated their human and social relationships, are no iess urgent and vital, and demand constant scrutiny, continual self-examination and heart-search-ing on their part, lest their value be impaired or their vital necessity be obscured or forgotten.
SPIRITUAL PREREQUISITESOf these spiritual prerequisites of success, which constitute the bedrock on which the security of all teaching plans, Temple projects, and financial schemes, must ultimately rest, the following stand out as preeminent and vital, which the members of the American Bahá'í community will do well to ponder.
Upon the extent to which these basic requirements are met, and the manner in which the American believers fulfill them in their individual lives, administrative activities, and social relationships, must depend the measure of the manifold blessings which the All-Bountiful Possessor can vouchsafe to them all. These requirements are none other than a high sense of moral rectitude in their social and administrative activities, absolute chastity in their individual lives, and complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings with peoples of a different race, class, creed, or color.
The first is specially, though not exclusively, directed to their elected representatives, whether local, regional, or national, who, in their capacity as the custodians and members of the nascent institutions of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, are shouldering the chief responsibility in laying an unassailable foundation for that Universal House of Justice which, as its title implies, is to be the exponent and guardian of that Divine Justice which can alone insure the security of, and establish the reign of law and order in, a strangely disordered world. The second is mainly and directly concerned with the Bahá'í youth, who can contribute so decisively to the virility, the purity, and the driving force of the life of the Bahá'í community, and upon whom must depend the future orientation of its destiny, and the complete unfoldment of the potentialities with which God has endowed it. The third should be the immediate, the universal, and the chief concern of all and sundry members of the Bahá'í community, of whatever age, rank, experience, class, or color, as all, with no exception, must face its challenging implications, and none can claim, however much he may have progressed along this line, to have completely discharged the stern responsibilities which it inculcates.
A rectitude of conduct, an abiding sense of undeviating justice, unobscured by the demoralizing influences which a corruption-ridden political life so strikingly manifests; a chaste, pure, and holy life, unsullied and unclouded by the indecencies, the vices, the false standards, which an inherently deficient moral code tolerates, prepetuates, and fosters; a fraternity freed from that cancerous growth of racial prejudice, which is eating into the vitals of an already debilitated society � these are the ideals which the American believers must, from now on, individually and through concerted action, strive to promote, in both their private and public lives, ideals which are the chief propelling forces that can most effectively accelerate the� march of their institutions, plans, and enterprises, that can guard the honor and integrity of their Faith, and subdue any obstacles that may confront it in the future.
This rectitude of conduct, with its implications of justice, equity, truthfulness, honesty, fair-mindedness, reliability, and trustworthiness, must distinguish every phase of the life of the Bahá'í community. "The companions of God," Bahá'u'lláh Himself has declared, reare, in this day, the linnp that must leaven the ~eo~les of the world. They must show forth such trustworthiness, such truthfulness and perseverance, such deeds and character that all mankind may profit by their example."
rq swear by Him Who is the Most Great Ocean!"He again affirms, erwithin the very breath of such souls as
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are pure and sanctified far-reaching potentialities are hidden. So great are these po-tentialdies that they exercise their influence upon all created things." ~He is the true servant of God," He in another passage has written, ~who, in this day, were he to pass through cities of silver and gold, would not deign to look upon them, and whose heart would remain pure and itnde filed from whatever thi~gs can be seen in this world, be they its goods or its treasures. I swear by the Sun of Truth! The breath of such a man is endowed with potency, and his words with attraction."
~By Him Who shineth above the DaySpring of sanctity!"
He, still more emphatically, has revealed, ~If the whole earth were to be converted into silver and gold, no man who can be said to have truly ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude would deign to regard it, mitch less to seize and keep it. They who dwell within the Tabernacle of God, and are established upon the seats of everlasting glory, will refuse, though they be dying of hunger, to stretch their hands, and seize unlawfully the property of their neighbor, however vile and worthless he may he. The purpose of the one true God in manifesting Himself is to summon all mankind to truthfulness and sincerity, to piety and trustworthiness, to resignation and submissiveness to the will of God, to forbearance and kindliness, to uprightness and wisdom.
His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds." ~We have admonished all the loved ones of God," He insists, ~to take heed lest the hem of Our sacred vesture be sinirched with the mire of unlawful deeds, or be stained with the dust of reprehensible conduct." ~Cleave unto righteousness, 0 people of Baha," He thus exhorts them, ~This, verily, is the commandment which this wronged One hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained will for every one of you." ~A good character," He explains, ~is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His loved ones. By My Life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and the radiance thereof." ~One righteous act," He, again, has written, ten, ~is endowed with a potency that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of heavens.
It can tear every bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the force that hath spent itself and vanished. Be pure, 0 people of God, be pure; be righteous, be righteous.
Say:0 people of God! That which can insure the victory of Him Who is the. Eternal Truth, His hosts and helpers on earth, have been set down in the sacred Books and Scriptures, and are as clear and manifest as the sun. These hosts are such righteous deeds, such conduct and character, as are acceptable in His sight. Whoso ariseth, in this Day, to aid Our Cause, and summoneth to his assistance the hosts of a praisewori~hy character and upright conduct, the in flu-ence from such an action will, most cer � tainly, be diffused throughout the whole world."
~The betterment of the world," is yet another statement, ~can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct." ~Be fair to yourselves and to others," He thus counseleth them, ~that the evidences of justice may be revealed through your deeds among Our faithful servants."
~Equity," He also has written, ~is the most fundamental among human virtues. The evaluation of all things must needs depend upon it." And again, ~Observe equity un your judgment, ye men of understanding heart! He that is unjust in his judgment is destitute of the characteristics that distinguish man's station." e~Beautify your tongues, 0 people," He further admonishes them, !~with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty.
Beware, 0 people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst Ths creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people." ~Let your eye be chaste," is yet another counsel, ~your hand faithful, your tongue truthful, and your heart enlightened." ~Be an ornament to the countenance of truth," is yet another admonition, ~a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the tern pie of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue." ~Let truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning," is
Page 298still another admonition, crsuffer not yourselves to be deprived of the robe of forbearance and justice, that the sweet savors of holiness may be wafted from your hearts upon all created things. Say: Beware, 0 people of Baha, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest o the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth H~s commandments. Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct.
It is through your deeds that ye can dis fin-guish yourselves from others.
Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the whole earth.
Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and keepeth the precepts prescribed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise."
~O army of God!" writes 'Abdu'l-Bahá, ~Through the protection and help vouchsafed by the Blessed Beauty � may my life be a sacrifice to His loved ones � ye must conduct yourselves in such a manner that ye may stand out distinguished and brilliant as the sun among other souls. Should any one of you enter a city, he should become a center of attraction by reason of his sincerity, his faithfulness and love, his honesty and fidelity, his truthfulness and lovingkindness towards all the peoples of the world, so that the people of that city may cry out and say: This man is unquestionably a Baha'i, for his manners, his behavior, his conduct, his morals, his nature, and disposition refleci the attributes of the Baha'is.'
Not until ye attain this station can ye be said to have been faithful to the Covenant and Testament of God." e~The most vital duty, in this day," He, moreover, has written, ~is to purify your characters, to correct your manners, and improve your conduct.
The beloved of the Merciful must show forth such char wier and conduct among His creatures, that the fragrance of their holiness may be shed upon the whole world, and may quicken the dead, inasmuch as the purpose of the Manifestation of God and the dawning of the limitless lights of the Invisible is to educate the sonis of men, and refine the character of every living 'man.
." ~TruthfuIness," He asserts, rej~ the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will also be acquired."
Such a rectitude of conduct must manifest itself, with ever-increasing potency, in every verdict which the elected representatives of the Bahá'í community, in whatever capacity they may find themselves, may be called upon to pronounce. It must be constantly reflected in the business dealings of all its members, in their domestic lives, in all manner of employment, and in any service they may, in the future, render their government or people.
It must be exemplified in the conduct of all Bahá'í electors, when exercising their sacred rights and functions. It must characterize the attitude of every loyal believer towards nonacceptance of political posts, nonidentification with political parties, nonparticipation in political controversies, and non-membership in political organizations and ecclesiastical institutions.
It must reveal itself in the uncompromising adherence of all, whether young or old, to the clearly enunciated and fundamental principles laid down by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in His addresses, and to the laws and ordinances revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in His Most Holy Book. It must be demonstrated in the impartiality of every defender of the Faith against its enemies, in his fair-mindedness in recognizing any merits that enemy may possess, and in his honesty in discharging any obligations he may have towards him.
It must constitute the brightest ornament of the life, the pursuits, the exertions, and the utterances of every Bahá'í teacher, whether laboring at home or abroad, whether in the front ranks of the teaching force, or occupying a less active and responsible position.
It must be made the hallmark of that numerically small, yet intensely dynamic and highly responsible body of the elected national representatives of every Bahá'í community, which constitutes the sustaining pillar, and the sole instrument for the election, in every community, of that Universal House whose very name and title, as ordained by Bahá'u'lláh, symbolizes that rectitude of
Page 299THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 299
First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 19421943 conduct which is its highest mission to safeguard and enforce.
So great and transcendental is this prin-cipk of Divine justice, a principle that must be regarded as the crowning distinction of all Local and National Assemblies, in their capacity as forerunners of the Universal House of Justice, that Bahá'u'lláh Himself subordinates His personal inclination and wish to the all-compelling force of its demands and implications. "God is My witness!" He thus explains, crwere it not contrary to the Law of God, I would have kissed the hand of My wouldbe murderer, and would cause him to inherit My earthly goods. I am restrained, however, by the binding Law laid down in the Book, and am Myself bereft of all worldly possessions." ~eKnow thou, of a truth," He significantly affirms, ~these great oppressions that have befallen the world are preparing it for the advent of the
Most Great Justice."~Say," He again asserts, r!He hath appeared with that Justice wherewith mankind hath been adorned, and yet the people are, for the most part, asleep."
~The light of men is Justice," He moreover states, ~Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny.
The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men." ~No radiance," He declares, Than compare with that of justice. The organization of the world and the tranquillity of mankind depend upon it." ~O people of God!"
He exclaims, !rThat which traineth the world is Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the sources of life to the world."
!rJustice and equity," is yet another assertion, ~are two guardians for the protection of man.
They have appeared arrayed in their mighty and sacred names to maintain the world in uprightness and protect the nations."
!eBestir yourselves, 0 people," is His emphatic warning, ~in anticipation of the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is now come.
Page 300Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import, and be accounted among the erring." ~The d~qy is approaching," He similarly has written, ~when the faithful will behold the daystar of justice shining in its full splendor from the days pring of glory." ~The shame I was made to bear," He significantly remarks, ~hath uncovered the glory with which the whole of creation had been invested, and through the cruelties I have endured, the daystar of justice hath manifested itself, and shed its splendor upon men." ~The world," He again has written, ~is in great turmoil, and the minds of ~ts people are in a state of utter confusion.
We entreat the Almighty that He may graciously illuminate them with the glory of His Justice, and enable them to discover that which will be profitable unto them at all times and under all conditions." And again, "There can be no doubt whatever that if the daystar of justice, which the clouds of tyranny have obscured, were to shed its light upon men, the face of the earth would be completely transformed."
!~God be praised!" 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in His turn, exclaims, !~The sun of justice hath risen above the horizon of Bahá'u'lláh. For in His Tablets the foundations of such a justice have been laid as no mind hat/a, from the beginning of creation, conceived."
f!The canopy of existence," He further explains, ~resteth upon the pole of justice, and not of forgiveness, and the life of mankind de-pendeth on justice and not on for gi~veness."
Small wonder, therefore, that the Author of the Bahá'í Revelation should have chosen to associate the name and title of that
Page 301House, which is to be the crowning glory of His administrative institutions, not with forgiveness but with justice, to have made justice the only basis and the permanent foundation of His Most Great Peace, and to have proclaimed it in His Hidden Words as rethe best beloved of all things" in His sight.
It is to the American believers, particularly, that I feel urged to direct this fervent plea to ponder in their hearts the implications of this moral rectitude, and to uphold, with heart and soui and uncompromisingly, both individually and collectively, this sublime standard � a standard of which justice is so essential and potent an element.
As to a chaste and holy life it should be regarded as no less essential a factor that must contribute its proper share to the strengthening and vitalization of the Bahá'í community, upon which must in turn depend the s~xccess of any Bahá'í plan or enterprise. In these days when the forces of irreligion are weakening the moral fibre, and undermining the foundations of individual morality, the obligation of chastity and holiness must claim an increasing share of the attention of the American believers, both in their individual capacities and as the responsible custodians of the interests of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. In the discharge of such an obligation, to which the special circumstances resulting from an excessive and enervating materialism now prevailing in their country lend particular significance, they must play a conspicuous and predominant role. All of them, be they men or women, must, at this threatening hour when the lights of religion are fading out, and its restraints are one by one being abolished, pause to examine themselves, scrutinize their conduct, and with characteristic resolution arise to purge the life of their community of every trace of moral laxity that might stain the name, or impair the integrity, of so holy and precious a Faith.
A chaste and holy life must be made the controlling principle in the behavior and conduct of all Baha'is, both in their social relations with the members of their own community, and in their contact with the world at large. It must adorn and re~nforce the ceaseless labors and meritorious exer dons of those whose enviable position is to propagate the Message, and to administer the affairs, of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. It must be upheld, in all its integrity and implications, in every phase of the life of those who fill the ranks of that Faith, whether in their homes, their travels, their clubs, their societies, their entertainments, their schools, and their universities.
It must be accorded special consideration in the conduct of the social activities of every Bahá'í summer school and any other occasions on which Bahá'í community life is organized and fostered.
It must be closely and continually identified with the mission of the Bahá'í Youth, both as an element in the life of the Bahá'í community, and as a factor in the future progress and orientation of the youth of their own country.
Such a chaste and holy life, with its implications of modesty, purity, temperance, decency, and clean-mindedness, involves no less than the exercise of moderation in all that pertains to dress, language, amusements, and all artistic and literary avocations.
It demands daily vigilance in the control of one's carnal desires and corrupt inclinations. It calls for the abandonment of a frivolous conduct, with its excessive attachment to trivial and often misdirected pleasures. It requires total abstinence from all alcoholic drinks, from opium, and from similar habit-forming drugs. It condemns the prostitution of art and of literature, the practices of nudism and of companionate marriage, infidelity in marital relationships, and all manner of promiscuity, of easy familiarity, and of sexual vices. It can tolerate no compromise with the theories, the standards, the habits, and the excess of a decadent age. Nay rather it seeks to demonstrate, through the dynamic force of its example, the pernicious character of such theories, the falsity of such standards, the hollowness of such claims, the perversity of such habits, and the sacrilegious character of such excesses.
rrBy the righteousness of God!" writes Bahá'u'lláh, !!The world, its vanities and its glory, and whatever delights it can offer, are all, in the sight oJ God, as worthless as, nay even more contemptible than, dust and ashes. Would that the hearts of men could
Page 302comprehend it. Wash yourselves thoroughly 0 people of Baha, from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness! The things of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon this most holy and effulgenz~ Vision." ~O ye My loved ones!"
He thus exhorts His followers, reSuf~ fer not the hem of My sacred vesture to be smirched and mired with the things of this world, and follow not the promptings of your evil and corrupt desires." And again, ~O ye the beloved of the one true God! Pass beyond the narrow retreats of your evil and corrupt desires, and advance into the vast immensity of the realm of God, and abide ye in the ineads of sanctity and of detachment, that the fragrance of your deeds may lead the whole of mankind to the ocean of God's unfading glory." !~Dis~ encumber yourselves," He thus commands them, Thf all attachment to this world and the vanities thereof.
Beware that ye approach them not, inasmuch as they prompt you to walk after your own lusts and covetous desires, and hinder you from entering the straight and glorious Path." ~~Es-chew all manner of wickedness," is His commandment, ~jor such things are forbidden unto you in the Book which none touch except such as God hath cleansed from every taint of guilt, and numbered among the purified."
~A race of men," is His written promise, ~incom parable in character, shall be raised up which, with the feet of detachment, will tread under all who are in heaven and on earth, and will cast the sleeve of holiness over all that hath been created from water and clay."~ ~The civilization," is His grave warning, ~so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men.
If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation."
~He ha/h chosen out of the whole world (he hearts of His servants," He explains, e~and made them each a seat for the revelation of His glory. Wherefore, sanctify them from every defilement, that the things for which they were created may be en graven upon them.
This indeed is a token of God's bountiful favor."~Say," He proclaims, r~He is not to be numbered wllh the people of Baha who followeth his mundane desires, or fixeth his heart on things of the earth. He is my true follower who, if he come to a valley of pure gold will pass straight through it aloof as a cloud, and will neither turn back, nor pause. Such a man is assuredly of Me. From his garment the Concourse on high can inhale the fragrance of sanctity. And if he met the fairest and mosi comely of women, he would not feel his heart seduced by the least shadow of desire for her beauty.
Such an one indeed is the creation of spotless chastity. Thus instructeth you the Pen of the Ancient of Days, as bidden by your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful." reThey that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations," is yet another warning, Thave erred and dissipated their efforts. They indeed are of the lost." ~It behoveth the people of Baha," He also has written, ~to die to the world and all that is therein, to be so detached from all earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may inhale from their garment the sweet smelling savor of sanctity. They that have tarnished the fair name of the Cause of God by following the things of the flesh � these are in palpable error!" ~Purity and chastity," He particularly admonishes, %ave been, and still are, the most great ornaments for the handmaidens of God.
God is My Witness! The brightness of the light of chastity sheddeth its illumination upon the worlds of the spirit, and its fragrance is wafted even unto the Most Exalted Paradise." "God," He again affirms, ~hath verily made chastity to be a crown for the heads of His handmaidens.
Great is the blessedness of that handmaiden that hath attained unto this great station." ~We verily, have decreed in Our Book," is His assurance, r~a goodly and bountiful reward to whosoever will turn away from wickedness, and lead a chaste and godly life. He, in truth, is the Great Giver, the All-Bountiful."
~We have sustained the weight of all calamities," He testifies, r!to sanctify yOU from all earthly corruption and ye are yet indifferent.
We, verily, behold your actions. If Weperceive from them the sweet smelling savor of purity and holiness, We will most certainly bless you. Then will the tongues of the inmates of Paradise utter your praise and magnify your names amidst them who have drawn nigh unto God."
ceThe drinking of wine," writes 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "is, according to the text of the Most Holy Book, forbidden; for it is the cause of chronic diseases, weakeneth the nerves, and consumeth the mind."
Drink ye, 0 handinaidens of God," Bahá'u'lláh Himself has affirmed, the Mystic Wine from the cup of My words. Cast away, then, from you that which your minds abhor, f or it loath been forbidden unto you in His Tablets and His Scriptures. Beware lest ye barter away the River that is life indeed for that which the souls of the pure-hearted detest.
Become ye intoxicated with the wine of the love of God, and not with that which deadenetla your minds, 0 ye that adore Him! Verily, it bath been forbidden unto every believer, whether man or woman. Thus bath the sun of My commandment shone forth above the horizon of My utterance, that the handmaidens who believe in Me may be iltuinined."
It must be remembered, however, that the maintenance of such a high standard of moral conduct is not to be associated or confused with any form of asceticism, or of excessive and bigoted puritanism. The standard inculated by Bahá'u'lláh, seeks, under no circumstances, to deny any one the legitimate right and privilege to derive the fullest advantage and benefit from the manifold joys, beauties, and pleasures with which the world hag been so plentifully enriched by an All-Loving Creator.
reSIaould a man," Bahá'u'lláh Himself reassures us, ~~wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God bath ordained ever)) good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, 0 people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties.
Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful."
THE MOST CHALLENGING ISSUEAs to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well nigh a century, has bitten into the fibre, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Bahá'í community at the present stage of its cvoiu-tion. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem, which the American believers are stiLl far from having satisfactorily resolved, with an urgency and importance that can not be overestimated.
White and negro, high and low, young and old, whether newly converted to the Faith or not, all who stand identified with it must participate in, and lend their assistance, each according to his or her capacity, experience, and opportunities, to the common task of fulfilling the instructions, realizing the hopes, and following the example of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Whether colored or noncolored, neither race has the right, or can conscientiously claim, to be regarded as absolved from such an obligation, as haying realized such hopes, or having faithfully followed such an example. A long and thorny road, beset with pitfalls, still remains untraveled, both by the white and the negro exponents of the redeeming Faith of RaM'-u'llAh.
On the distance they cover, and the manner in which they travel that road, must depend, to an extent which few among them can imagine, the operation of those intangible influences which are indispensable to the spiritual triumph of the American believers and the material success of their newly-launched enterprise.
Let them call to mind, fearlessly and determinedly, the example and conduct of 'Abdu'l-Bahá while in their midst. Let them remember His courage, His genuine love, His informal 'and indiscriminating fellowship, His contempt for and impatience of criticism, tempered by His tact and wisdom. Let them revive and perpetuate the memory
Page 304of those unforgettable and historic episodes and occasions on which He so strikingly demonstrated His keen sense of justice, His spontaneous sympathy, for the down-trod-den, His ever-abiding sense of the oneness of the human race, His overflowing love for its members, and His displeasure with those who dared to flout His wishes, to deride His methods, to challenge His principles, or to nulLify His acts.
To discriminate against any race, on the ground of its being socially backward, politically immature, and numerically in a minority, is a flagrant violation of the spirit that animates the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. The consciousness of any division or cleavage in its ranks is alien to its very purpose, principles, and ideals.
Once its members have fuLly recognized the claim of its Author, and, by identifying themselves with its Administrative Order, accepted unreservedly the principles and laws embodied in its teachings, every differentiation of class, creed, or color must automatically be obliterated, and never be allowed, under any pretext, and however great the pressure of events or of public opinion, to reassert itself. If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favor of the minority, be it racial or otherwise.
Unlike the nations and peoples of the earth, be they of the East or of the West, democratic or authoritarian, communist or capitalist, whether belonging to the Old World or the New, who either ignore, trample upon, or extirpate, the racial, religious, or political minorities within the sphere of their jurisdiction, every organized community, enlisted under the banner of Bahá'u'lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it. So great and vital is this principle that in such circumstances, as when an equal number of ballots have been cast in an election, or where the qualifications for any office are balanced as between the various races, faiths or nationalities within the community, priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the minority, and this for no other reason except to stimuLate and encourage it, and afford it an opportunity to further the interests of the community.
In the light of this principle, and bearing in mind the extreme desirability of having the minority elements participate and share responsibility in the conduct of Bahá'í activity, it should be the duty of every Bahá'í community so to arrange its affairs that in cases where individuals belonging to the divers minority elements within it are already qualified and fulfill the necessary requirements, Bahá'í representative institutions, be they Assemblies, Conventions, conferences, or committees, may have represented on them as many of these divers elements, racial or otherwise, as possible.
The adoption of such a course, and faithful adherence to it, would not oniy be a source of inspiration and encouragement to those elements that are numerically small and inadequately represented, but would demonstrate to the world at large the universality and representative character of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and the freedom of His followers from the taint of those prejudices which have already wrought such havoc in the domestic affairs, as well as the foreign relationships, of the nations.
Freedom from racial prejudice, in any of its forms, should, at such a time as this when an increasingly large section of the human race is falling a victim to its devastating ferocity, be adopted as the watchword of the entire body of the American believers, in whichever state they reside, in whatever circles they move, whatever their age, traditions, tastes, and habits. It should be consistently demonstrated in every phase of their activity and life, whether in the Bahá'í community or outside. it, in pubLic or in private, formally as well as informally, individually as well as in their official capacity as organized groups, committees and Assemblies. It should be deliberately cultivated through the various and everyday opportunities, no matter how insignificant, that present themselves, whether in their homes, their business offices, their schools and cc!-leges, their social parties and recreation grounds, their Bahá'í meetings, conferences, conventions, summer schools and Assemblies.
It should, above all eLse, become the keynote of the policy of that august body which, in its capacity as the national rep
Page 305THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 305
resentative, and the director and co6rdinator of the affairs of the community, must set the example, and facilitate the application of such a vital principle to the lives and activities of tbose whose interests it safeguards and represents.
~O ye discerning ones!"Bahá'u'lláh has written, !rVerily, the words which have descended from the heaven of the WJ~ll of God are the source of unity and harmony for the world.
Close your eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness."
~We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations," He proclaims, ~. that all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; thai diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled." Bahá'u'lláh hath said," writes 'Abdu'l-Bahá, !cthat the various races of human kind lend a corn ~osiie harmony and beauty of color to the whole.
Let all associate, therefore, in this great human garden even as flowers grow and blend together side by side without discord or disagreement between them." Bahá'u'lláh," 'Abdu'l-Bahá moreover has said, ~once compared the colored people to the black pupil of the eye surrwinded by the white.
In this black pupil is seen the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of (lie spirit shineth forth."
~rGod~~ 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself declares, !!maketh no distinction between the white and the black. If the hearts are pure both are acceptable unto Him. God is no re-spector of persons on account of either color or race.
All colors are acceptable unto Him, be they white, black, or yellow. In-asmitch as all were created ~n the image of God, we must bring ourselves to realize that all embody divine possibilities." ~In the estimation of God," He states, erall men are equal. There is no distinction or preference for any soul, in the realm of His justice and equity."
!~God did not make these divisions;" He affirms, e~these divisions have had their origin in man himself. Therefore, as they are against the plan and purpose of God they are false and imaginary."
~!In the estimation of God," He again affirms, !rthere is no distinction of color; all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to Him. Color is not important; the heart is all-important. It mattereth not what the exterior may be if the heart ~s pure and white within. God doth not behold differences of hue and complexion. He looketh at the hearts. He whose morals and virtues are praiseworthy is preferred in the presence of God; he who is devoted to the Kingdom is most beloved. In the realm of genesis and creaflon the question of color is of least importance." ~Throughout the animal kingdom," He explains, ~we do not find the creatures separated because of color. They recognize unity of species and oneness of kind.
If we do not find color distinction drawn in a kingdom of lower intelligence and reason, how can it be justified among human beings, especially when we know that all have come from the same source and belong to the same household? In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions of race and color have arisen afterward." r~Man is endowed with superior reasoning power and the faculty of perception"; He further explains, The is the manifestation of divine bestowals. Shall racial ideas prevail and obscure the creative purpose of unity in his kingdom?"
crOne of the important questions," He significantly remarks, r~which affect the unity and the solidarity of mankind is the fellowship and equality of the white and colored races. Between these two races certain points of agreement and points of distinction exist which warrant just and mutual consideration.
The points of contact are many. In this country, the United States of America, patriotism is common to both races; all have equal rights to citizenship, speak one language, receive the blessings of the same civilization, and follow the precepts of the same religion. In fact numerous points of partnership and agreement exist between the two races; whereas the one point of distinction is that of color. Shall this, the least of all distinctions, be allowed to separate you as races and individuals?" ~!This variety in forms and coloring," He stresses, r~which is manifest in all the kingdoms is according to cre-a five Wisdom and hath a divine ~ur pose." rrThe diversity in the human family," He
Page 306A view of the National Archives of the Bahá'ís of 'Iraq in their
Haziratu'1-Quds in BaghdAd.claims, ~should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in mush' where many dif � ferent notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord."
~If you meet," is His admonition, rihose of a different race and color from yourself, do not mistrust them, and withdraw yourself into ywtr shell of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them kindness." ~in the world of being," He testifies, r!the meeting is blessed when the white and colored races meet together with i~n finite spiritual love and heavenly harmony.
When such meetings are established, and the participants associate with each other with perfect love, unity and kindness, the angels of the Kingdom praise them, and the Beauty of Bahá'u'lláh addresseth them, rBlessed are ye!
Blessed are ye!'" r~When a gathering of these two races is brought about," He likewise asserts, ~that assemblage will become the magnet of the Concourse on high, and the confirmation of the Blessed Beauty wdl surround it." ~~Strive earnestly," He again exhorts both races, ~and put forth your greatest endeavor toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and effort on the part of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and appreciation; from the other, kindliness and recognition of equality.
Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward nsutual advancement. Love and unity will be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of mankind.
For the accom pUsh-ment of unity between the colored and white will be an assurance of the world's peace." ~I hope," He thus addresses mem-hers of the white race, !~that ye may cause that downtrodden race to become glorious, and to be joined ivith the white race, to serve the world of man with the utmost sincerity, faithfulness, love, and purity. This opposition, enmity, and prejudice among the white race and the colored cannot be effaced except through faith, assurance, and the teachings of the Blessed Beauty." ~This question of the union of the white and the black is very important," He warns, ~rfor if it is not realized, erelong great difficulties will arise, and harmful results will follow." !~If this matter remaineth without change," is yet another warning, enmity will be increased day by day, and the final result will be hardship and may end in blood. shed."
A tremendous effort is required by both races if their outlook, their manners, and
Page 307Bahá'ís of Buenos Aires, Argentina, celebrating a Nineteen Day Feast in their Center, November, 1942.
conduct are to reflect, in this darkened age, the spirit and teachings of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Casting away once and for all the fallacious doctrine of racial superiority, with all its attendant evils, confusion, and miseries, and welcoming and encouraging the intermixture of races, and tearing down the barriers that now divide them, they should each endeavor, day and night, to fulfill their particular responsibilities in the common task which so urgently faces them. Let them, while each is attempting to contribute its share to the solution of this perplexing problem, call to mind the warnings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and visualize, while there is yet time, the dire consequences that must follow if this challenging and unhappy situation that faces the entire American nation is not definitely remedied.
Let the white make a supreme effort in their resolve to contribute their share to the solution of this problem, to abandon once for all their usually inherent and at times subconscious sense of superiority, to correct their tendency towards revealing a patronizing attitude towards the members of the other race, to persuade them through their intimate, spontaneous and informal association with them of the genuineness of their friendship and the sincerity of their intentions, and to master their impatience of any lack of responsiveness on the part of a people who have received, for so long a period, such grievous and slow-healing wounds.
Let the negroes, through a corresponding effort on their part, show by every means in their power the warmth of their response, their readiness to forget the past, and their ability to wipe out every trace of suspicion that may still linger in their hearts and minds. Let neither think that the solution of so vast a problem is a matter that exclusively concerns the other. Let neither think that such a problem can either easily or immediately be resolved. Let neither think that they can wait confidently for the solution of this problem until the initiative has been taken, and the favorable circumstances created, by agencies that stand outside the orbit of their Faith.
Let neither think that anything short of genuine 'ove, extreme patience, true humility, consummate tact, sound initiative, mature wisdom, and deliberate, persistent, and prayer
Page 308ful effort, can succeed in blotting out the stain which this patent evil has left on the fair name of their common country.
Let them rather believe, and be firmly convinced, that on their mutual understanding, their amity, and sustained cooperation, must depend, more than on any other force or organization operating outside the circle of their Faith, the deflection of that dangerous course so greatly feared by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the materialization of the hopes He cherished for their joint contribution to the fulfillment of that country's glorious destiny....
AN INSCRUTABLE WISDOM,Suc]4 dearly-beloved friends, is the vista that stretches before the eyes, and challenges the resources, of the American Bahá'í community in these, the concluding years of the First Century of the Bahá'í Era. Such are the qualities and qualifications demanded of them for the proper discharge of their responsibilities and duties. Such are the requirements, the possibilities, and the objectives of the Plan that claims every ounce of their energy. Who knows but that these few remaining, fast-fleeting years, may nor be pregnant with events of unimaginable magnitude, with ordeals more severe than any that humanity has as yet experienced, with conflicts more devasting than any which have preceded them. Dangers, however sinister, must, at no time, dim the radiance of their newborn faith.
Strife and confusion, however bewildering, must never befog their vision. Tribulations, however afflictive, must never shatter their resolve.
Denunciations, however clamorous, must never sap their loyalty. Upheavals, however cataclysmic, must never deflect their course.
The present Plan, embodying the budding hopes of a departed Master, must be pursued, relentlessly pursued, whatever may befall them in the future, however distracting the crises that may agitate their country or the world.
Far from yielding in their resolve, far from growing oblivious of their task, they should, at no time however much buffeted by circumstances, forget that the synchronization of such world-shaking crises with the progressive unfoldment and fruition of their divinely appointed task is itself the work of Providence, the design of an inscrutable Wisdom, and the purpose of an all-compelling Will, a Will that directs and controls, in its own mysterious war, both the fortunes of the Faith and the destinies of men.
Such simultaneous processes of rise and of fall, of integration and of disintegration, of order and chaos, with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other, are but aspects of a greater Plan, one and indivisible whose Source is God, whose author is Bahá'u'lláh, the theatre of whose operations is the entire planet, and whose ultimate objectives are the unity of the human race and the peace of all mankind.
Reflections such as these should steel the resolve of the entire Baha community, should dissipate their forebodings, and arouse them to rededicate themselves to every single provision of that Divine Charter whose outline has been delineated for them by the pen of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The Seven Year Plan, as already stated, is but the initial stage, a steppingstone to the unfoldment of the implications of this Charter.
The impulse, originally generated through the movement of that pen, and which is now driving forward, with increasing momentum, the machinery of the Seven Year Plan, must, in the opening years of the next century, be further accelerated, and impel the American Bahá'í community to launch further stages in the unfoldment of the Divine Plan, stages that will carry it far beyond the shores of the Northern Hemisphere, into lands and among peoples where that community's noblest acts of heroism are to be performed.
THE ADVENT OF THE KINGDOMLet any one inclined to doubt the course which this enviable community is destined to follow, turn to and meditate upon these words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, enshrined, for all time, in the Tablets of the Divine Plan, and addressed to the entire community of the believers of the
United States and Canada:frThe full measure of your success," He informs them, ccis as yet unrevealed, its significance still unapprehended. Erelong, ye will,
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with your own eyes, witness how brilliantly every one of you, even as a shining star, will radiate, in the firmament of your country, the light of Divine Guidance, and will bestow upon its people the glory of an everlasting life. The range of your future achievements still remains i~ndis closed. I fervently hope that in the near future the whole earth may be sfirred and shaken by the results of your achievements.
The hope, therefore, which 'Abdu'l-Bahá cherishes for you is that the same success which has attended your e#orts in America may crown your endeavors in other parts of the world, that through you the fame of the Cause of God may be diffused throughout the Fast and the West, and the advent of the Kingdom of the Lord of Hosts be proclaimed in all the five continents of the globe." ~The moment," He most significantly adds, !!this Divine Message is carried forward by the American believers from the shores of Amer-~ca, and is propagated throughout the continents of Europe, of Asia, of Africa, and of Australasia, and as far as the islands of the Pacific, this community will find itself securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion. Then will all the peo-pies of the world witness that this community is spiritually illumined and divinely guided. Then will the whole earth resound with the praises of its majesty and greatness."
No reader of these words, so vibrant with promises that not even the triumphant consummation of the Seven Year Plan can fulfill, can expect a community that has been raised so high, and endowed so richly, to remain content with any laurels it may win in the immediate future.
To rest upon such laurels would indeed be tantamount to a betrayal of the trust placed in that community by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. To cut short the chain of victories that must lead it on to that supreme triumph when, !~the whole earth may be stirred and shaken" by the results of its achievements would shatter His hopes. To vacillate, and fail to !rprop~ agate through the continents of Europe, of Asia, of Africa, and of Australasia, and as far as the islands of the Pacific" a Message so magnificently proclaimed by it in the American continent would deprive it of the privilege of being ~securely established upon the throne of an everlasting dominion." To forfeit the honor of proclaiming ~~the advent of the Kingdom of the Lord of Hosts" in !ra!l
the five continents of the globe" would silence those e~praises of its majesty and greatness" that otherwise would echo throughout !~the whole earth."
Such vacillation, failure, or neglect, the American believers, the ambassadors of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, will, I am firmly convinced, never permit. Such a trust will never be betrayed, such hopes can never be shattered, such a privilege will never be forfeited, nor will such praises remain unuttered. Nay rather the present generation of this blessed, this repeatedly blessed, community will go from strength to strength, and will hand on, as the first century draws to a close, to the generations that must succeed it in the second the torch of Divine Guidance, undimmed by the tempestuous winds that must blow upon it, that they in turn, faithful to the wish and mandate of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, may carry that torch, with that selfsame vigor, fidelity, and enthusi-asin, to the darkest and remotest corners of the earth.
One more word in conclusion.Among some of the most momentous and thoughtprovoking pronouncements ever made by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in the course of His epochmaking travels in the North American continent, are the following: !!MaY this American Democracy be the first nation to establish the foitndation 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." And again: ~The American pea pie are indeed worthy of being the first to build the Tabernacle of the Great Peace, and proclaim the oneness of mankind. For America hath developed powers and capacities greater and more wonderful than other nations. The American nation is equipped and empowered to accomplish that which will adorn the pages of history, to become the envy of the world, and be blest in both the East and the West for the triumph of its people.
The American continent gives signs and evidences of very great advancement.
Its future is even morepromising, for its injinence and illumination are far-reaching.
It will lead all nations spiritually."The creative energies mysteriously generated by the first stirrings of the embryonic World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, have, as soon as released within a nation destined to become its cradle and champion, endowed that nation with the worthiness, and invested it with the powers and capacities, and equipped it spiritually, to play the part foreshadowed in these prophetic words.
The potencies which this God-given mission has infused into its people are, on the one hand, beginning to be manifested through the conscious efforts and the nationwide accomplishments, in both the teaching and administrative spheres of Bahá'í activity, of the organized community of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the North American continent. These same potencies, apart from, yet collateral with these efforts and accomplishments, are, on the other hand, insensibly shaping, under the impact of world political and economic forces, the destiny of that nation, and are influencing the lives and actions of both its government and its people.
To the efforts and accomplishments of those who, aware of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, are now laboring in that continent, to their present and future course of activity, I have, in the foregoing pages sufficiently referred.
A word, if the destiny of the American people, in its entirety, is to be correctly apprehended, should now be said regarding the orientation of that nation as a whole, and the trend of the affairs of its people. For no matter how ignorant of the Source from which those directing energies proceed, and however siow and laborious the process, it is becoming increasingly evident that the nation as a whole, whether through the agency of its government or otherwise, is gravitating, under the influence of forces that it can neither comprehend nor control, towards such associations and policies, wherein, as indicated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, her true destiny must lie.
Both the community of the American believers, who are aware of that Source, and the great mass of their countrymen, who have not as yet recognized the Hand that directs their destiny, are contributing, each in its own way, to the realization of the hopes, and the fulfillment of the promises, voiced in the above-quoted words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá The world is moving on. Its events are unfolding ominously and with bewildering rapidity.
The whirlwind of its passions is swift and alarmingly violent. The New World is being insensibly drawn into its vortex.
The potential storm centers of the earth are already casting their shadows upon its shores. Dangers, undreamt of and unpredictable, threaten it both from within and from without.
Its governments and peoples are being gradually enmeshed in the coils of the world's recurrent crises and fierce controversies. The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are, with every acceleration in the march of science, steadily shrinking into mere channels. The Great Repuhlic of the 'West finds itself particularly and increasingly involved. Distant rumblings echo menacingly in the ebullitions of its people. On its flanks are ranged the potential storm centers of the European continent and of the Far East. On its southern horizon there looms what might conceivably develop into another center of agitation and danger. The world is contracting into a neighborhood. America, willingly or unwillingly, must face and grapple with this new situation. For purposes of national security, let alone any humanitarian motive, she must assume the obligations imposed by this newly created neighborhood.
Paradoxical a~ it may seem, her oniy hope of extricating herself from the perils gathering around her is to become entangled in that very web of international association which the Hand of an inscrutable Providence is weaving.
'Abdu'l-Bahá'í counsel to a highly placed official in its government comes to mind, with peculiar appropriateness and force. eeYou can best serve your country if you strive, in your capacity as a citizen of the world, to assist in the eventual apfihication of the princiftie of federalism, underlying the government of your own country, to the relationships now existing between the peoples and nations of the world." The ideals that fired the imagination of America's tragically unappre
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cLued President, whose high endeavors, however much nullified by a visionless generation, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, through His own pen, acclaimed as signalizing the dawn of the Most Great Peace, though now lying in the dust, bitterly reproach a heedless generation for having so cruelly abandoned them.
That the world is beset with perils, that dangers are now accumulating and are actually threatening the American nation, no clear-eyed observer can possibly deny. The earth is now transformed into an armed camp. As much as fifty million men are either under arms or in reserve. No less than the sum of three billion pounds is being spent, in one year, on its armaments. The light of religion is dimmed and moral authority disintegrating. The nations of the world have, for the most part, fallen a prey to battling ideologies that threaten to disrupt the very foundations of their dearly-won political unity. Agitated multitudes in these countries see them with discontent, are armed to the teeth, are stampeded with fear, and groan beneath the yoke of tribula � tions engendered by political strife, racial fanaticism, national hatreds, and religious animosities.
rrThe winds of despair," Bahá'u'lláh has unmistakably affirmed, f!are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing.
The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned.
Cf The ills," 'Abdu'1 � Baha, writing as far back as two decades ago, has prophesied, ~~frwui, which the world now suffers ivill multiply; the gloom which envelops it will deepen.
The Balkans will remain discontented. Its restlessness will increase. The vanquished Powers will continue to agitate. They will resort to every measure that may rekindle the flame of 'war. Movements, newly-born and worldwide in their range, will exert their utmost for the advancement of their designs. The Movement of the Left will acquire great importance. Its influence will spread."
As to the American nation itself, the voice of its own President, emphatic and clear, warns his people that a possible attack upon their country has been brought infinitely closer by the development of aircraft and by other factors. Its Secretary of State, addressing at a recent Conference ference the assembled representatives of all the American Republics, utters no less ominous a warning.
"These resurgent forces loom threateningly throughout the world � their ominous shadow falls athwart our own Hemisphere." As to its Press, the same note of warning and of alarm at an approaching danger is struck. tCWe must be prepared to defend ourselves both from within and without. Our defensive frontier is long. It reaches from
Alaska's Point Barrowto Cape Horn, and ranges the Atlantic and the Pacific.
When or where Europe's and Asia's aggressors may strike at us no one can say. It could be anywhere, any time. We have no option save to go armed ourselves. We must mount vigilant guard over the Western Hemisphere."
The distance that the American nation has traveled since its formal and categoric repudiation of the Wilsonian ideal, the changes that have unexpectedly overtaken it in recent years, the direction in which world events are moving, with their inevitable impact on the policies and the economy of that nation, are to every Bahá'í observer, viewing the developments in the international situation, in the light of the prophecies of both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, most significant, and highly instructive and encouraging. To trace the exact course which, in these troubled times and pregnant years, this nation will follow would be impossible. We can oniy, judging from the direction its affairs are now taking, anticipate the course she will most likely choose to pursue in her relationships with both the Republics of America and the countries of the remaining continents.
A closer association with these Republics, on the one hand, and an increased participation, in varying degrees, on the other, in the affairs of the whole world, as a result of recurrent international crises, appear as the most likely developments which the future has in store for that country.
Delays must inevitably arise, setbacks must be suffered, in the course of that country's evolution towards its ultimate destiny. Nothing, however, can alter eventually that course, ordained for it by the unerring pen of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Its federal unity having al
Page 312ready been achieved and its internal institutions consolidated � a stage that marked its coming of age as a political entity � its further evolution, as a member of the family of nations, must, under circumstances that cannot at present be visualized, steadily continue. Such an evolution must persist until such time as that nation will, through the active and decisive part it will have played in the organization and the peaceful settlement of the affairs of mankind, have attained the plenitude of its powers and functions as an outstanding member, and component part, of a federated world.
The immediate future must, as a result of this steady, this gradual, and inevitable absorption in the manifold perplexities and problems afflicting humanity, be dark and oppressive for that nation. The world shaking ordeal which Bahá'u'lláh, as quoted in the foregoing pages, has so graphically prophesied, may find it swept, to an unprecedented degree, into its vortex. Out of it it will probably emerge, unlike its reactions to the last world conflict, consciously determined to seize its opportunity, to bring the full weight of its influence to bear upon the gigantic problems that such an ordeal must leave in its wake, and to exorcise forever, in conjunction with its sister nations of both the East and the West, the greatest curse which, from time immemorial, has afflicted and degraded the human race.
Then, and oniy then, will the American nation, molded and purified in the crucible of a common war, inured to its rigors, and disciplined by its lessons, be in a position to raise its voice in the councils of the nations, itself lay the cornerstone of a universal and enduring peace, proclaim the solidarity, the unity, and maturity of mankind, and assist in the establishment of the promised reign of righteousness on earth.
Then, and oniy then, will the American nation, while the community of the American believers within its heart is consummating its di-vinely-appointed mission, be able to fulfill the unspeakably glorious destiny ordained for it by the Almighty, and immortally enshrined in the writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Then, and only then, will the American nation accomplish frtbat which will adorn the rages of history," !ebecome the envy of the world and be blest in both the East and the West." SHOGHI.
December 25, 1938.EI UMANITY, whether viewed in the light of man's individual conduct or in the existing relationships between organized communities and nations, has, alas, strayed too far and suffered too great a decline to be redeemed through the unaided efforts of the best among its recognized rulers and statesmen � however disinterested their motives, however concerted their action, however unsparing in their zeal and devotion to its cause. No scheme which the calculations of the highest statesmanship may yet devise; no doctrine which the most distinguished exponents of economic theory may hope to advance; no principle which the most ardent of moralists may strive to inculcate, can provide, in the last resort, adequate foundations upon which the future of a distracted world can be built.
I cannot refrain from appealing to them who stand identified with the Faith to disregard the prevailing notions and the fleeting fashions of the day, and to realize as never before that the exploded theories and the tottering institutions of presentday civilization must needs appear in sharp contrast with those God-given institutions which are destined to arise upon their ruin.
For Bahá'u'lláh has not oniy imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not merely enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent, sound and universal these may be. In addition to these He, as well as 'Abdu'l-Bahá after Him, have, unlike the Dispensations of the past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of Laws, established definite institutions, and provided for the essentials of a Divine Econ
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omy. These are destined to be a pattern for future society, a supreme instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace, and the one agency for the unification of the world, and the proclamation of the reign of righteousness and justice upon the earth.
Unlike the Dispensationof Christ, unlike the Dispensation of Mubammad, unlike all the Dispensations of the past, the apostles of Bahá'u'lláh in every land, wherever they labor and toil, have before them in clear, in unequivocal afid emphatic language, all the laws, the regulations, the principles, the institutions, the guidance, they require for the prosecution of their task. Therein lies the distinguishing feature of the Bahá'í Revelation.
Therein lies the strength of the unity of the Faith, of the validity of a Revelation that claims not to destroy or belittle previous Revelations, but to connect, unify, and fulfill them.
How pathetic indeed are the efforts of those leaders of human institutions who, in utter disregard of the spirit of the age, are striving to adjust national processes, suited to the ancient days of selfcontained nations, to an age which must either achieve the unity of the world, as adumbrated by Bahá'u'lláh, or perish. At so critical an hour in the history of civilization it behoves the leaders of all the nations of the world, great and small, whether in the East or in the West, whether victors or vanquished, to give heed to the clarion call of Bahá'u'lláh and, thoroughly inbued with a sense of world solidarity, the sine qud non of loyalty to His Cause, arise manfully to carry out in its entirety the one remedial scheme He, the Divine Physician, has prescribed for an ailing humanity. Let them discard, once for all, every preconceived idea, every national prejudice, and give heed to the sublime counsel of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the authorized Expounder of His teachings. You can best serve your country, was 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í rejoinder to a high official in the service of the federal government of the United States of America, who had questioned Him as to the best manner in which he could promote the interests of his government and people, if you strive, in your capacity as a citizen of the world, to assist in the eventual a~pli cation of the principle of federalism underlying the government of your own country to the relationships now existing between the peoples and nations of the world.
Some form of a world super-state must needs be evolved, in whose favor all the nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions.
Such a state will have to include within its orbit an International Executive adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every recalcitrant member of the commonwealth; a World Parliament whose members shall be elected by the people in their respective countries and whose election shall be confirmed by their respective governments; and a Supreme Tribunal whose judgment will have a binding effect even in such cases where the parties concerned did not voluntarily agree to submit their case to its consideration.
A world community in which all economic barriers will have been permanently demolished and the interdependence of Capital and Labor definitely recognized; in which the clamor of religious fanaticism and strife will have been forever stilled; in which the flame of racial animosity will have been finally extinguished; in which a single code of international law � the product of the considered judgment of the world's federated representatives � shall have as its sanction the instant and coercive intervention of the combined forces of the federated units; and finally a world community in which the fury of a capricious and militant nationalism will have been transmuted into an abiding consciousness of world citizenship � such indeed, appears, in its broadest outline, the Order anticipated by Bahá'u'lláh, an Order that shall come to be regarded as the fairest fruit of a slowly maturing age.
The call of Bahá'u'lláh is primarily directed against all forms of provincialism, all insularities and prejudices. For legal standards, political and economic theories are solely designed to safeguard the interests of humanity as a whole, and not humanity to be crucified for the preservation of the
Page 314integrity of any particular law or doctrine. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind � the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve � is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope.
Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family.
It represents the consummation of human evolution.
The Revelation, of which Bahá'u'lláh is the source and center, abrogates none of the religions which have preceded it, nor does it attempt, in the slightest degree, to distort their features or to belittle their value. It disclaims any intention of dwarfing any of the Prophets of the past, or of whittling down the eternal verity of Their teachings. It can, in no wise, conflict with the spirit that animates Their claims, nor does it seek to undermine the basis of any man's allegiance to Their cause. Its declared, its primary purpose, is to enable every adherent of these Faiths to obtain a fuller understanding of the religion with which he stands identified, and to acquire a clearer apprehension of its purpose.
It is neither eclectic in the presentation of its truths, nor arrogant in the affirmation of its claims. Its teachings revolve around the fundamental principle that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is progressive, not final.
Unequivocally and without the least reservation it proclaims all established religions to be divine in origin, identical in their aims, complementary in their functions, continuous in their purpose, indispensable in their value to mankind..
Those who have recognized the Light of God in this age claim no finality for the Revelation with which they stand identified, nor arrogate to the Faith they have embraced powers and attributes intrinsically superior to, or essentially different from, those which have characterized any of the religious systems that preceded it. 'Who, contemplating the helplessness, the fears and miseries of humanity in this day, can any longer question the necessity for a fresh revelation of the quickening power of God's redemptive iove and guidance? Who can be so blind as to doubt that the hour has at last struck for the advent of a new Revelation, for a restatement of the Divine Purpose, and for the consequent revival of those spiritual forces that have, at fixed intervals, rehabilitated the fortunes of human society? Does not the very operation of the world-unifying forces that are at work in this age necessitate that He Who is the Bearer of the Message of God in this day should not oniy reaffirm that selfsame exalted standard of individual conduct inculcated by the Prophets gone before Him, but embody in His appeal, to all governments and peoples, the essentials of that social code, that Divine Economy, which must guide humanity's concerted efforts in establishing that all-embracing federation which is to signalize the advent of the Kingdom of God on this earth?
Alone of all the Revelations gone before it this Faith has succeeded in raising a structure which the bewildered followers of bankrupt and broken creeds might well approach and critically examine, and seek, ere it is too late, the invulnerable security of its world-embracing shelter.
To what else if not to the power and majesty which this Administrative Order � the rudiments of the future all-enfolding Bahá'í Commonwealth � is destined to manifest, can these utterances of Bahá'u'lláh allude: rrThe world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new
World Order. Mankind'sordered life bath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System � the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed."
The Bahá'í Commonwealthof the future, of which this vast Administrative Order is the sole framework, is, both in theory and practice, not oniy unique in the entire history of political institutions, but can find no parallel in the annals of any of the world's recognized religious systems. No form of democratic government; no system of autocracy or of dictatorship, whether monarchical
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or republican; no intermediary scheme of a purely aristocratic order; nor even any of the recognized types of theocracy, whether i~ be the Hebrew Commonwealth, or the various Christian ecclesiastical organizations, or the Imamate or the Caliphate in Islim � none of these can be identified or said to conform with the Administrative Order which the master-hand of its perfect Architect has fashioned.
Let no one, while this System is still in its infancy, belittle its significance or misrepresent its purpose.
The bedrock on which this Administrative Order is founded is God's immutable Purpose for mankind in this day. The Source from which it derives its inspiration is no one less than Bahá'u'lláh
Himself.� The central, the underlying aim which animates it is the establishment of the New World Order as adumbrated by Bahá'u'lláh. The methods it employs, the standard it inculcates, incline it to neither East nor West, neither Jew nor Gentile, neither rich nor poor, neither white nor colored. Its watchword is the unification of the human race; its standard the "Most Great Peace.
The contrast between the accumulating evidences of steady consolidation that accompany the rise of the Administrative Order of the Faith of God, and the forces of disintegration which batter at the fabric of a travailing society, is as clear as it is arresting.
MESSAGES FROMBoth within and outside the Bahá'í world the signs and tokens which, in a mysterious manner, are heralding the birth of that World Order, the establishment of which must signalize the Golden Age of the Cause of God, arc growing and multiplying day by day.
rfSoon,~) Bahá'u'lláh's own words proclaim it, erwill the presentday Order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead."
The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh...should � be regarded as signalizing through its advent the coming of age of the entire human race. It should be viewed not merely as yet another spiritual revival in the everchanging fortunes of mankind, not only as a further stage in a chain of progressive Revelations, nor even as the culmination of one of a series of recurrent prophetic cycles, but rather as marking the last and highest stage in the stupendous evolution of man's collective life on this planet. The emergence of a world community, the consciousness of world citizenship, the founding of a world civilization and culture should be regarded, as far as this planetary life is concerned, as the furthermost limits in the organization of human society, though man, as an individual, will, nay must indeed as a result of such a consummation, continue indefinitely to progress and develop.
THE GUARDIAN19401944 HE fourth year of the Seven Year Plan enters upon its course in circumstances that are at once critical, challenging, and unprecedented in their significance.
The year that has passed has in so far as the rise and establishment of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh in the western hemisphere is concerned, been one of the most eventful since the Plan began to operate and exercise its potent and beneficent influence. Both within and without the Community of the Most Great Name, the events which the last twelve months has unfolded have in some mysterious way, whether directly or indirectly, communicated their force to the Plan's progressive unfoldment, contributed to the orienta tion of its policy and assisted in the consolidation of the diversified undertakings, both primary and subsidiary, that fall within its orbit.
Even the losses which the ranks of its stouthearted upholders have sustained will, when. viewed in their proper perspective, be regarded as gains of incalculable value, affecting both its immediate fortunes as well as its ultimate destiny.
The successive international crises which agitated the opening months of the year that has elapsed, culminating in the outbreak of the war in Europe, far from drowning the enthusiasm or daunting the spirit of the prosecutors of God's Plan, served by deflecting their gaze from a storm-tossed continent,
Page 316wF � � 4 A A '(� N s.f ~ K i~~ w t~ ~Y&r~ 4 � ~ t ~J ct ~J t~2 � ~ t'~~ Us �.
7 j JA r � ~Verbal by which the burial ground at Ismailia was transferred to the property of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ismailia on August 10th, 1940.
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to focus their minds and resources on ministering to the urgent needs of that hemisphere in which the first honors and the initial successes of the heroes of that Formative Age of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh are to be scored and won.
The sudden extinction of the earthly life of that star-servant of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, Martha Root, who, while on the last lap of her fourth journey round the world � journeys that carried her to the humblest homes as well as the palaces of royalty � was hurrying homeward to lend her promised aid to her fellow-countrymen in their divinely-appointed task � such a death, though it frustrated this cherished resolution of her indomitable spirit, steeled the hearts of her bereaved lovers and admirers to carry on, more energetically than ever, the work which she herself had initiated, as far back as the year 1919 in every important city in the South American continent.
The subtle and contemptible machinations by which the puny adversaries of the Faith, jealous of its consolidating power and perturbed by the compelling evidences of its conspicuous victories, have sought to challenge the validity and misrepresent the character of the Administrative Order embedded in its teachings have galvanized the swelling army of its defenders to arise and arraign the usurpers of their sacred sights and to defend the longstanding strongholds of the institutions of their Faith in their home country.
And now as this year, so memorable in the annals of the Faith, was drawing to a close, there befell the American Bahá'í community, through the dramatic and sudden 4eath of May Maxwell, yet another loss, which viewed in retrospect will come to be regarded as a potent blessing conferred upon the campaign now being so diligently conducted by its members. Laden with the fruits garnered through well-nigh half a century of toilsome service to the Cause she so greatly loved, heedless of the warnings of age and ill-health, and afire with the longing to worthily demonstrate her gratitude in her overwhelming awareness of the bounties of her Lord and Master, she set her face towards the southern outpost of the Faith in the New World, and laid down her life in such a spirit of consecration and self-sacrifice as has truly merited the crown of martyrdom.
To Keith Ransom-Keller, whose dust sleeps in far-off I~fth&n; to Martha Root, fallen in her tracks on an island in the midmost heart of the ocean; to May Maxwell, lying in solitary glory in the southern outpost of the Western Hemisphere � to these three heroines of the Formative Age of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, they who now labor so assiduously for its expansion and establishment, owe a debt of gratitude which future generations will not fail to adequately recognize.
April ii, 1940.As the administrative processes expand, as their operation steadily improves, as their necessity is more fully and strikingly demonstrated, and their beneficent influence correspondingly grows more apparent and evident, so will the blessings, the strength and guidance bestowed by Him Who animates and directs these processes be more abundantly vouchsafed to those who have been called upon to utilize them, in this age, for the execution of God's Purpose and for the ultimate redemption of a sore-stricken travailing humanity.
Many will be the setbacks, the shocks and the disturbances, which the commotions of a convulsive age must produce, yet no force, however violent and worldwide in its range and catastrophic in its immediate consequences, can either halt these processes or deflect their appointed course. How great, then, the privilege, and how staggering the responsibility, of those who are destined to guard over them and to bring them eventually to full fruition. Nothing short of utter, of continuous consecration to His Will and Purpose can enable them to fulfill their high destiny.
May 15, 1940.(The) stupendous struggle now convulsing (the) major part (of the) European continent (is) progressively revealing (the) ominous features, (and) increasingly assuming (the) proportions, (of the) titanic upheaval foreshadowed seventy years ago (by the) prophetic pen (of) Bahá'u'lláh. (The) disruptive forces associated (with) humanity's world-shaking
Page 318ordeal (are) closely interrelated (with the) constructive potentialities inherent (in the) American believers'
Divinely-ordained Plan. Both(are) directly hastening (the) emergence (of the) spiritual World Order stirring (in the) womb (of a) trarailing age.
(I) entreat (the) American Baha Community, whatever (the) immediate or distant repercussions (of the) present turmoil on their own continent, however violent its impact (upon the) World Center (of) their Faith, (to) pledge themselves anew, before (the) Throne (of) Bahá'u'lláh, (to) discharge, with unswerving aim, unfailing courage, invincible vigor, exemplary fidelity (and) ever-deepening consecration, (the) dual responsibility solemnly undertaken under (the)
Seven Year Plan. (I)implore them (to) accelerate (their) efforts, increase (their) vigilance, deepen (their) unity, multiply (their) heroic feats, maintain (their) distant outposts (in the) teaching field (of) Latin America, (and) expedite (the) termination (of the) last stage (in the) ornamentation (of the) Temple. (I am) praying continually (with) redoubled fervor.
June 13, 1940.Present world chaos, exhibiting (the) impetuosity, follies, rebelliousness characteristic (of) humanity's adolescent stage (of) development, and harbinger (of the) long-promised Golden Age (of the) maturity (of the) human race, (is) relentlessly spreading (and) distressingly intensi-fled.
(The) alternating victories (and) reverses, heralding parallel transition (of) proscribed
Cause (of) Bahá'u'lláhstruggling towards emancipation, world recognition (and) spiritual universal dominion, (are) simultaneously multiplying.
(The) recrudescence (of the) chronic persecution afflicting (the) cradle (of the) Faith, (the) grave danger threatening (the) appropriated Temple (and) disbanded centers (in) TurkistAn (and) Caucasus, (the) repressive measures successively choking (the) life (and) paralyzing (the) action (of both the) longstanding (and the) newly-fledged communities (of) Central, Western (and) SouthEastern Europe, (the) intermittent outbursts (of) religious fanaticism directed (against the) North African Assemblies, (and the) aggravation (of the) situation (at the) world Spiritual (and) Adininistra-. tive Center, contrast with, (and are) outweighed by, (the) surging spirit, (the) startling expansion, (the) sweeping conquests, (the) superb consolidation (of the) swiftly-accumulating resources (of the) one remaining community singled out (for the) proclamation (of the) Administrative Order throughout (the) length (and) breadth (of the) Western Hemisphere. (I) appeal (to the) New World champions (of the) New World Order (of) Bahá'u'lláh (to) stand fast (at) this tragic hour (in the) fortunes (of) mankind (and the) challenging state (of the) evolution (of the) Faith. (I) beg them (to) close their ranks jointly, severally (and) vow themselves (to) incomparably sublime task whose operation must hasten (the) ascendancy (of the) beloved Cause (and the) spiritual redemption (of a) reconstructed mankind.
October 29, 1940.My heart is thrilled with delight as I witness, in so many fields, and in such distant outposts, and despite such formidable difficulties, restrictions, obstacles and dangers, so many evidences of the solidarity, the valor, and the achievements of the American Bahá'í community. As the end of the First Century of the Bahá'í Era approaches, as the shadows descending upon and enveloping mankind stgadily and remorselessly deepen, this community, which can almost be regarded as the solitary champion of the Faith in the Western World, is increasingly evincing and demonstrating its capacity, its worth, and ability as the torchbearer of the New, the World Civilization which is destined to supplant in the fulness of time the present one.
And more particularly in the virgin and far-flung territories of Latin America, it has in recent months, abundantly given visible evidence of its merits and competence to shoulder the immense responsibilities which the carrying of the sacred Fire to all the Republics of the Western Hemisphere must necessarily entail.
Through these initial steps, which, in pursuance of th& Plan conceived by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, this community has taken, through
Page 319'V1 K ~ Laying Foundation Stone of Haziratu'1-Quds at Cairo, Egypt, October, 1941.
Page 320the settlement in each of these sovereign states of the New World of American Bahá'í pioneers, through the formation of Bahá'í groups and the establishment of two Assemblies in Buenos Aires and Baha, the American National Assembly, as well as its Inter-America Committee, and all subsidiary agencies, no less than the individual members of the North American Bahá'í community who have sacrificed and are still sacrificing so much in their support of this Divine and momentous Plan, have earned the unqualified admiration and the undying gratitude of sister Assemblies and fellow-workers throughout the Bahá'í World.
Their work, however, is only beginning. The dispatch of pioneers, the provision of adequate means for their support, their settlement and initiation of Bahá'í activities in these far-off lands, however strenuous and meritorious, are insufficient if the Plan is to evolve harmoniously and yield promptly its destined fruit. The extension by the Parent Assembly � the immediate source from which this vast system with all its ramifications is now proceeding � of the necessary support, guidance, recognition and material assistance to enable these newly-fledged groups and Assemblies to function in strict accordance with both the spiritual and administrative principles of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, would seem as essential and urgent as the preliminary task already achieved. To nurse these tender plants of the Vineyard of God, to foster their growth, to direct their development, to accord them the necessary recognition, to help resolve their problems, to familiarize them with gentleness, patience and fidelity with the processes of the
Administrative Orderand thus enable them to assume independently the conduct of future local and national Bahá'í activities, would bring the Plan to swift and full fruition and would add fresh laurels to the crown of immortal glory already won by a community that holds in these days of dark and dire calamities, valiantly and almost alone, the Fort of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. Fortified by these reflections, let them gird up their loins for still mightier exertions and more brilliant victories.
December 3, 1940.The internecine struggle, now engulfing the generality of mankind, is increasingly assuming, in its range and ferocity, the proportions of the titanic upheavel foreshadowed as far back as seventy years ago by Bahá'u'lláh.
It can be viewed in no other light except as a direct interposition by Him Who is the Ordainer of the Universe, the Judge of all men and the Deliverer of the nations. It is the rod of both the anger of God and of His correction.
The fierceness of its devastating power chastens the children of men for their refusal to acclaim the century-old Message of their promised, their Heaven-sent Redeemer. The fury of its flames, on the other hand, purges away the dross, and welds the limbs of humanity into one single organism, indivisible, purified, God-conscious and divinely directed.
Its immediate cause can be traced to the forces engendered by the last war of which it may be truly regarded as the direct continuation.
Its first sparks were kindled on the eastern shores of the Asiatic continent, enveloping two sister races of the world in a conflagration which no force seems able to either quench or circumscribe. This cataclysmic process was accelerated by the outbreak of a fierce conflict in the heart of Europe, fanning into flame agelong animosities and unchaining a series of calamities as swift as they were appalling.
As the turmoil gathered momentum it swept remorselessly into its vortex the most powerful nations of the European continent � the chief protagonists of that highly-vaunted yet lamentably defective civilization.
The mounting tide of its havoc and devastation soon overspread the northernmost regions of that afflicted continent, subsequently ravaged the shores of the Mediterranean, and invaded the African continent as far as Ethiopia and the surrounding territories.
The Balkan countries, as predicted by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, were soon to sustain the impact of this tragic ordeal, communicating in their turn the commotions to which they had been subjected to both the Near and Middle East, wherein are enshrined the heart of the Faith itself, its Cradle, its chief center of Pilgrimage, and its most sacred and historic sites.
Its menace is overleaping the limits of the Old World and is pLunging into consterna-.
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tion the Great Republic of the 'West, as well as the peoples of Central and South America. The New World as well as the Old is experiencing the terrific impact of this disruptive force.
Even the peoples of the Antipodes are trembling before the approaching tempest that threatens to burst on their heads.
The races of the world, Nordic, Slavonic, Mongolian, Arab and African, are alike subjected to its consuming violence. The world's religious systems are no less affected by the universal paralysis which is creeping over the minds and souls of men.
The persecution of world Jewry, the rapid deterioration of Christian institutions, the intestine division and disorders of Jsl&m, are but manifestations of the fear and trembling that has seized humanity in its hour of unprecedented turmoil and peril. On the high seas, in the air, on land, in the forefront of battle, in the palaces of kings and the cottages of peasants, in the most hallowed sanctuaries, whether secular or religious, the evidences of God's retributive act and mysterious discipline are manifest. Its heavy toll is steadily mounting � a holocaust sparing neither prince nor peasaht, neither man nor woman, neither young nor old.
The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh � that priceless gem of Divine Revelation enshrining the Spirit of God and incarnating His Purpose for mankind in this age � can neither aspire nor expect to escape unhurt amid the hurricane of human disasters that blows around it. By most men unnoticed, scorned and ridiculed by some, feared and challenged by others, this world redemptive Faith, for whose precious sake the world is undergoing such agonies, finds its virgin strength assailed, and its infant institutions hemmed in, by the dark forces which a godless civilization has unloosed over the face of the planet. In the Old World, whether in Europe, Asia or Africa, it is being buffeted about, ostracized, arraigned and repressed. In certain countries its community life is being extinguished, in others a ban is severely imposed on its propagation, in still others its members are denied all intercourse with its 'World Center. Dangers, grave and unsuspected, confront its cradle and surround its very heart.
Not so, however, with the countries of the Western Hemisphere. The call of Bahá'í u'llAh summons, at this challenging hour, the peoples of the New World, and its leaders to redress the balance of the old.
!!Q Rulers of America," He thus addresses the Chief Magistrates of that continent, fraud the Presidents of the Republics therein.
Adorn the tern pie of your dominion with the ornament of Justice and of the fear of God, and its head with the crown of the remembrance of your Lord, the Maker of the heavens." The Great Republic of the West, an object of special solicitude throughout the ministry of the Center of the Covenant, whose soil has been hallowed by His footsteps, and the foundation of whose edifice � the Mother Temple of the West � has been consecrated by His hand, has been singled out through the operation of His Will, and been invested by His Pen with a unique, an inescapable, a weighty and most sacred responsibility. The Mission entrusted to the community of the North American believers in the darkest days of the last war, is, after a period of incubation of well nigh twenty years, and through the instrumentality of the administrative agencies erected after 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í passing, efflorescing under our very eyes. Already, since the inception of the Seven Year Plan, this community can well claim to have attained, through its deeds, a stature that dwarfs its sister communities, and can glory in a parentage that embraces every Republic of Latin America. The first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the West, its beauteous and noble handiwork, is virtually completed.
A nucleus for a future flourishing local community is already formed in every state and province in North America. The administrative structure, following the pattern of its prototype in the U.S.A. is, through the agency of that same Plan, raising its triumphant head in the Central and South
American Republics. The Planitself, propelled by the agencies released by those immortal Tablets which constitute its charter, bids fair, in the fifth year of its operation, to exceed the highest expectations of those who have so courageously launched it. Its consummation, coinciding with the termination of the first century of the Bahá'í Era, will mark the opening of yet another phase in a series of crusades which must carry, in the course of the succeeding cen
Page 322tury, the privileged recipients of those epochmaking Tablets beyond the Western Hemisphere to the uttermost ends of the earth, to implant the banner, and lay an unassailable basis for the administrative structure of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
The quality and magnitude of the work already achieved by these stalwart champions of
God's New World Orderare inexpressibly exhilarating and infinitely meritorious.
The immensity of the task still to be performed staggers our fancy and inflames our imagination. The potentialities with which these tasks are endowed elude our shrewdest calculations.
The promise they enshrine is too dazzling to contemplate.
What else can we do but bow our heads in thanksgiving and reverence, steel our hearts In preparation for the strenuous days ahead, and intensify a hundredfold our resolution to carry on the task to which our hands are set at present? May 25, 1941.
The virtual completion of a thirty year old enterprise, which was initiated in His days and blessed by His Hand, is the first and foremost accomplishment that must shed imperishable luster not only on the administrative annals of the Formative Age of the Faith, but on the entire record of the signal achievements performed in the course of the First Century of the Bahá'í Era. The steady expansion and consolidation of the world mission, entrusted by that same Master, to their hands and set in operation after His passing, constitutes the second object of my undying gratitude to a community that has abundantly demonstrated its worthiness to shoulder the superhuman tasks with which it has been entrusted. The spirit with which that same community has faced and resisted the onslaught of the enemies of the Faith who, for various reasons and with ever-increasing subtlety and malice, have persistently striven to disrupt the administrative machinery of an Order, foreshadowed by the Báb, enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, and established by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, is yet another testimony to the unrivalled merits and the eminent position attained by its privileged members since the ascension of the Center of the Covenant.
* i.e., completion of theThe extinction of the influence precariously exerted by some of these enemies, the decline that has set in in the fortunes of others, the sincere repentance expressed by still others, and their subsequent reinstatement and effectual participation in the teaching and administrative activities of the Faith, constitute in themselves sufficient evidence of the unconquerable power and invincible spirit which animates those who stand identified with and loyally carry out the provisions and injunctions of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
And now more particularly concerning the prime mover of this latest agitation, which, whatever its immediate consequences, will sooner or later come to be regarded as merely one more of those ugly and abortive attempts designed to undermine the foundation, and obscure the purpose, of the Administrative Order of the Faith of
Bah6'u' -lUli. Obscurein his origin, ambitious of leadership, untaught by the lesson of such as have erred before him, odious in the hopes he nurses, contemptible in the methods he pursues, shameless in his deliberate distortions of truths he has long since ceased to believe in, ludicrous in his present isolation and helplessness, wounded and exasperated by the downfall which his own folly has precipitated, he, the latest protagonist of a spurious cause, cannot but in the end be subjected, as remorselessly as his infamous predecessors, to the fate which they invariably have suffered.
Generated by the propelling and purifying forces of a mysterious Faith, born of delusion or malice, winning a fleeting notoriety derived from the precarious advantages of wealth, fame or fortune, these movements sponsored by deluded, self-seek-ing adventurers find themselves, sooner or later, enmeshed in the machinations of their authors, are buried in shame, and sink eventually into complete oblivion.
The schism which their foolish leaders had contrived so sedulously to produce within the Faith, will soon, to their utter amazement, come to be regarded as a process of purification, a cleansing agency, which, far from decimating the ranks of its followers, reinforces its indestructible unity, and proclaims anew to a world, skep
Page 323THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 323
tical or indifferent, the cohesive strength of the institutions of that Faith, the incorruptibility of its purposes and principles, and the recuperative powers inherent in its community life.
Were anyone to imagine or expect that a Cause, comprising within its orbit so vast a portion of the globe, so turbulent in its history, so challenging in its claims, so diversified in the elements it has assimilated into its administrative structure, should, at all times, be immune to any divergence of opinion, or any defection on the part of its multitudinous followers, it would be sheer delusion, wholly unreasonable and unwarranted, even in the face of the unprecedented evidence of the miraculous power which its rise and progress have so powerfully exhibited.
That such a secession, however, whether effected by those who apostatize their faith or preach heretical doctrines, should have failed, after the lapse of a century, to split in twain the entire body of the adherents of the Faith, or to create a grave, a permanent and irremediable breach in its organic structure, is a fact too do-quent for even a casual observer of the internal processes of its administrative order to either deny or ignore.
Therein, every loyal and intelligent upholder of Bahá'u'lláh's incomparable Covenant � a Covenant designed by Him as the sole refuge against schism, disruption and anarchy � will readily recognize the hallmark of His Faith, and will acclaim it as the supreme gift conferred by Him Who is the Lord of Revelation upon the present and future generations who are destined, in this greatest of all Dispensations, to flock, from every creed and religion, to the banner, and espouse the Cause, of His Most
Great Name.Dear friends! Manifold, various, and at times extremely perilous, have been the tragic crises which the blind hatred, the unfounded presumption, the incredible folly, the abject perfidy, the vaulting ambition, of the enemy have intermittently engendered within the pale of the Faith. From some of its most powerful and renowned votaries, at the hands of its once trusted and ablest propagators, champions, and administrators, from the ranks of its most revered and highly-placed trustees whether as corn-panions, s, amanuenses or appointed lieutenants of the Herald of the Faith, of its Author, and of the Center of His Covenant, from even those who were numbered among the kindred of the Manifestation, not excluding the brother, the sons and daughters of Bahá'u'lláh, and the nominee of the Báb Himself, a Faith, of such tender age, and enslirining so priceless a promise, has sustained blows as dire and treacherous as any recorded in the world's religious history.
From the record of its tumultuous history, almost every page of which portrays a fresh crisis, is laden with the description of a new calamity, recounts the tale of a base betrayal, and is stained with the account of unspeakable atrocities, there emerges, clear and incontrovertible, the supreme truth that with every fresh outbreak of hostility to the Faith, whether from within or from without, a corresponding measure of outpouring grace, sustaining its defenders and confounding its adversaries, has been providentially released, communicating a fresh impulse to the onward march of the Faith, while this impetus, in its turn, would through its manifestations, provoke fresh hostility in quarters heretofore unaware of its challenging implications � this increased hostility being accompanied by a still more arresting revelation of Divine Power and a more abundant effusion of celestial grace, which, by enabling the upholders of that Faith to register still more brilliant victories, would thereby generate issues of still more vital import and raise up still more formidable enemies against a Cause that cannot but, in the end, resolve those issues and crush the resistance of those enemies, through a still more glorious unfoldment of its inherent power.
The resistless march of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, viewed in this light, and propelled by the stimulating influences which the unwisdom of its enemies and the force latent within itself, both engender, resolves itself into a series of rhythmic pulsations, precipitated, on the one hand, through the explosive outbursts of its foes, and the vibrations of Divine Power, on the other, which speed it, with ever-increasing momentum, along that predestined course traced for it by the Hand of the Almighty.
Page 324As opposition to the Faith, from whatever source it may spring, whatever form it may assume, however violent its outbursts, is admittedly the motive-power that galvanizes on the one hand, the souls of its valiant defenders, and taps for them, on the other, fresh springs of that Divine and inexhaustible Energy, we who are called upon to represent, defend, and promote its interests, should, far from regarding any manifestation of hostility as an evidence of the weakening of the pillars of the Faith, acclaim it as both a God-sent gift and a God-sent opportunity which, if we remain undaunted, we can utilize for the furtherance of His Faith and the routing and complete elimination of its adversaries.
The Heroic Age of the Faith, born in anguish, nursed in adversity, and terminating in trials as woeful as those that greeted its birth, has been succeeded by that Formative Period which is to witness the gradual crystallization of those creative energies which the Faith has released, and the consequent emergence of that World Order for which those forces were made to operate.
Fierce and relentless will be the opposition which this crystallization and emergence must provoke.
The alarm it must and will awaken, the envy it will certainly arouse, the misrepresentations to which it will remorselessly be subjected, the setbacks it must, sooner or later, sustain, the commotions to which it must eventually give rise, the fruits it must in the end garner, the blessings it must inevitably bestow and the glorious, the Golden Age, it must irresistibly usher in, are just beginning to be faintly perceived, and will, as the old order crumbles beneath the weight of so stupend-Gus a Revelation, become increasingly apparent and arresting.
Not ours, dear friends, to attempt to survey the distant scene; ours rather the duty to face the trials of the present hour, to ponder the meaning, to discharge the obligations, to meet its challenge and utilize the opportunity it offers to the fullest extent of our ability and power.
August 12, 1941.Heart thrilled (with) pride (at) message announcing (the) approaching completion (of the) ornamentation (of) seven faces (of) Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, proclaiming (an) intensification (of) North American teaching campaign, (and) revealing (the) ada � mantine resolution (of the) Temple buil&rs (and) stalwart crusaders, in face (of the) perfidy, ingratitude (and) opposition (of the) enemies both within (and) without (the) Holy Faith. As (the) fury (and) destructiveness (of the) tremendous world ordeal attains (its) most intensive pitch, so (the) Mission conferred twenty years ago by 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í sacred Will on (the) worldwide, indivisible (and) incorruptible body (of) His followers unfolds its fullest potentialities.
Securely abiding (and) confidently battling within (the) impregnable structure (which) that Will has divinely established, (the) dwellers (in the) ark (of the) divine Covenant (the) world over watch with awe, pride and delight (the) evidences (of the) mounting momentum (of the) eternal process (of) integration (and) disintegration hurrying (the) Faith along (its) predestined course. (The) cornerstone (of the)
National Administrative Headquarters(of the) Egyptian Bahá'í community (has been) ceremoniously laid. (The) first officially recognized Bahá'í cemetery (is) ready (to) receive (the) precious remains (of the) illustrious Abu'1-Fadi (and the) immortal Lua. (The) Haziratu'1-Quds (in) BaghdAd (has been) extended (and is) nearing completion. (The) property dedicated (as) first Administrative Center (of the) Syrian Bahá'ís (has been) purchased.
(A) group (of) f am-ilies (of) Persian believers, Muslim, Jewish, Zoroastrian (in) origin, afire (with the) a-ample set (by) American pioneers, (are) settling (the) adjoining territories (of) Hej az, Yemen, Afghanistan,
Baluchistan (and) BahreinIsland. (The) spiritual competition galvanizing (the) organized followers (of) Bahá'u'lláh (in) East (and) 'West waxes keener as first Bahá'í century speeds to (its) close. With bowed head, exultant spirit (and) thankful heart I acclaim these recurrent, increasingly compelling manifestations (of the) solidarity, loyalty (and) unquenchable spirit animating, throughout five continents, (the) corn
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munity (of the) followers (of the) Most Great name.
November 22, 1941.The entry of the United States of America into the war invests it with the character of a truly world-embracing crisis, designed to release world-shaking, world-shaping forces, which, as they operate, and mount in intensity, will throw down the barriers that hinder the emergence of that world community which the World Religion of Bahá'u'lláh has anticipated and can alone permanently establish. It marks a milestone on the road which must lead the peoples of the North American continent to the glorious destiny that awaits them.
It confronts the American Bahá'í community, already so well advanced in the prosecution of their Seven Year Plan, with a challenge at once severe and inescapable.
The exterior ornamentation of their consecrated Edifice has been providentially expedited to a point where its completion is now assured. The intercontinental and national teaching campaigns, that constitute the second and even more vital aspect of that plan, though progressing magnificently in the States, in Canada and throughout Latin America, are still far from having attained their consummation.
The obstacles which the extension of the war to the Western Hemisphere has raised are, I am well aware, manifold and formidable.
The heroic self-sacrifice exhibited by the North American Bahá'í community will, I am confident, surmount them. The Hand of Omnipotence, which has kd so mighty a member of the human race to plunge into the turmoil of world disaster, that has provided thereby the means for the effective and decisive participation of so promising a nation in the immediate trials and the future reconstruction of human society, will not and cannot allow those who are directly, consciously and worthily promoting the highest interests of their nation and of the world, to fall short of the accomplishment of their God-given task.
He will, more than ever before in their history, pour out His blessings upon them, if they refuse to allow the present circumstances, grievous though they are, to interfere with the full and uninterrupted execution of this initial undertaking in pursuance of their world mission. The coming two years must witness, fraught as they may well be with the greatest ordeal afflicting their countrymen, a manifestation of spiritual vitality and an output of heroic action, commensurate with the gravity and afflictions of the present hour, and worthy of the concluding years of the first Bahá'í century.
January 15, 1942.I (am) prompted (to) direct special attention (to the) Bib's clarion call addressed (to the) people (of the) West (to) issue forth (from their) cities (and) aid (the) Cause; (to) Bahá'u'lláh's subsequent, specific (and) unique summons (to) all (the) Presidents (of the) Republics (in the) New World, (and to) 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í still more specific formulation (of the) Plan entrusted (to the) North American continent.
(I am) impelled (to) urge all believers (to) give henceforth (their) urgent, sustained, primary consideration (at) all Assembly meetings, Summer School sessions, Convention deliberations, Nineteen Day Feasts,
Regional Conferences(and) Teaching gatherings (to the) speedy accomplishment (of the) specific teaching tasks (in the) North American
States (and) Provinces(The) seventh year (of the) first Bahá'í Century witnessed (the) termination (of the) last of three successive upheavals involving (the) sacrifice (of the) lives (of the) majority (of the) dawn-breakers (of the) Heroic Age. Can sacrifice (of) home, possessions, comfort (and) security by their descendants, (the) champion builders (of the) Formative Age, be deemed too great for (the) sake (of the) Plan associated (with the) lgst seven years (of the) same Century, and whose unqualified success can alone befittingly crown it?
February 9, 1942.(My) overburdened mind relieved, (my) saddened heart comforted, (by) American BaN'i Community's high resolve (and by) National Assembly's dual decision (to) consummate exterior ornamentation (and) authorize construction (of) steps (of)
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. Undismayedness (of) unfinished tasks, undaunted (by) physical obstacles raised (by) world-en-circling conflict, fortified (by) consciousness (of) past victories, spurred on (by) urgency (and) solemnity (of the) hour, undeflected (by) machinations (and) faithlessness (of the) breakers (of) Bahá'u'lláh's (and) 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Covenants, American believers must unanimously pledge themselves (to) subordinate every activity, canalize every resource, exert every ounce (of) effort (to) insure befitting discharge (of their) supreme one responsibility (to) carry (the) light (of the) Faith (and) cast (the) anchor (of the) administrative order (in) every Canadian province, every North American state, every republic (of) Latin
America. (The) Concourseon high applaud, bless (and) envy (the) mission fallen (to the) lot (of) such stalwart champions laboring so ably, (so) valiantly, for so mighty (a) Cause, under such tragic circumstances, in so promising (a) field, at so significant (a) period (in) Bahá'í history.
March 14, 1942.Last phase (of) Seven Year Plan so auspiciously begun, so vigorously prosecuted, (is) opening.
(The) first Bahá'í Century (is) fast running out. (The) agonies (of a) travailing age (are) culminating.
(The) Báb's stirring, unique injunction, directing (the) peoples (of the) West (to) leave their cities (to) insure (the) triumph (of the) Divine Cause (was) recorded (a) century age (in the) Qayyi~tmu'1-Asm&'.
11aM'-u'LUh's significant summons calling upon all (the) Presidents (of the) Republics (of the) western hemisphere (to) champion (the) Cause (of) Justice (was) issued seventy years ago (in) His Most Holy Book. (The) broad outlines (of) 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í matchless design, conceived twenty-five years ago (for the) benefit (of the) North American believers, (was) transmitted (to) posterity (in the) Tablets (of the) Divine Plan.
(The) Seven Year Enterprise, regarded (as the) initial stage (in the) execution (of a) World Mission, (has been) already launched.
(The) gigantic Templeundertaking, constituting (the) major obligation (of) this enterprise, (has been) virtually consummated. (The) vast
Intercontinental TeachingCampaign (is) visibly yielding first fruits (in) every Republic (of) Latin America. Upon (the) crucial year ahead hinge (the) fortunes (of this) historic crusade. From Alaska to Chile, (the) Americas (are) astir (with the) leavening influences (of the) rising Order (of the) newborn Revelation.
(The) great Republic(of the) West (is) inescapably swept (into the) swelling tide (of the) world tribulations, presaging (the) assumption (of a) preponderating share (in the) establishment (of the) anticipated Lesser Peace. Invisible hosts (are) marshalled, eager (to) rush forth (and) crown every effort, however humble, however belated, exerted (to) speed (the) unfinished tasks. Again (I) renew plea (for) closer communion (with the) Spirit (of) Bahá'u'lláh, (for) more passionate resolve, (for) more abundant flow (of) material resources, (and for) wider dispersion, in � tenser concentration, by (a) still greater number (of) pioneers, settlers (and) itinerant teachers (to) insure for (the) Plan (a) termination comntensuratc (with and) wondrous as (the) exploits marking (the) opening decade (of) first Bahá'í Century. Myself deprived (of) personal participation (in the) task allotted (to the) prosecutors (of the) epochmaking Plan, (I am) impelled (to) deputize five members (of the) American Bahá'í community (to) help fulfill (in) my behalf whatsoever pioneer lieU (is) most vital (to) its urgent requirements. Pledging five thousand dollars (for) accomplishment (of) this purpose.
April 26, 1942.Viewed in the perspective of Bahá'í history, the Seven Year Plan, associated with the closing years of the First Bahá'í Century, will come to be regarded as the mightiest instrument yet forged, designed to enable the trustees of a firmly established, steadily evolving Administrative Order to complete the initial stage in the prosecution of the world mission confidently entrusted by the Center of the Covenant to His chosen disciples.
The Divine Plan, thus set in operation, may be said to have derived its inspiration from, and been dimly foreshadowed in, the injunction so significantly addressed by
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Bahá'u'lláh to the Chief Magistrates of the American continent. It was prompted by the contact established by 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself, in the course of His historic journey, with the entire body of His followers throughout the
United States and Canada. Itwas conceived, soon after that contact was established, in the midst of what was then held to be one of the most devastating crises in human history. It underwent a period of incubation, after His ascension, while the machinery of a divinely appointed Administrative Order was king laboriously devised and its processes set in motion. Its initial operations were providentially made to synchronize with the final years of a century that witnessed the birth and rise of a Faith of which it is the direct consequence. The opening stage in its execution has been faced by, and will survive, the severe challenge of a crisis of still greater magnitude than that which baptized its birth. The conclusion of the first phase of its tremendous and irresistible unfoldment is now approaching.
The hopes and aspirations of a multitude of believers, in both the East and West, young and old, whether free or suppressed, hang on its triumphant consummation.
The temple itself, that fair incarnation of the soul of an unconquerable Faith, and the first fruit of the Plan now set in motion, stands in its silent beauty, ready to reinforce the strenuous endeavors of its prosecutors. Towering in grandeur and resplendent in its majesty it calls aloud incessantly for a greater, a far greater number of pioneers who, both at home and in foreign fields, will scatter to sow the Divine seeds and gather the harvest into its gates. The Author of the Plan Himself, looking down from His retreats above, and surveying the prodigious labors of His defeatless disciples, voices, with even greater insistence, the same call. The time in which to respond to it is relentlessly shortening.
Let men of action seize their chance ere the swiftly passing days place it irretrievably beyond their reach.
May 26, 1942.(My) heart (is) aglow (with) pride (and) gratitude (for the) formation (of) ten Assemblies (in) Latin-America (and) establishment (of) fourteen additional Assemblies semblies (in the) United
States (and) Canada. Howevermuchelated (I) refuse (to) believe (that the) stouthearted, farsighted, sternly-resolved American Bahá'í community will be willing (to) rest, at so critical (a) juncture, (on the) laurels toilsomely, deservedly won. Spurred (by) newly achieved victories, roused (by) sight (of) progressive restriction (in) teaching field (in) Eastern Hemisphere, galvanized (by) ceaseless assaults (of) deluded adversaries, (the) dauntless defenders (of) Bahá'í � u'11&h's (and) 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í indestructible Covenants (in the) New World must, will arise (to) insure further deployment (of) forces (on the) pioneer front extending (the) length (and) breadth (of the) Americas. Immediate unprecedented multiplication (of) pioneers (is) imperative. Extension (of) facilities (for) further encouragement by all administrative agencies (is) urgently required.
Nothing short (of) prompt, wide, systematic, sustained dispersion can properly safeguard (the) fruits (of) past labors (and) sacrifices, can compensate (for the) disabilities afflicting (the) incapacitated communities (of) other Continents, can adequately fulfill (the) purpose for which entire administrative machinery (was) painstakingly fashioned, can conclusively confound machinations (of) contemptible enemies, can substantially reinforce impetus already imparted (to) pioneer activities (of) Oriental believers, can sufficiently empower (the) American Baha (to) discharge (their) paramount obligation (to) contribute (to) fulfillment (of) America's spiritual destiny, or can precipitate (the) flow (of) spiritual energies enabling (the) soul (of the) community and individuals comprising it (to) draw nigh (to), imbibe (the) Spirit (of) Bahá'u'lláh, prove worthy (of the) untold blessings (of) 'Abdu'l-Bahá, (and) hand down unimpaired (to) future generations (the) torch transmitted (to) them (by their) heroic spiritual predecessors (of) Persia. (I am) eagerly, prayerfully awaiting still more compelling manifestations (of the) invincible valor (of the) executors (of the) Divine Mandate now approaching (a) f ate-ful milestone (in) Bahá'í history.
July 14, 1942.I am thrilled with admiration as I contemplate, at this advanced stage in the unfoldment of the Seven Year Plan, the vastness of the field already covered by the pioneer activities of its stalwart and valiant prosecutors.
The heights of heroic self-sac-rifice to which they have attained, the depths of faith and devotion they have plumbed in the course of their ceaseless exertions are no less noteworthy than the immensity of the task they have already performed. An effort so prodigious, a mission so sublime, a solidarity so truly remarkable, an achievement, which in its scope and quality, stands unparalleled in American Bahá'í history, provide a befitting climax to the century old record of magnificent accomplishments associated with the rise and progress of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Such a glorious century, so unique in the annals of mankind's spiritual history, is, however, not yet completed. The gigantic enterprises which the American believers are pledged to consummate are as yet but partially concluded. The remaining two years must witness an intensification of Bahá'í activity throughout the entire 'Western Hemisphere on such a scale as to eclipse the splendor of all past achievements, and worthily crown this initial phase in the progressive evolution of the Divine Plan. An unprecedented mutipli-cation in the number of pioneer teachers and settlers; an unexampled flow of material resources for their maintenance and the extension of their labors; a still wider dissemination of Bahá'í literature, to aid and support them in their presentation of the Faith to Latin American peoples; an immediate increase in the number of groups and Assemblies in the States and Provinces of North America; an increased awareness on the part of all believers, whether in the North or in the South, whether newly enrolled or of old standing in the Faith, that every one of them shares, vitally and directly and without any exception, in the responsibility for the successful prosecution of the Plan; a still firmer resolution not to allow a world-convulsing conflict, with its attendant miseries, perils, dislocations, and anxieties, to deflect them from their course or distract their attention; these are the crying needs of this critical, this challeng ing, this swiftly passing hour; to exploit its possibilities, to meet its challenge, to grasp its implications, is the manifest, the inescapable, and urgent duty of every member of the Bahá'í communities now laboring so assiduously in the 'Western Hemisphere. May the cumulative effect of their concentrated and sustained labors shed further lustre on the concluding years of this, the first century of the Bahá'í Era.
August 15, 1942.(is) perilously hanging (in the) balance. (This) pivotal year, born amidst high hopes (of) unprecedented upsurge (of the) unbreakable spirit (of the) American Bahá'í community, (is) already half spent. Obstacles, engendered by steadily-deepening, world-convuls-ing conflict, (are) hourly increasing.
(I am) moved (to) plead afresh (for) immediate multiplication (of) pioneers in teaching field, North, South, (on a) scale far surpassing anything hitherto contemplated. (The) present tempo (of) teaching activities (is) clearly insufficient (to) insure definite, all-embracing victory.
(I am) impelled by extreme gravity (of this) swiftly-passing hour (to) address (an) appeal (to) individuals, groups (and) Assemblies, (to) embrace (an) irrevocable resolution, gird themselves (for) superhuman effort, and deputize pioneers (at) whatever cost, however inadequate (their) qualifications, for immediate settlement (of) areas needing assistance.
Strictest economy (in) all administrative departments henceforth imperative.
Still more abundant flow (of) resources (to the) National Fund, involving still nobler self-sacrifice, (is) demanded. Definite removal (of) every restriction, (the) extension (of) every facility, (for) encouragement (of) prospective settlers, (is) urged. (The) adversaries (of the) Faith (are) jealously vigilant. (The) sister communities (are) watching (in) anxious suspense (to) behold befitting consummation (of) America's epochmaking achievements.
Swift action, boldly conceived, unanimously supported, systematically conducted, can alone retrieve present situation. (The) time (is) too short, conditions too critical, need too great, opportunity too
Page 329precious, issues at stake too momentous, to justify slightest complacency, allow least relaxation (in the) stupendous exertions required (to) seal (the) triumph (of the) greatest collective enterprise launched during (the) fifty years (of) American Bahá'í history. Prayerfully, longingly awaiting decisive answer, at this late hour, (to my) supremely urgent call.
Qctuber 3, 1942.Acclaim with grateful heart, on twenty-first Anniversary of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Ascension, the glorious emergence of the firmly-welded, incorruptibleAmerican Bahá'í community from severest crisis since His passing with the blindness of the breakers of Bahá'u'lláh's and 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Covenants has, amidst His kindred, and in the City of the Covenant, recently tragically precipitated. Posterity will unhesitatingly recognize so spontaneous, shining, stirring demonstration of fidelity rendered alike to the Lord of the Covenant and to its Center as a victory more enduring, more momentous, than any triumphs, however notable, which the standard-bearers of the Administrative Order, the champion builders of the Temple, the stalwart executors of the Divine Plan have achieved or may yet achieve in the closing years of the expiring
First Bahá'í Century. Nursedsince birth in the lap of the unfailing solicitude of the Center of the Covenant, torchbearer of the Divine Order recognized as child of that Covenant, vanguard of that host destined to diffuse the Light of that same Covenant over the face of the entire globe, American Bahá'í Community is now assuming rightful place at the forefront of the worldwide, loyal, unbreachable spiritual army of Bahá'u'lláh preparing, both in the East and West, to launch still greater campaigns, scale loftier heights, at the dawning of the
Second Bahá'í Century.Heart aglow with pride, love, gratitude for superb achievement of completion of exterior of the House of Worship, Mother Temple of the West. Bahá'u'lláh's high behest, enshrined in His Most Holy Book, has been brilliantly executed.
The thirtyfive year old enterprise, initiated on same day that the B&b's sacred remains were transferred to Mount Carmel, has been triumphantly consummated.
The unique Edifice, singled out for consecration by the hands of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, has been nobly reared.
The Greatest Holy Leaf'sThe Concourse on high is jubilant. Myself bow head in joyous, reverent recognition of prodigious accomplishment which deserves to rank among the outstanding enterprises launched in the Heroic Age and the most signal victory won since the inception of the Formative Period of the
Bahá'í Dispensation.The recent response of the American friends to my appeal for pioneers to go forth and settle in virgin territories and places where the need is greatest has raised a load from my heart, and mightily reinforced the hopes and expectations which their past achievements have aroused within me.
We stand at the threshold of the last year of the first Bahá'í century.
The unfinished tasks, however much they have been reduced, are still formidable.
The Temple is as yet unfinished.The initiation of a nationwide publicity campaign, intelligently directed and energetically pursued, utilizing to the full the advantages gained in recent years in so many fields of Bahá'í activity still remains to be undertaken.
Measures for a befitting celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Faith must be carefully considered and duly executed. The aims and purposes of our beloved Cause, the achievements of its heroes, martyrs, teachers, pioneers and administrators, the unity of its followers, the character of the institutions they have reared, should, one and all, be ably presented, widely broadcast, carefully explained in publications, through the radio and the press.
There is no time to lose.A great responsibility rests on the elected representatives of the most envied community in the Bahá'í world, whose advantages are unique, whose capacities are incomparable, whose vision, courage, tenacity, resolution and loyalty are exemplary; which has amply demonstrated its worthiness to be the recipi
Page 330ents of the countless favors showered upon it by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and of the specific bounty conferred upon the rulers and presidents of the continent of which it is a part by no one less than Bahá'u'lláh Himself, in His Most Holy Book.
To His "Apostles," as testified by the Center of His Covenant, I direct my fervent plea that they establish, beyond the shadow of a doubt, in these cluding months of the first Bahá'í century, their indisputable right to be designated by so exalted a title, and vindicate their ability to execute the mission with which that title has invested them.
January 8, 1943.Overjoyed at the multiplying evidences of the extraordinary progress of the manifold activities of the consecrated American Bahá'í Community. Please, afresh, on eve of the last remaining year of the first Baha Century strain every nerve and concentrate all resources to insure further immediate increase in the number of pioneer settlers in the virgin areas. Call is urgent, hour crucial, golden opportunities slipping away. No sacrifice too great to achieve the consummation of the hopes embodied in the Seven Year Plan. I direct my special appeal to the large, flourishing communities promptly and effectually to cast their weight in the scales to stimulate the dispersion vitally required to achieve the final victory. I am praying the watchful Master to speed the valiant stewards of the Covenant along the path leading to the shining goal.
March 15, 1943.The completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Wil-mete, the most hallowed Temple ever to be erected by the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, and the crowning glory of the first Bahá'í century, is an event of unique and transcendental significance.
Neither the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the Bahá'í world, reared in the city of 'Ishqabad, nor any House of Worship to be raised in succeeding centuries, can dlaim to possess the vast, the immeasurable potentialities with which this Mother Temple of the West, established in the very heart of so enviable a continent, and whose founda-tionstone has been laid by the hand of the Center of the Covenant Himself, has been endowed. Conceived forty years ago by that little band of farsighted and resolute disciples of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, members of the first Baha community established in the Western Hemisphere; blessed and fostered by a vigilant Master Who directed its course from the hour of its inception to the last days of His life; supported by the spontaneous contributions of Bahá'ís poured in from the five continents of the globe, this noble, this mighty, this magnificent enterprise deserves to rank among the immortal epics, that have adorned the annals of the Apostolic Age of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
The debt of gratitude owed by the entire Bahá'í wodd to its champion-builders is indeed immeasurable.
The admiration which this brilliant exploit has evoked in the breasts of countless followers of the Faith in East and West knows no bounds. The creative energies its completion must unleash are incalculable. The role it is destined to play in hastening the emergence of the world order of Bahá'u'lláh, now stirring in the womb of this travailing age, cannot as yet be fathomed.
We stand too close to so majestic, so lofty, so radiant, so symbolic a monument raised so heroically to the glory of the Most Great Name, at so critical a stage in human history, and at so significant a spot in a continent so richly endowed, to be able to visualize the future glories which the consummation of this institution, this harbinger of an as yet unborn civilization, must in the fulness of time disclose to the eyes of all mankind.
That so laborious, so meritorious an undertaking has been completed a year before its appointed time is a further cause for rejoicing and gratitude, and an added testimony to the vision, the resourcefulness, and enterprising spirit of the American believers.
No need, however, to dwell at length on their past achievements, remarkable and exemplary though they have been, nor is this the time to expatiate on the superb spirit that has characterized their stewardship in the service of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh. Tasks of extreme urgency, of great magnitude, of the utmost significance await them in this concluding year of the first Baha century, and at this hour of great peril, of stress and trial for all mankind. The sacred � the pressing, the inescapable teaching responsibilities
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assumed under the Seven Year Plan must be resolutely faced as befits those whose record has shed so brilliant a light on the annals of the first Bahá'í century. The consolidation of each and every nucleus formed so painstakingly in every Republic of Central and South America, the formation of a Bahá'í Assembly in every virgin State and Province in the North American Continent, call for undivided attention, for further heroism, for a concerted, a persistent, a herculean effort on the part of the stalwart builders of that bounteous Edifice which posterity will recognize as the greatest shrine in the Western world.
Nor must the elaborate preparations in connection with the forthcoming celebration of the centenary of our glorious Faith be overlooked or neglected, if we would befittingly consummate this first, this most fecund, century of the Bahá'í era. An unprecedented, a carefully conceived, efficiently co-ordinatenzl, nationwide campaign, aiming at the proclamation of the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, through speeches, articles in the press, and radio broadcasts, should be promptly initiated and vigorously prosecuted.
The universality of the Faith, its aims and purposes, episodes in its dramatic history, testimonials to its transforming power, and the character and distinguishing features of its World Order should be emphasized and explained to the general public, and particularly to eminent friends and leaders sympathetic to its cause, who should be approached and invited to participate in the celebrations. Lectures, conferences, banquets, special publications should, to whatever extent is practicable and according to the resources at the disposal of the believers, proclaim the character of this joyous Festival. An all-America Convention, at which representatives of Bahá'í centers in every Republic in Central and South America will be invited to participate, and to which, for the first time, all isolated believers, all groups, and all communities already possessing local Spiritual Assemblies will have the right to appoint delegates and to share in the election of the National Spiritual Assembly, will, moreover, have to be held to commemorate this epochmaking event.
A dedication ceremony, in consonance with the solemnity of the occa sion, and held beneath the dome of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, on the very day and at the very hour of the flAb's historic Declaration, followed by a public session, consecrated to the memory of both the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá should constitute the leading features of this historic Convention.
For it should be borne in mind that in the year 1944 we celebrate not only the termination of the first century of the Bahá'í Era, but also the centenary of the birth of the Bahá'í Dispensation, of the inception of the Bahá'í cycle, and of the birth of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and commemorate as well the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Bahá'í Faith in the Western world.
No effort, nor any sacrifice can be deemed too great to insure the decisive, the brilliant success of the celebrations which this historic year, of such manifold significance, must witness. He 'Who in the past, has in diverse ways and on so many occasions, graciously and unfailingly guided, blessed and sustained the members of this privileged community will, no doubt, continue to aid and inspire them to carry to a victorious conclusion the unfinished tasks which still confront them, and will enable them to crown their labors in a manner that will befit their high destiny. March 28, 1943.
I desire to announce to the elected representatives of the valiant, blessed, triumphant American Bahá'í Community assembled beneath the dome of the recently completed Mother Temple of the West on the occasion of the Convention inaugurating the hundredth year of the first Bahá'í Century, the momentous decision to convene, in May, 1944, an All-America Centennial Convention comprising delegates to be separately elected by each State and Province in the North American continent, and to which every Republic of Latin America may send one representative. All groups, all isolated believers, as well as all local communities already possessing Assemblies, will henceforth share in the election of Convention delegates. The multiplication of Bahá'í Centers and the remarkable increase in the number of groups and isolated believers, prompt my decision. The historic occasion of next year's festivities, commem
Page 332orating alike the Hundredth Anniversary of the birth of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and the Fiftieth Anniversary of its establishment in the Western Hemisphere, and celebrating the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the first House of Worship in the Western World, imperatively demand it. Details of the project have already been mailed.
I congratulate the best-beloved American believers, I share their joy and wish them Godspeed, confident of still greater victories as they forge ahead in the course of the second Baha Century along the path leading them to their high destiny. I hope to forward, in time for the solemn thanksgiving service to be held in the auditorium of the Temple on the evening of May twenty-second, at the hour of His epochmaking Declaration, a sacred portrait of the Bib, the only copy ever sent out from the Holy Land, to be unveiled at the dedication ceremony and to repose for all time, together with Bahá'u'lláh's blessed hair, beneath the dome of the Holy Edifice within the heart of the North American continent.
April 14, 1943.Successive reports, proclaiming the American believers' brilliant feat, the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Temple, their historic exploits in the spiritual conquest of every Republic of Latin America, as well as their impending victory to be won through the establishment of the structural basis of the Bahá'í administrative order in the virgin States and Provinces of North America, are thrilling the Eastern communities of the Bahá'í world with delight, with admiration and with wonder.
Ninety-five Persian families, emulating the example of the American trailblazers of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, have recently for-spken their homes and followed in the footsteps of pioneers already departed from Persia yesterday evening to hoist its banner in the adjoining territories of Afghanistan, BalCchistAn
Sulamaniyyih, Hij~izLocal Assemblies have been founded in Kashmir Valley in the extreme north and in Madras Presidency in the extreme south, as well as in Haydarabad, the leading stronghold of Muslim orthodoxy in
India.A similar institution is in process of establishment in India's capital city, Delhi. A Guest House, adjunct to the newly built
Administrative HeadquartersBahá'í communities of East and West arc arising in the fourth year of the devastating conilict in the full strength of their undisruptible solidarity, resolved to write, through immortal deeds, further glorious pages in the last Chapter of the first Bahá'í Century.
I appeal to the standard-bearers of Bahá'u'lláh's ever-advancing army to safeguard the spiritual prizes already won and maintain every outpost of the Faith established in the southern hemisphere. I entreat them to exert still more magnificent efforts to discharge befittingly the one remaining responsibility in the North American continent.
I am praying for the achievement of a resounding total victory in all the Americas, thereby sealing the triumph of the first stage in the Divine Plan for whose execution the entire machinery of the Administrative Order was for no less than sixteen years patiently and laboriously erected.
May 27, 1943.The latest evidences of the magnificent success that has marked the activities of the members of the American Bahá'í community have been such as to excite the brightest hopes for the victorious consummation of the collective undertaking they have so courageously launched and have so vigorously prosecuted in recent years. As the first Bahá'í Century approaches its end, the magnitude and quality of their achievements acquire added significance and shed increasing luster on its annals. The proceedings of the recently held annual Convention; the formation of twenty-eight Assemblies in the course of the year that has just elapsed; the splendid progress achieved in the Latin-American field of Bahá'í activity; the superb spirit evinced by the pioneers holding their lonely posts in widely scattered areas throughout the Americas;
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the exemplary attitude shown by the entire body of the faithful towards the machinations of those who have so sedulously striven to disrupt the Faith and pervert its purpose � these have, to a marked degree, intensified the admiration of the Bahá'í communities for those who are contributing so outstanding a share to the enlargement of the limits, and the enhancement of the prestige, of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
The preparations which the American believers are undertaking for the celebration of the Centenary of the Faith must be such as to crown with immortal glory the fifty-year long record of their stewardship in the service of that Faith.
Such a celebration must, in its scope and magnificence, fully compensate for the disabilities which hinder so many Bahá'í communities in Europe and elsewhere, and even in Bahá'u'lláh's native land, from paying a befitting tribute to their beloved Faith at so glorious an hour in its history. The few remaining months of this century must witness a concentration of effort, a scale of achievement, a spirit of heroism that will outshine even the most daring exploits that have already immortalized the Seven Year Plan and covered with glory its valiant prosecutors. The plea I addressed to them, at this late hour, will, I am sure, meet with a response no less remarkable than their past reactions to the appeals I have felt impelled to make to them ever since the inception of the Plan. He Who, at every stage of their collective enterprise, has so abundantly blessed them, will, no doubt, continue to vouchsafe the blessings until the seal of unqualified victory is set upon their epochmaking task.
August 8, 1943.My heart is overflowing with joyous gratitude at the magnificent advance made in numerous spheres of Bahá'í activity. The formation of an Assembly in the few remaining areas of the North American continent, the consolidation of the foundations of the newly-established Assemblies, and the preservation of the status of the BaJA'i centers in all Republics of Latin America, imperatively demand vigilant care, concentrated attention and further self-sacrifice from the vanguard of the valiant army of B a h ~'u'1Uh. The beloved Faith is surging forward on all fronts. Its undefeatable, stalwart supporters, both teachers and administrators, are steeling themselves for noble tasks, braving acute dangers, sweeping away formidable obstacles, capturing new heights, founding mighty institutions, winning fresh recruits and confounding the schemes of insidious enemies. The American Bahá'í community must, and will at whatever cost, despite the pressure of events and the desolating war, maintain among its sister communities the exalted standard of stewardship incontestably set during the concluding years of the first Bahá'í Century. The confident spirit, unfaltering resolution animating its members, their tenacious valor, elevated loyalty, nobleness of spirit and mighty prowess, will, ere the expiry of the century, crown with complete victory the monumental enterprises undertaken during the course of the fifty years of its existence.
October 5, 1943.The vigorous action promptly taken by your Assembly to insure the success of the forthcoming Centenary Celebration is highly commendable, and provides a fresh demonstration of the magnificent response made by the American believers to every call demanding renewed exertion on their part in the service of the
Cause of Bahá'u'lláh.The progress recently achieved in building up Spiritual Assemblies in the virgin areas of the North American continent has been truly remarkable.
To consummate so vast an enterprise, however, a still more compelling display of the vitality of the spirit animating the American Bahá'í community is required, a still greater concentration of effort is needed, an even more stirring evidence of the daring boldness of its members is imperative.
'Whoever will arise, in these concluding, fast-fleeting months of the last year of the first Bahá'í Century, to fill the remaining posts, and thereby set the seal of total victory on a Plan so pregnant with promise, will earn the lasting gratitude of the present generation of believers in both the East and the 'West, will merit the acclaim of posterity, will be vouchsafed the special benediction of the Concourse on High, and be made the
Page 334recipient of the imperishable bounties of Him Who is the Divine Author of the Plan itself. Whoever will rush forth, at this eleventh hour, and cast his weight into the scales, and contribute his decisive share to so gigantic, so sacred and historic an undertaking, will have not oniy helped seal the triumph of the Plan itself but will also have notably participated in the fulfilment of what may be regarded as the crowning act of an entire century. The opportunity that presents itself at this crucial hour is precious beyond expression. The blessings destined to flow from a victory so near at hand are rich beyond example. One final surge of that indomitable spirit that has carried the American Bahá'í community to such heights is all that is required, as the first Bahá'í Century speeds to a close, to release the flow of those blessings that must signalize the termination of the first, and usher in the dawn of the second, Bahá'í Century.
No-vtmber 16, 1943.The auspicious year destined to witness the Centenary of the Birth of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is brilliantly opening. The last year of the first Bahá'í Century is more than half spent.
The tempo of organized, concerted activities of the members of the worldwide Bahá'í community is correspondingly accelerating. Teaching campaigns, enterprises of institutional significance, publicity measures, publication projects, and celebration plans are rapidly multiplying. Inter-community competition is steadily mounting.
The world-desolating conflict, now in its fifth year, is powerless to cloud the splendid prospect of the triumphant termination of the first, most shining century of the Bahá'í Era. TihrAn reports thirty-four Assemblies constituted, fifty-four groups reinforced, fifty-eight new centers established. Messages from Delhi indicate that Bahá'ís have established residence in over sixty localities in India and eighteen Assemblies are already functioning. To the National Bahá'í Headquarters previously founded in Tihnin, Wilmette and BaghdAd, are now added similar centers in Cairo, Delhi and Sydney, officially registered in the names of their respective National Assemblies, and representing an addition to Bahá'í national endowments amounting to approximately eighteen thousand pounds. The Bahá'í international endowments have been further enriched by a recent acquisition on Mount Carmel in the vicinity of the BTh's Shrine transferred to the name of the Palestine Branch of the American National Assembly. Twenty-five acres of land situated in the Jordan valley have just been dedicated to the
Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh. Therecent acquisition of land adjacent to the site of the projected Tilirin Temple raises the holding to over three and a half million square meters. The Seven Year Plan, providing the chief impulse to the extraordinary expansion of these magnificent activities, must, during the remaining five months, as befitting thanksgiving act for continued outpouring of God's unfailing grace, surge ahead to dazzling victory surpassing our highest expectations.
The prosecution of the Plan, whose scope transcends every other enterprise launched by Bahá'í communities throughout the whole century, must, ere the hundred years run out, culminate in one last, supreme effort whose repercussions will resound throughout the Bahá'í world.
January 4, 1944.The one remaining and indeed the most challenging task confronting the American Bahá'í Community has at long last been brilliantly accomplished.
The structural basis of the Administrative Order of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh has, through this superb victory, and on the very eve of the worldwide celebrations of the Centenary of His Faith, been firmly laid by the champion-builders of His World Order in every state of the Great Republic of the West and in every Province of the
Dominion of Canada. Ineach of the Republics of Central and South America, moreover, the banner of
His undefeatable Faithhas been implanted by the members of that same community, while in no less than thirteen
Republics of Latin Americaas well as in two Dependencies in the 'West Indies, Spiritual Assemblies have been established and are already functioning � a feat that has outstripped the goal originally fixed, for the valiant members of that
Page 335THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 335
Community in their intercontinental sphere of Bahá'í activity.
The exterior ornamentation of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the West � the culmination of a forty year old enterprise repeatedly blessed and continually nurtured by 'Abdu'l-Bahá has, furthermore, through a remarkable manifestation of the Tint of Bahá'í solidarity and self-sacrifice so powerfully animating the members of that stalwart community, been successfully completed, more than a year in advance of the time set for its termination.
The triple task undertaken with such courage, confidence, zeal and determination � a task which ever since the inception of the Seven Year Plan has challenged and galvanized into action the entire body of the American believers and for the efficient prosecution of which processes of a divinely appointed Administrative Order had, during no icss than sixteen years, been steadily evolving � is now finally accomplished and crowned with total victory.
The greatest collective enterprise ever launched by the Western followers of Ba � hA'u'llAh and indeed ever undertaken by any Bahá'í community in the course of an entire century, has been gloriously consummated. A victory of undying fame has marked the culmination of the fifty year long labors of the American Bahá'í community in the service of Bahá'u'lláh and has shed imperishable lustre on the immortal records of His Faith during the first hundred years of its existence.
The exploits that have marked the progress of this prodigious, this threefold enterprise, covering a field stretching from Alaska in the North to the extremity of Chile in the South, affecting the destinies of so great a variety of peoples and nations, involving such a tremendous expenditure of treasure and effort, calling forth so remarkable a spirit of heroism and self-sacri-fice, and undertaken notwithstanding the vicious assaults and incessant machinations of the breakers of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Covenant, and despite the perils, the trials and restric-dons of a desolating war of unexampled severity, augur well for the successful prosecution, and indeed assure the ultimate victory, of the remaining stages of the Plan conceived, a quarter of a century ago, by 'Abdu'l-Bahá for the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in the North American continent.
To the band of pioneers, whether settlers or itinerant teachers, who have forsaken their homes, who have scattered far and wide, who have willingly sacrificed their comfort, their health and even their lives for the prosecution of this Plan; to the several committees and their auxiliary agencies that have been entrusted with special and direct responsibility for its efficient and orderly development and who have discharged their high responsibilities with exemplary vigor, courage and fidelity; to the national representatives of the community itself, who have vigilantly and tirelessly supervised, directed and coordinated the unfolding processes of this vast undertaking ever since its inception; to all those who, though not in the forefront of battle, have through their financial assistance and through the instrumentality of their deputies, contributed to the expansion and consolidation of the Plan, I myself, as well as the entire Bahá'í world, owe a debt of gratitude that no one can measure or describe.
To the sacrifices they have made, to the courage they have so consistently shown, to the fidelity they have so remarkably displayed, to the resourcefulness, the discipline, the constancy and devotion they have so abundantly demonstrated future generations viewing the magnitude of their labors in their proper perspective, will no doubt pay adequate tribute � a tribute no less ardent and well-deserved than the recognition extended by the presentday builders of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh to the Dawn-Breakers, whose shining deeds have signalized the birth of the Heroic
Age of His Faith.To the elected representatives of all the Bahá'í communities of the New World, assembled beneath the Dome of the Mother Temple of the West, on the occasion of the historic, first All-America Bahá'í
Convention � a Conventionat which every state and province in the North American continent is represented, in which the representatives of every Republic of Latin America have been invited to participate, whose delegates have been elected, for the first time in~ American Bahá'í history, by all local communities already possessing Assemblies,
Page 336by all groups and isolated believers throughout the United States and Canada, and whose proceedings will be forever associated with the celebration of the Centenary of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Bahá'í Faith in the Western Hemisphere, and of the completion of the exterior ornamentation of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the 'West to all the privileged attendants of such an epochmaking Convention, I, on my own behalf, as well as in the name of all Bahá'í Communities sharing with them, at this great turning point in the history of our Faith, the joys and triumphs of this solemn hour, feel moved to convey the expression of our loving admiration, our joy and our gratitude for the brilliant conclusion of what posterity will no doubt acclaim as one of the most stirring episodes in the history of the Formative Age of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, as well as one of the most momentous enterprises undertaken during the entire course of the first Century of the Bahá'í
Era.Cf And now as I look 'into the future, I hope to see the friends at all times, in every land, and of every shade of thought and character, voluntarily and joyously rallying round their local and in particular their national centers of activity, upholding and promoting their interests with complete unanimity and contentment, with perfect understanding, genuine enthusiasm, and sustained vigor. This indeed is the one joy and yearning of my life, for it is the fountainhead from which all future blessings will flow, the broad foundation upon which the security of the Divine Edifice must ultimately rest." �
SHoGUI EFEENDLTHE 192627 National Spiritualmethods and relationships Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bahá'í collective of the United States association. The provision and Canada completed both in the Declaration a task which, while pertaining toand in the ByLaws for the outer and more materialamend-ments in the future aspects of the Cause, will permit the National Spiritual nevertheless has a special Assembly to adapt this significance for its spiritdocument to such new administrative and inward sacred purpose. elements or principles This task consisted in as the Guardian may at creating in a legal form whichany time give forth. The gives proper substance Declaration, in fact, and substantial character is nothing more or iess to the administrative than a legal parallel processes embodied in of those moral and spiritual the Bahá'í Teachings. laws of unity inherent The form adopted was that in the fullness of the known as a Voluntary Trust,Bah6ti Revelation and making a species of corporation it the fulfillment of recognized under the commonthe ideal of Religion law and possessing a in the social as well long and interesting history.as spiritual realm. Because, The famous Covenant adoptedin the Bahá'í Faith this by the Pilgrim Fathers perfect correspondence on the Mayflower, the exists between spiritual first legal document and social laws, the in American history, is Bahá'ís believe that of the same nature as the administrative success Declaration of Trust is identical with moral voted by the National success; and that nothing Spiritual Assembly. This less than the true Bahá'í spirit Declaration of Trust, of devotion and sacrifice with its attendant By-Laws,can inspire with effective is published for the informationpower the worldwide of the Bahá'ís of the body of unity, revealed world. Careful examination by Bahá'u'lláh. Therefore of the Declaration and it has seemed fitting its ByLaws will reveal and proper to accompany the the fact that this documentDeclaration of Trust contains no arbitrary with excerpts from the elements nor features letters of Shoghi Effendi new to the Bahá'í Cause. which furnished the source On the contrary, it representswhence the provisions a most conscientious effortof the Declaration were to reflect those very drawn, and which furthermore ad-nxinistrative principlesgive due emphasis to and elements already set that essential spirit forth in the letters without which any and of the Guardian, Shoghi every social or religious Effendi, and already form is but a dead and determining the soulless body.
HORACE 1-TOLLEY.Certification of Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Page 341THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 341
DECLARATION OF TRUSTBy the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and CanadaWe, Allen B. McDaniel of Washington, D. C., Horace Halley of New York City, N. Y., Carl Scheffler of Evanston, Ill., Roy C. Wilhelm of West Englewood, N. J., Florence Morton of Worcester, Mass., Amelia Collins of Princeton, Mass., Ali-Kuli Khan of New York City, N. Y., Mountfort Mills of New York City, N. Y., and Siegfried Schop-flocher r of Montreal, QueIec, Canada, duly chosen by the representatives s of the Báb~i'is of the United States and Canada at the Annual Meeting held at San Francisco, Calif., on April 29, April 30, May i, and May 2, 1926, to be the National Spiritual Assembly y of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, with full power to establish a Trust as hereinafter set forth, hereby declare that from this date the powers, responsibilities, rights, privileges and obligations s reposed in said National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada by Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, its Interpreter and Exemplar, and by Shoghi Effendi, its Guardian, shall be exercised, administered and carried on by the above-named National Spiritual Assembly and their duly qualified d successors under this Declaration of Trust.
The National Spiritual Assembly in adopting this form of association, , union and fellowship, and in selecting for itself the designation of Trustees of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, does so as the administrative body of a religious community which has had continuous existence and responsibility for over eighteen years. In consequence of these activities the National Spiritual Assembly is called upon to administer such an ever-increasing diversity and volume of affairs and properties for the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, that we, its members, now feel it both desirable and necessary y to give our collective functions more definite legal form. This action is taken in complete unanimity and with full recognition of the sacred relationship thereby created. We acknowledge in behalf of ourselves and our successors in this Trust the exalted religious standard d established by Bahá'u'lláh for Bahá'í administrative bodies in the
Page 342utterance: "Be ye Trustees' of the Merciful One among men"; and seek the help of God and His guidance in order to fulfil that exhortation.
Article IThe name of said Trust shall be the National Spirit~sa1 Assctnhly of the Bahá'ís of th~ United States and Canada.
Article IISharing the ideals and assisting the efforts of our fellow Bahá'ís to establish, uphold and promote the spiritual, educational and huniani-tarian n teachings of human brotherhood, radiant faith, exalted character r and selfless love revealed in the lives and utterances of all the Prophets and Messengers of God, Founders of the world's revealed religions � and given renewed creative energy and universal app!ica-tion n to the conditions of this age in the life and utterances of Bahá'u'lláh h � we declare the purposes and objects of this Trust to be to administer r the affairs of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh for the benefit of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada according to the principles of Bahá'í affiliation and administration created and established by Bahá'u'lláh, defined and explained by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and amplified and applied by Shoghi Effendi and his duly constituted successor and successors under the provision of the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
.These purposes are to be realized by means of devotional meetings; ; by public meetings and conferences of an educational, humanitarian n and spiritual character; by the publication of books, magazines and newspapers; by the construction of temples of universal worship and of other institutions and edifices for humanitarian service; by supervising, unifying, promoting and generally administering the activities of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada in the fulfilment t of their religious offices, duties and ideals; and by any other means appropriate to these ends, or any of them.
Other purposes and objects of this Trust are: a. The right to enter into, make, perform and carry out contracts of every sort and kind for the furtherance of the objects of this Trust with any person, firm, association, corporation, private, public or municipal or body politic, or any state, territory or colony thereof, ot any foreign government; and in this connection, and in aU transactions under the terms of this
Page 343THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 343
Trust, to do any and all things which a copartnership or natural person could do or exercise, and which now or hereafter r may be authorized by law.
b. To hold and be named as beneficiary under any trust established d by law or otherwise or under any will or other testamentary y instrument in connection with any gift, devise, or bequest in which a trust or trusts is or are established in any part of the world as well as in the United States and Canada; to receive gifts, devises or bequests of money or other property.
c. All and whatsoever the several purposes and objects set forth in the written utterances of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi, under which certain jurisdiction, powers and rights are granted to National Spiritual Assemblies.
d. Generally to do all things and acts which in the judgment of said Trustees, i.e., the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, are necessary, proper and advantageous to promote the complete and successful administration n of this Trust.
Article IIISection x. All persons, firms, corporations and associations extending ing credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trustees, i.e., the National Spiritual Assembly, and the members thereof, of any character whatsoever, whether legal or equitable and whether arising out of contract or tort, shall look solely to the 'funds of the Trust and to the property of the Trust estate for payment or indemnity, or for the payment of any debt, damage, judgment or decree or any money that may otherwise become due or payable from the Trustees, so that neither the Trustees nor any of them, nor any of their officers or agents appointed by them hereunder, nor any beneficiary or beneficiaries ficiaries herein named shall be personally liable therefor.
Section 2. Every note, bond, proposal, obligation or contract in writing or other agreement or instrument made or given under this Trust shall be explicitly executed by the National Spiritual Assembly, as Trustees by their duly authorized officers or agents.
Article IVThe Trustees, i.e., the National Spiritual Assembly, shall adopt for the conduct of the affairs entrusted to them under this Declaration of
Page 344Trust, such bylaws) rules of procedure or regulations as are required to define and carry on its owi. administrative functions and those of the several local and other elements composing the body of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, not inconsistent with the terms of this instrument and all ~n accordance with the explicit instructions giVen us to date by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, which instructions are already known to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada and accepted by them in the government and practice e of their religious affairs.
Article VThe central office of this Trust shall be located in the City of New York, State of New York, United States of America.
Article VIThe seal of tbis Trust shall be circular in form, bearing the following description: National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Declaration of Trust, 1927.
Article VIIThis Declaration of Trust may be amended by majority vote of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada at any special meeting duly called for that purpose, provided d that at least thirty (30) days prior to the date fixed for said meeting a copy of the proposed amendment or amendments is mailed to each member of the Assembly by the Secretary.
Art. V amcnded to read located in the Village of Wilmette, Illinois, the site of the
Bahá'í House of Worship."THE WORLD ORDER or BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 345
BYLAWS OF THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLYThe National Spiritual Assembly, in the fulfilment of its sacred duties under this Trust, shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority over all the activities and affairs of the Bahá'í Cause throughout the United States and Canada, including paramount authority in the administration of this Trust. It shall endeavor to stimulate, unify and coordinate the manifold activities of the local Spiritual Assemblies (hereinafter defined) and of individual Bahá'ís in the United States and Canada and by alt possible means assist them to promote the oneness s of mankind. It shall be charged with the recognition of such local Assemblies, the scrutiny of local membership rolls, the calling of the Annual Meeting or special meetings and the seating of delegates to the Annual Meeting and their apportionment among the various local Bahá'í communities. It shall appoint all national Bab~i'i committees s and shall supervise fhe publication and distribution of Bahá'í literature, the reviewing of all writings pertaining to the Báb~'i Cause, the construction and administration of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and its accessory activities, and the collection and disbursement of all funds for the carrying on of this Trust. It shall decide whether any matter lies within its own jurisdiction or within the~ jurisdiction of any local Spiritual Assembly. It shall, in such cases as it considers suitable and necessary, entertain appeals from the decisions of local Spiritual Assemblies s and shall have the right of final decision in all cases where the qualification of an individual or group for continued voting rights and membership in the Bahá'í body is in question. It shall furthermore represent the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada in all their cooperative and spiritual activities with the Bahá'ís of other lands, and shall constitute the sole electoral body of the United States and Canada in the formation of the Universal House of Justice provided for in the Sacred Writings of the Bahá'í Cause. Above all, the National Spiritual Assembly shall ever seek tf attain that station of unity in devotion to the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh which will attract the con-firmatioris s of the Holy Spirit and enable the Assembly to serve ti~e founding of the Most Great Peace. In all its deliberation and ~ctic~t1 For amendments made to April 20, 1940, see notes at foot of pages 347, 350, 351, 352.
Page 346the National Assembly shall have constantly before it as Divine guide and standard the utterance of Bahá'u'lláh "It behooveth them (i.e., Spiritual Assemblies) to be the trusted ones of the Merciful among men and to consider themselves as the guardians appointed of God for all that dwelt on earth. It is incumbent t upon them to take counsel together and to have regard for the interests of the servants of God, for His sake, even as they regard their own interests, and to choose that which is meet and seemly."
Article IIThe Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, for whose benefit this Trust has heen established, shall consist of all persons resident in the United States and Canada who are recognized by the National Spiritual Assembly as having fulfilled the requirements of voting membership p in a local Bab~'i community. To become a voting member of a Bahá'í community a person shall a. Be a resident of the locality defined by the area of jurisdiction of the local Spiritual Assembly, as provided by Article VII, Section 12, of this instrument.
b. Have attained the age of 21 years.c. Have established to the satisfaction of the local Spiritual As-s~mbIy, ~mbIy, subject to the approval of the National Assembly, that he possesses the qualifications of Bahá'í faith and practice required quired under the following standard: Full recognition of the Station of the Forerunner (the Bib), the Author (Bahá'u'lláh), and 'Abdu'l-Bahá the True Exemplar of the Bahá'í Cause: unreserved served acceptance of, and submission to, whatsoever has been revealed by their Pen; loyal and steadfast adherence to every clause of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í sacred Will; and close association with the spirit as well as the form of presentday Ba1a~'i administration ration throughout the world.
Article IIIThe National Assembly shall con~iist of nine members chosen from among the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, who shall be elected by tbe said Bahá'ís in manner hereinafter provided, and who shall continue in office for the period of one year, or until their successors s shall be elected.
Page 347THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 347
Article IVThe officers of the National Spiritual Assembly shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secreta~'y and Treasurer, and such other officers as may be found necessary for the proper conduct of its affairs.
The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Assembly taken by secret ballot.
Article VThe first meeting of a newly-elected National Assembly shall be called by the member elected to membership by the highest number of votes or, in case two or more members have received the same said highest number of votes, then by the member selected by lot from among those members; and this member shall preside until the permanent t Chairman shall be chosen. All subsequent meetings shall be called by the Secretary of the Assembly at the request of the Chairman n or, in his absence or incapacity, of the Vice-Chairman, or of any three members of the Assembly; provided, however, that the Annual Meeting of the Assembly shall be held at a time and place to be fixed by a majority vote of the Assembly, as hereinafter provided.
Article VIFive members of the National Assembly present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of those present and constituting g a quorum shall be sufficient for the conduct of business, except as otherwise provided in these ByLaws, and with due regard to the principle of unity and cordial fellowship involved in the institution of a Spiritual Assembly. The transactions and decisions of the Na-tiorial l Assembly shall be recorded at each meeting by the Secretary, who shall supply copies of the minutes to the Assembly members after each meeting, and preserve the minutes in the official records of the
Assembly.Whenever in any locality of the United States and Canada, be it city, town or village, the number of Bahá'ís resident therein recognized d by the National Spiritual AssemlAy exceeds nine, these may on April 21st of any year convene and elect by plurality vote a local administrative e body of nine members, to be known as the Spiritual As-Article rticle IV, amended to read by a majority vote of the Assembly taken by secret ballot."
Page 348sembly of the Bahá'ís of that community. Every such Spiritual Assembly y shall be elected annually thereafter upon each successive 21st day of April. The members shall hold office for the term of one ye~1r and until their successors are elected and qualified.
When, however, the number of Bahá'ís in any community is exactly nine, these may on April 21st of any year, or in successivc years, constitute themselves the local Spiritual Assembly by joint declaration. Upon the recording of such declaration by the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly, said body of nine .~ha1I become established with the rights, privileges and duties of a local Spiritual Assembly as set forth in this instrument.
Section x. Each newly-elected local Spiritual Assembly shall at once proceed in the manner indicated in Articles IV and V of these ByLaws to the election of its officers, who shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as the Assembly finds necessary f or the conduct of its business and the fulfilment t of its spiritual duties. Immediately thereafter the Secretary chosen shall transmit to the Secretary of the National Assembly the names of the members of the newly-elected Assembly and a list of its officers.
Section 2. The general powers and duties of a local Spiritual As-sembjy y shall be as set forth in the writings of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá t and Shoghi Effendi.
Section 3. Among its more specific duties, a local Spiritual Assembly y shall have full jurisdiction of all Bahá'í activities and affairs within the local community, subject, however, to the exclusive and pa'ramount authority of the National Spiritual Assembly as defined herein.
Section 4. Vacancies in the membership of a local Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by election at a special meeting of the local Bahá'í community duly called for that purpose by the Assembly.
In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of the local Assembly impossible, the election shall be held under the supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly.
Section 5. The business of the local Assembly shall be conducted in like manner as provided for the deliberations of the National Assembly y in Article VI above.
Section 6. The local Assembly shall pass upon and approve the qualifications of each member of the Bahá'í community before such members shall be admitted to voting membership; but where an individual l is dissatisfied with the ruling of the local Spiritual AssemNy
Page 349THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 349
upon his Bahá'í qualifications, such individual may appeal from the ruling to the National Assembly, which shall thereupon take jurisdiction n of and finally decide the case.
Section '. On or before the 1st day of February of each year the Secretary of each local Assembly shall send to the Secretary of the National Assembly a duly certified list of tbe voting members of the local Bahá'í community for the information and approval of the
National Assembly.Section 8. All matters arising within a local Bahá'í community which are of purely local interest and do not affect the national interests s of the Cause shall be under the primary jurisdiction of the Spiritual Assembly of that locality; but decision whether a particular matter involves the interest and welfare of the. national Bahá'í body shall rest with the National Spiritual Assembly.
Section 9. Any member of a local Bahá'í community may appeal from a decision of his Spiritual Assembly to the National Assembly, which shall determine whether it shall take jurisdiction of the matter or leave it to the local Spiritual Assembly for reconsideration. In the event that the National Assembly assumes jurisdidion of the matter, its finding shall be final.
Section io. Where any dissension exists within a local Bab~'i community y of such a character that it cannot be remedied by the efforts of the local Spiritual Assembly, this condition shall be referred by the Spiritual Assembly for consideration to the National Spiritual Assembly, , whose action in the matter shall be final.
Section ii. All questions arising between two or more local Spiritual Assemblies, or between members of different Bahá'í coni-munities, , shall be submitted in the first instance to the National Assembly which shall have original and final jurisdiction in all such matters.
Section 12. The sphere of jurisdiction of a local Spiritual Assembly, , with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in any Bahá'í community, shall be the locality included within the civil limits of the city, town or village, but Bahá'ís who reside in adjacent, outlying or suburban districts and can regularly attend the meetings of the local Bahá'í community, may be enrolled on the membership list of the adjacent Spiritual Assembly and enjoy full voting rights pending the establishment of a local Spiritual Assembly in their borne community.
All differences of opinion concerning the sphere of jurisdiction of any local Spiritual Assembly or concerning the affiliation of any Baha'i
Page 350or group of Bahá'ís in the United States and Canada shall be referred to the National Spiritual Assembly, whose decision in the matter shall be final.
Article VIIIThe Annual Meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly at which its members shall be elected shall be known as the National Convention of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, and shall be held at a time and place to be fixed by the National Assembly, which shall give sixty days' notice of the meeting to each local Bahá'í community through its Spiritual Assembly. The National Assembly shall at the same time inform each Spiritual Assembly of the number of delegates s to the Convention it has assigned to the local Bahá'í community in accordance with the principle of proportionate representation in such manner that the entire number of delegates composing the National Convention shall be ninety-five. Upon receipt of this notice each local Spiritual Assembly shall, within a convenient period and after giving due and sufficient notice thereof, call a meeting of the voting members on its rolls for the purpose of electing their delegate or delegates to the National Convention; and, not later than thirty days before the date of the Convention, the Secretary of each local Spiritual Assembly shall certify to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly the names and adddresses of the delegates so elected.
Section i. All delegates to the Convention shall be elected by plurality vote of those present at their election.
Section 2. All delegates to be seated at the Convention must be enrolled as voting members of the Bahá'í community represented by them.
Section 3. The rights and privileges of a delegate may not be assigned nor may they be exercised by proxy.
Section 4. The recognition and seating of delegates to the National l Convention shall be vested in the National Spiritual Assembly.
Section 5. Delegates unable to be present in person at the Convention n shall have the right to vote for members of the National Spiritual l Assembly by mail or telegram under such conditions as may be indicated by the National Assembly.
Section 6. If in any year the National Spiritual Assunbly shall 'consider r that it is impracticable or unwise to assemble together the delegates s to the National Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly shall provide ways and means by wbich the business of the Convention may be conducted by correspondence or telegram. Any action taken Article VIII, amended to read number of delegates composing the National Convention n shall be one hundred seventy-one."
Article VIII, Section 1, amended to read by plurality vote. Members who for illness or other unavoidable reasons are unable to be present at the election in person shall have the right to transmit their ballots by mail or telegram under conditions acceptable to the local Spiritual Assembly."
Article VIII, Section 6, amended to end with words by correspondence or telegram."
Page 351THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 351
under such circumstances shall be by a majority vote of all the delegates.
Section k". The presiding officer of the National Spiritual Assembly y present at the National Convention shall call to order the delegates, who shall then proceed to the permanent organization of the meeting, electing a presiding officer, a Secretary and such other officers as are necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Convention.
Section 8. The principal business of the National Convention ~haI1 be the election of the nine members of the incoming National Spiritual Assembly, the coftsideration of the reports of the financial and other activities of the outgoing National Assembly and its various committees, , and deliberation upon the affairs of the Bahá'í Cause in general, , it being understood, however, in accordance with the principles of Bahá'í administration defined by the Guardian that all deliberation and action of the delegates at the National Convention, other than the election of the members of the incoming National Spiritual Assembly, shall constitute merely advice and recommendation for consideration by the said Assembly, final decision on all matters concerning the affairs of the Bahá'í Cause in the United States and Canada being vested solely in that body.
Section 9. The general order of business to be taken up at the l'~ationa1 Convention shall be prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly, , but any and all matters pertaining to the Cause introduced by any of the delegates may upon motion and vote be taken up as part of the deliberations of the Convention.
Section lo. The election of the members of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be by plurality vote of the delegates recognized by the outgoing National Spiritual Assembly, i.e., the members elected shall be the nine persons receiving the greatest number of votes on the first ballot cast by delegates present at the Convention and delegates whose ballot bas been transmitted to the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly by mail or telegram. In case by reason of a tie vote or votes the full membership is not determined on the first ballot, then one or more additional ballots shall be taken until all nine members are elected.
Section xi. All official business transacted at the National Convention n shall be recorded and preserved in the records of the National
Assembly.Section 12. After the termination of the National Convention and until the next such Annual Meeting has been called in session, the dde-gates ates shall continue as a consultative body capable of rendering a dis-Article icle VIII, Section 7, amended to read electing by ballot a presiding officer," etc. Article VIII, Section 12, deleted.
Page 352tinctive service ta the work of the Cause, and they shaU make every effort to contribute to the unified spirits information and useful action of the National Spiritual Assembly throughout the year.
Section 13. Vacancies in the membership of the National Spiritual Assembly shall be filled by a plurality vote of the delegates composing the Convention which elected the Assembly, the ballot to be taken by correspondence or in any other manner decided upon by the National
Spiritual Assembly.Where the National Spiritual Assembly has been given in these ByLaws exclusive and final jurisdiction, and paramount executive authority, in all matters pertaining to the activities and affairs of the Bahá'í Cause in the United States and Canada, it is understood that any decision made or action taken upon such matters shall be subject in every instance to ultimate review and approval by the Guardian of the Cause or the Universal House of Justice.
Article XWhatever functions and powers are not specifically attributed to local Spiritual Assemblies in these ByLaws shall be considered vested in the National Spiritual Assembly, which body is authorized to delegate e such discretionary functions and powers as it deems necessary and advisable to the local Spiritual Assemblies within its jurisdiction.
Article XIIn order to preserve the spiritual character and purpose of Bahá'í elections, the practice of nominations or any other electoral method detrimental to a silent and prayerful election shall not prevail, so that each elector may vote for none but those whom prayer and reflection n have dnspired him to uphold.
Among the most outstanding and sacred duties incumbent upon those who have been called upon to initiate, direct and coordinate the affairs of the Cause as members of local or national Spiritual Assemblies s are To win by every means in their power the confidence and affection of those whom it is their privilege to serve; to investigate and acquaint themselves with the considered views, the prevailing sentiments and the personal convictions of those whose welfare it is their solemn obligation n to promote; to purge their deliberations and the general conduct Article VIII, Section 13, amended to be Section 12.
Page 353THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 353
of their affairs of selfcontained aloofness, the suspicion of secrecy, the stifling atmosphere of dictatorial assertiveness and of every word and deed that may savor of partiality, seif-centeredness and prejudice; and while retaining the sacred right of final decision in their hands, to invite discussion, ventilate grievances, welcome advice, and foster the sense of interdependence and ca-partnership, of understanding and mutual confidence between themselves and all other Baha'is.
Article XIIThese ByLaws may be amended by majority vote of the National Spiritual Assembly at any of its regular or special meetings, provided that at least fourteen days prior to the date fixed for the said meeting a copy of the proposed amendment or amendn~ents is mailed to each member of the Assembly by the Secretary.
NOT~~r York Oo.� ~ "6'CK,~/'~J~~u ':1 � � ~,u -j'.l-. / --.~~(L -.~~(L ;... Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Page 355L%')~I ~f/, 4~j~ ~ 'I 'I & ~J ~,d; ~ ~ ~24( ~ I,,~.~)4J~"J"~ 4~ 0
Page 356./.. ..K. r'~~~WkjA4(jA,,)I)~Ip � 'k,.~;, d~,JKd~1 � (p4' ~ It 46 ~
AL~Af Iii' JJ � 8~Ly~A d' ~j~J",~)"-4;;, 4"'� ~ YJK4K ~ �?;4J&~ &~ rrtA vY~ ~4# ~A '4 ~4AI ; :~ 4;, c4J4.3&Th � A.? ~ � r'HJJ'4rtL-.
'hkLs&~X24 ~ Ip~yf dtP[6L400x1 D4& ~*tk"xrzko '4tJ~4,' 1� 'Jd%'jr6t-~AId'AdfrnJ&Q4VAr � �#d; , .�%~f -..L4.JV&JbSP,(, L4.JV&JbSP,(, ~Jrs%',k&~:ii~Zu,~yp.v � ~ � ~ tAdetei ~JJA~ d ~ jA~ tK4 ;I~.~&6$ Qt C K ,u'nJ AD �
Page 359~Pd' ~4 ~z7Y~' ~J~'AzKd � ~ -, b (~'-k'd~ fdL~J' J4~ f'~-i~J' 2-t.j ~ ~JJ ~4~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Aj~b ~ ~ ~4'1,,4; � K ~ ~ ~ JL~A) ~js', C.~;~%.z~'L .f/. &4~ ~P ~2~Ui~CKi
~ Q~").'~y � �iiii ~~2)4)1Lo) ~ (~ ~.1
Iii374 �1 2J~ZSL~ ~ i~y~ (~V~1;U y) ~ ~ I yj~V~L~ ~ ~ . ~ dJ1~) ~
2~ ~ A-Al :~y~i~ ~ I
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Page 375THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 375
� I ~ ~-~6~y'~-' ~ddrk of ~ ~ Court.
The fee charged for )~IisCoP~ wasTHE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 383
CERTIFICATE OF INOCIU'ORATIONPursuant to Section 193 of the Religious Corporation Law of the State of New York We, the undersigned, all being of full, age, and citizens of the United States, and residents of the State of New York, de8iring to form a corporation pursuant to Section 195 of the Religious Corporation Law of the State of New York, do hereby make, sign, and acknowledge This certificate an follows: FIRST: The purpose and objecta for which the corporation is formed are to administer the affafra of the Belie' � Religion for the benefit of the Bahá'í of the City of New York in accordance with the religiouB teachings and administrative prThoiplee of' this Faith.
SECOND: The name of the corporation is to be "The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'í of the Cit7 of New York."
ThIRD: The territory in which its activities are principally to be conductet is New York City and vicinity.
FOURTH: The principal place of worship is to be located in the City of New York, County of New York, State of New York.
FIFrH: The number of trustees is to be nine.SIXTH: The names and places of re8ldence of the persona to be trustees until the first annual meeting are as follows:
NMAESEVENTH: The time far holdThg its annual meeting is to be on the twenty � first day of April in each year.
Page 384The first meeting was hold on March 30,1952, at Bahá'í Center, 119 West 57th Street, New York City.
IN WITNESS WH~EOF, We have made, signed and acknowledged thiB certificate in triplicate. Dated this thirty � first day of Uarch,1932.
Pr~xf1~rBefore me on this thirty � first day of March,1932, personally appeared Horace Halley, Opheli4 Crum, and Bertha Herk1ot~, who being by me severally sworn did acknowledge that they had executed the written certificate of
COMMISSIONER OF DEEDS.~ York Co. Cletk'. No. SO New Yo.k Co. ~ No 20S4 Com~s.io.~ E,~rts ~.b 2. 1934
Page 385THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 385
INC.Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Berkeley, Calif.
Page 387THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 387
PAUL PEEKX'tpa~tm' of state I, PAUL PEEK, Secretary of State of the State of California, do hereby certify: That I have compared the annexed transcript with the RECORD on file In my ofli Ce, of which it purports to be a copy, and that the same is a full, true and correct copy thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of California this 11th day of April, 1941.
Secretary of SI%k�~�2I arC Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Berkeley, Calif.
Page 388On this 5th i.~ or April 1941. before n. GEORGE H. SISSON a Hot.~y Publie 1~i and tow the
Coimty of A1sneda~ State .t CalIfornia9 perionaily appeared L&URA KBLSNY
ALLEN, ELLA 1~I. BAZU~Y, GRACE ~3RIFFI.TH HARRIS � MARION IK)LLZY, HELEN 5.
RLTLEWB~J JANET N. WARD, NAIRNE FORSYTH WARD3 LIARIOl( YAZDI, and ALl IL. YAZDI, knoul to u. to b. the p.wt~s who .z.oiit.d ~h. ulthl.u inatwiauit, mM who.. m~s ii. a~bsoribeA thr.to, and s.v.mlly ~ob~w1.~.d to m tiut they ez.out.4 t~he inane.
Di WIT1~BSB 11BIU~O7� I ha,. h.~u~mto sOt ~ hax~d and ut fizeG iq offigial aesi at i~r orfies in the Cotmty or AI.a.da. Stat, of Callf@nil*, tM day In this a.z*4rloat. rirut abovg witbn.
GEORGE H. SISSON(SEAL) Notary Publia Ia and tow the COunty of
Almda� 8tate of California.My Coiniaaim Expir.ea 8TATI~ or c~u'oiuit& ) ) as. _________
COtJ1~TY 0? ALAL~ED& )ON thu 9th d*4t ot April � 19419 b.tor. UAD GEORGE t.r � BISSON _____________� � Notary Pubilo in and for the Co'unty of A1maSda~ State of California, regiding ther.ln, duly commissioned and aworn~ p.raonally appeared ALl ~. YAZDI and HELEN B. RUTLEIXE8 who, being inwrn inaoh for himigir, depocem and uaysa That the maid ALl II. YAZDI Is tho C?~ir.an I � and pr.uidiri~ off loer of Tb. Spiritual Asambly or the Bak2A'is of D.rkslq, sad that HKLJ2~ 3. RIJTLEUGB Ia the S.or.tazy of The Spiritual Auaunbly of the Bahá'í or ~erke1gys that Tb. Spir1~ua1 Aumbly of the Ds)i~l'iu f 3.rlc.1.y is an wdnoorporat.d sm.ooiat1o~ nd that �aIA a.soolatScs urn duly authoriaul It. inoorporationz that ALl IL. YAZDZ and HELEU B � RUTLEDGS have ereouted thase Artiolos of Inoorporation In thlr off Lojal eapseity aM by authority of ouch aauooS.attoai.
Subaorlbd and aworn to before me this ��~ day or April � ALl M. YAWl GEORGE H. SIS~ON (~AL) H~L~N B. RUTLEDGE ~O**ry Public In and for thin County of Alazns4a, Stats of California.
Page 389THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 389
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Binghamton, N. Y.
Page 390Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of Binghamton, N. Y.
Page 391THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 391
~i~ALE Q1~ P~RAT2~Pursuant to ~tioz~ I9~ ot t~e R&1tgiO~Ia Cor~or&tiOfl L~w ot the state o~ ~ York the u~r8t~ned, p1). b~in~, o~ Tull a~e~ ~nd OiVIZ@1~B ~ th~ thited ~tate~, ~r.d reaid~nt~ or the ~t~te o~' Ne'~ York.
de~iri~ to ~or~ a ~or~oration pur~u~nt t~ ~tion 193 ~T ~e1i~4ou~ Corporation Law o~ the ~t~te o~ ~eW York, d~ hereby a~e, ~ ~nd ~cnow~ed~e this eertitioat~ a~ ro1low~ FIRST: The ~urpoea and QbJO~t~ for wi'dch t~e 3~or,pora � �~ t~r~u~d are to ad~iMster,t~e ~tr&irs or the 5ah8'~ ~@1I&~ ~on ~or Vhe bon~it ot~ t~e i3ak~Ia o~ the ~Aty o1~ ~in~RmVOn in ~ccor~afl~e with the re11~1ous t~cnin~.a ~ ~d~ifli~t~tiVe 8ECON12~ The the eor~r~tIon i~ t~ ~e ~The A~ae~b~.y ot the ~ � t~e ~1ty ~.V BI b~znt~n~ N~Y~ T~I1RDI Th~ territory in whi~ ~ ~~tiv~ti~ ~ cip~11y to be conducted Is n~ha~t~~ ~ FOURTH~ T~ pr~.nci.pa1 p1a~o o~ wor~i~p i~ to be located In ~he (A~y or Biri~hamton~ county ~ Br~~e~ state of New york, ~XFT~ The number ot tr~wteeB i~ to be nine.
SIXTH: The names and ~la~e~ o~ re8iden~e of the persan~-to o be true~eea tmti2. the firat &nnua)~ t1n~ are as ta11ow5~
NA~ PL&~ OF RE8IDE~NQ~Ch~r1otte 1~ern~1d 641 Cbenan~o Street, Port Die nsOn~N~!~~
Beryl D~dge0ombe 70 Vealnut Street~ Bin~hamtOn~ N~Y~
~iUie Herriek 7erndale flrive,.~unri~o Tor., nghamton~I~~
Id& NayeB 43 DaY1~ ~treet~ Bin~ha~1it0n~ N~Y~
p Wilbor ~dge~otnbe 70 Wa~inut Street~ Bingkl8lntan, N.~Y.
J~~ph ~oye5 '~3 D~v1~ ~3treet, n~b~mVon~ N.Y. ~r~e Pa~atier 1 DeForest ~treet~ B amton, K.Y~ ~ry ~ 19 ane~tnut Btreet~ Binghamton, N~Y.
Margaret Kaley 2~ ~3t~ ~ A~enuC, flgh8I~tQfl, N.Y. 8~VE~TH~ The ti~o ~or 1~o2din~ ~ snn~a1 ~neet~~~ ii t~o be ~n the twenty � ~rst day of April. in .ea~h year.
The t~rat meet~.n~ W~ held ~n ~Aar~h 15~ 194O~ at Oer~ter, 72 Haw1e~ street, B1ngba~r~t~n, ~ew ~ork~ IN '~ITS~~$ W~iKk~OF, le h&v~ ~4e, e2.gn~d ~nd ~AcknowIed&e~1 tni~ ,ertificato ~n trIp1i~te~ Dated th~a ~ day o~ ~ 19~O.
e~4~2 finer~ppe~redC~& 194O~ per~ona1ly ~ dy ~ic~ ~ by ~e ~evera1ly 5wori~ did t~t exeeut~d the written rtit~cat~ o~ ~oor~t1.on,
Page 392~Ii Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Flint, Michigan.
Page 394THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 395
Page 396THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 397
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Helena, Montana.
Page 398'~2 $ 1 * 1 u' K the otflc~ at' ,*~ ot�t � opf teenth day at' of' the ~tate~ C o~' the ArtAcl6
1~'bC Ch~ptsr4t~o~fhe C , ha~ ~ t%~beUMTh1-in .2 ~nded tStat~ or the
ThtWte AM'oAtenaa ~t r~rporationThnK1t1a ntn~-4q12 n t~i (' & ce~tflA~d ~cpy at' ThZtkA v~�~4' oV ttnrr~wribsct q t~p1ds ~Vs~n~J 04ff K N ~
2 ALJMJP Utha sd t4~ y) Ys4*n~ttan~tO d~ ~ny wnl Cl t~inrt 12 A e. � naflnsnbt~ er nbtn 40 r arntn~r'~ wh1e#~ t@w ~r hewttfl ~M7 15 be nQSfl*ftd b~ Iaw~ (b) ?o belA ~ b0 rnA n flnfle1~ty ~m4or &Tq tnst by isv ~r tU~entn or vt~der ny will er etlwr tnt.atnt~ry tn@ruwxt t~ ~w&rttn ~tth 18 tier are ,sts~b1tahd ti~ ny nrt �f th~ ~,r14 n nfl ~ Thdt.4 a~d ~n4a*t~ ~*estn g*ttw~.
17n~d b.~nnsts �? ~vu~y ar other ~rnVt7.18(e)Afl nd tatn.y.r th# nnrfl nrteet tnd ob.. 19 jrt. set forth In th~ nttt~ni stterSr~$fl *1 * tb4p1~ja)* n~4 Ths4tt tPnM ~ 20 w~ft4t whI~k ~ rsA~4te%t~u,yne?s tvi rttto an gnnt.4 te 1,4.1 S~trtt~I 4~w*1t9S.
21 (4) ~P ~d be n.t1~ t@ vrstn ~rrvswtv b~ de.~ 22 wIn rnv~ to Th~ ~ rflsttw~ ti tmnsf.r of '~N~ewty by wtItz~wt t~ ~flhn 23 wt~* ~e~i$re w~$ h&fl~1 AU ~r'~rt7~r~A1 ~?
,M1,tnatudlwc shan$ of 2t* ~~fltt nA 24 nnflttn ~ ,thn ~ew~oflttsnstt* A#?t at tnst.. n4er ~y met tML4l.ntat te tWe rt~ 25 ct~tI *joet~ �f thit ,ornnt1n~and to r.e,in ew mid ,r~n4 tn~do st~d ~n~efly r*jett t neh tna~t 26 t@ 0@3T$7~*fl~fl~ ,~iflUG flTtrfl~#W~Wbt?Ar~Wf#V uven trnt~fl �thwrdn of Cl 27 r~m1 or aefl9MIttO ~flflW ~ste4~fltrt4t 8t~tu antI 4sv~. bn4#,vstn and 4.bm~t~res sM #Wfl g~.
28 S~A ~ 6@ nfl *ThGt $~tS *I.CnWfl sr far the Rttint.tWttlfl ~f tha affain ant stt~bant .1
I t~ ~ ,r 1Mw nn~nUn.30 �t*t tW. w1nI~AI attic, few the tmnetin of bnt~gn .1
31 tfls nmsrstt.m It t'~ be Wefl.d It th# nt7 ~1 wandn~�ewfly et Los Ln A~p1,s~St~t of t~fl1Nmtt.
Page 422THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 425
Page 426i(~OW ALL ~.SU 13Y Th}.Li PH~'~Tb: That we3 tug underai~ned, all being of full e~e end citize4a of the lJnLted btatea of i~morica, end re~identa of the State ot Waahinton, dssirix,~ to form a corporation under Rm-ington'a a I'evlsed ~t~iutea oT the btate of Waah!n~ton, P8regraphe 38~3 to 3d87� govern1n~ benevolent and ahari � t~b1e ifl8titutionu ziot operbtin~ tar profit1 do hereby Aiftociate ourseJvea together er~d hereby make0 ai~i nd acknowledge tlaoue Article. of Inoorporation, in tripli-cat..
.Th. name of thia oorporntion shall be mn~ hereby i~ declared to be
TIL. SPIhITUAL AL~SLLBLY OF ~flhi BABA'IS QJThe pur~oeeu for wldoh this corporation 1. organ � i~.d are to administer the afThira of the ~abai r.U~1ou for the Baha'i. of the. ~br1'~y of klabmond Big~&~da. Lln County, ~t~te of baehin4on, in strict acoordano. wit.b the rsli4oua teachinga and adzainlutr&tiv. prino3plea of said faith; Provided1 however, that ii~ the event of a dlsuolutlon of t~-im cOrpQretlofl the property ownea by thin uha.U. revert to the National ~'p1r1tua1 Asaombly of the Bahá'í of the United ~tatea and Canada with hea4quar~.ra at Ui11ast~e,
Illinois.Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Richmond Highlands, Wash.
Page 427THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 427
ARTIQ.i III.Yb. territory in ~diiah this corporation'S activitiOD ~r. principally to be conducted I. Riahuond HI~h1anda, King County, State of ~amhington.
ARTICLE IV.The prinoipal plac, or worship is to be located in ~(1O~Ofld Highlands, Waahin5tOC.
AR!ICLZV.Tb. number of tiirwotoru or thu corporation ahall be nine (9) in nuaber; and the nana and places of regidono.
of the peruoca ubo shall act ~ mxch dir.atoru until tbe firut annual. meeting of the. sorporatien, on the ,~9 / SA 194.~ 3?0 �3 follow.; innd thq .hall hold office until their auo...aora have bemi o1eoted~ and que.15.ri.d a. provided by tkio Dy-Lava: Ida Z.11..tt 11727 26th N.h.. ~eatt3.e, ~aah1.ngton B. V. Schneider Box 1~, Riobaocd HIg~a1anda, WamhlnBton Beth Sohne~der DK 15, Rio~imoad Highianda. UamhJn~ton Clara B. Lainboth Eoz 15, Riobw~n4 il1~h1an~a, Uaabln6ton Hugh Amundaon 73~ North SG~h St.. Beattl., Uaahington Bemnnab .&mundson 7~8 North ~ ~t. 5eattle, Uashlngton Dianohe RIU.annn P.O.Boz 123, Rio~ond Beach, Uauhin~ton Martha Z4absr~ 17303 Aniorm kvg�� ~att1., Ua5hin~ton Annoken Irogh ~o~e uerl1i.n Ave., Seattle� Waub�n~ton
ARTI~~Z VI.Thia oorporatio~1 ahe11 have perpetusi �z�ate~oo, am provided by the lawa of the state 0? Washington, and mmib.r-.hlp p therein shall be 11nit.~ to thoae chosen in aoaor~ana.
witki the adminiutrative ~rizacip1oa of the BaJia'i r.Li~ion am fully met tort~ in the Dy-Laws.
fl~ W1'fl~S~ V1~Wk~fl7, we, the incorporatora and di � roetor. above named, have hereunto nut our handa azid aesla in triplicate, at iicbaond H1gh1ex~a. ~aakaingtoD, (&')
Page 428~TATL 0? w�iI~JGTO:~) COUWIY QF. K I N . ~ .~ ~ .~}zTIFY that on tbis day, before ue� the undera~~ned, a :~ot~ Public in ~d ?or tbe ~tete of Wash � in~ton, duly ooi~zU~eiotied and a~oni, perionally appear~ ID1~ J~.LL&::�i~, B. A. bCdflL1DM~, B1~TH &~LIMID~Ii, ~ARA B. RAI~i3OTIi, n'JGH Ai~1Ji~C~$Ca, ILU~'~AII ~ UNL~3Q~4, JiLj~NCH2~ IIILLJLANa, 1AhTT~LA ~DS~3~A~G and ~2SII~ KhOGII, to ~e known to be tJio Ind1vidu~1~ described in t~nd who executed tk~. Tor.goin~ ~srt,tc1es of �ncor~or~tIon, 6fld i2~o'A1edj2,ed to me that.
SIgned and ~ca1~d the a~u~e a~ their free and voluntary and deed, Thr t~.e uses ~nd purj~oaea therein mentioni4.
GIV~'~ U.~D~h MY A~D A~D O1~ICIjJ~. S.~L th1u~ 1t42.
of ~ashia~ton, reaidin~ at beattl,.I. ROBERT A. MORRIS~ Audit~r of King County. State of Washington, and es-officio Recorder of Deeds, and the legal keeper of the records hereinafter mentioned, in and for maid County, do hereby certify the aWn and foregoing to be a true and correct copy oft jrticln..ct Zn..
Tmalt. .Film.JKa. MB7D ha tWa office In VoL nrw~n.r.un~WflIftff nz&ztEecords of King County WITNESS my band and official meal this day
Nbraan 1945Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Springfield, Illinois.
Page 431THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 431
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Springfield, Illinois.
Page 432THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 433
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Page 434THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 435
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of St. Paul, Minnesota.
Page 436THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 439
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Urbana, Illinois.
Page 440Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Urbana, Illinois
Page 441Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Evanston, Illinois.
Page 443THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 443
t 4 I c~r~ Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Evanston, Illinois.
Page 444Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ahmedabad, India.
Page 445Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ahmedabad, India.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Andheri, India.
445Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Andheri, India.
446Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bangalore, India.
447Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bangalore, India.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Baroda, India.
448'A � 4 d .4t g4t A i ~2 ~ 4 ~ i ~ 'V 4 ,t. ft A / S ~r $7 # t 9
$~ ~4 It4 47 4 A ~ 4 ~ A ~ 'S
Pt ~~Iut.u;0~t~ I~ ~ r4I*r.~ ~ r F Sr K t ~ A 7 ~ t ~ 4 t; ~ t~ S I ~
Wf3�A#~ 1* #~ i ~91APTi~nK 4~ ~ K 7 + H / *~ I � ~ K 4 ~ ~q4fl4.d4r~. ~
St ~ ~ ~ 4 ~K ~ � A ~ 1~,7 Th 4' Ccriifrflc of tcgistratiov Of 5ocictks.
tA V ~fr4\ ~ ~ ~ 4" Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Serampore, IncJi3.
Page 454Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Serampore, India.
Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Vellore, India.
Page 455THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 455
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Vellore, India.
First Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Jose, Costa Rica, 1941.
Page 456I tAsM 4?AVL ~ 1Oi*4ttR~ ~0PtflZt rT itee ~*t~1ect4o. ~**areai4 d~in
JoeLft ~ ~A ~poa4ar ~A.A*2 K 4kt%.~ a o4~ a de t&~ tA~t Lq~ S dl*oiatbz 4 r ~4 ~ ~ at
S A' 'AA i&~a~&g rnbtn$ mU 4 9 4 p flt, A ~bti~ ~on ult ~�a~r' I. S ee~t W ~Ofltflk~ rI~ae~a~~s etu t a Vtt~rak*efl. ~t~S&~ 2.
L.'~' '~' ~ ~ -, YS~~Y$;If~1A( #~)~~:;~ ~~- ~A~ L~ ~-~-%t one thousand nine hundred and fortyitztC at a Probate Court, held at the PROBATE COURT ROOM, in the City of Cleveland, in said county, by and before NELSON J. BREWER~ Judge of said Court, and it appearing to the Court, from the application filed, that RtvEReffvtXwtt-Y ~ 1/ 94#
in Said ~ oc4w 1Z2f / Minister's License, State of Ohio, issued to Mabel S. Perry.
Page 468~I~I~~JI L~I Li LI ~4~JI ~ c,LJI ~,s ~ ~i~t ~A~I _ ~ ~y'~1 ~y.3L .LiL~ Lii ~IWI 2L~I~ ~.I ~ ~ ~sL-, ~j ~LL~ ( ~ J~ LI) JL~I ~., .~s-j~~)Li~-,
, ~ j1i~ ~ J~ LI) ~ ~Ic)L~(r). ~ (r )..L.1 iJy .jm, I ~ L &z U ~ ~~k~-$
I~L~ J~L~Text in Persian of the Outline of Bahá'í Laws regarding Matters of Personal Status, submitted for recognition to the Egyptian Government by the National Spiritual.
Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and.~W~I..-IWK,sLJy$-(.A, 'Ba,-L~-.~W I 1 ~,JI~J~JI ~ ~LJ~L � ~ Jti.. ~ ji ~ ~ i, jj~�~~
~Ly~ JLi.~s( r ) ~ , I ~ Ly)~~~ Lt~z~ ~IrwJLIy~$~. yJ~zL~iU~
J.~ JL~ ~'4 k ~ J~,J � ~ ~ ~ I~LY.~~j~( r~~3~JL) ( T ) j~~j (~ ) U) j~L I,~,, I sA~ c~ i ~L
Page 471� JI~JJ~.. J~K,-'-~-~ ~ JLjI4-~.L ~L'B. ~LWI
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Page 475THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH 475
WAR DEPARTMENTMr. A. 13. 2cDaaaiel, 1000 Chandler Building, Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. McDaniel:Receipt in acknowledged of your letter of August 4th, requesting authority far the use of the B&ht'i symbol on the stones which will mark the graves .t the followers .t the faith .1' Bahá'u'lláh, who may be killed in this war and buried in military cemeteries or private cenuteriaa.
The authorized design for the Government h~adstones of the general type is the Latin Crass for those of' Christian Faith and the Star of David far those or the Hebrew Faith. However, if the emblem of the Bahá'í is desired on any Government headstone to be olaced in a Military Cenetery or a Private Cemetery and information to that effect is furnished at the time the decedent is interred in the case of' a Hational Cemetery, or when application is made for a h.,austone in the case off a Private Cemetery, the space for tne emblem on the Government stone will be left blank in order that such emblem may be placed thereon at private expense.
For The 7uarteru~st~r General.umun Text of Letter from the United States War Department granting premission to use the Bahá'í emblem of the Greatest Name on Bahá'í Graves.
Page 476Text of Letter from the Egyptian Ministry of Health, Allotting a Burial Ground
for the Bahá'í Community of Cairo., , A tY ~~ � tA. ~ t tJ~ $VtJx ~Ztt ~4t~,}kt~
2?A#PA~ ~r'Facsimile of Document Related to the Formation of the First Bahá'í Association Established in Persia, 1319 A.H.
Page 478Trust Deed by which Villa Safwan at Port-Fouad was conveyed to the property of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt on December 27th, 1943.
47gK ~ ':~ K � ~ N K W 4 '~ A
%4O~ J�t~ ~ 47 w* \X * ~ ~ ~&~-W Y ~ ~
Page 480The Completed Exterior of the First Mashriqu'l Adhk~ir of the Western World.
A View of the Temple from Lake Michigan.Visible Embodiment of the Universality of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh
FOREWORDMANY discerning minds have testified to the profoundly significant change which has taken place during recent years in the character of popular religious thinking.
Religion has developed an entirely new emphasis, more especially for the layman, quite independent of the older sectarian divisions.
Instead of considering that religion is a matter of turning toward an abstract creed, the average religionist today is concerned with the practical applications of religion to the problems of human life. Religion, in brief, after having apparently lost its influence in terms of theology, has been restored more powerfully than ever as a spirit of brotherhood, an impulse toward unity, and an ideal making for a more enlightened civilization throughout the world.
Against this background, the institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar stands revealed as the supreme expression of all those modern religious tendencies animated by social ideals which do not repudiate the reality of spiritual experience but seek to transform it into a dynamic striving for unity. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar when clearly understood, gives the world its mast potent agency for applying mystical vision or idealistic aspiration to the service of humanity.
It makes visible and concrete those deeper meanings and wider possibilities of religion which could not be realized until the dawn of this universal age.
The term "Mashriqu'l-Adhkarmeans literally, "Dawning-place of the praise of God."
To appreciate the significance of this Bahá'í institution, we must lay aside all customary ideas of the churches and cathedrals of the past.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkarfulfills the original intention of religion in each dispensation, before that intention had become altered and veiled by human invention and belief.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is a channel releasing spiritual powers for social regeneration because it fills a different function than that assumed by the sectarian church.
Its essential purpose is to provide a community meeting-place for all who are seeking to worship God, and achieves this purpose by interposing no manmade veils between the worshiper and the Supreme.
Thus, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkaris freely open to people of all Faiths on equal terms, who now realize the universality of Bahá'u'lláh in revealing the oneness of all the Prophets.
Moreover, since the Bahá'í Faith has no professional clergy, the worshiper entering the Temple hears no sermon and takes part in no ritual the emotional effect of which is to establish a separate group consciousness.
Integral with the Temple are its accessory buildings, without which the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar would not be a complete social institution. These buildings are to be devoted to such activities as a school for science, a hospice, a hospital, an asylum for orphans. Here the circle of spiritual experience at last joins, as prayer and worship are allied directly to creative service, eliminating the static subjective elements from religion and laying a foundation for a new and higher type of human association.
HORACE HOLLBY.The Beloved of the Lord and the Handmaids of the Merciful throughout the United States and Canada.
My well-beloved friends: Ever since that remarkable manifestation of Bahá'í solidarity and self-sacrifice which has signalized the proceedings of last year's memorable Convention, I have been expectantly awaiting the news of a steady and continuous support of the Plan which can alone ensure, ere the present year draws to its close, the resumption of building operations on our beloved Tc5ple.
Moved by an impulse that I could not resist, I have felt impelled to forego what may be regarded as the most valuable and sacred possession in the Holy Land for the furthering of that noble enterprise which you have set your hearts to achieve. With the hearty concurrence of our dear Bahá'í brother, ZiaoullAh Asgarzadeh, who years ago donated it to the Most Holy Shrine, this precious ornament of the Tomb of Bahá'u'lláh has been already shipped to your shores, with our fondest hope that the proceeds from its sale may at once ennoble and reinforce the unnumbered offerings of the American believers already accumulated on the altar of Bahá'í sacrifice.
I have longed ever since to witness such evidences of spontaneous and generous response on your part as would tend to fortify within me a confidence that has never wavered in the inexhaustible vitality of the Faith of Bali &'u'llAh in that land.
I need not stress at this moment the high hopes which so startling a display of unsparing devotion to our sacred Temple has already aroused in the breasts of the multitude of our brethren throughout the East. Nor is it I feel necessary to impress upon those who are primarily concerned with its erection the gradual change of outlook which the early prospect of the construction of the far-famed Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in America has unmistakably occasioned in high places among the hitherto sceptical and indifferent towards the merits and the prac ticability of the Faith proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh.
Neither do I need to expatiate upon the hopes and fears of the Greatest Holy Leaf, now in the evening of her life, with deepening shadows caused by failing eyesight and declining strength swiftly gathering about her, yearning to hear as the one remaining solace in her swiftly ehbing life the news of the resumption of work on an Edifice, the glories of which she has, from the lips of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself, learned to admire. I cannot surely overrate at the present juncture in the progress of our task the challenging character of these remaining months of the year as a swiftly passing opportunity which it is in our power to seize and utilize, ere it is too late, for the edification of our expectant brethren throughout the East, for the vindication in the eyes of the world at large of the realities of our Faith, and last but not least for the realization of what is the Greatest Holy Leaf's fondest desire.
As I have already intimated in the course of my conversations with visiting pilgrims, so vast and significant an enterprise as the construction of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of the West should be supported, not by the munificence of a few but by the joint contributions of the entire mass of the convinced followers of the Faith.
It cannot be denied that the emanations of spiritual power and inspiration destined to radiate from the central Edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar will to a very large extent depend upon the range and variety of the contributing believers, as well as upon the nature and degree of self-abnegation which their unsolicited offerings will entail. Moreover, we should, I feel, regard it as an axiom and guiding principle of Bahá'í administration that in the conduct of every specific Bahá'í activity, as different from undertakings of a humanitarian, philanthropic, or charitable character, which may in future be conducted under Baha auspices, only those who have already identified themselves with the Faith and are regarded as its avowed
Page 483THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 483
and unreserved supporters should be invited to join and collaborate. For apart from the consideration of embarrassing complications which the association of nonbelievers in the financing of institutions of a strictly Bahá'í character may conceivably engender in the administration of the Bahá'í community of the future, it should be remembered that these specific BaM institutions, which should be viewed in the light of Bahá'u'lláh's gifts bestowed upon the world, can best function and most powerfully exert their influence in the world only if reared and maintained solely by the support of those who are fully conscious of, and are unreservedly submissive to, the claims inherent in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. In cases, however, when a friend or sympathizer of the Faith eagerly insists on a monetary contribution for the promotion of the Faith, such gifts should be accepted and duly acknowledged by the elected representatives of the believers with the express understanding that they would be utilized by them only to reinforce that section of the Bahá'í Fund exclusively devoted to philanthropic or charitable purposes. For, as the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh extends in scope and in influence, and the resources of Bahá'í communities correspondingly multiply, it will become increasingly desirable to differentiate between such departments of the Bahá'í treasury as minister to the needs of the world at large, and those that are specifically designed to promote the direct interests of the Faith itself.
From this apparent divorce between Bahá'í and humanitarian activities it must not, however be inferred that the animating purpose of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh stands at variance with the aims and objects of the humanitarian and philanthropic institutions of the day. Nay, it should be realized by every judicious promoter of the Faith that at such an early stage in the evolution and crystallization of the Cause such discriminating and precautionary measures are inevitable and even necessary if the nascent institutions of the Faith are to emerge triumphant and unimpaired from the present welter of confused and often conflicting interests with which they are surrounded. This note of warning may not be thought inappropriate at a time when, inflamed by a consuming passion to witness the early completion of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar we may not only be apt to acquiesce in the desire of those who, as yet uninitiated into the Cause, are willing to lend financial assistance to its institutions, but may even feel inclined to solicit from them such aid as it is in their power to render. Ours surely is the paramount duty so to acquit ourselves in the discharge of our most sacred task that in the days to come neither the tongue of the slanderer nor the pen of the malevolent may dare to insinuate that so beauteous, so significant an Edifice has been reared by anything short of the unanimous, the exclusive, and the self-sacrificing strivings of the small yet determined body of the convinced supporters of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
How delicate our task, how pressing the responsibility that weighs upon us, who are called upon on one hand to preserve inviolate the integrity and the iden-. tity of the regenerating Faith of RaM'-u'llAh, and to vindicate on the other its broad, its humanitarian, its all-embracing principles!
True, we cannot fail to realize at the present stage of our work the extremely limited number of contributors qualified to lend financial support to such a vast, such an elaborate and costly enterprise. We are fully aware of the many issues and varied Baha activities that are unavoidably held in abeyance pending the successful conclusion of the Plan of Unified Action. We are only too conscious of the pressing need of some sort of befitting and concrete embodiment of the spirit animating the Cause that would stand in the heart of the American Continent both as a witness and as a rallying center to the manifold activities of a fast growing Faith.
But spurred by those reflections may we not bestir ourselves and resolve as we have never resolved before to hasten by every means in our power the consummation of this all-absorbing yet so meritorious task? I beseech you, dear friends, not to allow considerations of number, or the consciousness of the limitation of our resources, or even the experience of inevitable setbacks which every mighty undertaking is bound to encounter, to blur your vision, to dim your hopes, or to paralyze your efforts in
Page 484Neither, do I entreat you, suffer the least deviation into the paths of expediency and compromise to obstruct those channels of vivifying grace that can alone provide the inspiration and strength vital not oniy to the successful conduct of its material construction, but to the fulfillment of its high destiny.
And while we bend our efforts and strain our nerves in a feverish pursuit to provide the necessary means for the speedy construction of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, may we not pause for a moment to examine those statements which set forth the purpose as well as the functions of this symbolical yet so spiritually potent Edifice? It will be readily admitted that at a time when the tenets of a Faith, not yet fully emerged from the fires of repression, are as yet improperly defined and imperfectly understood, the utmost caution should be exercised in revealing the true nature of those institutions which are indissolubly associated with its name.
Without attempting an exhaustive survey of the distinguishing features and purpose of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar I should feel content at the present time to draw your attention to what I regard as certain misleading statements that have found currency in various quarters, and which may lead gradually to a grave misapprehension of the true purpose and essential character of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
It should be borne in mind that the central Edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar round which in the fullness of time shall cluster such institutions of social service as shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant, should be regarded apart from these Dependencies, as a House solely designed and entirely dedicated to the worship of God in accordance with the few yet definitely prescribed principles established by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb � i-Aqdas. It should not be inferred, however, from this general statement that the interior of the central Edifice itself will be converted into a conglomeration of religious services conducted along lines associated with the traditional procedure obtaining in churches, mosques, syna gogues, and other temples of worship. Its various avenues of approach, all converging towards the central Hall beneath its dome, will not serve as admittance to those sectarian adherents of rigid formulx and manmade creeds, each bent, according to his way, to observe his rites, recite his prayers, perform his ablutions, and display the particular symbols of his faith within separately defined sections of Bahá'u'lláh's
Universal House of Worship.Far from the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar offering such a spectacle of incoherent and confused sectarian observances and rites, a condition wholly incompatible with the provisions of the Aqdas and irreconcilable with the spirit it inculcates, the central House of Bahá'í worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar will gather within its chastened walls, in a serenely spiritual atmosphere, oniy those who, discarding forever the trappings of elaborate and ostentatious ceremony, are willing worshippers of the one true God, as manifested in this age in the Person of Bahá'u'lláh. To them will the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar symbolize the fundamental verity underlying the Bahá'í Faith, that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is not final but progressive. Theirs will be the conviction that an all-loving and ever-watchful Father Who, in the past, and at various stages in the evolution of mankind, has sent forth His Prophets as the Bearers of His Message and the Manifestations of His Light to mankind, cannot at this critical period of their civilization withhold from His children the Guidance which they sorely need amid the darkness which has beset them, and which neither the light of science nor that of human intellect and wisdom can succeed in dissipating. And thus having recognized in Bahá'u'lláh the source whence this celestial light proceeds, they will irresistibly feel attracted to seek the shelter of His House, and congregate therein, unhampered by ceremonials and unfettered by creed, to render homage to the one true God, the Essence and Orb of eternal Truth, and to exalt and magnify the name of His Messengers and Prophets Who, from time immemorial even unto our day, have, under divers circumstances and in varying measure, mirrored
Page 485THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 485
forth to a dark and wayward world the light of heavenly
Guidance.But however inspiring the conception of Bahá'í worship, as witnessed in the central Edifice of this exalted Temple, it cannot be regarded as the soic, nor even the essential, factor in the part which the Mashriqu'1 � Adhkar as designed by Bahá'u'lláh, is destined to play in the organic life of the RaM'i community.
Divorced from the social, humanitarian, educational and scientific pursuits centering around the Dependencies of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Bahá'í worship, however exalted in its conception, however passionate in fervor, can never hope to achieve beyond the meager and often transitory results produced by the contemplations of the ascetic or the communion of the passive worshipper.
It cannot afford lasting satisfaction and benefit to the worshipper himself, much less to humanity in general, unless and until translated and transfused into that dynamic and disinterested service to the cause of humanity which it is the supreme privilege of the Dependencies of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar to facilitate and promote.
Nor will the exertions, no matter how disinterested and strenuous, of those who within the precincts of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar will be engaged in administering the affairs of the future Bahá'í Commonwealth, fructify and prosper unless thay are brought into close and daily communion with those spiritual agencies centering in and radiating from the central Shrine of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
Nothing short of direct and constant interaction between the spiritual forces emanating from this House of Worship centering in the heart of the Mashriqu'1 � Adhkir and the energies consciously displayed by those who administer its affairs in their service to humanity can possibly provide the necessary agency capable of removing the ills that have so long and so grievously afflicted humanity. For it is assuredly upon the consciousness of the efficacy of the Revelation of Rah&'u'lUh, reinforced on one hand by spiritual communion with His Spirit, and on the other by the intelligent application and the faithful execution of the principles and laws He revealed, that the salvation of a world in travail must ultimately depend. And of all the institutions that stand associated with His Holy Name, surely none save the institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar can most adequately provide the essentials of Bahá'í worship and service, both so vital to the regeneration of the world. Therein lies the secret of the loftiness, of the potency, of the unique position of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar as one of the outstanding institutions conceived by Bahá'u'lláh.
Dearly-beloved friends!May we not as the trustees of so priceless a heritage, arise to fulfill our high destiny?
Haifa, Palestine.THE completion of the exterior ornamentation of the Bahá'í House of Worship discloses a physical edifice impressive in size, striking in architecture, and superb in its clear white surface carved to the pattern of symbolic design.
In appearance the structure suggests to the western mind an oriental influence.
To the easterner it conveys the effect of occidental tradition. The Bahá'í Temple blends and harmonizes, without artificial effort, many of the creative elements which characterize acterize the historical cultures of mankind. What is familiar acquires new significance by association with what has been remote and strange. The essential spirit of this edifice is too universal to be confined within the form and mold of any race or creed.
Here the utilitarian function of structure has become esthetically fulfilled in the achievement of a means suitable for unified worship of the one true God. A sense of the living cosmos attaches to the building, as if the architect had striven, with physical mate
Page 486na1, to encompass a holy place, and had learned measure and proportion, height and depth, stillness and motion, by observation of the flight of suns and stars through the heavenly world. Outwardly the House of 'Worship reflects a passionate, yet reverent spiritual reality, embodying a fullness of welcome, a certitude of truth, and an integrity of peace which the soui of religion contains before faith is darkened by doctrine and narrowed by creed.
FEATURES OF ITS DESIGNCertain important elements of design in harmonious relationship compose the dynamic nature of the unity which this kingly jewel of temples exemplifies.
The edifice rests upon a great platform, circular in shape, surrounded by eighteen ascending steps.
From this foundation rises a nine-sided architectural unit, the main story, each side constituting an entrance arch buttressed by pyions or towers. The nine symmetrical sides form a series of concave arcs intersecting the line of the circle marked by the towers. This main story becomes, in its turn, a platform supporting the gallery, the clerestory and the dome. The gallery unit, likewise nine-sided, sets back from the circumference of the main story. It repeats the effect of the entrance arches below in its series of nine window arches, but the nine smaller towers of this level do not coincide vertically with the nine pylons below. They rise at points midway between the lower pylons, and their coincidence is with the perpendicular lines formed by the nine ribs which spring from the base of the clerestory to meet above the top of the dome. Clerestory and dome, set back from the outer line of the gallery, form circles and not nonagons, their circumference being divided into nine convex arcs by the ribs. The dome itself is a hemisphere, but the great ribs meeting above it transform the effect of finality and resignation emanating from domed structures into the upward thrust of aspiration fulfilled in answered prayer.
In the solution of the unique problem set for him in designing this house of worship of a world faith, the architect has been less the conventional draftsman than the sculptor. One feels that his material has not been arranged by thought but subdued by will. He has wrestled with titans of atheism and anarchy; he has struggled through jungles of materialism.
It is in the essence of spiritual victory that he achieved this structure of massive weight, immovable power, patterned motion and soaring altitude, to provide a shrine for the mention of God.
Having designed the structure, the architect then proceeded to treat each wall as if it were a facet for the transmission of radiant light from the sun to the interior, and from illumination inside the temple to the world at night. The outer surface is, in reality, a series of patterned windows, for the physical function of wall has been transferred to pylon, tower, rib and column. These elements carry the weight. The surface between these elements can therefore become a medium for light and not its interference. This intention has been realized through the development of architectural concrete, a process by which in plastic condition a mixture of white quartz and cement has been poured into molds made from hand-carved models, emerging as units of a surface hard and enduring as granite, clear in texture, and bearing a design delicate as lace.
SYMBOL OF A NEW E&4The Bahá'í Temple at Wilmette, Illinois, has not arisen as the meeting place of a local congregation. It is the central shrine and house of worship of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh in North America. In the western world, this edifice is the first public expression made by the believers of the creative energy and spiritual aims of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh.
Its construction, however, has been made possible by the contributions given by Bahá'ís of Europe,
Asia and Africa, Australiaand New Zealand, as well as of the United States, Canada, and South America.
The undertaking has been a world project when one realizes that the Bahá'í community of East and West is representative, in the racial and religious background of its members, of the diverse families of mankind. The period of time covered by the undertaking, from the original intention to the completion of the structure and its exterior decoration, has been about forty years.
Page 487THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 487
During this period of time the nature of man 's collective life has been transformed. The authority and control of ancient religion over human destiny has failed.
Royal and imperial thrones have toppled to the dust. Aggressive social philosophies, nurtured in class conflict intensified by the industrial revolution, have become the creed and hope of millions of men. National sovereignty, the particular spiritual achievement of the old era, the most potent instrument for internal order yet created, has encountered the world spirit of the new cycle, refusing so far to subdue itself to the higher sovereignty of truth. Under the impact of two international wars, a major depression and many domestic upheavals, the claim to self-sufficient power and independent policy has jeopardized the very life of mankind.
The Bahá'í House of Worship, built by those who knew the destiny of these years as clearly foretold in the Bahá'í sacred writings, has reflected the spirit of the new era arising amidst the agony of the old.
FOR THE HEALING OF ALLThe nine selected utterances of Bahá'u'lláh carved above the entrances of the Temple reveal its fundamental meaning in the life of our age: � "The earth is but one country; and mankind its citizens."
"The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest
Me."~tMy love is My stronghold; he that enter-est therein is safe and secure."
"Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner.
"Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent.~~ ~ have made death a messenger of joy to thee; wherefore dost thou grieve?"
CfMake mention of Me on My earth that in My heaven I may remember thee."
~ rich ones on earth!The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust."
"The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory."
The Bahá'í Temple expresses the renewal of religion.
It realizes a faith which relates the soul to a universal, a revealed and a divine truth wherein all human beings, of whatever race, class or creed, can meet and share the true equality emanating from their coniunon dependence upon God. It serves a teaching which goes beyond all the social philosophies to make possible a world order capable not only of coordinating and guiding economic effort but also of safeguarding and fostering the highest qualities of man. Bahá'u'lláh declared the oneness of mankind, a spiritual creation inaugurating the universal era of knowledge, justice and peace which ancient Prophets foretold and promised the people would come.
"There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world," He has written, "of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source and are the subjects of one God." The theme unfolds in these clear, majestic truths: � ttThe utterance of God is a lamp,. whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another in the utmost love and harmony.
So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth!" tCTh wellbeing of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded."
It sweeps to its fulfillment in this passage taken from Bahá'u'lláh's message written to Queen Victoria of England from His prison in 'Akka, Palestine, more than seventy years ago: ttThat which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith."
THE REAL TEMPLE Is THE'Abdu'l-Bahá, eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, and Center of His Covenant, traveled in America during 1912, proclaiming the Baha teachings and promulgating the principles of universal peace. On one occasion He addressed a national gathering of Bahá'ís held at Chicago in the interests of this Temple. 'tAmong the institutes of the
Holy Books," 'Abdu'l-Bahásaid, "is that of the foundation of places of worship. That is to say, an edifice or temple is to be built in order that humanity might find a place of meeting,
Page 488A Glimpse of the "Mother Temple of the West," Seen Through the Trees.
One of the Nine Great Doors of the Temple Open to People of Every Race, Class and Creed.
Page 489THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 489
and this is to be conducive to unity and fellowship among them. The real temple is the very Word of God; for to it all humanity must turn and it is the center of unity for all mankind. It is the collective center, the cause of accord and communion of hearts, the sign of the solidarity of the human race, the source of life eternal. Temples are the symbols of the divine uniting force, so that when the people gather there in the House of God they may recall the fact that the law has been revealed for them and that the law is to unite them. They will realize that just as this temple was founded for the unification of mankind, the law preceding and creating it came forth in the manifest 'Word.
�That is why His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh has commanded that a place of worship be built for all the religionists of the world; that all religions, races and sects may come together within its universal shelter; that the proclamation of the oneness of mankind shall go forth from its open courts of holiness; the announcement that humanity is the servant of God and that all are submerged in the ocean of His mercy.
It is the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.'"The world of existence may be likened to this Temple and place of worship; for just as the external world is a place where the people of all races and colors, varying faiths, denominations and conditions come together, � just as they are submerged in the same sea of divine favors, so likewise all may meet under the dome of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and adore the one God in the same spirit of truth; for the ages of darkness have passed away and the century of light has come.~~ For many persons universality in religion has been difficult to grasp. Its essential simplicity has proved elusive. They consider that elaborate complication is required, as if universality were obtained by adding to � gether all things that are not universal. Thus the view arose at one time that the Bahá'í House of Worship when completed would house the shrines and invite the ceremonies and worship of diverse sects and creeds, arguing that tolerance of differences represents the final and utmost victory of divine truth on earth. The Bahá'í Faith, 'Persian word meaning t~Source of the mention of God."
having no professional clergy, no ritualistic service, but maintaining that one's life itself is one s practice of faith, preserves the universality which came into being by divine creation in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh unadulterated by sectarian influence. The Bahá'í recognizes the sublime truth that revealed religions are fulfilled, not by the perpetuation of creeds and sects, but by transformation into the later and larger Revelation.
UNIVERSALITY OF WORSHIPThe Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, has plainly set forth the nature of the Bahá'í House of Worship in this passage of a letter addressed to the American Bahá'ís in 1929: � "It should be borne in mind that the central edifice of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, round which in the fullness of time shall cluster such institutions of social service as shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to the ignorant, should be regarded, apart from these
Dependencies, as a Housesolely designed and entirely dedicated to the worship of God in accordance with the few yet definitely prescribed principles established by Bahá'u'lláh.
It should not be inferred, however, from this general statement that the interior of the central Edifice itself will be converted into a conglomeration of religious services conducted along lines associated with the traditional procedure obtaining in churches, mosques, synagogues, and other temples of worship.
Its various avenues of approach, all converging towards the central Hall beneath its dome, will not serve as admittance to those sectarian adherents of rigid formulae and manmade creeds, each bent, according to his way, to observe his rites, recite his prayers, perform his ablutions, and display the particular symbols of his faith, within separately defined sections of Bahá'u'lláh's
Universal House of Worship.�The central House of Bahá'í worship, enshrined within the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, will gather within its chastened walls, in a serenely spiritual atmosphere, oniy those who, discarding forever the trappings of elaborate and ostentatious ceremony, are
Page 490willing worshipers of the one true God, as manifested in this age in the Person of Bahá'u'lláh.
"To them will the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar symbolize the fundamental verity underlying the Bahá'í Faith, that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is not final but progressive. Theirs will be the conviction that an all-loving and ever-watchful Father Who, in the past, and at various stages in the evolution of mankind, has sent forth His Prophets as the Bearers of His Message and the
Manifestations of HisLight to mankind, can not at this critical period of their civilization withhold from His children the Guidance which they sorely need amid the darkness which has beset them, and which neither the light of science nor that of human intellect and wisdom can succeed in dissipating. And thus having recognized in Bahá'u'lláh the source whence this celestial light proceeds, they will irresistibly feel attracted to seek the shelter of His House, and congregate therein, unhampered by ceremonials and unfettered by creeds, to render homage to the one true God, the Essence and Orb of eternal Truth, and to exalt and magnify the name of His Messengers and Prophets Who, from time immemorial even unto our day, have, under divers circumstances and in varying measure, mirrored forth to a dark and wayward world the light of heavenly
Guidance."In the foregoing explanation the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith refers to a number of institutions of social service which will be associated with the completed House of Worship. in the Mashriqu'1-Adtk4r the modern world has been given an embodiment of spiritual truth in its maturity and power. The
Bahá'í House of Worshipis to have a direct relation to a number of other buildings which are to be constructed in accordance with the directions clearly set forth by 'Abdu'l-Bahá
CCThe Mashriqu'l-Adhkarmust have nine sides, doors, fountains, paths, gateways, colun-ms and gardens, with the' ground floor, galleries and domes, and in design and construction it must be beautiful. The mystery of the edifice is great and can not be unveiled yet, but its erection is the most important undertaking of this Day.
"The Mashriqu'l-Adhkarhas important accessories, which are accounted of the basic foundations.
These are, school for orphan children, hospital and dispensary for the poor, home for the incapacitated, college for higher scientific education, and hospice.
When these institutions are built, the doors will be opened to all the nations and religions. There will be absolutely no line of demarcation drawn. Its charities will be dispensed irrespective of color and race. Its gates will be flung wide open to mankind; prejudice towards none, love for all. The central building will be devoted to the purpose of prayer and worship. Thus religion will become harmonized with science, and science will be the handmaid of religion, both showering their material and spiritual gifts on all humanity."
This is the new, the universal concept of religion which Bahá'u'lláh has revealed today: the source of faith is the Prophet, the Manifestation of God, not the manmade creed, doctrine, rite, ceremony or church, for the will and the love of God are conveyed to humanity in each age by His chosen and inspired Messenger; and the expression of faith is in direct service to human needs, sacrifice for the sake of world peace, and consecration to the cause of the oneness of mankind. Belief in a sectarian creed, and spiritual acceptance of oniy the fellow members of one's own sect, with indifference for the needs and rights of the souis of all others, no longer meet the needs of a world perishing for lack of unity, and are not accepted as real faith by Bahá'u'lláh.
The Bahá'í House of Worship, in this larger ultimate meaning, discloses the coming of the universal truth able to connect, and unify, the world's agencies for religion and its agencies for humanitarian service, now dissociated and incapable of healing human ills.
It joins them as one spirit permeating one body. Without the body, the spirit of religion has no power to act; without the spirit, the body is lifeless.
The Bahá'í teachings condemn passive worship on the one hand, and action without spiritual guidance on the other.
Page 491THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 491
Tnr DooR oF HornThe Bahá'í teachings create a religious society in which all human relations are transformed from social to spiritual problems.
The social problems of the age are predominantly political and economic.
They are problems because human society is divided into nations each of which claims to be an end and a law unto itself, and into classes each of which has raised an economic theory to the level of a sovereign and exclusive principle, Nationality has become a condition which overrides the fundamental humanity of all the peoples concerned, asserting the superiority of political considerations over ethical and moral needs. Similarly, economic groups uphold and promote social systems without regard to the quality of human relationships experienced in relation to religion, But when human relationships are held to be political or social problems they are removed from the realm in which rational will can operate under the guidance of divine law. Only spiritual problems can be solved, for oniy those issues submitted to revealed truth are brought into the arena of unity. In essence, the fatal disruption of international relations arising from war and revolution is the visible sign that the instigator of strife seized a political instrument to express an action contravening spiritual truth and law. Outside that truth and law there is no solution. The result of violent onslaught is eventugi ruin.
That is why, when faith weakens and conscience grows blind, the world falls into strife and confusion; for the instigator of violence does not bear the entire responsibility of the war. He could not hope to precipitate overturn for power and profit unless the moral force of the rest of the world was indifferent or divided. At such times, when the way is darkened, the Prophet returns to mankind, renewing the law and extending the dominion of truth. Those who still believe that the world can endure the present war, and attain lasting world order, security and peace, without the unity of conscience produced by mutual faith, fall behind the march of destiny together with those who protest that no social form greater than the nation is needed to safeguard vital interests of the race throughout out future time. Spiritual and social evolution have characterized the whole course of human history to this hour, Whoever denies the possibility of one organic religion and one organic social order for humanity, denies the movement of life itself and places his own limitations upon the will of God.
For the man of true faith, however, it is enough to recall the ancient prayer which invoked the victory of the divine will on earth as in heaven.
No one can close the door of hope which 'Abdu'l-Bahá flung open in these words addressed to a public audience in America during 1912: � CCReligion is the outer expression of the divine reality, Therefore it must be living, vitalized, moving and progressive, If it be without motion and nonprogressive it is without the divine life; it is dead. The divine institutes are continuously active and evolutionary; therefore the revelation of them must be progressive and continuous. All things are subject to reformation.
This is a century of life and renewal. Sciences and arts, industry and invention have been reformed, Law and ethics have been reconstituted, reorganized.
The world of thought has been regenerated.CtWill the despotism of former governments answer the call for freedom which has risen from the heart of humanity in this cycle of illumination?
It is evident that no vital results are now forthcoming from the customs, institutions and standpoints of the past.
In view of this, shall blind imitations of ancestral forms and theological interpretations continue to guide and control the religious life and spiritual development of humanity today? Shall man, gifted with the power of reason, unthinkingly follow and adhere to dogma, creeds and hereditary beliefs which will not bear the analysis of reason in this century of effulgent reality?
"From the seed of reality, religion has grown into a tree which has put forth leaves and branches, blossoms and fruit. After a time this tree has fallen into a condition of decay.
The leaves and blossoms have withered and perished; the tree has become stricken and fruitless. It is not reasonable that man should hold to the old tree, claiming that its life forces are undiminished, its
Page 492fruit unequalled, its existence eternal. The seed of reality must be sown again in human hearts in order that a new tree may grow therefrom and new divine fruits refresh the world. By this means the nations and peoples now divergent in religion will be brought into unity, imitations will be forsaken and a universal brotherhood in the reality itself will be established. Warfare and strife will cease among mankind; all will be reconciled as servants of God."
THE MISSION OF PEACEThe final meaning associated with the Bahá'í Temple bears upon the means of attaining world order and universal peace. The location of the House of Worship in the central heart of North America is not less important than its architectural design.
The coming of 'Abdu'l-Bahá to America in 1912 represented the working out of His clear vision of the events and conditions which were to culminate in the establishment of peace on earth. In the process of attainment, North America has been endowed by destiny with the sublime mission of leadership among the nations. On many occasions, and in weighty words, 'Abdu'l-Bahá explained this mission to the American people.
The present world outlook, and the constructive vision, of America proceeds, directly and indirectly, from the truths which He expounded in daily meetings and interviews held for nine months in 1912. He addressed large audiences in churches of many denominations, in synagogues, urn-versities, liberal clubs and peace societies. In these talks He created the program and policy which leading individuals and institutions have taken over and are now promoting without full realization of its spiritual source.
The Bahá'í House of Worshippreserves the vital truth which 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í conveyed as the most important element of His message, but which has been neglected by a generation which came to believe that public policy, if good and helpful, will prevail by its own impetus. What 'Abdu'l-Bahá pointed out as the essential condition is the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through the Manifestation. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is the monument raised by the Bahá'ís to Bahá'u'lláh, and not merely a public testimonial to a system of liberal truths.
"The body of the human world," 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared, ttj~ sick. Its remedy and healing will be the oneness of the kingdom of humanity. Its life is the Most Great Peace.
Its illumination and quickening is love. Its happiness the attainment of spiritual perfections.
It is My wish and hope that in the bounties and favors of the Blessed Perfection (i.e., Bahá'u'lláh) we may find a new life, acquire a new power and attain to a wonderful and supreme source of energy so that the Most Great Peace of divine intention shall be established upon the foundations of the unity of the world of men with God. May the iove of God be spread from this city, from this' meeting, to all the surrounding countries.
Nay, may America become the distributing center of spiritual enlightenment and all the world receive this heavenly blessing.
For America has developed powers and capabilities greater and more wonderful than other nations."
A Temple which is not only the symbol but also a proof of so many spiritual truths is more than an architectural landmark. The Baha hope that it will lead a host of seekers to investigate the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
THE BAHÁ'Í TEMPLE AND THESTEP by step with the which the material structure process of raising this has been raised witnessed universal House of Worship a corresponding increase there has gone forward in the number of believers also the development and in their unification within of the Bahá'í community a new spiritual order.
of North America. The The first group of American period of about forty Bahá'ís centered in Chicago, years during
Page 493THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 493
and in their activity and devotion the idea of constructing a great Temple was born. Similar groups began to form in New York, Washington, Kenosha and other cities, and the Temple project formed a powerful bond between them. From those early and primitive conditions of faith, when the followers of Bahá'u'lláh had little Bahá'í literature and no experience of the working of the new spirit through a community of believers for universal ends, to the present time, when the Bahá'í community of North America has representation in hundreds of cities and has sent its teachers out to all parts of the world, a tremendous spiritual evolution has taken place.
The centering of thought, devotion and financial offering upon the great ideal of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar has been the formative element, the means chosen by 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself to bring the Bahá'ís to maturity throughout this continent.
The great significance, at this time of world chaos, of the establishment of a World Religion which in the last century has had its impact on oriental countries and now has gained a following strong enough to accomplish the task of erecting so beautiful and costly a structure to symbolize its Faith, cannot be overestimated.
The building must be regarded as a symbol of the power of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.
It stands for the universal teachings which He proclaimed to the world and it represents, so his followers firmly believe, the renewal of true religion in the Western hemisphere.
In the Book of Laws written by Bahá'u'lláh there appears the following exhortation: "0 concourse of creation!
0 people! Construct edifices in the most beautiful fashion possible, in every city, in every land, in the name of the Lord of Religion.
Adorn them with that which beseemeth them. Then commemorate the Lord, the Merciful, the Clement, in spirit and in fragrance."
The Baha'is, because of this exhortation, envision the erection of similar structures everywhere.
The first one was built in 'Ishq~Md, Russia, and it was a letter from the Bahá'ís of that city to the followers of the Faith in Chicago that moved those pioneers of the religion to arise in a similar enterprise for their city.
HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTNo fair estimate of the progress of this work, which in itself was fraught with exceedingly great difficulties, can be made without relating its unfoldment to the establishment and progress in this country, of the Faith itself.
The Cause was first mentioned here in 1893 at the Congress of Religions held in connection with the Columbian Exposition. There Dr. Jessup, President of the American College at Beirut, Syria, spoke at length about the remarkable life and teachings of the two great personages who were held by the Turkish Government as political exiles from Persia in the fortress of 'Akka. This address, describing the universal aspect of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh, cannot properly be linked to the actual establishment of the Faith in America, except in so far as it awakened interest and awareness to prompt the search that finally made contact with more direct sources of knowledge.
In 1897 a party led by Mrs. Phoebe Hearst made a visit to the prison city and gradually an intimate contact with 'Abdu'l-Bahá was established and a fairly comprehensive knowledge of the teachings had been carried over the country by correspondence and through pilgrims who traveled from this country, as well as teachers who came from the Orient at the behest of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
It was, then, in 1902 that we received the letter from the Persian Bahá'ís who resided in 'Ishqabad.
The number of Bahá'ís in America at that time was exceedingly small, and they were spread over a wide area, yet they had established an embryo organization patterned as closely as possible after the plan outlined in the Writings of the Faith. The governing board of the Bahá'ís of Chicago, then known as the "House of Spirituality," appealed to 'Abdu'l-Bahá for permission to erect a House of Worship in Chicago. His reply, written in 'Akka, June 7, 1903, gave permission for the undertaking in the following words: "0 ye who afe attracted! 0 ye who are firm! 0 ye who are zealous in the service of the Cause of God and are sacrificers of possessions and lives for the promotion of the Word of God! I perused
Page 494your recent letter and my heart was filled with joy through its beautiful meanings and its eloquent contents. Truly they were suggested by the breaths of confirmation from the
Glorious Lord.~ friends of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His co-sharers and partners in the servitude of the Lord of Hosts! Verily the greatest affair and the most important matter today is to establish a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar and to found a Temple from which the voice of praise may rise to the Kingdom of the majestic Lord. Blessings be upon you for having thought to do so and intending to erect such an edifice, advancing all in devoting your wealth in this great purpose and in this splendid work.
You will soon see the angels of confirmation following after you and the hosts of reinforcement crowding before you.
"When the Mashriqu'l-Adhkaris accomplished, when the lights are emanating therefrom, the righteous ones are presenting themselves therein, the prayers are performed with supplication towards the mysterious Kingdom (of heaven), the voice of glorification is raised to the Lord, the Supreme, then the believers shall rejoice, the hearts shall be dilated and overflow with the love of the All-living and Self-existent (God). The people shall hasten to worship in that heavenly Temple, the fragrances of God will be elevated, the divine teachings will be established in the hearts like the establishment of the Spirit in mankind; the people will then stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the Merciful. Praise and greetings be upon you."
The smallness of the numbers of the followers of the Faith in this country at that time made the undertaking a stupendous one. They had then no real understanding of the actual size or character of the structure they were finally destined to erect. The specification that it must be a nine-sided structure was understood but no other sig-nificamnt detail regarding it was known.
The development of the architectural form, the final discovery of means and materials that made possible the erection of the building, the selection of the site, all are part of a gradual unfoldment that was constantly guided by 'Abdu'l-Bahá whose Tablets addressed dressed to the Bahá'ís in America and in other lands inspired the believers to constant renewals of effort in its behalf.
in the years immediately following the receipt of the letter authorizing the undertaking, the followers of the Faith, in spite of difficulties imposed by the fact that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was a prisoner in 'Akka, were able on occasion so make pilgrimage to visit Him, and these visits by the American Bahá'ís were also important in the development of the work in America.
In 1907, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, speaking to a group of such pilgrims, said that concerning the temple, the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is a very important matter, the most important thing then in America is the building of the Temple.
They and their friends must endeavor in this matter.
This building will be the cause of the confirmation of the believers. It has a great effect because it is the beginning of the foundation. After centuries it is not so important as it is now, but now it is very important. At first they build the Temple and worship in it and grow. In past 'times they could not build it so outwardly.
This building will be the cause of unity and prosperity of the Cause.
The unity comes; from every part the believers will assist. This is a heavenly society and also it will be the cause of strength.
The believers will get blessings and bounties.It cannot be compared with the church of former times.
They have only to begin, everything will be all right.
When this message was brought back to America a new activity in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar resulted throughout the country and contributions from various Assemblies and individuals were received.
The House of Spiritualityof Chicago addressed an invitation to the Baha in all parts of the country to meet in convention to consider ways and means of furthering the project.
Accordingly representatives from various cities gathered together on November 26, 1907. A committee of nine was appointed to represent the convention in the work of the Temple. This action was the first step toward making the Temple project a national Baha undertaking.
Various proposed sites for the building were visited and the committee unanimously
Page 495THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 495
agreed that the north shore tract (the present site of the building) was the most desirable.
Actual purchase of the site was begun by the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago. Two out of the fourteen building lots were purchased in the name of the treasurer of the Assembly. The payment, $2,000.00, was made on April 9, 1908.
On June 19 of that year 'Abdu'l-Bahá addressed a message to the Chicago Bahá'ís directing them to call another convention in the following words: "Ask every spirituM meeting in the other cities to select one and send him, and from these selected ones and from those who are selected from the Chicago meeting, establish a new meeting for the provision of the needs of the Temple. If this be established with perfect fragrance and joy, it will produce great results.
In this new meeting, especially for the establishment of the Temple, women are also to be members."
In compliance with this instruction the second Convention was called.
It assembled on March 22 and 23, 1909, in the assembly hail of Northwestern
University Building, Lakeand Dearborn Streets, Chicago. Mr. Thornton Chase, the chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Chicago, welcomed the delegates and the following message written for that assemblage by 'Abdu'l-Bahá was read:
"HE IS GOD!of the Kingdom! C(The century is great and the age be-longeth to His Majesty, the Merciful, the Clement. The power of confirmation hath moved all beings and the potency of (Di-vine) help bath made the world of existence active.
The Sun of Reality hath dawned from the temperate point and the Star of equatorial line hath shed radiance upon the East and the
West.ccAlthough human souis are mostly heedless and negligent, and the sects, tribes and nations are submerged in the slumber of inadvertence, yet the Divine summons will ere long awaken (them) and the glad-tid-ings of the Kingdom will soon make the souls attentive.
"In the cycle of His Holiness Christ, a long time elapsed before the fame of praise and sanctification became worldwide; nevertheless, consider how at length it encircled the globe.
But the glorious radiance, like shining twilight, of this Sun of the horizons, in the very inception of its dawn, was widespread; therefore, consider what great results will be soon forthcoming and what wondrous signs shall appear. Now is the commencement of organization, hence every affair concerning the Kingdom of God is of paramount importance.
ccAmong the most important affairs is the founding of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar although weak minds may not grasp its importance; nay, perchance, they imagine this (Mashriqu'l-Adhkar) to be a temple like other temples. They may say to themselves: tEvery nation has a hundred thousand gigantic temples; what result have they yielded that now this one Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (is said) to cause the manifestation of signs and prove a source of lights?'
But they arc ignorant of the fact that the founding of this Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is to be in the inception of the organization of the Kingdom. Therefore it is important and is an expression of the upraising of the Evident Standard, which is waving in the center of that continent, and the results and effects of which will become manifest in the hearts and spirits.
No soui will be aware of this mature wisdom save after trial.
"When the Mashriqu'l-Adhkarwas founded in 'Ishqabad, its clamor affected all of the cities of the Orient and caused souls to awaken (to the call).
Most of the souTh who investigated and heard the explanation were attracted to the Kingdom of
God.ccMoreover the accessories of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar are numerous. Among them are the School for Orphans, the great College for the Higher Arts, Hospital, Home for the Crippled and Hospice. The doors of these places are to be opened to all sects � no differentiations. When these accessories are completed, and by God's help and aid the departments fully systematized, it will be proved that the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is to human society a great bounty and a great blessing.
ttln brief: through the unlimited bountyof God, I am hopeful that the beloved ones of God in America may be aided and confirmed in founding this mighty and solid foundation and gradually annex thereto its accessories.
~'NOW you who have convened in that center, (coming) from other cities of America with sincere intentions and lofty endeavor, have you proposed to undertake this mighty affair? Know you for certainty that ye will be confirmed by the aids of the Holy Spirit, and that you will render the Kingdom of God a distinguished service, whereby you will become dear in both realms and will shine forth as morning stars from the horizon of the love of God.
"This organization of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar will be a model for the coming centuries and will hold the station of the mother, and thus later in other cities many Mashriqu'l-Adhkar's will be its offspring.
(CO Lord! Make these holy souls dawning points of lights and the manifestations of (Thy) signs. Make every one a leading cornerstone in this great edifice; a pillar of its pillars.
tCO God! Although the friends are needy, yet Thou art the Helper, the Supporter, the Rewarder!
tt~1if~e souls have arisen to serve Thee well and have begun servitude.
Confirm them and aid them.Encourage each by promises of Thy Divine favors and make them of the elect.
"Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Able, the Giver, the Shining, the Hearer, the Seer!"
(Signed) 'Abdu'l-BaháThirty-nine delegates representing thirty-six cities were present.
They appointed committees to arrange for the formation of a permanent national organization of the Temple project. This organization, known as the Bahá'í Temple Unity, formed an Illinois Corporation which carried forward the work of the building and other Bahá'í activities of national import until the establishment of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
The Will and Testamentof 'Abdu'l-Bahá, directing the course of Bahá'í evolution after His death in 1921, gave rise to the present administrative order, for which the believers in East and West had been prepared. By 1927 the National Spiritual Assembly had become able to adopt a constitution and bylaws defining, under the Guardian's advice and instruction, the qualifications of Bahá'í belief and the functions and duties of the elective
Bahá'í institutions. Thisbody was given control of all national activities of the American Bahá'í community, and superseded Bahá'í Temple Unity in the exercise of authority.
The Temple property, soon afterward, was transferred to Trustees for the benefit of the National Spiritual Assembly, and these Trustees have proceeded with the construction and maintenance of the edifice since that time.
It is interesting to note that the grand total of monies on hand in 1909, including what had been paid for the lots purchased, was $8,331.00. This then represented the small beginning of the actual building enterprise as well as the administration of the Bahá'í Faith on a national scale in this country.
On July 1, 1909, a contract for the purchase of the remainder of the main tract of land was entered into. The purchase price of the twelve remaining lots was set at $32,500.00.
It was stipulated that $5,000.00 was to be paid every six months.
At the third Convention, wbich met April 25 and 26, 1910, the total contributions reported reached $20,379.95.
The money had been received from all parts of the world, from Bahá'ís in India, Persia, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Russia, Egypt, Germany, France, England, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, as well as from the tiny isle of Mauretius. Sixty American cities also had representatives enrolled in the enterprise. The following year added $10,401.59 to the fund.
'ABDU'L-BAHÁ IN AMERICATurk rebellion in 1908, the long period of imprisonment was ended and on May 1, 1912, He blessed the site of the building with His presence.
That momentous event will forever distinguish this edifice. It stands not only as
Page 497THE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 497
the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in the western hemisphere; it is the only Bahá'í House of Worship in the world dedicated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Not only did He walk upon the grounds but He personally laid a cornerstone as a symbol of His participation in the construction. (This stone now stands embedded in the foundation of the building in the approximate location in which it was placed by the Master.)
These events will therefore make this edifice the greatest shrine in the western Bahá'í world.
It already has become a center of attraction to thousands who have traveled from all parts of the world, to see its wondrous beauty and to pray. What the future promises can easily be imagined, for with the unfoldment of its inevitable destiny as the greatest shrine of a 'World Religion in the western hemisphere it is obvious that its present development, lovely as it may be, is only the promise of what is to come. Its inner ornamentation, the environs, the accessory buildings will be built and rebuilt in ever increasing splendor as will be befitting the homage given to it by a grateful humanity.
The fifth annual Convention was blessed by the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. In the course of the year (1912) arrangements were made to purchase the tract of land on the lake shore. This consisted of 293 front feet, running to the water's edge.
This tract is now partially occupied by the administrative office of the National
Spiritual Assembly. Thepurchase price of this land was $17,000.00. The total amount contributed that year was $7,292.45.
The following year the annual Convention took place in the city of New York. At the end of the year substantial payment was made on the lake shore tract, reducing that indebtedness to $9,000.00.
The contributions for the year 19121913 amounted to $14,206.42.
The Seventh convention (1914), in which the Bahá'ís celebrated the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh, was made memorable by the report of the completion of the purchase of the land. In seven years the small band of Bahá'ís in America and Canada, with the help of BabS'is in other lands, had collected $72,399.85.
399.85. $51,500.00 of this had been used in purchasing the site, the remainder was to start the building fund.
In this total, the amount received from Bahá'ís of other countries was $11,159.75; and in the report made by Mrs. Corinne True, Financial Secretary, we find the following record of countries and cities: England: St. lies, Cornwall;
Springfield, Broadway;St. John's, N. B. Islands of the Sea: Isle of Pines; Isle of Mauretius;
Hawaiian Islands.The architectural design of the building was decided upon at the Convention held in New York in 1920.
The design prepared by Louis J. Bourgeois of West Englewood, New Jersey, was presented to the Convention in the form of a large plaster model.
Other architects submitted plans in the form of both plaster models and drawings.
The Bourgeois design which, because of its unique character and exquisite beauty, captured the enthusiastic endorsement of the assembled Baha'is, was, nevertheless, selected only after it had been endorsed by a group of prominent architects and engineers who were invited to view it in the Convention hail. It was at their suggestion that the Executive Board of the Bahá'í Temple Unity instructed Mr. Bourgeois to prepare drawings showing the building so that the upper part of the structure was realigned in its relation to the lower part. The drawings of
Page 498the revised building served, however, to convince the group of experts that no change should be made in the architect's original design.
The Executive Board also felt it necessary to submit the design to 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and since it was obviously impossible to send the model to Haifa they directed Mr. Bourgeois to prepare drawings showing a front elevation and a cross section of the building, arranging for the architect himself to take these to Haifa and there receive 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í instructions regarding the building. About the middle of January, 1921, Mr. Bourgeois sailed to the Holy Land. The drawings were left with the Master, and they now hang in the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
In a Tablet addressed to Mrs. Corinne True, 'Abdu'l-Bahá indicated that the Bourgeois design as submitted was too large and too costly, and therefore, Mr. Bourgeois prepared his plans to reduce the size of the structure somewhat. It is interesting to note that 'Abdu'l-Bahá set the cost of the building at one million dollars.
"If possible, Mr. Bourgeois may reproduce the same model on a smaller scale, so that one million dollars may suffice for its construction."
In its smaller form the estimates placed the cost of the entire structure at $ 1,200,000.
000. This figure did not include any interior finish beyond a rough plaster surface.
Construction began with a contract let to Mr. Avery Brundage on the 17th day of December, 1920. This contract was for caisson foundations, the plans for which had been approved by Mr. Allen B. McDaniel of Washington, D. C. The Wilmette Vii-lage Board issued a building permit on the 19th of March, 1921.
It was in that same year, November 28, 1921, that the revered 'Abdu'1 � Baha left this world. The grief of that ioss exalted the believers with a profound sense of sacrifice, and enabled them to realize the import of the Will and Testament which the Architect of the Bahá'í World Community had prepared.
Turning to the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, for advice on the next phase of Temple construction, the American believers were, in 1925, directed to accumulate a fund of $400,000 before placing any new contract. The superstructure was completed and turned over by the Fuller Company at the opening of the Convention in 1931, nineteen years after the day on which the Master had blessed the undertaking.
Tn 1937, Shoghi Effendicalled upon the American Bahá'ís to complete the exterior of the House of Worship before the end of the first Bahá'í century, 1944. This privilege has been consummated well within the seven year period allowed.
THE REALIZATION OF THEB~ ALLEN B. MCDANIEL, Supervising Engineer IN selecting the design by Louis J. Bourgeois, the American Bahá'ís arranged for his services as architect during the construction of the House of Worship.
Mr. Bourgeois, however, died before work on the superstructure began. This loss added greatly to the responsibility of the Temple Trustees called upon to execute the decision of the Bahá'í Convention. Moreover, this design embodies certain features and elements which raise entirely new technical problems for the engineer and builder. The preparation of structural designs, the selection of materials and the supervision of the construction work, has made the building of this edifice a technical as well as an architectural achievement. The following remarks are by way of a notation on the engineering aspect of the task.
Louis J. Bourgeois explained his design to the Baha as presenting "in symbolic form, the great Bahá'í teaching of unity � the unity of all religions and of all mankind. There are combinations of mathematical lines, symbolizing those of the universe, and in their intricate merging of circle into circle, of circle within circle, we visualize the merging of all the religions into one.
Page 499C!On the first floor of the Bahá'í Temp1~ there will be the great auditorium of the building, above which will rise the stately dome, 1 61 feet high. A corridor encircles the dome on the outside, and inside the building is a circle of rooms, or alcoves, all opening upon the main auditorium. A circle of steps eighteen in all will surround the structure on the outside and lead to the auditorium floor.
The eighteen steps represent the eighteen first disciples of the Bib, and the door to which they lead stands for the Báb himself.
"In the rear of the building will be steps leading to the first and second balconies which, tier above tier, follow the circular dome. In the second balcony, choirs of cHI-dren will sing their songs of praise to God, the All-glorious."
Observing the model at the Convention meeting, a noted architect, H. Van Buren Magonigle, exclaimed, tcT~e architect has conceived a Temple of Light in which structure, as usually understood, is to be concealed, visible support eliminated as far as possible, and the whole fabric to take on the airy substance of a dream; it is a lacy envelope enshrining an idea, the idea of Light, a shelter of cobweb interposed between earth and sky, struck through and through with light � light which shall partly consume the forms and make of it a thing of facry."
This building is nine-sided, and all the sides are alike, with a central doorway flanked on either side by two ornamental windows and enclosed with a flat arch. At the intersection of the sides, is a pyion or minaret. The faces of the main and gallery stories are concave and with the pylons are symbolic of extended arms. The first story is 36 feet high, on a circular foundation with 18 steps leading to the main floor; the second story is 45 feet high and offset with relation to the first story, so that the feet of the second story buttresses impinge against the tops of the curved main story faces. Above is a great dome with nine ribs which extend from the bottom of the 19 foot clerestory to a point 19 feet above the top of the hemispherical dome.
In the summer of 1921, nine concrete caissons were built to support the Temple foundation structure.
These concrete piers extended from the original ground surface to bedrock; about 120 feet, 90 feet below the water level of adjacent Lake Michigan. Upon these piers and surrounding concrete and wood piles, the basement structure was erected the following year. This structure consisted of a circular wall of reinforced concrete, 202 feet in diameter and about 20 feet high, supporting the main floor and the sloping deck upon which the eighteen circular steps were built. 'Within the central portion of this basement a circular hail with a domed ceiling was constructed and has been temporarily used for public meetings, sessions of the Annual Bahá'í Convention and other gatherings of the Faith.
THE STRUCTUREat the time the foundation structure was built, presented a brief and clear picture of the Temple structure in his address before the Wilmette Chapter of the American Association of Engineers in 1922: CtThe superstructure, for convenience of description, can be divided into three sections. The first section extends from the main floor to the first gallery, the second section from the first gallery to the second gallery and the third section from the second gallery to the top of the dome.
"At each of the balcony levels there are large windows, partially screened by tracery, which would give ample light in daytime and which will stand out in great brilliance when the structure is lighted at night.
ttThe extreme height of the-structure from the first floor to the pinnacle of the dome is 161 feet.
"The height of the first gallery above the main floor is 36 feet and the distance from the first gallery to the second gallery is 45 feet.
ttThe distance from the second gallery to the base of the dome is 19 feet.
"The height of the dome proper, leaving out of account the projecting ribs, is 49 feet.
!CThe minarets guarding the first story of the structure rise to a height of 45 feet above the first floor.
"The extreme diameter of the basement is 202 feet.
Page 500tWhe diameter at the top of the steps is 152 feet "The central portion of the building is a single space extending from the main floor up to the inner shell of the dome."
FOUNDATION STRUCTUREMajor Burt made the following report after the completion of the work on the caissons and the foundation structure: tCTWO contracts of considerable amount have been carried out from my plans and under my supervision, namely, with Avery Brundage for nine caissons, amounting to $76,350.00, and with McCarty Brothers for the general basement section, amounting to $108,500.00.
In addition to these, there have been several miscellaneous items which are shown on your records and which, with the above aggregate a total of $187,876.35. Payments made to me amount to $8,000.00, which includes payments to apply on account of the extra work of preparing plans for permit and for caissons.
CtThe Brundage contract for caissons was completed early in the summer of 1921, having been quite seriously delayed because of the large amount of water encountered in digging the wells for these foundations. These wells were approximately 120 feet deep and extended about 90 feet below the level of the water in the lake and the drainage canal near by.
"Soon after the completion of the caisson contract, plans were submitted to contractors for the basement structure. This covered the foundations other than nine caissons, which were required for the outer portions of the building and the complete enclosure of the basement structure up to and including the first floor. It did not include the basement floor, the subdivision of basement space, the finishing of basement nor the installation of any of the mechanical appliances.
"A contract was made withfor this work on August 24, 1921. The starting of the work was somewhat delayed by the time required to get the necessary signatures to the contract. Also the work occupied considerable more time than was anticipated but was finally completed in the fall of 1922.
ccSince the completion of the basement contract, no work of importance has been done on the structure.
As it now stands, the structure comprises the entire basement enclosure, which consists of the main enclosing wall of concrete, about 200 feet in diameter and 20 feet high; the sloping concrete deck, which is to support the steps encircling the main structure; and the reinforced concrete deck which will be the first floor of the main structure. Within this enclosure are all of the supporting col-required for superstructure and beneath it are all of the foundations required for the entire structure.
"The Board authorized Mr. Bourgeois, Architect of the Baha Temple, to proceed with his plans in 1921. He did so and carried them to completion in 1922 to such extent as they could be completed without having the structural plans to coordinate with the architectural plans.
Inasmuch as I was not authorized to proceed with the structural plans, I did only such work on them as was absolutely necessary to permit carrying on the architectural plans. This consisted principally in determining some of the governing dimensions and in some instances the relation of the structural members to the architectural members. The plans which were made for permit purposes were very useful for Lhe architect in this connection.
"The architectural plans show all of the exterior treatment of the building and in large measure the interior arrangement. There are some details that could not be completed on account of the absence of the structural plans, as mentioned, and also be � cause the exterior material had not yet been determined.
"No specifications have been written."Early in 1921, the Executive Board appointed a materials committee, consisting of the late Major H. J. Burt, the structural engineer, as chairman, Louis Bourgeois, the architect, W. S. Maxwell, architect, E. R. Boyle, builder, and Allen B. McDaniel, engineer, to study the problems of materials to be used in the building of the Temple, with special relation to the exterior material.
TheTHE INSTITUTION OF THE MASHRIQU'L-ADHKAR 501
unique and elaborate design of this nine-sided building bad evoked considerable comment at the time of its selection and during subsequent years when the model was exhibited in museums, art centers, libraries and other public places in the larger cities of the United States and Canada. Over a period of nine years, and with a personnel changed through the death of Major Burt aAd other causes, this committee made three reports based on a worldwide study and investiga-don of building materials and their use in monumental structures. Samples of cast stone, terra cotta, aluminum alloy and architectural concrete were prepared by var-ions concerns and placed on the property adjacent to the basement to test their durability, weathering, and discoloration. Conferences were held with leading representatives of the stone, cast stone, terra cotta, metals and concrete industries. After months of studies, investigations and conferences the committee was able to get only one definite estimate for the exterior ornamentation.
The Earley Studio, Washington, D. C., submitted a fullsize sample of the dome ornamentation and a preliminary estimate for the entire project.
Soon after the acceptance of his design, the architect, in search of a suitable, practicable material of which his unique design could be executed, had met and interested John J. Earley, an architectural sculptor, who had developed a new type (exposed aggregate) of architectural concrete. The nature of the design with its intricate ornamentation and repetition of forms and details was especially adapted to a material such as concrete, plastic when placed in molds or on the building, and becoming as hard and durable as stone upon setting.
SUPERSTRUCTURE RAISEDBy 1929 the Trustees had received cash donations amounting to $400,000, sufficient to proceed with the building of the superstructure. The materials committee recommended to the Trustees the construction of the entire superstructure framework enclosed with a metal-glass dome and metal frame windows and temporary doors. A careful cost analysis had disclosed the practicability of constructing the skeleton structure for the estimated cost of building the first story complete with a temporary roof, as originally contemplated by the architect and the Trustees, who realized that the Temple work must proceed in stages, as funds from time to time became available.
This plan was adopted and in August, 1930, a contract was awarded to the George A. Fuller Company of New York to build this framework superstructure on the foundation. Due to the financial depression at that time, the contractor was enabled to do the work with expedition and such economy that the plumbing and part of the heating and lighting systems were installed with available funds � thus providing a completely enclosed and usable building.
The structural design was prepared by Benjamin B. Shapiro, Consulting Engineer, Chicago, and the building was erected under his immediate supervision.
As this project started, the architect died in his studio home on the Temple property. He had completed his design, including fullsized drawings of all of the exterior ornamentation, great drawings of remarkable beauty and accuracy, some of them reaching a length of 109 feet.
THE EXTERIOR ORNAMENTATIONhad available a plant at Rosslyn, Va., especially adapted to the construction of the dome ornamentation.
This plant was assigned to the project and early in July, 1932, the preliminary work was started. This involved the layout and construction of a fullsized wooden model of one panel of the structural outer framework of the existing dome structure that would finally support the concrete ornamentation.
An analysis quickly indicated that it would be more efficient and economical in the end to make the dome ornamentation at this plant rather than on the Temple property, as originally contemplated by the architect.
The principal purpose of this model of the dome panel was to serve as a standard of measurement from which the dimensions of the various sections of the field and the ribs of the dome could be taken off later and used.
Also this model was used for the purpose of studying the plaster of Paris casts of the dome ornamentation.
Page 502It was necessary to study the dome ornamentation, which is unique in having about one-third of its area perforated. If these perforations were too large they would destroy the architectural continuity. Were they too small they would not be apparent. All of the exterior surfaces of the ornamentation were carefully modeled and this modeling studied so as to secure the proper lights and shades and thus give character to the surface, especially when seen from a distance.
It was necessary to study every ornamentation detail over a period of several months, so that it would fit into the design, as the brush strokes of the painter fit into and form a part of his masterpiece.
The first step in the preparation of the ornamentation was the modeling and carving of the original clay model for each and every section. The sculptor made a tracing of the architect's original fullsized drawing for each surface and then transferred this design on to the clay surface.
From this outline he modeled and carved out the fullsized clay model. Plaster of Paris impressions were taken of the clay surfaces and from these the plaster of Paris model was prepared.
These models were well reinforced with hemp and jute and rods. The rough plaster of Paris model was carefully carved to give the final surface texture and modeling.
From each plaster cast or model a plaster of Paris mold was made and this represented the negative of the final cast section.
The unique feature in the casting of the concrete sections is the use of a mat or framework of high carbon steel rods which forms the reinforcement, supplying high early strength to the casting for handling and subsequently making of each section a structure which is designed to resist the highest possible pressures produced from wind, snow, ice and other factors.
After the concrete casts are taken out of the molds a group of skilled laborers scrape the mortar from the outer surfaces and thoroughly clean these surfaces down to the exposed aggregate.
This leaves the entire outer surface of a white radiant quality.
An interesting feature of the dome ornamentation is its division into the two hundred and seventy sections of the field and the one hundred and seventeen sections of the great ribs. These sections are separated by a space of a half inch to allow for deflection and temperature changes in both the steel structure and concrete material of the ornamentation.
Following the placing of the dome ornamentation, a second contract was awarded to Mr. Earley in March, 1934, for the ornamentation of the clerestory � the 19-foot drum below the dome. This project was consummated in July, 1935.
The exterior ornamentation of the Temple was resumed in October, 1937, with casting of the window grilles and other sections. Upon the completion of the second or gallery story faces, the nine pyions at the intersection of the faces wcre poured in place.
Before the second story work was finished, the models and molds for the first story castings were begun at the Rosslyn plant. Contrary to expectations at the beginning of the work in 1932, increasingly difficult problems arose as the work progressed from dome to steps. In the first or main story, the placing of the great spandrel sections over the main arches and the setting of the pieces composing the cornice required more labor and time than the making of the models and castings.
In July, 1942, the nine faces of the main story and their adjacent pylons � grcat columns rising to a height of 45 feet above the main floor � were given their final cleaning and stood forth in radiant beauty.
Meanwhile, in the latter half of 1941 the preliminary work for the building of the eighteen circular steps at the base of the structure had started at the Studio. When work was resumed in May, 1942, at the Temple the molds were prepared, the carriages concreted on the sloping ramp, and the casting of the 918 sections of the steps begun. During the latter half of 1942 the step sections were cast and placed on the carriages.
Thus the beautiful vision of Louis J. Bourgeois has been materialized in concrete form. What many technical men had deemed impracticable when they viewed the model in 1920, and laymen considered impossible from lack of material resources, has become a reality.
Page 503AMONG different peoples and at different times many different methods have been adopted for the measurement of time and fixing of dates, and several different calendars are still in daily use, e.g., the Gregorian in
Western Europe, the Julianamong the Jews, and the Muhammadan in Muslim countries.
The Báb signalized the importance of the dispensation which He came to herald, by inaugurating a new calendar. In this, as in the Gregorian Calendar, the lunar month is abandoned and the solar year is adopted.
The Bahá'í year consists of 19 months of 19 days each (i.e., 361 days), with the addi-. tion of certain (cintercalary days" (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The BTh named the months after the attributes of God.
The Bahá'í New Year, like the ancient Persian New Year, is astronomically fixed, commencing at the March equinox (March 21), and the Bahá'í era commences with the year of the Bib's declaration (i.e., 1844 Alt, 1260 A.H.). In the not far distant future it will be necessary that all peoples in the world agree on a common calendar.
It seems, therefore, fitting that the new age of unity should have a new calendar free from the objections and associations which make each of the older calendars unacceptable to large sections of the world's population, and it is difficult to see how any other arrangement could exceed in simplicity and convenience that proposed by the Mb.
BAHÁ'Í FEASTS, ANNIVERSARIES,Feast of Ridvan (Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh), April 21-May 2, 1863.
Feast of Naw-Riiz (New Year), March 21.Fasting season lasts 19 days beginning with the first day of the month of 'Ak', March 2 � the feast of Naw-Riaz follows immediately after.
503The first day of Ridvan, The ninth day of RiQv~n, The twelfth day of Ridvan, The anniversary of the declaration of the Mb, The anniversary of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh, The anniversary of the birth of the Bib, The anniversary of the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, The anniversary of the martyrdom of the BTh,
The Feast of Nawruz.NOTE: 'Abdu'1 � Baha, in one of His Tablets addressed to a believer of Nayriz, Iran, has written the following: CCNine days in the year have been appointed on which work is forbidden. Some of these days have been specifically mentioned in the Book. The rest follows as corollaries to the Text. Work on the Day of the Covenant (Fate Day of 'Abdu'l-Bahá), however, is not prohibited. Celebration bration of that day is left to the discretion of the friends. Its observation is not obligatory. The days pertaining to the Abbi Beauty (Bahá'u'lláh) and the Primal Point (the B6t), that is to say these nine days, are the oniy ones on which work connected with trade, commerce, industry and agriculture is not allowed. In like manner, work connected with any form of employment, whether governmental or otherwise, should be suspended."
As a corollary of this Tablet it follows that the anniversaries of the birth and ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá are not to be regarded as days on which work is prohibited.
ibited. The celebration of these two days, however, is obligatory.
Bahá'ís in East and West, holding administrative positions, whether public or private, should exert the utmost effort to obtain special leave from their superiors to enable them to observe these nine holy days.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL GLEANED FROMCalendar) has been taken by me from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas', one of the works written by the Mb. As I have observed in these days that certain believers are inclined to regard the year in which Bahá'u'lláh departed from Baghd6d to Constantinople as marking the beginning of the Badi' Calendar, I have requested Miiz~ AqA Jin, the amanuensis of Bahá'u'lláh, to ascertain His will and desire concerning this matter. Bahá'u'lláh answered and said: tThe year sixty A.fl. (1844 A.D.), the year of the Declaration of the BTh, must be regarded as the beginning of the Badi' Calendar.'
The Declaration of the Báb took place on the evening preceding the fifth day of Jamidiyu'1-Avval, of the year 1260 A.fl. It has been ordained that the solar calendar be followed, and that the vernal Equinox, the day of Naw-Riiz, be regarded as the New Year's Day of the Badi' Calendar.
The year sixty, in which the fifth day of Jama-diyu'I-Avval coincided with the sixty-fifth day after Naw-Riiz, has accordingly been regarded as the first year of the Bad? Calendar.
As in that year, the day of NAWRUZ.BAHÁ'Í CALENDAR AND FESTIVALS SOS
the vernal Equinox, preceded by sixty-six days the date of the Declaration of the Bib, I have therefore, throughout my history, regarded the NAWRUZ of the year sixty-one A.H. (the Nawruz immediately following the Declaration of the BTh) as the first Nawruz of the Badi' Calendar.
I have accordingly considered the Naw-Rtiz of this present year, the year 1306 Ad-I.,
which is the 47th solar year after the Declaration of the Báb, as the 46th Nawruz of the Badi' Calendar.
Dayshad left the fortress of 'Akka and was dwelling in the house of Malik, in that city, He commanded me to transcribe the text of the Badi' Calendar and to instruct the believers in its details. On the very day in which I received His ;ommand, I composed, in verse and prose, an exposition of the main features of that Calendar and presented it to Him.
The versified copy, being now unavailable, I am herein transcribing the version in prose. The days of the week are named as follows:
English Name1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th
AyyAm-i-HAmonths, which are the same as the days of each month, are as
Arabic NameAsmA' 'Izzat Mashiyyat 'Jim Qudrat Qaw,1 Masi'il Sharaf SultAn Mulk 'AU'
Translation26 to March 1 inclusive � fou~r in ordinary and five in leap years.
Page 506506 The first day of each month is thus the day of Bah6~ and the last day of each month the day of 'AlA'.
The Bib has regarded the solar year, of 365 days, S hours, and fifty odd minutes, as consisting of 19 months of 19 days each, with the addition of certain intercalary days. He has named the New Year's Day, which is the Day of Naw-Rfiz, the day of Baha, of the month of Baha. He has ordained the month of 'AU' to be the month of fasting, and has decreed that the day of NAWRUZ should mark the termination of that period. As the BTh did not specifically define the place for the four days and the fraction of a day in the Badi' Calendar, the people of the Baydn were at a loss as to how they should regard them.
The revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in the city of 'Akka resolved this problem and settled the issue.
Bahá'u'lláh designated those days as the "Ayy&m-i-H~" and ordained that they should immediately precede the month of 'AU', which is the month of fasting. He enjoined upon His followers to devote these days to feasting, rejoicing, and charity. Immediately upon the termination of these intercalary days, Bahá'u'lláh ordained the month of fasting to begin.
I have heard it stated that some of the people of the Baydn, the followers of Mirza Ya~iyA, have regarded these intercalary days as coming immediately after the month of 'AU', thus terminating their fast live days before the day of Naw � Riiz. This, notwithstanding the explicit text of the Ba yin which states that the day of Naw-Rxiz must needs be the first day of the month of Bah4, and must follow immediately after the last day of the month of 'AU'. Others, aware of this contradiction, have started their fasting on the fifth day of the month of 'AU', and included the intercalary days within the period of fasting.
Every fourth year the number of the intercalary days is raised from four to five. The day of Naw-Riiz falls on the 2lst of March only if the vernal Equinox precedes the setting of the sun on that day. Should the vernal Equinox take place after sunset, Naw-Riiz will have to be celebrated on the following day.
The Mb has, moreover, in His writings, revealed in the Arabic tongue, divided the years following the date of His Revelation, into cycles of nineteen years each. The names of the years in each cycle are as follows:
1. ALENineteen cycles constitute a period called Kull.-i-Shay'.
The numerical value of the word CCV&hid~~ is nineteen, that of "Kull-i-Shay' " is 361. !CV&hid~ signifies unity, and is symbolic of the unity of God.
The Mb has, moreover, stated that this system of His is dependent upon the acceptance and good-pleasure of ttHim Whom God shall make manifest." One word from Him would suffice either to establish it for all time, or to annul it forever.
For instance, the date of the 21st of April, 1930, which is the first day of Ridvan, and which according to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas must coincide with the Ccthirteenth day of the second Bahá'í month," and which fell this year (1930) on Monday, would, according to the system of the Badi' Calendar, be described as follows: "The day of Kamil, the day of Qudrat, of the month of Jalil, of the year Baha'i, of the fifth VThid, of the first KuIl-i-Shay'."
Page 507BAHÁ'Í CALENDAR AND FESTIVALS 507
HISTORICAL DATA GLEANED FROM NABILL'Sdeparture for Sulayminiyyih on Wednesday, April 10, 1854 AD. � Rajafr 12, 1270 A.H.
B. SULAYMJ&NfrYIHBefore reaching SulaymAniyyih, He lived for a time on the Sar-Gal4 mountain.
During His absence from Baghd&zl, His family transferred their residence from
House of HAji 'Au. MadadNabil arrived at BaghdAd 6 months after Bahá'u'lláh's departure for Sulayminiyyih.
C. BAGHDADarrived from Sulayminiyyih on Wednesday, March 19,1856 A.D. � Rajab 12, 1272 A.H. departure from Mazra'iy-i-Vash-shish: Thursday, March 26, 1863 A.D. � ShavvAl 5, 1279 A.H. Tablet of the Holy Mariner revealed while in the
Mazra'iy-i-VashsMsh.C. BAGHDAD � continued departure from Baghdad for Constantinople, Wednesday afternoon (first day of Riav~n), April 22, 1863 A.D. � Dhi'1-Qa'dih 3, 1279 A.H.
Works Revealed DuringSiiriy-i-Sabr revealed on first day of Mallibu'1-Quds
Ridvan. (Holy Mariner)arrival at Garden of Najibiyyih (Garden of RiQv~n), April 22, 1863 A.D. � Dhi'1-Qa'dih 3, 1279 A.H. arrival of Bahá'u'lláh's Family at Garden of Ridvan on eighth day after first of
Ridvan.departure from Garden of Ridvan for Constantinople last day of Ridvan, at noon on
Sunday, May3, 1863 A.D. � Dhi'1--Qa'dih 14, 1279 A.H. length of overland journey from Garden of Ridvan to Samsdn on Black Sea: 110 days.
S&iy � i-$abrFirayj6t (arrival early afternoon � stayed seven days), arrived on Sunday, May 3, 1863 A.D. � Dhi'1-Qa'dih 14, 1279 A.H. (Firayjir is about 3 miles distant from BaghdAd) Judaydih, Dili � 'Abbas, Qarih-Tapih, Sa151~'iyyih (stayed two nights), T&wuq, Karkiik (stayed two days), Irbil, ZTh River, Bahá'u'lláh, Mosul (stayed 3 days),
ZikhAJazirili, Nisibin, Jylasan-AqA, 2 or 3 days), M&rdin, Diy~r-Bakr, Ma' dan-Mis, KMrpiit (stayed Ma'dan-Nuqrih, SivAs, TAqAt, Amasia, (stayed 2 days) Jl4hiyyib (while approaching S6.m-sdn, "Lawh-i-Hawdaj" was revealed), (last day of overland journey), SimsAn (stayed 7 days),
Black Sea port. Sailedin a Turkish steamer about sunset for Constantinople Sinope (arrived next day about noon), Black Sea port; stayed few hours, AnyAbuli (arrived next day).
Page 5091. K&hik-Chakmachih (3 hours from Constantinople � spent one night) 2. Bupik-Chakmachih (arrived about noon) 3. Salvari 4. Birk~s 5. B~M-iski
E. ADRIANOPLE Works RevealedHouses OccupiedDuration
Dur-Dur- Duringing This Period ing This Period 3 nights arrival on Saturday, S4riy-i-A~1~Ab
December 12, 1863A.D. � Rajab i, 1280 A.H. Lawb-i-Uajj I 1. KhAn-i-'Adb (caravanserai, two story, near house of 'Izzat-AqA) Length of stay: 4 years, 8 months, 22 days. cc cc Length of overland KitTh-i-Badi' journey 2. House in I from Con-S&iy-i-Mu1i~k Mur6xliyyib quarter,week stantinople to Adri-(Tabletnear (Tabletnear Tak yiy-i--Mawlavi of the anople: 12 days. Kings) Departure from Adri-Siiriy-i-Amr 3. House in 6 anople on Wednes-S6riy-i-DammMur4diyyih quarter,months day, August 12, Alv4h-i-Laylatu'1-near house 1868 A.D. � Rabi-Quds uds 2
'u'th � Th4ni22, MuMj~th4y-i-SiyAm1285 A.H.(Prayers for Fast4. 4. KMniy-i-Amru'114h (several ing) stories, near
Lawh-i-Sayy4h Sultan-Salim Mosque)
5. House ofE. ADRIAN OPLE � continuedWorks RevealedHouses OccupiedDuration
Dun-Dur During This Perioding This Period Lawh-i-N&pulyiin 6. House of 3 I Amru'lUh (3-story.months?
(First Tablet North of Sul;an to Napoleon -Salim Mosque) HI) 7. House of 'Izzat-Aq~ 11 Lawh � i--Su1~4n months (Tablet to the ShAh of
Persia)(arrived about noon. Lawh-i-Ra'is (Tablet of Ra'is) was revealed in this place)
3. Gallipolito Gallipoli about 4 days) (after a few days' stay sailed before noon in Austrian steamer for Alexandria,
Egypt)4. Madelli (arrived about sunset � left at night) 5. Smyrna (stayed 2 days, left at night)
6. Alexandria(arrived in the morning, transshipped and left at night for Half a)
7. Port Said(arrived morning, left the same day at night) 8. Jaff a (left at midnight) 9. Haifa (arrived in the morning, landed and after a few hours Left on a sailing vessel for 'Akka)
F. 'AKKA Works RevealedHouses OccupiedDuration
Dur-Dur During This Perioding This Period arrival on Monday, August 31, A.D.
1868 � Jam~diyu'1-AvvalA.D. � Raid'-u'1-Avval 23, 1287 A.H. Passed away
May 29, 1892H years, (Second Tablet 2 months, to Napoleon 5 III) 2. House of days
Lawh-i-MalikilxMalikLawh-i-Malik-i-RAs (Tablet months to the 4. House of
Czar) MansArLawh-i-Burh6n or Lawlyi-Ru'yA 5. House of 3 Lawh.-i-Ibn-i-Dhi'b (Epistle'Abbixd (where to Son of the Kitáb-i Aqdas months Wolf) was re vealed)
Lawh-i-Np ~. Mazra'ihFLEETING moment, in this Day, ex-celleth centuries of a bygone age.
"This is a matchless Day.Matchless must, likewise, be the tongue that celebrateth the praise of the Desire of all nations, and matchless the deed that aspireth to be acceptable in His sight." ctGreat immeasurably great is this Cause!"
ttAn act, however infinitesimal, is, when viewed in the mirror of the knowledge of God, mightier than a mountain." "Whoso openeth his lips in this day, and maketh mention of the name of his Lord, the hosts of Divine inspiration shall descend upon him from the heaven of my name, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise." (Quotations from the utterances of
Bahá'u'lláh.)ccExert yourselves; your mission is unspeakably glorious." ('Abdu'l-Bahá With the quoting of passages such as these taken from the Sacred Utterances, the Guardian rekindled the fire of enthusiasm of the North American youth in 1939. Shoghi Effendi, at the world's spiritual center in Haifa, Palestine, is as a lighthouse to the
Bahá'í World Communitywith its many youth scattered around the globe. He quotes from the Holy Writings, adds his words of explanation, interpretation and encouragement.
In him the Light is ever shining. He points the way to the triumph of the Cause of God and Bahá'u'lláh's New World Order. To him Bahá'í youth may ever turn with assurance and confidence no matter how rough the seas upon which they are traveling.
The Guardian's letter, The Advent of Divine Justice, written in late 1938 to the Baha in the ~ chief remaining citadel," the North American Bahá'í community, has s5rvcd and continues to serve as a mighty rock of Gibraltar.
Turning to it has meant new hope, new courage, new vitality. Youth, as well as adults, have felt the impact of his mighty appeal. All Bahá'í youth who have read and all in the future who may be given the opportunity of doing so could not help feeling de&ply stirred by such passages as the following: t~Let them regard the triumph of their Faith as their tsupreme objective.,
ttThe field is indeed so immense, the period so critical, the Cause so great, the workers so few, the time so short, the privilege so priceless, that no follower of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, worthy to bear His name, can afford a moment's hesitation.
(cAll must participate, however humble their origin, however limited their experience, however restricted their means, however deficient their education, however pressing their cares and preoccupations, however unfavorable the environment in which they live."
These words, though directed specifically to the North American believers, might well have been written for Baha'is, including the young people, in all free countries where openly teaching Bahá'u'lláh's Program is permitted.
In this same letter the Guardian writes to thef WORLD
Mary J. Revellderstanding of the Teachings was a great help to students and enquirers.
Her passing to the Abbi Kingdom on February 11th, 1941, was a severe loss to the Assembly and to the Faith in New Zealand. Her memory will be revered by future generations who look back to the record of her work.
Mrs. E. M. Axford.Mrs. Mary J. Revell, born October 8, 1859 in Philadelphia, Pa., had an early life filled with many difficulties, which she overcame because of her love for, and dependence on, God. In 1900 after years of illness, her husband, a devout Christian, passed away leaving her with six young children, all of whom she brought up. This developed in her strong traits of character � fearlessness, a love born of God, patience, a sympathetic nature which seemed to divine the needs of souls, a confident hope and cheerfulness, benevolence � traits which singled her out as a pioneer from the time of her contact with the
Bahá'í Faith.Though actively engaged in church work, she was searching, and that search made her receptive to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh when presented to her by her sister, Mrs. Annie E. McKinney. She proved the truth of these teachings to her own satisfaction by her analysis of Bible prophecies; accepted the Faith, opened her home as a center for meetings, attracted some of her church friends and others to these meetings, and attended classes conducted by
Mrs. IsabellaD. Brittingham, who was sojourning in Philadelphia at that time. This stirred up bitter persecution from the minister, which only tended to make her faith more steadfast. In an early Tablet to Philadelphia believers CAbdu~1~BahA said: 'tlt is easy to advance toward the Kingdom but it is difficult to remain firm and steadfast."
(See Star of the West, VoL 5, July 13, 1914, No. 7.)
Page 603in the darkness of one night on three different occasions while she was praying, a brilliant light appeared� before her, which made her feel that she was witnessing the light of God's Countenance and deepened her spirit.
Perhaps it may not be out of place to quote here from a talk, given at a memorial meeting for Mrs. Revell, by Mrs. Elizabeth
Pharo:CCNaw~R1iz 1926, was my first introduction to the Revel! family. On that day Mrs. Revell opened the door of her home and welcomed me. My first conscious thought was one of happiness, for I was surrounded with a warmth of iove I had never experienced before.
In the seventeen years that have elapsed, that warmth, that loving inter � eat, never wavered.
ttToward the end of her life, everyone affectionately referred to Mrs. Revell as tMother Revell.' The name was an apt one for if ever a mother was tender, loving, steadfast, and of phenomenal courage, tbat person was Mary J.
Revell."Before her acceptance of the Bahá'í Faith, Mrs. Revell was a staunch, Godfearing Christian, active in church circles and with numberless friends of similar interests.
During tAbdu'1-Bah4~s visit to Philadelphia in 1912, the Revell home, then just around the corner from the North Philadelphia Railroad Station, was the only home in Philadelphia that sheltered the Master.
Later, many illustrious Bahá'ís enjoyed that hospitality.
Isabella D. Britting � ham lived with the Revells for three years prior to her passing. Elizabeth Stewart, who devoted thirteen years of her life to service for the Faith in Tihr~n, Persia, passed to the next world from Mrs. Revell's home.
Martha Root, May Maxwell, Keith Ransom Kehier and numberless other IBahá'ís of East and West, all were attracted by the magnet of her love.
"This presents a rosy view of life, but there was another side that Mother Revell never shirked. It took courage and initiative usually associated with youth, to leave the accepted form of religious worship in those early days; to see the established friendships of many years crumble.
A few became actively hostile; indeed one esteemed member of society publicized his chagrin in a local newspaper. Nevertheless, her courage and faith never wavered.
~ have met many from the negro race, OrientaL, as well as the famous and obscure of our own race, in the Revell home. The fact that they came as of ten� as they were in the city is proof of the same selfless, unaffected hospitality.
c!~week after week, year after year, this Bahá'í home was a center. The work of teaching was the major problem. Classes were held as well as feasts, anniversaries and special meetings. Literally hundreds of people have heard the Message there. Books, a constant flow of them, passed into the hands of inquirers and seekers, at no cost to the recipient.
The poor, the neglected, the sick always found a practical and sympathetic helper in Mother Revel1.
CtNO word of mine can adequately describe this spirit, that is like a beacon to those who knew her. Some folks leave a heritage of material wealth, wealth sometimes gathered at the expense of the helpless, and, in some instances, this Wealth is a curse to the legator.
Yet here is a lady who has scattered a wealth of love like a spiritual fragrance all over the world.
are of the fortunate ones to have known her. Let us be assured that her spirit will continue to inspire us to greater efforts in the Cause of
Cod."It was tAbdu'1-Bah4 who wrote to Mrs. Revell in a Tablet dated October 11, 1908 (now in the Bahá'í archives in Wilmette,
Ill.):C~ supplicate the True One that this maidservant of God become the beloved in the Supreme Kingdom, and be distinguished among the people for understanding and wisdom."
It was tAbdu'lVBahA also who, on the occasion of her first visit to Him in New York City in 1912, said through the interpreter: ttThis is a firm believer.
Her spirit is Larger than her body. I will see you often in Philadelphia."
In telling about this visit, she would relate how she seemed to be treading on air in His presence, her heart full to overflowing with the greatest happiness.
A few weeks later (early Sunday morning, June 9, 1912), while she was visiting with 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia, He suddenly turned to her and said: ttJ will come to your home tomorrow morning at nine o'clock." Her heart was full of happiness, the hour came, the rooms were crowded, tAbdu'1 � Bah4 arrived and greeted the.
friends bringing joy and happiness to all.In His talk that morning, tAbdn'1-Bah& Likened the friends present to a string of pearls, the brilliancy of which, He said, would be realized as time went on (See Star of the West, Volume 5, June 24, 1914, No. 6). Two friends, arriving late, found those present standing in line on the stairs and in the halls, eagerly awaiting their turn for a personal interview wi,th tAbdu'1 � Baha. After everyone had left that day, Mrs. Revell discovered the lunch she had provided for cAbdu~1~Bah& and the friends, which, in the ecstacy of the morning, she had entirely forgotten.
Those realizing the station of her guest, the Center of the Covenant, the Mystery of God, will hardly wonder at this. Later the same day, tAbdu'1-Bah5 in speaking with some of the friends at the Hotel, referred to Mrs. Reveil's home as the "Baha"' Home."
(See Vol. 5, Star of the West, June 24, 1914, No. 6.)
She was present when tAbdu'1-Bah4, in 1912, dedicated the grounds of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, in Wilmette. While in Chicago, she had received a letter from a Persian believer requesting her tb touch the hem of tAbdu'1-BaM's garment for him. On the day of the dedication, while on the grounds, she breathed a silent prayer that she might fulfil this request.
Almost instantly, she found tAbdu'1-Ba1A standing directly in front of her. Quietly she touched the hem of His robe, while thinking of the brother in faraway Persia, and then 'Abdu'l-Bahá walked away.
On being asked which visit with tAbdu'1 Bah~ impressed her most, she related the following incident: After a weekend with her daughter Badia in New York City, spent in hearing Abdu'l-Bahá give public addresses and meeting with the Baha'is, she and Badia bade the friends goodbye and left for the station. Suddenly, Badia re called that her overnight tag had been left where she had stayed. Because of this delay they could not resist attending the evening meeting where tAbdu'1-Bah~ was to speak. On entering, they found a large gathering, 'Abdu'l-Bahá sitting on a divan in the front of the room with an empty seat on either side of Him. To their surprise and delight, He motioned for them to be seated beside Him.
Although they had said their farewells to the friends, tAbdu'1-Bahi knew they would be present that evening; and because His time had been entirely occupied, and they had had no opportunity for a personal visit, even though they had come from Philadelphia, He bestowed upon them this great favor. Many of the friends later said they had wondered for whom tAbdu'1-BahA was reserving the seats beside
Him.What was probably her last visit with Abdu'l-Bahá was on a train en route from Baltimore to New York City. A group of friends boarded this train in town and rode to Wayne Junction. It was at this time that He handed her a string of beads which He had been carrying, telling her to give one bead to each of the friends.
No act of CAbdu~1~BahA was without a deep spiritual significance.
Space does not permit the recording of her other contacts with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Chicago, New York City and Philadelphia.
Spurred on by the messages of the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, to visit towns and cities where there were no resident Baha'is, Mrs. Re-veil although now advanced in years, showed her pioneering spirit by tirelessly moving about in various outlying districts, searching for and helping to confirm receptive souis.
In August 1942, although she was very frail, she and her two daughters spent their week of vacation in Arden, 9elaware, doing very intensive Bahá'í teaching work, which was systematically followed up by other Bahá'ís and which, in the period of about a year, resulted in the confirmation of three resident believers.
On October 17, 1943 these three resident Bahá'ís in Arden, with invited friends from Arden and surrounding points, held their first Bahá'í gathering since becoming be � lievers.
It was on this same day, at aboutthree o'clock in the afternoon, that Mrs. Revel1 completed her earthly journey. As the friends were about to leave the meeting in Arden, word was received of Mrs.
Revell's ascension. Theprayer for one recently departed was immediately read, so that the group at Arden, the last place of out-of-town Bahá'í activity for her, was the first group to offer a prayer for her released spirit.
In striking contrast to her whole previous life, her last year was one of complete physical inactivity, but it served oniy to emphasize her spiritual qualities, breathing forth a fragrance of which she herself was totally unconscious. The power of her pure spirit affected everyone who came into her presence; and one heard such remarks as these: "That one brief day with her did something for me for all the rest of my life. It restored something.
It was like a return to the flame of the Master's days.~~ ttShe is a person I would cross continents to meet."
"We will always look back upon, as the dearest possession in our lives, that love we had from her."
No difficulty, however severe, could cloud the happiness of her sweet nature, because she turned every obstacle into a blessing. Repeatedly, frail and almost helpless as she was, she would say: ~ have so many things to be thankful for."
As she passed to the Great Beyond, her last word was ~ calling to mind these words of tAbdu'1-Bah& in a Tablet to Charles Greenicaf: ". So that nothing shall be left of thee, neither thought, mention, voice or even a whisper save the Word "Y&-BaM'u'1-AbM".
What a precious, eternal, hallowed memory to witness this flight to the Abh& Paradise!
Shortly after her acceptance of the Bahá'í Faith in 1906, Mrs. Revell asked Mr. Charles Mason Remey, should he be living when she passed away, to conduct her funeral service if possible; and it so happened that he was in Philadelphia on a business trip at the time of her death. In conducting the services he spoke with such sincerity and depth of f eel-ing that all were deeply impressed. The im portance of the meeting, he said, was probably not now apparent to some of those pres-eat, but the fact that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had honored Mrs. Revell by visiting her home, would be known in the future as a great historic event.
Some of the Bahá'í Teachings on Life after Death were shared at the memorial meeting, November 20, 1943, making very real to the friends present those Ctdays of blissful joy and heavenly delight."
Intimate glimpses of her life and service to mankind were given, and some of the numerous messages of tribute were shared. One of these letters from friends who had come from Europe mentioned how they were spared homesickness because of the warmth of her iovc and hospitality; one wrote of how a very serious problem had been solved by her prayers; another spoke of having been nursed and cared for by her in her home, during a grave illness; a friend abroad said the first thing he will do when he returns to the United States will be to place red carnations on her grave, and one mentioned having contributed to the Bahá'í Fund in her memory.
One whom she had taught wrote that she felt now she had a short cut to Heaven by her presence there; a friend who read of her passing in the Philadelphia Tribune (a Negro publication) related that on the occasion of her husband's death, Mrs. Revell accompanied her to the cemetery, although the day was one of cold, sleet and snow � and tried to comfort her; still another from the negro race said that one word of Mrs. Revell changed the tide of his whole life some twenty years ago, when he was experiencing a terrific test and wanted to escape it. That word was: Cy0~ can't run away from yourself."
Her precious remains are resting in Mount Vernon Cemetery, Philadelphia, about fifty feet from those of Isabella D. Brittingham, whom Shoghi Effendi has named a disciple of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Priceless is the tribute paid to her by the Guardian himself in a Cable received October 20, 1943: "Grieved passing dear Mother.
Her services unforgettable.Deserve rank immortal pioneers Faith. Praying abundant blessings. Assure you loving sympathy."
Page 606Dr. M. SAlih DR. M. ~ALIu On November 12th, 1943, the friends of Egypt were greatly shocked and deeply grieved by the sudden death of Dr. M. $Alih, the chairman of both the National Spiritual Assembly of
Egypt and the Local Spiritual Assemblyof Alexandria; a true exemplar of the Bahá'í Faith, and a faithful servant of the Cause.
He was born in 1884; and at the age of 16, when he was yet receiving his secondary education at Alexandria, he was attracted to the Cause through one of his schoolmates who was then a Baha'i.
His intelligence and high standard of character recommended him for free education, as, at that time his financial situation made him unable to continue his studies.
In 1901 he entered the University of Beirut for medical study, where he was so happy just to be near to his beloved Master 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and to be able to visit the Holy Spot whenever chance availed. Owing to illness during his last year of study he left for France, where he received his degree. In France he cooperated with Mr. and Mrs. Dreyfus (then Mr. Dreyfus and
Miss Barney) and Mr. EdwinScott in serving the Cause. But his greatest privilege was in 19111912, when he served 'Abdu'l-Bahá as translator on several occasions.
In 1913 he returned to Egypt and continued his activities in promulgating the Cause.
In 1937 and 1938 he visited Tunis and France respectively, in compliance with the request of the beloved Guardian with a view to strengthening those centers and encouraging their activities.
In 1943 he resigned from his government post with a cherished hope of more energetic activities in serving the Cause, whether in Egypt or abroad, wherever directed by the beloved Guardian. During his last stay in Cairo he was fully occupied in planning for the preparations of the centenary celebrations, and revealed his plans to almost every member of the National Spiritual Assembly.
He was much interested in translating Bahá'í literature and in making compilations and was very careful and accurate in such work.
He was buried in the Bahá'í cemetery near the resting places of his former teacher, Mirza 'Abu'1-Fadl and Mrs. Lua Getsinger.
Dr. M. S~Iih will remain an ideal for the believers in Egypt both as regards character and as regards faith, and will never be forgotten by those who knew him whether Bahá'ís or others.
May his soul rest at peace in the Abh4 Paradise!CeBid is the man that hath turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly in His iove, until his soul winged its flight unto God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful, the Ever-forgiving, the All Merciful." � Bahá'u'lláh.
Mr. Oswald Alfred Whitaker. Our be-beloved Bahá'í brother and fellow member of the National Spiritual Assembly was called to his reward in the Abhi Kingdom on the morning of July 3rd. His passing was tragically sudden and unexpected,
Page 607though he had been in indifferent health for the last few months. Mr. Whitaker was the first declared believer in Australia and was an assiduous helper of Mr. and Mrs. Dunn in the early days of their pioneering work.
It was in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker that the first Bahá'í Feast was held, and since those early days of the Cause in Australia their home has always been available as a meeting place for the friends and for hospitality to visiting Baha'is. It was here the late revered Martha Root spent her first night in Sydney after her prolonged stay in China.
Mr. Whitaker was ChairmanThe spreading of the beloved Teachings and Divine fragrances was Mr. Whitaker's constant endeavor. In his business contacts, in his family circle and in his continuous service at the Centre, he cclived the life" and delivered the great Message with sincerity and discretion.
The Teachings became to him as a fountain ever being poured out, yet ever being renewed from the Source.
in 1934 Mr. Whitaker was elected to the first National Spiritual Assembly and for several years was a valued and beloved vice-chairman.
His sincerity and honesty of purpose, his staunchness and fidelity to the Faith.
were ever an inspiration to his co'-leagues. His understanding heart, his generous spirit, and a courage that admitted of no compromise when teaching the Faith, coupled with his unfailing adherence to the spiritual principles, which were the corn.-pelling force in his personal character and conduct, gained for him the respect and esteem of all who were privileged to know him.
He had a rare gift of friendship, constant and deep, which communicated itself, even to strangers, as a benediction of goodwill.
He never spared himself when duty called or the opportunity of extending a helping hand presented itself, and no one will ever be able to appreciate the extent of his sacrifice for the Faith. To his sor � rowing wife, Lynda, and their oniy daughter, Margaret, we extend deepest love and sincere sympathy and pray that they may find comfort and strength in the assurance that their dear one is very near to them. May the fragrance of his memory be a' reality 0. A. Whitaker (Shown with his daughter.)
enriching their lives and enabling them to continue the work they shared with him in this earth life.
Hilda M. Brooks.Shortly after the cortege for Mr. Whitaker's funeral left for the cemetery, Miss Hilda Gilbert, another early believer, suffered a stroke, from the effects of which she died the following day. Miss Gilbert was a worker for the Cause, first in Adelaide and later in Sydney. She was one of the first secretaries after the Sydney Assembly was formed, also librarian, and has always been a valued worker on various committees. She worked cheerfully and unostentatiously, sharing in the varied activities of the community with a radiant spirit. She will be greatly missed by the Sydney community with which she was actively associated for so long.
Hilda M. Brooks.The Guardian's tribute to Mrs. Greenleaf is contained in a letter to one of the friends: tcMrs. Greenleaf's passing deprives the friends of yet another veteran and outstanding teacher. The Guardian hopes and prays that among the younger Bahá'ís many will train themselves to follow her example and profit by the methods she used so successfully in spreading the Cause.
Deep knowledge of the teachings, profound human sympathy, a heart which mirrored the Master's love, and a winning sweetness and friendliness were hers. She will indeed be greatly missed."
In the autumn of 1941, after a lingering illness, the spirit of the revered handmaiden of the Baha Cause, Elizabeth R. Greenleaf, severed its connection with this mortal world, joined her husband and their two sons jfl the Realm of the Unseen, entered the Kingdom of Light and the life eternal and radiant.
She was a resident of Evanston, Illinois, when married to her husband in 1882, and retained the refinement and culture of her early environment.
She had a delightful sense of humor, and will be remembered by her many friends as a charming teacher of the Bahá'í Faith, not oniy in Chicago and its environs, but in many cities and towns of the Eastern States, especially at Green Acre, Eliot, Maine.
Soon after the World'sin Chicago in 1893, her husband, Charles H. Greenicaf, heard the Bahá'í Message, and together with Mr. Thornton Chase (ttthe first Baha in America") and others, became one of the great pioneers of the Faith in this country.
In a Tablet revealed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1907 for Mr. Greenleaf, He said: ~ thou who art firm in the Covenant! Thy services, and those of thy rever~d wife, are acceptable in the Kingdom of Abhi, for ye made your home a nest for the birds of God, and have engaged in teaching the Cause of God. Ye are truthful gardeners of the Garden of God, and two agreeable servants of the Holy Threshold. This confirmation must become the source of joy to life and repose to the conscience.
Mr. Greenleaf passed to the Supreme Concourse in 1920, and was eternally honored by the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, Shoghi Effendi, in the publication The Bahá'í World, Vol. IV (19301932), not only as one of the nineteen disciples of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, but as a "herald of the Covenant" and ttfir supporter of the Faith."
Mrs. Greenkaf's last wishes were fulfilled in that her mortal remains were laid to rest beside her beloved husband, after a Bahá'í funeral service was read in the beautiful Chapel in Rosehull Ccm&ery in Chicago. The many friends present reloiced for her as they listened to the glorious supplication revealed by Bahá'u'lláh for the recently departed spirit.
HOWARD COLBY IVESThe life of Howard Colby Ives is a saga of the spirit. It was not its events but his interpretation of them that portrayed his genius. He had, it would seem, been born
Page 609with a degree of awareness that made, even of ordinary existence, a swing between ecstasy and torture, God favored him in that He had bestowed upon him the grace of a martyr's heart: a head willing to bow, a spirit straining to soar.
Howard Ives in his spiritual autobiography t~PortL to Freedom" divided his life sharply in two. The forty-six years before he met 'Abdu'l-Bahá he compares to the experience of a child of ten! He was born in Brooklyn in 1867 and after the death of his father his family lived in Niagara Pails, N. Y., until Howard was seventeen 'and then returned again to Brooklyn. We hear of his spending many months on a ranch in Wyoming while overcoming a lung difficulty and are given a picture of a nineteen year old youth tending sheep on the mountain sides alone sometimes for weeks and writing poetry by the light of the moon.
In 1902 he entered a Unitarian theological school at Meadville, Pennsylvania, and was graduated in 1905, 38 years of age. Of this period in his life his daughter Muriel Ives Barrow writes: ccHs first parish was a small one with a beautiful New England church, Brewster, Mass.,
on Cape Cod. He was there oniy a year when he was called to New London, Connecticut.
We lived in New London for five years, during which time father built a very nice, though modest, brick church for the people; then he was called to Summit, New Jersey...,
In Summit, as he had in New London, he built a church ... modelled after one of the early Christopher Wren's. It was from Summit that he started additional work with his Brotherhood Church in Jersey City and also organized his Golden Rule Fraternity � a cooperative idea, as I remember one of his many attempts to help humanity in some organized way.
The fact that he made it while he was so active building the Summit Church besides starting the Brotherhood is characteristic of the restlessness that always drove him, One job was never enough.
Two might do. Three was better, And four was what he'd like."
The Brotherhood Churchhad no affiliation with his regular denominational work
Page 610and no salary. A group of "brothers of the spirit" among whom he was a prime mover made a gesture through these Sunday night meetings to include more of humanity in the scope of spiritual endeavor. Through one of his associates there he attended his first Bahá'í meeting. It was in April 1912 that 'Abdu'l-Bahá came to New York and the second phase of life began for Howard Ives, another Birth.
'Abdu'l-Bahá found, then, among the crowds of thrilled and excited people who surrounded Him on His arrival, a Unitarian minister from New Jersey. He was on the outer fringe of the sea of faces, looking and feeling out of place.
'Abdu'l-Bahá saw Howard Ives, singled him out of all the throng, beckoned to him, and as Howard later said in ttPrtl to Freedom": tch an understanding iove enveloped me that even at that distance and with a heart still cold a thrill ran through me as if a breeze from a divine morning had touched my brow." Of the interview that followed Howard could but say (THe looked at me! It seemed as though never before had anyone seen me."
We now leave the outer man behind. It is as if a musical score had been written for an instrument which was as yet but a concept in the mind of the Musician. Howard lies had to die to truly live � by the Mercy of God, at last he has done so: When 'Abdu'l-Bahá "saw" him He saw the tumult and splendor of one of His own chosen ones � in chains still, it is true, forever to be in chains as long as the pathetic inadequacy of the body should limit the interpretation of the Score itself.
The people about the Master were all enraptured by His heavenly aspect, which made Him the epitome of every adorable quality � there were a few, and greatly gifted among them, Howard Ives, who had the capacity to truly love celestial
Beauty for Itself. Yearslater he wrote me in answer to a childish question concerning the love of
God:"The passionate love for the Beloved of the worlds has no relation to any bodily form or any physical expression This sense imagination has been in the past the great barrier to that tNearness which is likeness.' Do not try to build a bridge.
Every such effort is our own imaginations seeking Vent. Throw open wide the doors of the soui and He will surely enter. But it will be in His way, not ours.
The doors of the Placeless are surely wide open but it needs the blood of the lovers to adorn its lintel."
There passed from 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Howard Ives a transfusion of spirit. A Father claimed His son, and never were time, absence, vicissitude in any way to weaken for a moment the link between them. All of the first aspect of his life Howard had been searching the Beloved, until, as he admitted, his spirit fainted. When he found 'Abdu'l-Bahá he found not only the Man but a trace of the Beloved.
He knew where to seek and find. He was indeed born into a new world. In a letter to me, he wrote in 1935: "The universe of Bahá'u'lláh is so beautiful, so filled with wonder and with Light supreme that when one really begins to gaze on it the eye of the spirit is blinded.
But how much better it is to have one's open eyes blinded than to keep them eternally shut! It is like the brilliance of the noonday sun after being shut in a dark room. The blinding is most confusing � perhaps painful � but Praise to be God,�after a while the eyes become accustomed to the light and we see our way about.
Just so it is with this Celestial Light. Some great day we shall become so used to it that we shall be able to see our way about the World of Reality and all our terrors, creatures of the tnight of self' shall vanish as if they had never been."
'Abdu'l-Bahá paused at the flight of steps toward which He and Howard had been walking. The experience, which he has described in "Portals," was as follows: "Again 'Abdu'l-Bahá turned to ascend and I made to follow, but for the third time He paused and turning, as it seemed, the full light of His spirit upon me, He said again, btt this time in what seemed like a voice of thunder, with literally flashing eyes and emphatically raised hand: that I should remember that This is a Day for very great things � VERY GREAT THINGS. These last three #brds rang out like a trumpet call. The long deserted city block seemed to echo them I seemed to dwindle, almost to shrivel, where I stood as that beautifully dominant figure,
Page 611that commanding and appealing voice surrounded mc like a sea Who and what was I to be summoned to accomplish great things, very great things?
Howard Ives was soon to give up all denominational work and to become a minister of the Temple of the Kingdom." This term, which 'Abdu'l-Bahá had applied to him, Howard Ives defined "to be an adherent and promulgator of the Law of Unity and Love laid down as compulsory upon all sincere believers in one God. To be a minister, he added ~ the prerogative of every believer in the Words of God and sincere follower of His Light."
He returned to the arena � for him a literal "arena" � of the business world, chose occupations that would involve both traveling and the meeting of numbers of people. During his long train iourneys he mastered the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and so became by degrees one of the great authorities on the Bahá'í Faith.
In 1919 he met Mabel Rice-Wray, aflame with the same spirit of renunciation and service and the following year, November, 1920, they were married.
It was like the juncture of two swift running streams: from the moment of that union the streams became a river.
The plan from the beginning was to build their lives around the propagation of the Cause of God. They settled in New York City and tried first to earn as quickly as possible enough to free their activities completely for the life of teaching, which they felt must somehow be theirs. The fate of all of us spiritual children of theirs hung in the balance on the day that these two had a certain talk in which they faced the facts: they might go on all the rest of their lives working as others did and dreaming of the future � or they could take hold of the apparently impossible by both horns and go then. In 1921 they sold or gave away all their immediate possessions, answered an advertisement for two salesmen and started on their long
Odyssey.As the years passed no one seemed to expect the Ives to have a home.
We took it for granted that they should have become wanderers upon the face of the earth and that they should forever be first packing and then unpacking boxes and trunks. In 1934, Howard � temporarily in Chicago � wrote me as follows: "You ask me how we can accustom ourselves to homekssness. Our own vine and fig tree is a natural desire to the children of men; there is nothing reprehensible in this desire. Bahá'u'lláh has provided for this in His Law, dignifying the home and hospitality as a means of serving God.
Nevertheless there are a few of us to whom He whispers in the ear tMake My Home thy Mansion, boundless and holy.' tRiswanea' and I often have a yearning for a permanent place to bestow ourselves and our few goods. Just as sure as this longing finds a place in our hearts we are moved again 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í words tHomeless and without rest' ring in my ears, when He is describing the attributes of the
Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.Rest assured that God does not take away an earthly home without providing a heavenly one right here on earth if we accept His Will with radiant acquiescence. Rejoice, my beloved daughter, in the little home which Bahá'u'lláh has provided for you.
If you are worthy He will move you into other homes and other hearts, and you will then rejoice again; for the bounty of a wider horizon of service has been given you; a greater freedom of. spirit has been vouchsafed you and a few more chains of this world have ken knocked from your limbs."
Their first stop was Pittsburgh, where besides working during the day they held thirty-six meetings in six weeks.
From there they moved continually from one city to another. in most of these favored spots the Divine Standard was not only raised but firmly planted. The spiritual children and grandchildren of these teachers are among the pioneers, administrators, writers, of the present generation of Bahá'ís in the eastern, central and southern parts of the country. Literally they are numbered by the scores � and the race increases! It was indeed the eeday for very great things." How gloriously had those souls arisen to the challenge!
To account for a lion-like courage and often superhuman accomplishment we have Howard Ives' explanation of the secret of power � so diametrically opposed to most modern philosophies on that topic.
ttj think it is something like this," he oncewrote. "TI Will of God and the will of in. dividual man may, nay must, become identified, become identical.... 'Abdu'l-Bahá speaks of losing the self in the Self of God. We must accustom ourselves to the actual doing of this.
We cannot think of God's Will as a passive thing any more than we can think of our own will as passive, inert. God's 'Will is evidenced in nature, in power, in action.
To identify our will with His Will is to partake of His activity, His Power, His effectiveness. To submit my will to His Will then, carries an implication of marching � creating � overcoming.
But not marching alone; we march in step with Him. We throw our feeble wills in with His and so become all-conquering as He says we shall. How can the result be other than victory?" Reiterating again this central theme originating in the Master's words in 1912, Howard, burned out with the strenuous and unstinted efforts of twenty years, in 1939, still gloriously invincible, wrote "Never be afraid of expecting too great things.
Nothing is too great for this Day!"It was in Knoxville, in 1934, that Howard began to write � at sixty-seven.
He was employed to write articles about the great dam project there, the T.V.A. Suddenly he found the knack of writing vivid prose. In the late spring and early summer he sat four hours each day at his typewriter in the unaccustomed heat of Tennessee.
One morning he fell unconscious on the floor by his bed � his first attack of angina. He had found a gift which might have resulted in a relief from economic stress only to lose the use of it al � most at once. His health, always precarious, was now undeniably gone, also his eyesight and hearing began rapidly to go, and he now, already facing an end that might come at any moment, began to struggle for time. Time to put down in his new found style the spiritual memoirs we have referred to as CCPtl to Freedom."
Forbidden to use his eyes, he learned the touch system on the typewriter and completed the book, which was published by Dutton and Co. in 1937.
Then followed his book-length poem, the ccSong Celestial."
LIe wrote two later works which have not as yet been published. From Winnetka he wrote: tc~ am content to wait. It may be that Bahá'u'lláh has still some work for me to do. As you say, the doctors are often mistaken I remember an old doctor friend of my mother's, who, when I was eighteen years old, said I would not live beyond twenty-five. Yet here I still am."
I have said that the All-Bountiful One had bestowed upon Howard Ives a martyr's heart. After five long years of debility and actual suffering through which he wrote steadily he was told by a Memphis oculist that the persistent and increasing dimness of vision that had halted the use of his eyes so alarmingly was cataracts!
Already cut off from normal association by his deafness, the closing of another channel of perception jmight well have reminded him of a parallel in the story of Job. He did not live to lose his sight, which seemed miraculously extended to fill the needs of his remaining year and a half of life, but he had abruptly to face the ever-present imminence of still another blow. How did he feel about it? From some notes that he wrote, April, 1940 we are permitted to know that too. He begins: "Yesterday was a marvelous day of spiritual realization, and, God willing, shall mark a new and great step on the path of Reality." He said that his reaction to the doctor's statement was a triumphant inner shout and that it was then as if a voice spoke through the doctor's words saying, ttS how I am trusting you!
You have offered your life as a sacrifice in My Path.
I have taken you at your word. ." Then comes the self-revelation of a noble spirit ttat the culmination of calamity," following several pages of honest self-analysis: CCJf as I can sincerely say is true, ever since I have been intellectually and spiritually conscious, approximately from my 15th-i 7th years, my passionate longing has been for spiritual attainment; and if, ever since I met 'Abdu'l-Bahá the path of attainment has been sincerely shown to me to be the path of self-renunciation, self-sacri-fice, detachment from all save God; if it has been my sincere and earnest prayer: tShower Thy sorrows upon me that my soui may live!'
'What, then, I ask, must be the instant reaction when that lifelong yearning is even partially appeased?
What the response of my soui when those very trials and sufferings and even the supreme tests
Page 613Has He not in effect said to me: 'I have taken from you one by one the normal use of your organs. There is scarcely a part of your body unaffected by My Decree.
Your nerves, your back, your feet, your heart your hearing, and now your sight � and you have not repined, you have not sought to evade nor have you turned away for a single moment from My Love. Nay, rather, have you accepted all this as the very evidences, signs, proofs of that Love.'
I can almost hear Him saying with that divine smile tCongratulations!'
The concluding words of this fragment of Spiritual Diary might be the voice of his translated being speaking, not then to us but NOW, from the realm to which he has been gathered: c(When I recognize the undoubted fact that all this life has taught me, or could ever possibly teach me, is but a sign, a token, a symbol, of what the future worlds of God shall surely teach � my whole being is lost in thanksgiving and praise of Him Who has bestowed on me � this boundless Gift and this infinite Bounty."
on June 23rd, 1941, a group of about fifty friends, gathered in a chapel in Little Rock, Arkansas, to gaze for the last time upon the heroic outer shell of this great man. His beloved wife, teaching in a summer school of Vogel Park in Georgia, had reached his bedside in time. The pain in the last days was like the exquisite throbbing of violins, stabbing the heart with their terrible but ecstatic beauty. Then his long patience was rewarded.
With his sheaf of VERY GREAT THINGS in his hands he went forth to meet his Beloved. Crowning his life was the Guardian's cablegram: "Profoundly deplore tremendous loss outstanding promoter Faith. Evidences his magnificent labors imperishable. Deepest sympathy.
Ardent prayers.Born in the Jewish fold in the very year which witnessed the birth of the Cause, he almost saw the turn of the first century of the Bahá'í era, for he lived up to the age of 99 years.
He died with the Greatest Name on his lips on the 27th of December, 1942, his death being as peaceful as his life had been stormy.
Devoted to the Cause ever since he embraced it at the age of 32 years, he was in the very nature of things bound to encounter and overcome formidable obstacles in its service.
His skill and fame as a physician placed within his reach wealth and influence, which be dedicated unhesitatingly to the service of the Faith.
Numerous were the schemes, the plottings, the assaults of the Jewish, and to a lesser extent, the Muslim populace, directed against the Jewish Bahá'ís in his native city, Hamadin.
Whenever the enemies could secure the ear of one in power, they would make the most of their opportunity.
And it was at such moments that the zeal and resourcefulness of Hifizu's-SilThih were manifest.
Approaching governors, and securing on more than one occasion the ear of the King himself, he pleaded and argued until he got their wrongs redressed, their oppressions removed.
At one time, for instance, a Bahá'í w~s refused burial in the Jewish cemetery; HMizu'~-Sihhih offered the friends a plot of Land for this purpose. At another, the Jews conspired to refuse a4mittance to the Bahá'ís to their public baths; he constructed one at his own expense and placed it at the disposal of the friends. He assisted in the establishment of two Bahá'í schools at HamacNn and contributed largely towards the purchase of a site for the Bahá'í center.
He lived the life and brought numerous souls into the
Faith. The first Jewishconverts to the Baha Faith at KirminshAh were due to his efforts.
Although his house was burnt, his property pillaged, his son killed, he never swerved from the true course of action he bad marked for himself, loving even those who had wrought such atrocities on him and, in several instances, setting them again on their feet when they were in straitened circumstances and bringing them into the Cause through this means. It was on the occasion of his visit to the Capital in connection
Page 614with this particular outrage that the Central Government offered him as amends the title of "HAfizu's-Sihhih" (i.e., Superintendent of Public Health) and a post in the~,Foreign Ministry but he felt that his work lay at Hamad~n and obtained permission to return to, that city.
Not even old age and failing health could keep him idle and he continued serving right till the end.
He attained to the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at Haifa after His return from America and the Tablets revealed in his honor both by the Blessed Beauty and the Master attest to his high station and his devotion and fidelity to the Cause.
MATHEW KASZABWhile Mathew was a student at the University of New York, he met Mrs. Louise Talbot, who gave him the Bahá'í Message. From that moment, Mathew's real life began. The heroic age of the Mb and the martyrs absorbed his mind and The Dawn-Breakers became his constant companion. He never spoke of his childhood or youth or of anything prior to his contact with the Revelation. He was utterly without personal ambition. He worked at anything that would allow him time to study the Bahá'í writing. At one time, he motored to Washington with a friend, and Mrs. Preston (then Miss Vail), who offered him a room in her house. He went to work in a restaurant, happy and content to be under the roof of a Baha'i.
When Shoghi Effendi's Adventof Divine Justice was published in February, 1939, it contained words that lighted a flame in his heart: ttLet some, at this very moment, gird up the loins of endeavor, flee their native towns, cities and states, forsake their country, and, putting their whole trust in God, as the best
Page 615provision for their journey, set their faces and direct their steps towards distant climes, those virgin fields, those unsurrendered cities, and bend their energies to capture the citadels of men's hearts." (page 52) These dynamic utterances carried Mathew away, and without delay he set out for Panama. I was, at this time, Chairman. of the Inter-America Committee, and was obliged to write Mathew that the post of Panama had been already assigned to two pioneers, Louise Caswell and Cora Oliver, who would arrive in about six months' time.
I sensed his immense disappointment at the news contained in the letter, but like the good soldier of Bahá'u'lláh that he was, he accepted our suggestion that he go to Nicaragua. We knew he had some family connections there and we hoped this would make it easier for him.
After his acceptance of the new post, he was made radiantly happy by a letter from the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, who wrote in his own hand: "Dear and precious coworker: I have just heard of your transfer to Nicaragua and hasten to assure you of my special and loving prayers wherever you may labor and whatever circumstances under which you serve.
You should feel proud, grateful and happy. The rising generation will be stimulated and inspired by the example you and your fellow-workers are setting. May the Beloved achieve your heart's dearest wish. Persevere and rest assured.
Your true and grateful brother,He gave Bahá'í talks on the radio and brought into the Faith our first Panamanian believer.
We wanted him to take a cabin steamer on his journey to Nicaragua but he wrote that this was an unnecessary expense. He embarked on a small cattle ship, The Ala-juela. He wrote of this journey that he lay on the floor of the deck at night looking up at the sky and reviewing in his mind the stormy journey of the B~b and Qudd~s, during which they continued writing and praying as though in the atmosphere of complete calm.
From the very beginning, everything in this sick land was a disappointment.
The property that had belonged to Mathew's grandmother had been sold and he was not able to secure any redress. He went to work
Page 616in the gold mines of Blue Fields. He described the deplorable conditions of poverty and vice and was so appalled by the ignorance of the miners' children, that he took a night shift and taught school in the day time.
When I remonstrated with him because he was giving himself no time for sleep, he replied that his time was so short he could not afford to sleep!
All his efforts at betterment in Blue Fields having failed, he returned to Managua. Suddenly, while walking on the street, he was arrested. The reason given was that he uttered words in criticism of the Nicaraguan government. This may have been the reason or not, � the cause is very obscure. He remained in prison from March 1st to 23rd. As suddenly as he was interned, he was liberated. He determined to leave Nicaragua, sensing danger, and began to make preparations for his departure. When they were complete, he came to say goodbye to our first native believer, who was teaching school nearby.
He was loved by the children of the school, who gathered around him and sang their songs for him. The group of students that had studied with Mathew came to say goodbye and wish him Godspeed, they would have accompanied him to the airport but, as it was far from the town, Mathew would not let them. When he reached the airport, an officer stepped forward and presented a warrant for his arrest.
The day was September 28th of 1942. It was some time before his friends learned the sad news.
On November first Mathewwas attadked by an illness the nature of which was never learned, his condition was so grave that he was moved from the dungeon to the Guard's hospital.
His friends were allowed to visit the hospital but he did not recognize any one. At that time death seemed imminent but his strength slowly returned and he was sent back to the prison. On December 28 the authorities announced that he was free, but must leave the country.
Silently and alone, he took a plane to Mexico City and there reembarked for Brownsville, Texas, where he died January 13th, 1943.
It is due to Mrs. Louise Caswell that we know the details of his death.
She visited Brownsvillein the summer of 1943 and placed flowers on Mathew's grave and interviewed wed the proprietor of the small hotel where Mathew died.
On his arrival, Mathew went to the Brownsville hospital, but he did not remain there; though his left side was completely paralyzed, he rented a small room in a modest hotel. He locked himself in and went to bed. As no sound came from his room after repeated knocking, the manager 'had the room broken into at the beginning of the fourth day of Mathew's silence. He was unconscious, though still breathing, and died before a doctor could reach him. He was buried in the city graveyard of Brownsville. On his tombstone are engraved the words cabled by our Guardian Shoghi Effendi when he received the news of Mathew 's death: (CHis services are unforgettable."
His short life, filled with suffering and pain, was offered to Bahá'u'lláh.
Down all the ages, he will be remembered and remain a beacon light to the Bahá'í world.
His example will b~come a spur to achievement. Where he labored and lost, a bright victory will follow. The high standard of purity and faith set by his life will not die with him but live on forever.
MABEL RICE-WRAY IVESCtAS my Lord wills," she said frequently during her last illness. Indeed this thought had been the undercurrent of her life and continued so to the end.
Mabel Rice-Wray L'es, known to many of her friends as "Rizwanea," was born in 1878 in St. Louis, Mo. She was the daughter of
Caroline McGrew Simonand Albert G. Simon. Her grandfather's pa+ents were from Germany while her mother's parents came from Virginia and were of English extraction.
She was always a very vital and active person, loving outdoor sports, especially tennis, horseback riding and swimming. She grew up to be a very beautiful, charming and sought after young woman. At the age of 21 she heard of the Bahá'í Message from Mrs. Doty of Baltimore, Md., and not many months later became a Baha'i.
Mother often related that from the time she was a young girl, she had an intense
Page 617She investigated every avenue which gave the least promise of being able to fulfill her intense desire to know until she found the Bahá'í Faith.
In those days they knew nothing of the details of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh. They had no books, only a few tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá. She was asked one day how it was possible to accept this Faith. She replied, ~ oniy knew that a Manifestation of God had again wa1ked~ the earth and that was enough."
In 1903 she married Theronestablished their home in Newark, N. J., 'and during the first four years, became the parents of three children:
Edris Roushan, LandonCarter (who died in infancy) and Rouhi Coiston. During this period they were frequently hosts to many of the early believers such as the Hianeys, 'Au Kuli Kb An, Harlan Ober, Hooper Harris, and others.
Mrs. Haney remembers that she and Mrs. Brittingliam frequently spoke of Mabel Rice-Wray's beauty and, radiance, but particularly her spiritual capacity, so unusual in such a new believer and especially in one so young.
From 1909 to 1914, we lived in the vicinity of Los Angeles. Though her Faith was very vital and absorbing, she still had time to be active in various women's organizations, particularly those she felt would further the cause of women or of children or of World Peace.
During these years in California her activity in teaching the Bahá'í Faith gradually increased.
There were frequent meetings and study classes at our home in Tropico. She and
Mrs. Kathryn Franklandbecame close friends at that time and worked together in teaching the Cause. Mrs. Frankland says that a local Spiritual Assembly was formed there in Tropico, Cal., now a part of Glendale.
Mrs. Mariam Haney writes of her at this time: "Through the throes of tests and trials she was proving how well fortified
Page 618she was spiritually. Life in this world was not, easy, but as the tree of her existence was well rooted in the revealed Word, she was ever faithful, though the whirlwinds of tests were many and tragic.
There was a mark upon her; there was a distinction about her. There was that spiritual pull she said she always felt."
In that memorable year of 1912, when 'Abdu'l-Bahá came to America, mother looked forward with great longing to the time when He would visit Los Angeles and she would at last see Him face to face. When she heard the electrifying news that He had indeed arrived, we were in the midst of moving into a new house. She dropped everything to the consternation of the movers and of my grandmother. She managed somehow to get herself and her children dressed.
We were then six and eight years old. We arrived at the hotel just as He and a group of the believers entered the lobby and we rode up with Him in the elevator to His room, where we spent an hour or more, along with 12 or 14 others. We children did not fully appreciate the importance of this meeting at the time; to us He was as a kind grandfather, but to our mother it was a moment of rededication, a moment of increased awakening.
She became inflamed with the deepest longing to serve this Cause, of which He was the authorized
Interpreter and Exemplar.Our next home was in Detroit, Mich., where we moved in 1914. Here her teaching activities continued and soon a group was formed.
Through a host of personal difficulties at this time, she learned complete renunciation.
Of this period, she said, ~ turned to God, saying that I wanted nothing but His will � that I asked no personal happiness, nothing but one thing � to be permitted to serve His Cause. 'Whatever was His 'Will was also mine."
Her second marriage, to Howard Colby Ives, was a very rare and beautiful spiritual union. She said, in speaking of her marriage, "There is no greater thrill than for two souls to grow spiritually together, to explore the spiritual universe together, to learn spiritual lessons together. To share all this with one you love is a most marvelous experience." One of the last things Howard, her husband, said to her before he left this world was this, tCDarling, we'll be together through all the worlds of God." And they both knew that this was the truth.
From the time of her marriage with Howard Ives, her effectiveness as a teacher increased amazingly. Together they accomplished wonders.
She excelled in attracting the public and giving lectures, he at deepening and confirming those attracted.
During the first year of their marriage they lived in New York City near
Grace and Harlan Ober.These four were closely associated in business and in the teaching work, and there grew up between them a love and affection which continued the rest of their lives.
This was an example of the bond which unites Baha'is, a bond which is not like any other relationship, because it is founded upon eternal values. Many times in the years to follow, the Obers or the Ives would travel long distances to help one another establish a group in virgin territory.
At this time they also saw a great deal of Juliet Thompson and the Kinneys, as well as May Maxwell, who was in New York a good part of this first year.
There was a strong bond of love and understanding between Mabel 'yes and May Maxwell, which was~ augmented by their many contacts in the Cause throughout the years. After Mother's passing, Ruhiyyih Khinum wrote, ttMabel seems to me to be my own mother's (May Maxwell's) twin sister.
Something in them is just exactly the same stuff.Pure, courageous, wonderful stuff! They know the spiritual laws which we all do so desperately need to know."
One day in 1921, the lies' made a momentous decision.
In Mother's words, "Our plan had been to earn a lot of money rapidly � enough to make us independent so we could give the rest of our lives to spreading the Cause. This proved to be a chimera, and our dream of traveling and teaching was no nearer fulfillment. Then one day we realized that we might go on the rest of our lives trying to establish security so that we might go out in the teaching field, but never do anything but simply work and dream of this future. So we decided that, because it was utterly impossible and
Page 619couldn't be done, as we had no money, we would now go out and teach.
tCSO began our long Odyssey.We advertised for some selling proposition for two salesmen who wished to travel, received 2 1 answers, chose one, and felt ready to go. We sold or gave away all our earthly possessions, reduced all our earthly goods to a trunk or two and a couple of suitcases. When we had bought our train ticket to Pittsburgh, we had just $7.00 between us. From this time on, they never stopped. At first they earned their living by making show-cards on a little machine. They were printed in different styles and colors and had appeal to the average store. Later they sold an adult education course which included the books.
Think of the difficulties which beset these two precious souis, both of them past middle life; Howard, who was trained for the ministry, and Mabel who had been brought up in the South to be a Lady. Neither of them knew anything about business, nor were they equipped to earn their living in this manner. They worked hard calling on prospective customers all day and then spent their evenings holding Bahá'í Lectures, classes, fireside groups. Their housework and all the rest was sandwiched in between. Mother once wrote us that they were having such interesting experiences and that she hoped God would help them learn the lessons that they were supposed to learn from them. One of these ~tinteresting experiences," it turned out later, was the problem of finding themselves with oniy twenty-five cents between them, in a new city. If they could not make a sale that night, they would neither sleep nor eat.
Kenneth Christian writes of 1934 when they were in Albany, N. Y. CCThey invited me to bring a group of college friends to their apartment one evening.
It was a glorious evening.Later I found out, by a slip on Mabel's part, that they had spent their last dollar in order to buy refreshments."
On another occasion, down in Tennessee, difficulties beset them from every side; the lack of money, difficult personalities, impossible living conditions, and so on. Mabel turned to Howard and said, "I give up; I just can't take it any longer!" He replied, "Bahá'u'lláh said, tThe only escape is in submission.' " So she went off by herself and started to submit. In her words, ~ was very much in earnest and I repeated, ~ submit, I submit, I submit,' and kept on saying it until at last I began to feel it. I submitted with everything that was in me, until I finally had the feeling that my whole being was fluid.
All the feeling in my being was gone. There was a sense of fluidity, of openness.
I felt in utter amazement that I really had submitted and I began to feel pretty good that I really had done it, and then a voice deep, deep down inside of me said, 'Oh yes, but you haven't gone far enough.
There is another step.'I exclaimed, tBut what more can I do? I have submitted.' And then the voice said, tBut you must be thankful.' And I said, tBe thankful? I can submit to the thing and I will, but how can I be thankful about it?'
"I started being thankful and I thanked God, expressed thanks for each phase of the rather large situation and, at first, it was just words and then pretty soon I began to feel it more and more, until at last I really meant it, for everything that was happening, and this little voice began talking again and said, tBut you haven't gone far enough.' I said, ~Another step?' tYes, you must love.' I thought, ~ can submit and be thankful but how can I really love it?' I said, ~A11 right, I am going to love it.'" A couple of days later, all those problems were somehow resolved, she said and then added: c(Submis~ sion, thankfulness, iove. It has never failed. This is one of the Laws of God. It works. I have tried it again and 'again. You have to mean it'. You can't fool God."
Her tea6hing activities took her the length and breadth of the continent, from New York to California, North Dakota to Louisiana, as well as middle and eastern Canada. In her notes concerning this period we read: "During our six weeks in Pittsburgh, after working during the day, we held 36 meetings."
And again: "During our 19 days in Buffalo, we spoke 17 times."
The list of cities in which they spread the Faith seems almost endless.
One winter in Pittsburgh the Obers, theWillard MacKays and the Ives all lived together and worked together in business and in teaching the Faith. Here the six of them further demonstrated the amazing results of group activity when the members are completely unified in their common dedication to a great Cause.
Noreen Keith-Beattie, writing of Mother's teaching techniques during her stay in Toronto mentions her unfailing patience.
She said, CCWC (the young group particularly) peppered her with questions, our oniy excuse being the ignorance of the very young. And yet we received her full, undivided, courteous concentration and ipterest. She always made you feel that you had thought of something wonderful or important. Her answers were invariably truly important and really wonderful and profound and yet simple, logical and clear-cut.
Another remarkable faculty she possessed (and this was almost psychic) was her ability to sense and penetrate to the heart of your particular individual dilemma or problem and to set your feet firmly on the right path to recovery. She always knew the dght answer. She never hurried you. She never seemed impatient.
"We were all so constantly impressed with her power to choose the best approach to her. various audiences, gauging both their mental and their spiritual needs and capacities. You felt at all times her reliance, not on herself but on God. You could almost see her drawing unto herself that invisible power.
She was a marvelous demonstration of radiant acquiescence.
Nothing seemed to daunt her spirit. That inner light seemed to glow through her skin. Now here is something that Aelighted us. She was so good to look at, so dainty, so exquisitely groomed, that we could be proud of her.
CCW also had constant admiration for her executive ability, the swiftness and smoothness with which she could organize and get things done. No grass grew under her busy feet.
It never seemed to occur to anyone not to do what she asked them to. Everyone was made to feel necessary and thus was encouraged to take an active part.
This was a reflection of her own dynamic vitality."
In the fall of 1940, they went to Memphis, Tennessee, and then to Hot Springs and Lit-tie Rock, Arkansas.
From then on until 1943, her activities were localized in the South.
It was in Little Rock that her beloved husband, Howard Colby lies, ascended. And it was there, possibly more than in any other place or time, that she showed her spiritual stamina.
She was put in a most difficult position, for there ~was no one for her to lean on or draw strength from. Her children and all the older Bahá'ís were far away. The people there were either young in the Faith or newly interested.
During those two days, until the day of the service, when we arrived, it was a matter of their continuing to draw on her for strength.
But she was able to rise above her personal grief and continued as usual to give herself for others. At the memorial service for her husband, her beloved Howard, she felt that certain things should be said that only she could say. So she took part in the service and eloquently and beautifully told of his quality of renunciation, his great spiritual capacity, his tremendous devotion, and self-sacrifice in the path of God.
After his passing, she spoke frequently of being aware of his presence and assistance. In speaking with others of the eternal quality of a spiritual union in which there can be no separation, she had expressed the belief that after his passing, she would find her work augmented by assistance from the unseen world. It was amazing, during the last two years of her life how she was able to combine both her former qualities and his as a Bahá'í teacher.
She could still make contacts, attract people and give lectures, but now she also had his distinct quality of being able to confirm souls and deepen them in the teachings.
Gertrude Gewertz writes of her teaching methods in Birmingham: CCShe was so weary when she arrived. She was to have rested that week. But the next morning there she was, dressed up as pretty as a picture and ready to plunge in and start the campaign. During the four months that I had been in Birmingham, I had gathered together the names of some who I thought would be good material for the Cause.
She took the list and the details and went forth. Late that afternoon she called me at my office saying that she had already lunched with
Page 621the Theosophists and was going to talk to them that Sunday. She had received an invitation to talk before the Women's Club and the Civic Club (this led to invitations to two other clubs).
"It was her method to interest a few people who would direct her to others and they in turn would direct her to still others. In this way she would build up lists of people who were thinking more or iess along Bahá'í lines. It was wonderful how she would track down information, not resting nor letting one lead get away from her. From these lists, and the contacts she made from her talks before clubs, and the people she met, she gathered her first audience. This was what she was working for, to build up an audience.
The hotel room was then arranged for, the invitations printed, and posters made up and distributed.
"She told me she found from experience that it was better not to mention Bahá'u'lláh as the Prophet or to give the direct Message until the fourth lecture, because she found from the trial and error method that more people came back that way. This gave them the opportunity to become imbued with the Bahá'í spirit. After these lectures were over she gave three more if they wanted it. Those who followed through to the last of the lectures came to the classes. There were about nineteen.
"She used the thirty-six lesson study course. From these peopie she gradually took out the ones whom she felt were ready for a deeper class and then started on the tDispensation.'
ttWhat was so unique about her teaching was that she seemed to know at the right time what questions to put before them, such as, ~Do you believe in progressive revelation?'
If they said they did, then she asked them if they thought it was possible that Bahá'u'lláh was the One sent by God in this day.
It was at this point that some of the friends for the first time expressed themselves as believing. Then she would Lead up to the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá authorizing the institutions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice. Then finally came the signing of the card for membership."
During all this intensive teaching work, she suffered greatly from ill health and often had to stay in~ bed. She always managed to get up somehow and go and give the lecture even if she had to return directly and go back to bed. Following the 1942 convention in Wilmette she was very ill and during this time suffered a great deal of pain. One day she exclaimed, ~ give up. I can't take any more of it. I'm through." Then after a little while she said, "Why, I have been praying that the quality of my work might improve. I know I can't increase the quantity of it because there aren't any more than twenty-four hours in the day. The only way one can improve the quality of one's work is by deepening. Now, I know no one deepens without suffering. Why, this is exactly what I asked for and I am going to make the most of every minute of it." 'When she got well, she said, "Oh, I have gained so much spiritual growth through this illness that it was indeed a small price to pay. I realize now that when one teaches, it depends upon the plane of consciousness from which one speaks. One sentence when spoken from a plane of great selflessness touches the heart and may change a life, whereas from a lower plane one may talk for a week and produce no effect."
The next fall the work was resumed, this time in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Annie Romer and Ruth Moffett had been working and already had a group.
November found her in Louisville, Ky.Early in January she entrained again. This time it was the 'West, across the continent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her efforts were again joined with those of Kathryn Frankland.
She wrote enthusiastically about the exquisite blueness of the sky and the continual sunshine. She had always loved to be out in the sunshine.
Often when completely exhausted, she would take the morning off to lie in the sun, and it worked like a tonic. Her three months' stay in this lovely spot was full of activity. There was time for the lectures and classes and many personal contacts. When she left there were a number of new beLievers, and a beautiful unity had been established in that center.
She wasn't coming to the 1943 convention because she was too exhausted.
But we persuaded her at the last minute and atthe last minute she flew to Chicago from Albuquerque, getting a tremendous thrill, as she would, out of the long trip by air. This convention was particularly wonderful to her because she saw so many of her spiritual children strong and active in the Faith. She remarked, "How thrilling to see bow they grow from year to year." One of her characteristics as a teacher was her habit of pushing her students away from dependence on her and urging them to get to work and start teaching on their own.
Everywhere she turned during those few days people surrounded her, each insisting, "But you must spend some time with me. I am your special baby." Of course that was impossible, since everywhere she looked were those who had hard about the Faith through her efforts dozens and dozens of them.
It must have been a tremendous source of inner joy to see gathered under one roof so many to whom she had given new life. She had once said to Sylvia King while teaching in Omaha, Nebraska, aj have lived longer than you have and so I will tell you this; some day you won't remember when you were happy, you won't remember the times when you were sad, you will only remember the times when you helped the Cause of God." This convention surely roused those memories.
A week afterward she started out again, to Oklahoma City. She had planned to rest a couple of weeks here before starting the lectures. As usual it seemed as though she never could really rest. If anyone needed her help or wanted to hear of the Teachings, she always put aside every personal consideration. The series of lectures was planned as usual. She gave the first one and then became ill and had to cancel the second. When she was told that the people were expecting her at the next she realized the disappointment of the Oklahoma friends, who had spent money on this campaign, and of the peopie who were interested, and she left her sickbed to give two more. At the last one, even the audience could see that she was very weak. She finally realized this herself and consented to enter a hospital. She said several times, "I have let the people down. I have let the Guardian down. I have let Bahá'u'lláh down."
After a stormy illness of ten days, she ascended to the supreme world.
We were both with her at the last. Almost her final words were, CCMY children."
"Yes, we are both here," we answered.Aft& a pause she went on, ttBut I have so many children and there's so much work to be done!"
She passed on at 19 minutes after eight on June 18, lust two-years, lacking two days, after the ascension of her beloved Howard.
Now they are again united.What a power they must be in the unseen world to assist us who carry on the great work to which they gave their lives.
Her physical remains were interred in MemorialIn the Bahá'í News of September, 1943, speaking of the settling by Bahá'ís in various centers where the Faith was not established, the
National Teaching Committeesaid, "However great the sacrifices entailed in making these necessary moves at the earliest date, they can never exceed the magnificent deeds of souls like Mabel Ives, those who have dedicated their lives to the triumph of the Seven Year Plan.
The single devotion of Mrs. Ives to the fulfillment of the Guardian's hopes for North America will be remembered in years to come. Her achievements in numerous virgin states and provinces are yet to be recounted. Throughout the entire course of the first six years of the plan she gave her energies, her time and her spirit. It is surely significant that her passing should have been in Oklahoma City, the first of the organized assemblies to be pioneered and organized under the plan.
Not until the last hours did her labors cease.of the Bahá'í Faith, cabled as follows: "Profoundly deplore loss self-sacrificing, distinguished teacher
Faith Mabel Ives. Manifoldcontributions teaching activities before and since inception Seven Year Plan outstanding, memorable, highly meritorious. Assure daughter deepest loving sympathy, prayers. Abiding felicity crowning noble labors."
Mother had a full and complete awareness of what it meant to be living in the Day of God. She realized the bounty of being of the few with sufficient insight to have
Page 623Bridget Hill (On the right) recognized God's Messenger for this day. She, furthermore, was thoroughly conscious of the responsibility which goes with this knowledge.
First, was the responsibility of obedience to the laws of God which involved steadfastness in her belief, firmness in her Faith. Secondly she put into practice in her daily life the teachings and admonitions of her Faith.
Every personal consideration i~as secondary. She used to say, ctWh you arc in doubt about any particular action you are contemplating, stop and ask yourself whether or not it will be for the good of the Cause or not. That is the final criterion."
Her strict obedience to the admonition to teach this Cause was coupled with her full realization of humanity's desperate, if unrecognized, need of it. The knowledge that God works through men to help other men made her burn ~.vith a desire to become more and more the hands and feet of God. She prayed constantly that she might be a perfect instrument for his will.
She strove daily to further purify herself so that the light of God might shine through. By many experiences she learned that the oniy way her work could be done was to get herself out of the way and let God do it. Whenever her successes made her think she was pretty good and feel important in her own right, she said all the doors would slam shut in her face and her work would lose its effectiveness. She would then become aware of what she was doing, and with the realization that she of herself could do absolutely nothing, that her effectiveness and power were in direct proportion to the degree to which she could empty her own heart of self so that the power of the Holy Spirit could flow through, she would go forward again and be assisted.
BRIDGET HILLBridget Hill of the Air Transport Auxiliary, oniy daughter of Major
General and Mrs. WalterP. H. Hill of West Amesbury House, Wiltshire, was killed on active ser
Page 624vice in an aeroplane crash on Sunday, Match 15th, 1942. Her immortal spirit winged its flight into the Great Beyond leaving her friends stunned v~ivh unutterable sorrow and anguish.
It was in June, 1937, while staying at Government House, Jersey, that I met her when she was a fellow guest. That too was her first introduction to the Bahá'í Cause.
On her return to Salisbury, her parents at once became interested, independently investigated the Bahá'í Faith and were subr sequently inspired to invite Bahá'í speakers to their beautiful home to interest their many friends.
Bridget and her mother were very welcome members of the Bahá'í Summer
School at Matlock Bathwhere they were able to make a deeper study of the Teachings. It was after long and careful research that Bridget declared herself a Baha'i.
I had never met a single human being so human yet so divinely human as
Bridget.In her new Faith Bridget became more radiantly lovely then ever before and, whenever I saw her, there seemed to tue to be some new grace and charm reflecting divine attributes.
Bridget was fond of trees and all living things, she was clever with horses and even the most highly strung animals immediately responded to her.
When she was so suddenly taken it came as a rude shock which took me unawares. It seemed such a ghastly waste, so young, only twenty-seven, so courageous, so daring, so competent, so kind and with infinite understanding and personal charm. I was angry and resentful, forgetful of the profound teachings so clearly given in the Writings.
Then on Thursday night following the tragedy, perhaps at four o'clock in the morning, I felt Bridget was standing near me; she did not speak but had a look of such divine radiance I was at once aware that all anger and resentment had vanished forever.
How can we extol a life so full of ~oy and solace, so rich in imperishable memories? How certain in her belief, how steadfast her faith in the Bahá'í Cause. Her radiant spirit will forever conquer space, she has created an abiding place in our hearts' affections, which time will not obliterate nor the passing years change.
RICHARD MARLOWRichard Marlow was for over thirty years a familiar figure in Soutlibourne.
Having been deprived of both legs by an accident, he supplemented his small pension by selling matches, knitted and raffia work.
So it was that Dr. Esslement one day found him, sitting in his wheeled chair at a corner of the road, and struck by his spiritual character, gave him the Bahá'í Message.
To this he made a ready response, and when a Local Spiritual Assembly was formed in the district in April, 1923, Mr. Marlow was made a member and when possible would be taken by friends to our meetings.
Although he had no opportunities of teaching the Cause, he lived the life, and was a shining example of quiet courage and cheerful resignation to the Will of God. When the Bahá'í group became dispersed, oniy Miss Challis was able to keep in touch with him through letters.
But before his death he was destined to make personal contact again with the friends, who gave him every help in their power.
The spiritual assurance of Richard Marlow never seemed to falter, and one came away from his dark little room impressed by the simple faith and patience of a truly beautiful soul.
When on 30th April, in his 76th year, the mortal cage was opened, with what joy he must have winged his flight to the ~tjpd~ 61? 'the Placeless."
F. Pinchon.The oldest survivor in the Holy Land of the early days of the Faith, U~ii 'Au passed away in Haifa on November the 13th, 1943, in his ninty-eighth year. He was originally from the town of Yazd, in Persia, and proceeded to Baghd6d shortly after Bahá'u'lláh's exile to Adrianople. During the persecution of the believers in BaghdAd he suffered severe beatings at the hands of their fanatical enemies. A few days after
Bahá'u'lláh and His FamilykHii 'Au Yazd'i confinement in the Barracks of 'Akka, H6tji ~A1i arrived at the Prison City and entered the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. From then on he lived in 'Akka and its environs, was present at the time of Bahá'u'lláh's Ascension at Baha i and continued to reside in Palestine until his death. He will forever be remembered, amongst other things, as the establisher of Bahá'í endowments in the vicinity of 'Akka through his gift of a tract of land dedicated to Bahá'u'lláh's
Holy Tomb in Baha i. Inspite of the eventfulness of his long life, the feebleness of old age and the handicap of almost total blindness, HAji 'Au, up until the last weeks of his life, continued to work, and persisted, with touching devotion, in attending all the Bahá'í
Feasts and Anniversariesheld in Haifa and 'Akka, which involved a tedious journey of about four hours in either direction. He retained until the very last a clear memory of the wonderful times he had witnessed in the days of Bahá'u'lláh, and after His passing, and his interest in the contemporary events of the Faith, as frequently recounted to him by Shoghi Effendi, was deep and keen. He bequeathed all he possessed to the Cause and was buried in the Baha Cemetery in Haifa, at the foot of Mt. Carmel.
MRS. MARGARET DIXONThe passing of Mrs. Margaret Dixon recalls the early days of the Bahá'í Cause in Melbourne. Mrs. Dixon was one of the first to accept the Teachings brought S Australia by Mr. and Mrs. Hyde Dunn.
By her pen and voice, in season and out of season, she strove to spread the Bahá'í Teachings wherever she went, and even when stricken with illness she carried on the work with unabated enthusiasm.
In June, 1940, she passed on, and at the funeral service conducted by the Unitarian minister at whose church Martha Root spoke from the pulpit, a fine tribute was paid by him when he said, t!The Bahá'í Teaching is the purest and most all-embracing expression of Universal
Truth."was born in Portland, Maine, February 19, 1860, and died in Chicago, Illinois, November 17, 1941. Her mortal remains were laid to rest in Rosehill Cemetery after a Bahá'í funeral service.
Mrs. Slater heard of theThornton Chase (c(the first Bahá'í in America") in 1902; but it was in 1912, when 'Abdu'l-Bahá was traveling through the United States and Canada, that her interest in the Faith was thoroughly awakened. When He was in Chicago, Mrs. Slater and her husband had a brief interview with Him. It was observed, when they came out of the room, that she was crying.
It was learned later that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had said to her: "You have sought the Kingdom of God in many pla~es, and it was good, but now � you have arrived at home." And her reaction was: ccj knew I had come home when I entered the Presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; those were not tears of sorrow, they were tears of spiritual joy."
Both Mrs. Slater and her husband, Dr. William F. Slater, became members of the Chicago Bahá'í community immediately, and for a number of years were members of the Spiritual Assembly, Mrs. Slater serving is Secretary and Treasurer.
This unique and most lovable maidservant of the Bahá'í community was very hospitable, and every one who crossed her path must have felt her marvelous Bahá'í spirit and her great generosity.
She poured out bounties upon young and old friends and Baha'is. She entertained many distinguished Bahá'í teachers, notable among them, Mrs. Lua Getsinger and Jenab-i-Fadil and his family; and during Jenab-i-Fadil's teaching program in Chicago she, with Dr. Slater as a special committee, arranged for him to speak before twenty thousand people in ten days.
Later she served on thefor the Central States, and also was a delegate for many years to the Bahá'í
Annual Conventions.Palestine, in 1927, was another great spiritual event in their lives.
There they had the privilege of being guests of the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, Shoghi Effendi, for about nineteen days.
He entrusted them with a sacred mission in allowing them to bring with them on their return to America, rugs from the Shrines of the Báb and 'Abdu'1 � RaM on Mt. Carmel, and a letter addressed to Albert R. Windust, Chairman of the Chicago Bahá'í Spiritual Assembly, containing instructions to open the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois for public meetings, to furnish the Foundation Hall of the Temple, and to hang on the walls these rugs which they had so carefully, devotedly and even prayerfully carried with them every step of the way from the Holy Land. Bahá'ís will never forget the devotion and loyalty and sincerity and strict obedience with which this mission was fulfilled.
Very few now in this material world, could, we venture to say, understand the depth of their spiritual emotion as they realized how the protection of the Holy Spirit o'er shadowed them. Their recognition and appreciation of the Pure Bounty bestowed upon them was ever present.
The effect of the Bahá'ílife was most definitely manifest in the way she traveled "The Path paved by Bahá'u'lláh", for during the years she lived an active Bahá'í life she rose to great spiritual heights, she functioned always on an increasingly higher level where severance and sacrifice and devotion to the Holy Threshold of the Almighty became the CC~ accent of life."
During her long illness she had a courage born of the spirit, and endured severe trials and tribulations as if they were real gifts. 'Abdu'l-Bahá said, "Tests create holy souis," and so it was evident to all during her last days in Columbia Hospital in Chicago � even among all those strangers there � that she was truly a holy soui and that she would ever be remembered for her kindness, her gentleness, her uncomplaining spirit, her graciousness. She indeed was "a manifest sign for the religion of God," � and, to the.
Page 628Bahá'ís who knew her well, she was a living proof of the transforming power of Bahá'u'lláh.
Early in her Baha life, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave her the name "Gohar" meaning Pearl. She had truly found the pearl of priceless value in the Bahá'í Teachings, and the beloved 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Reader of hearts, knew she would remain firm and steadfast within the Fold of the ABHA Kingdom.
Mariam Haney.The American Bahá'í community suffered the ioss, a short time ago, of one of the early believers in the Faith through the death of Frank Edward Osborne of Brook-iyn,
New York.Mr. Osborne received the Bahá'í Message of the new Day of God in 1899 from Mr. George Wine, who had attended the earliest classes held in New York City. Mr.
Wittewas very active in teaching at that time and introduced all of the men with whom he was associated, in the shop where he worked, to the knowledge of the
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.A few of them accepted the Faith and were for many years very active themselves in spreading the Teachings; and among them Mr. Osborne was outstanding.
He was a member of the first Bahá'í Board of Council of New York City, and served almost continuously as its secretary from the time it was organized until about the middle twehties. He also served as secretary on the Board of Council of Brooklyn, N. Y. as long as that body was in existence.
He had the inestimable honor of meeting 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His visit to America and was accorded, with his family, an interview.
A valuable service which he was peculiarly fitted to render was to serve at one time as chairman of the New York Archives Committee.
Most of the Bahá'í history ofNew York was within his personal experience and had been recorded by him during his secretaryship.
Mr. Osborne came from a background of New England pioneers, of English stock. Perhaps it was due to that spirit of religious devotion which brought those Puritan settlers across the ocean to people a new land, that this son of theirs was enabled to recognize the Manifestation of God for this day. He was born in Oxford, N. Y. on October 12, 1859 and ascended to the supreme world at Brooklyn, N. Y. on December 24, 1941.
From the time that he accepted Bahá'u'lláh as his Lord, he served Him unswervingly and devotedly.
JAMES F. MORTONB~ M. H. James F. Morton was born in Littleton, Mass., on October 18, 1870, and died October 7, 1941, as a result of a traffic accident; he was hit by an automobile as he was walking ing along the highway in Totowa Borough near Paterson, New Jersey.
Mr. Morton had been curator of the Paterson, N. J. Museum since 1925; he was also an author of several books and poems, a pamphleteer and lecturer.
He received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters degrees at Harvard University, from which institution he graduated cum laide in 1892. Two years later he graduated from the
School of Expression;thereafter he lectured on literary and social topics. Some time was also given to journalism, as he was a reporter on The Boston Globe and Pacific Coast papers.
He was a descendant of one of America's oldest families. One of his ancestors, the Rev. Samuel Francis Smith, was the author of "America."
For many years Mr. Morton was a follower of the Bahá'í Faith, and his articles appearing from time to time in The Bahá'í Magazine were much appreciated and widely read. His clear presentation of the necessity for a
Page 630renewing of religion proved that this theme was nearest his heart.
CCT~lne Bahá'í Cause comes as a blessing to all, with good will to every preceding form of divine worship," a statement oft repeated in private and public addresses, especially to Esperanto groups. His interest in a universal auxiliary language was well known.
From one of his articles published in The Bahá'í Magazine this quotation is particularly interesting: "The world awaits new methods, a new spirit pulsing with a deeper life than it has known The divine plan never fails; but it requires new steps, as the world becomes prepared for larger expressions and applications of the One Eternally
True MessageThe Messenger of the present day has arisen in an epoch when all things are again becoming new, and when the intellects of men, baffled and bewildered by their own gigantic discoveries and inventions, have vainly sought satisfaction in the tenets and the forms which were sufficient for their fathers.
C(Hence the Message of our day is a majestic synthesis of all the truths revealed in the preceding revelations, together with clear and comprehensive applications of the principles of spiritual truth to the needs and the problems of the whole world of humanity. It offers a firm foothold for the restless spirit of inquiry, and meets the challenge of skeptical investigation with patient and lucid exposition as satisfying to the pure reason as its marvelous vision of Divine Glory is inspiring to the spirit of religious emotion.
The altar to the Unknown God is no longer vacant, but is radiant with Celestial
Glory."Mr. Morton was well known by the Bahá'ís in New York and New Jersey, and in Philadelphia and Washington, D. C. He spoke at Bahá'í meetings in many Eastern cities, and will always be remembered for his great sincerity, his kindly spirit, and his loyalty to the Truth.
May he receive that reward which tAbdu'1-BaM refers to in these words: tW1nen you break a glass on which the sun shines, the glass is broken, but the sun still shines The same is true of the spirit of man. Though death destroys his body, it has no power over his spirit which is eternal, everlasting, both birthiess and deathless ...""The reward of that Other World is nearness to God."
HARRY RAVER,Although, materially speaking, thou art destitute of physical sight, yet, praise be to God, spiritual insight is thy possession.
Thy heart seeth and thy spirit heareth Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a Tablet to a blind believer.
Today I have visited a saint. As I opened the door (which is never locked) of the simple California bungalow with its sign announcing to all who pass that~ therein lives and works a "Busy Blind," I felt I was entering a sanctuary where peace and repose could be found and the spirit and mind become refreshed and encouraged.
As I became aware of the fine, sensitive face, the broad forehead and generous head, eyes that had lost their outer sight, the long slender body tranquilly awaiting me, I felt the power of an illumined spirit rush out and envelop me with a welcoming warmth. Such was Harry Raver; "Uncle" Harry to thousands of blind and helpless, and to the I3ahi'is a great and noble person who had accepted the world's acclaim with calm detachment, and tribulation and adversity without fear or plaint, content with the Will of God.
During my association with this rare person I witnessed his spirit working through an almost shattered body, spreading the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, and at the same time cheering, encouraging and improving the conditions of suffering humanity.
Mr. Raver was connected with the theater for thirtyfive years finding his way there from the circus, which he joined at the age of twelve. From this beginning he fought his way upward until he attained an eminent position in the theater, col-lahorating in the production of many well known plays and having numerous theaters under his management.
Being always a man of broad vision,he was among the first in America to see the possibilities of the motion picture and applied all of his imaginative capabilities to its promotion, in the formative period of this industry. Seeing always beyond the usual, the tried, he imported many foreign films of great beauty and artistry, which were immediately acclaimed in this country. Among these was Gabrielle d'Annunzio's great picture t~Cabiria" and this, the first film to be exhibited at the White House, he was privileged to show before President and Mrs. 'Wilson. This privilege made it possible, some time later, for him to aid in securing the President's permission to write the story of his life for the films. He guided innumerable pioneering enterprises to a successful conclusion, attracting men of distinction and ability to association with him in all that he did. His effort was never for himself alone as it was a part of his nature to use his vision and good judgment to help others achieve their goal. This he did, in many cases, with no thought or desire for return; but the gratitude of one whom he had so assisted brought a valued return, years later, as it was through this medium he was enabled to give, over the air, the Words of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Overwork and strain caused a complete breakdown and forced him to go to Florida in an effort to regain his health. Out of this experience came time to search his soui and he began to find the deep spiritual knowledge that became so much a part of him. It was also there he received a letter from his broker announcing that all he had of material wealth was gone, wiped out.
Still broken in health, he came to California and opened an antique shop, displaying the many fine pieces he had collected from time to time. Among these was a string of rare Baluchistan black amber beads. One day these beads attracted the eye of a Bahá'í who happened to be passing. Being an archeologist and recognizing their background and their value, he entered the shop.
Mr. Raver told of this meeting with a little chuckle, "I had always been interested in philosophy and so with my interest in philosophy and this Bahá'ís interest in my Baluchistan beads we were drawn together and had many fine talks.
He told me of Bahá'u'lláh, and one day he told me I was a Baha'i!"
Harry Raver had sought for truth throughmany philosophies and was a prepared soui to receive the challenge of the Bahá'í Message.
"It was easy for me to become a believer in Bahá'u'lláh," he stated quite simply, and added that when he read in the newspapers of 191 2 the reported accounts of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í talks he thought "That is something I have always believed."
He minimized a major tragedy by whimsically saying, ccYou know, I placed the Bahá'í books in my shop and then wore out my remaining good eye trying to read every one of them."
Feeling the urge to remain ever useful, not allowing frailty or affliction to limit him, he pushed on and put his talents to work writing many radio programs, persuading those for whom he wrote to broadcast sections of "The Goal of the New World Order," and was repaid by requests for further broadcasts along these lines.
As lie became acutely aware of the needs of the blind he had an overpowering desire to help them, and evolved a radio program, naming it "Cheer-Up" and dedicating it to inspiring and educating the blind and handicapped to tccome out of their corners," to broaden their horizons and become self-supporting.
He knew that happiness was their need, so gave of his own, having learned well and followed faithfully the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "'There is a star of happiness in every heart, let us remove the clouds so it may twinkle radiantly."
He knew their need to hear of their Lord and from this program, every week for a number of years, he radioed out over the ether waves the Teachings of the Blessed Perfection, Bahá'u'lláh.
He invited Bahá'í guest speakers to partake of the privilege of this great service; Mine. Barney, Mrs. French, Mrs. Gibson and Mr. Hatch spoke to the blind of the beauty of the Great Day in which they were living.
The blind have been stimulated by this program to ttcarry on" and have learned trades and crafts that have earned them regular amounts; and Harry Raver, their kindly, courageous friend, to whom they could always turn and receive help, earned their deep love and respect for his Faith, as his teaching was based on deeds. He gave them hope and earned their eternal gratitude.
He was very fond of the following prayer, which he one day gave me, saying, t~J have a prayer which I use when in a dilemma and it clears things up for me,
CC ~O God! 0 God! OpenThou the gate, prepare the means, make straight the path, pave the way and supply my need!'
"If the gate is open so that you can see, the way is clear. If the way is paved, you won't stumble, and if the need is supplied, that's all we need."
EPILOGUE.To Harry Rush Raver, who died September 14, 1941, this sonnet was written, by a Bahá'í friend.
My song is sad today, for yesternight Died one I've known and loved through many years � One who had faced Life's plaudits � and its jeers � With calm disdain!
He was a flawless knight, 'With arms e'er ready to embrace the cause Of those who sorrowed; He would still their fears � Their hopefulness and courage reunite, Enduing them with strength to wage the fight To shield their brothers from both grief and tears!
I do not grieve that he is gone � I find That I myself would ask no moment s pause � If I might go, and going, leave behind So grand a record for the world's applause, As this man leaves, who was both ill � and blind!
Harry Raver's beautiful and heroic service was ended abruptly by the hand of an assassin who entered his unlocked door, as he lay on his couch, and brutally attacked and robbed him, leaving him in such a serious condition that after ten days of grievous suffering he slipped away. At the last one who loved and always assisted him in his labors for the blind, held his paralyzed hand and repeated the Greatest Name. On the last syllable of the ninety-fifth mention of this Name, Harry Raver was released and his spirit winged its way to meet his
Page 633Before becoming unconscious he pleaded for mercy for his assailant, saying, "He must have needed the money so much more than I did."� Though the skill of the physicians failed to bring him to consciousness, he would come out of his coma whenever CCAllihu Abh4" was repeated. Shortly before the end he heard the Name of Bahá'u'lláh mentioned and in a clear, strong voice asked, "Who speaks of Bahá'u'lláh" and "What is said of Him?"
In life his oniy thought was of Bahá'u'lláh and at the moment of his passing he lingered to tell once more of Him.
He truly was one of whom 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke in His Tablet, ccThy heart seeth and thy spirit heareth."
SYDNEY SPRAGUEhas written: ttT life is not the life of the flesh but the life of the spirit. This life knoweth no death, and this existence is crowned by immortality.
Even as it hath been said: ~He who is a true believer liveth both in this world and in the world to come.
Sydney Sprague lived in this world, and lives now in the world to come.
He was born into this world in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the year 1875; he ascended to his heavenly home Monday, August 16th, 1943, at the age of 68 years.
His body rests in Inglewood Cemetery, Inglewood, a town adjacent to Los Angeles, California.
His grave is beside that of Tom Collins, husband of Amelia Collins, and lies just across the road from the grave of Thornton Chase, "First Bahá'í of
America."The Bahá'ís of Los Angeles, California, to which Bahá'í community Sydney Sprague returned in 1941, after 28 years of absence from membership in the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, quickly learned to love their newiy reinstated Bahá'í brother. Some saw the great humility it took for him to turn his back upon his error, of which so many in the Cause knew, and to return to their companionship in the
Truth.The distinguished Guardian, Shoghi Effendi, was reported to have warned the believers that no one should reproach Sydney Sprague with the past. The friends heeded this advice. Tenderly, they guided his feeble steps, as he left the automobile which brought him to the Baha Feasts and meetings.
They provided him with an armchair to make him comfortable while he was with them. They, too, rejoiced in his evident happiness at being once more in the~ company of the friends of God.
Some of the Bahá'ís knew that there was recorded in the papers of Thornton Chase a copy of a Tablet written by the beloved 'Abdu'l-Bahá in which He had stated that Sydney Sprague, as he neared the end of his life, would return to the Bahá'í Faith. The friends were happy to realize the fulfillment of this prophecy. They were appreciative of the fact that those last days of Sydney Sprague's Bahá'í life were to be spent in Los Angeles.
How glad the friends were to visit their dear brother.
They found him like a thirsty traveller newly rescued from a desert.
He drank in, through his eager questioning, the facts which brought him up to date in his knowledge of what had occurred in the Faith of God in the years intervening since his own close association with its dramatic history.
in this effort also, he was best assisted by reading the "'World Order of Bahá'u'lláh," pamphlets by Shoghi Effendi. These formed the best bridge by which he could cross over the gap between the days of 'Abdu'l-Bahá the heroic age of the Faith, and the present transitional period of the Guardianship, in which the Bahá'í Administrative Order becomes the "cradle" for the future, spiritual Baha commonwealth.
The believers, in their turn, also learned fromheard from his own lips the story of how he fell ill from fever while traveling for the Faith in India; of how he lay helpless in bed in that far-off country, and of how an Oriental Bahá'í came to nurse him.
This Oriental, spiritual brother remained faithfully with Mr. Sprague until he recovered.
But, in the meantime, the fever had passed from the patient to his nurse and the nurse failed
Page 634When the nurse died, Mr. Sprague became the first Occiden-Va1 Bahá'í for whom an Oriental Bahá'í had sacrificed his life.
After his own passing, the press of Los Angeles carried items concerning Sydney Sprague that its world of readers would most likely be interested in noting � that world which, for the most part, is so heedless of spiritual truth, a fact to which His Holiness Jesus testified when He said: ttLet the dead bury their dead." There was no mention in the newspapers of the happiness that came to Sydney Sprague when he returned to the RaM/i Faith and thus to that eternal spiritual life which is theirs who accept the Manifestation of God in the Day of
His Dispensation.These papers wrote that Sydney Sprague had been an author, lecturer, and composer.
They stated that, at twenty-three, he had studied at the Sorbonne, Paris, France; that he was at one time a "free lance" writer, and, as such, "covered," in France, the trial of Captain Dreyfus, and the funeral of
Emile7 r; ~r; 'Ab-du'llTh-Ab&d, 9. MaqsAd-Akid, 10. Jal-6liyyih, 11. Kamiliyyih, 12. Qal'ih-Naw, ni-Ab~d, 15. Kabir-Ab6d,
16. *Piy&~AbAd, 17. 'Adl-AMd is. Mu~affariyyih, 19. Silur, 20. �i2ihAr-T6qi, 21. Var4min, 22. Di1ij~n, 23. Adir6n, 24. *Qulhak, 25.
*Tajrish, 26. KalAk, 27.Garm-Darrih, 28. Qih4n-i-Qum, 29. Qal'ih-Hasan-Khin, 30. Ji~qin, 31. '~Fishandak 32.
Pishv~ (Jm~m-Z~dih-Ja'far), 33. Ar~d~n, 34. Sifij KMni, 35. Just~n, 36. KarkabAd, 37. ~Gatih-Dih, 38. ~$liahr-i-Qum, 39. ~ 40 '~Ch41tis 41.
*Karal, 42.~ 43. ~'Is-mar-AMd-i-B4tA-Salm4n, 44. ~'Zarn~n, 45. Mishkin-Ab6d, 46. 'ijadiqih, 47.
*Miy~n~Ab4d, 48. *~yffi, 49. ~Maha1Ut, 50. 'lsiandiy4ri, 51. BAqir-AMd, �2. Mihdi-Abid, 53. SMih-AlAd, 54. Mihr-AMd, 55. Du-T&iy-i-Suil4, 56.
Kalirizak, 57. Dawlat-Abid, 58. Fath-AbAd,60. Kuhak, 61. Dawfidiyyih, 62. QaI'iy-i-SM~r, 63. R~tmIin, 64. Vasmih-NAr, 65. Muham-mad-AJAd, 66. KalAr-Daslit, 67.
His~rak, 68. Hamid~nak, 69. Qal'ih-Murshi, 70. JaMn-Ab6d, 71. Alimad-AbAd, 72. ]3M~ � bAn, 73. RuMyKarim, 74. Haft-j&y, 75. 'Azim-AlAd, 76. thin, 77. Kit~n-i-DamAvand, 78. Shimshak~ 79. May-g~in, SO. Kan, 81. TanbAkiYi, 82. Kaligi$n, 83. Jf[usayn-AlAd-i-Afsh4r 84. Garms~r, 85. Uql4n-Tappih, 86. RM-Hin, 87. GiLiyArd, 88. A.b-Sard, 89. H4ji-Ab&d, 90. Amin-Ab4d.
IT. DISTRICT: ABLDIH1. *ABADTH, 2. Isfand-AMd, 3. *Iqljcj, 4. 'ldris-AMd, 5. Baliman, 6. '~QishUq-i-Qunquri,
7. ChiMr 8 '~Khurramiy-iQunquri, 9. '~Dih-Bid, 10. '~DirgMk, LI. ghih, 14. '~KAshkik 15 '~Najaf-Ab4d-i-SuflA, 16. :.Himmatib6d 17. ~Vazir-Ab4d, 18. 'AbMs-Abid-i-Bahman, 19. 'AbMs-Ab6d-i-H6ji-'Ali-Khan 20 Say-din, 21. Munj-i-Bavin6t, 22. '~Sury6.n-i-Bav&n~t, 23. SArmaq, 24. Chir-i-Bav6n~t, 25.
*SarvistiniBavAnit1. ~KASHAN, 2. ~Natanz, 3. ~Nush-AbAd, 4. '~Yazdi1, 5. *Mashg~n, 6. '~VAdi-q~n, 7. "Nar4q, 8. VisqiinaqTh-i-J~isb, 9.
*Jawshiq&n, 10. ~Qamsar, 11. tM4zgAn, 12. Barzuk, 13. Aby~nih, 14. Kajg6.n, 15. '~Fath-AMd, 16. *Adn, 17. Girug~n-i-J~sb, 18.
Tarq, 19. Hanjan, 20.1. '~KIRMAN, 2. '~Rafsanj~n, 3. ~Bandar-'Abb4s, 4. *Sirj~n, 5. 'Baha, 6. '~AnAr, 7.
'~R~var, 8. *Hasan.Ab~d, 9. Zarand, 10.Qaryatu'I-'Arab, 21. *Khabraqt5, 22. '~Bandar-i-Langili, 23. Kuhban4n, 24. Langar, 25.
Bahr6mjird, 26. Hurmuzd-AMd, 27.Jiip~r, 28. B~ft, 29. Bastak-i-Bandar-Abb~s, 30. MiMi,, 31. Rahmat-AMd-i-Rafsanj An, 32. Jannat-AMd-i-Rafsanj~n,
33. 'All-Rb Ad-i-RafsanjGarmustij, 37. Ahmadi, 38. Sarbun&n-i--RAvar, 39. By6A, 40. MThAn, 41.
Qav~m-Ab&d-i-Kaviar, 42.1. ~QAZViN, 2. ~Qadim-AIAd, 3. Amin-ANd, 4. Ya'qiib-Ab2id, 5. '~Muhammad-ANd, 6. �liahrist&n, 7� *~Q~j~ 8. 'Au-Ridi-AMd, 9. *KulahDarrih 10. ~Ish
Page 673Believers Attending Sessions of the Summer School in India.
tih&rd, 11. Avaj, 12.'~Abhar, 13. *Taki~ stan (Siy6xluhun), 14. *Zanjin, 15. ShinAt, 16. Khurram-Darrih, 17. BAyin, 18. Khurram-AbTh-i-DashtThi, 19. Dast-girdak, 20. MurAd-Tappih, 21. Slautur-khin-i-Alamiit, 22. Nawdih, 23. Biyih.
VI. DISTRICT: ADHIRBAYJANG&vgAn, 9. '~Dih-kMraqTh, (Adhar-Shahr), 10. :~Shisha van, ii. ~?'Ajab~Shir, 12.
'~Mihr-Ab4d, 13. '~Hiraw-AMd, 14. *Ruvisht, 15. 'l3unAb, 16.
*Madghih, 17. 'Alaviy~n, 18. Chupuqli, 19. ~Aqjih-Dizaj, 20. Malik-Kandi, 21. *Qijihi, 22. *Miy&nDu~~b, 23. Mishgin-Sj~ahr, 24.
~?Nawnizhi, 25. ~?S4vujbu14sh(Uriimiyyih), 27. Qahram~n1fi, 28. ~?SiPhpfir (Salmis), 29. *Klray, 30. ~?Vishlaq, 31. *Pirkandi, 32. 'Kfvughui, 33. Qubaydili, 34. '~Marand, 35. ~ 36. Kundulaj, 37. AstamM, 38. KlAmnih, 39. Sliabastar, 40. ~?Says~n, 41. *Matanaq, y4naj (Miy&nih), 45. '~SarAb,
46. KurSArAn, 49. Gilih � KhAnih, 50. 'K&1-i-H4sbim, 51.
'~Ahar, 52. Hadd4d4n, 53. Girdilq&n, 54. KhAn-b~ghi, 55. Qivsh6q, 56. Qarah-Shir~n, 57. Kh~iti~n-AMd, 58.
Sharafkh4nih 59. Arin-Jilik, 60. Saraskand, 61. Ast~r&, 62. Bust~n-A1Ad, 63. *Qubid, 64. HiravAn-i-Khalkh 41.
VII. DISTRICT: YAZD1. *YAZD, 2. '~Ardakin, 3. *Amir.AbAd, 4� *Husayn~Abid, 5. '~'Izz-AMd, 6.
*'Ali.Ab6d, 7. *Sharaf~A.b&d,'~Nasr-A&id-i-PishkiW 17 '~KhudAbid-i-Pishk~h, 18. *Mansh6d 19. 'TTurmuzak, 20. *Marvast, 21. *Da.hal,
22. *Qisim'~Hasan-Ab~id-i-Qutb-AMd, 25. Finiz-AbAd, 26. Sadr-Ab4d, 27. '~IUh-Ab6d, 28. Nusrat-AlAd, 29. Mahrniid-AIAd, 30.
Hujjat � AMd, 31.Mubammad-Ab&d-i-Ch&hak, 34. Hasan-AMd-i-H~mih, 35. KMvidak, 36. Mih
Page 674Az, 37. G~vsh4d, 38. Hidish 39 Bun~ft-i-SidAt, 40.
Mazra'iy-i-Siyyid-Mirzi, 41. ~An~rak, 42. Shahr-i-BThak, 43. Hir~t, 44. Har4barj~n, 45. Ahrist4n, 46. Khar~-shili, 47. Shamsi 48 Sakhud.
VIII. DIsTincT: ISFAHAN1. ~~IsFAH~N, 2. ~?Najaf~AMd, 3. Ardi-stAn, 4. *ZavArih, 5. *~~jjfl, 6. *Qah firukh 7 *Dastjird~i~Im~m~Zidih, 8. ~S~m4n, 9. ~Dih&q&n, 10. ~Jaz, 11. Dizaj, 12.
*Kjr&ljnjjn 13. 'Klskandari, 14. '~AfCs, 15. ~TirAn, 16. *Muhammadiyyih, 17. rKishih, 18. Rustam-Ab4d, 19. *Musi~ Ab~d, 20. Mihdi-AMd, 21. *Kafft, 22. Dihaq, 23. '~Kurd-i-Sufl~, 24.
'~Murgb-Chinir, 25. KhurzAq, 26. LaftuvTh, 27. Shayd~n, 28. Qal'ih-SiPh, 29.
*Shahral(, 30. *Talkhib, 31. Dumnih, 32. Varn4m-kMs, 33. Sidih-Linj~n, 34.
Bkgb-Bahidu-din 35 ~CMdigTh, 36. Adig~n, 37. QAch-4nak-Faridan, 38. *Chayg~n, 39. Shah-Ridi (Qumshih), 40. ~?N4~in 41 *Chain gurdTh, 42.
Riz, 43. *Tsfarjin, 44. ~Shahr-i-Kurd, 45. Qahnaviyyih, 46.
Dar-rih-~huir, 47. Kutuk, 48. Thr, 49. Chul-chih, �0. Murchih-Khurt, 51.
Muham-mad-AbAd, 52. Jarquviyyih, 53. Nan6d-gAn 54 Khtizin, 55. Adirj5n, 56. MiyTh-dasht 57 Hasan � AbAd, 58. Katih-Shuir 59.
ilAli-AbAd, 60. Piykin-i-Astinih, 61. ,:Julf A, 62. Namingird, 63. Nis4r, 64. Akhurih 65 Mub4rakih, 66. Dihnaw-MuMrakih, 67. Qand-Ab 68 Shish-Jav4n, 69. Mihdi-Abid-i-Karvan, 70. GirdTh, 71. Barj&i, 72. Akni.
IX. DISTRICT: FiRs4. '~D~riyAn, 5. Sa'di, 6. *QaJAt, 7. "ZThhirz 8 '~Zarq~n, 9. Kirnirih-Marv-dasht 10 'Im4d-AMd-i-Marvdasht
11. Kdshk-i-Marvdasht12. F&Kiq, 13. ~Shams-Ab4d-i-Burz4, 14. *Fathkb4di Marvdasht, 15. *ShamsJ~bid%Takht, 16. iJalirum, 17. Bi~shihr, 18. *Firuzi Mary daslit, 19. ~K~zir6n, 20. *L4rist~n, 21. ~Bayd?, 22. Qa~ru'd-Dasht, 23. '~Qaryiy-i-Dih-Piy~1ih 24 KlAnih-Kahd&n, 25. Khur-i-L6risiAn, 26. Karish-i-LArist~n, 27.
'~Ahrum, 28. ~Faqih-MasnTh, 29. AbAd-ThAp&, 30. '~Khurmiij, 31. FiKtz-ALAd.
X. DISTRICT: HAMADANAvarzmin, 5. '~Tiiysarg4n, 6. '~Nah&vand, 7. '~Amz~jird, 8. 'Baha, 9. *L~1ij in, 10. Husayn-ibid, 11. '~Uqchuk. 12. *Chu puqlii,
13. ~?Qurviy~i~Kurdistin, 14. SAri-Qamish 15 ~ Sufl&, 16. * Uchtappih, 17. '~Jaiushid-Abid, 18.
Aqbuliq, 19. Latg~, 20. Qiziljalikand, 21. Qarahbul4q, 22.
Kh&nb&ghi, 23. SMih-AbAd,32. M~niz6n, 33. Tusk, 34. Asad-Abid, 27. Ukinhi, 28. Q4dir-Khalaj, 29. QibAq-Tappih, 30.
Sliaykh-JAn, 31. GumbadAn, 32. MAniz~n, 33. T6sk, 34. Asad-AMd, 35. Hamih-Kisi, 36. Dizaj, 37. Mirza.
His~ri, 38. DihdavAn, 39. Amir-Abid.1. '~BIRJAND, 2. Kundur, 3. Mirza, 4. Bidisk, 5.
Nawfirist, 6. '~SarcMh, 7. ~AsiyThin, 8. Durukhsh, 9. ~Dastjird, 10. Ridvan, 11. Mud, 12. Gaz 13 KhAsf, 14. Tuq&b, 15. ~?Khfinik, 16. SiskAn, 17. Qal'ih-Kiih (Chishmih), 18. ~Zirk, 19. Niik, 20. NawzAd, 21. Kh4n 22 Sar-khung, 23. Takhtih-Mn.
XII. DISTRICT: 'IRAQ%h~zand, 3. *Fd~a1ajAbid, 4. ~Gu1p&-yin, 5. ~Shih-AMd, 6. *Mashhad4Zulf. Ab&d, 7. Husayn-Abid-i-FaraMn, 8. "Varq~, 9. Amirih, 10. 1sf in, 11. Akbar � A.b4d, 12. AshtiyAn, 13 Tafrish 14. Ast6nih, 15. Hak, 16. Niz~m-AMd, 17. Majd-AbAd, 18. *Khumayn, 19. Kitiunsir, 20.
Galg4n.1. '~RASHT, 2. *Bandar4Pahlavi, 3. GhAziyin, 4. *J~~ji~fl, 5. Langariid, 6. Riidsar, 7. *S1iahsav~r, 8. DiyA'bar, 9. SiyAhkal, 10. *Sangar, 11. Riidbir, 12. Manjil, 13. Khurrum-Ab~d, 14.
Sliahri-Miy~n-Kiih, 19.Talih-Sad, 20. Marz-LAt, 21. Darj4n, 22. Sawma'ih-Sad, 23. Hasan-Kiy~dih, 24.
Liy4k, 25. Birisih-B&, 26.QAdi-Mahallih, 27. BMAn 28 KhalkhMi-Maballih, 29. Kap&ch&1.
Page 675BAHÁ'Í DIRECTORY, XIV. DISTRICT: KHOZISTAN DizfAl, 4. *j~~j~4~ 5� ~Khurram-Shahr (Muhammarih), 6. Qusbih, 7. '~ManyA~d, 8. ~5A1ib-AbAd (Andimishg), 9. Masjid � i-Su1aym~n, 10. Nalir-Kut, 11. Tungih, 12. Bihbahin, 13. R&mhurmuz, 14.
'~ $ail'iyyih, 15. Fayliyyih, 16. Chamtang, 17. HindijTh, 18. Chamtangii.
XV. DISTRICT: KIRMANSHAH1. '~KIRMANSFL4H 2 '~Khurrarn-AMd, 3. ~Bur~jird, 4. *Sanandaj, 5. Sunqur, 6.
Kirind 7 Shib-Abid, 8.* Qasr-i-Shirin, 9. Dinavar, 10. '~Kang~var, ii. hAm-i-Pusht-i-KiSh, 12. Sahnih, 13. Harsin, 14.
Khusruvi, 15. GilAn-i-Gharb, 16. 'Aligii-darz, 17.
Duriid, 18. Qa1'iy-i-Mu~affari.1. ~MASHHAD, 2. Sharif-AMd, 3. Sara-kIm 4. KaL6t, 5. Buhn, 6. Nasr-Ab&d-i-B4kharz, 10. *QilchAn, 11. B4jgir4n, 12.
:?Shiray4n, 13. ~Muhammad � Ab&d-i-Darigaz, 14. Lutf-Ab~d, 15. *Bujn~rd, 16. JAjarm, 17. IsfarA'in, 18. *Naysh4bi'jr (Ridvan), 19. Ma'mAri, 20. Dastgird, 21. R~h-Ab4d, 22. Sarvaliyat, 23. Ma'dan, 24. )?Sabziv~r (KhadrA), 25. Sudkharv 26 Kushk-BAgb, 27. Rubat � i-Gaz, 28. Safi-Abid, 29. Ja'far-AbAd, 30. Juvayn, 31. D~varzan, 32. '~Turbat-i-~aydariyyih, 33. 'Titraw, 34. Z4vih, 35. Margliz~r, 36. '~Di%h-Ab~d (Fur6gh), 37. Hasan-AMd, 38. Milinili, 39. Khayr-AMd, 40. MiyAndihi, 41. Mi, 42. Fur-shih, 43 *~Jj~~ 44, '~N~miq, 45. *~(~fr mar, 46. Mat~n, 47. *J~iymind4Gun6J~ Li ~ ~ ~
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Page 957Hea(bL~ 957 7~4C �~. A .~y. ~*~ ~ I~M�t~q t ~~~~~ � ~~ ~ CJ~ .u,4 t.(-~J te ~ ~ � % ,.~ i4,~w.~A.ie'f~ ii.j bd~ V4I 1~ P. & Al. 2~2.
P AROHMENTt.~q~d ~ ~ A~6 ~e-j ~ 444~~ /-~~-~r-~ ~ 41 .c~Lc. �. ~40iP.
~ � ?~ The � -~A Statement of the Purpose and Principles of the Bahá'í Faith.
Outline of Bahá'í History.A Statement on Presentday Administration of the Bahá'í Cause.
Bahá'í Calendar and Festivals.Brief History of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in America.
Extracts from Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Report.European and American Cities Visited by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Transliteration of Oriental Terms Frequently Used in Bahá'í Literature.
Dr. J. E. Esslemont.The Relation of the Bahá'í Cause to Modern Progressive Movements.
The Unity of Civilization.A Statement of the Purpose and Principles of the Bahá'í Faith and Outline of Bahá'í
History.Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
PART TWOA Statement on Presentday Administration of the Baha Cause.
Excerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The Spirit and Form of Bahá'í Administration.Address of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í delivered at Baha Convention, Chicago, 1912.
The Structure of the Bahá'í Temple.Address delivered by 'Abdu'1 � Baha at the Dedication of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar Grounds, May, 1912.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar of 'Ishqabad.Queen Marie of Rumania pays tribute to the beauty and nobility of the Bahá'í Teachings.
PART THREEBaha Groups with names and addresses of correspondents.
Bahá'í Groups.Section One � List One: Bahá'í Publications of America.
Section Two � List Two: Bahá'í Publications of England.
� List Three: Bahá'í Literature in French.� List Five: Partial List of Bahá'í Literature in Oriental Languages.
Section Three � Alphabetical list of Bahá'í books and pamphlets.
Page 963Section Four � References to the Bahá'í Movement in Non-BaM'i works.
Section Five � References to the Bahá'í Movement in Magazines.
Transliteration of Oriental Terms frequently used in Bahá'í literature.
Guide to the transliteration and pronunciation of the Persian alphabet.
PART FOURIntroduction to The Pro'rnulgation of Universal Peace.
Poern � ~tA Prayer."The Bahá'í Religion � Papers read at the Conference of Some Living Religions Within
the British Empire, 1924.The Baha Cause at the Universal Esperanto Congresses at Edinburgh and Danzig.
On the Borders of Lake Leman.Translation of a Letter from the Israelitish Assembly of Bahá'ís of Tihr~n, tr~n.
InterRacial AmityAppendix � Tablet to America rev~a1ed by Bahá'u'lláh.
Bahá'í Persecutions in Persia � An Appeal to His Imperial Majesty Rid4 SiPh Pahiavi.
Appendix One � Summary of Bahá'í Teachings.Appendix Two � Excerpts from Letters of Bahá'u'lláh to the Sul;6n of Turkey and the Sh~h of Persia.
Appendix Three � Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá concerning Persia.
VOLUME IIIBahá'u'lláh: The Voice of Religious Reconciliation.
The Dawn of the Bahá'í Revelation. (From Nabil's Narrative.)
Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
PART TWOExcerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The Spirit and Form of Bahá'í Administration.Declaration of Trust by the N~tiona1 Spiritual Assembly.
Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi.Text of Bahá'í application for civil recognition by the Palestine Administration.
Page 964Facsimile of Bahá'í marriage certificates adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of Persia and Egypt.
Bahá'í Calendar and Festivals.Green Acre and the Bahá'í Ideal of Interracial Amity.
References to the Bahá'í Faith.The Case of Bahá'u'lláh's House in Baghd&d before the League of Nations.
Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney.References to the Bahá'í Faith in Non-KBahá'í works.
References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines.Transliteration of Oriental Words frequently used in Bahá'í Literature with guide to the transliteration and pronunciation of the lr~nian Alphabet.
Definitions of Oriental Terms used in Bahá'í Literature.
PART FOURBahá'u'lláh's Divine Economy: a Letter of Shoghi Effendi.
The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh: A Reflection, by G. Townshend.
'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Visit to Woking, England.Impressions of Haifa, by Alaine Locke, KB., Ph.D. The World Vision of a Savant, by Dr. Auguste Henri Forel.
The Cultural Principles of the Bahá'í Movement, by Dr. Ernst Kliemke.
The Relation of the B&b to the Traditions of IslAm, by Wanden Mathews LaForge.
The Bahá'í Movement in German Universities, by Martha L. Root.
The City Foursquare, by Allen B. McDaniel.The Races of Men � Many or One, by Louis G. Gregory.
Haifa � and the Baha'is, by Dr. John Haynes Holmes.
A Visit to Rustum Vamb6ry, by Martha L. Root.The Bahá'í Cause at the Xxiii Universal Congress of Esperanto at Antwerp, Belgium, August, 1928, by Martha L. Root.
Shrines and Gardens, by Beatrice Irwin.Bahá'u'lláh and His Teachings, Reprinted from the Japan Times and Mail.
'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Rabbi, by Willard P. Hatch.Some Experiences Among the Poor in Brazil, by Leonora Holsapple.
A Trip to Tahiti, by Louise Bosch.Bahá'u'lláh: The Voice of Religious Reconciliation.
Aims and Purposes of the Bahá'í Faith.Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
Excerpts from Bahá'í Sacred Writings.Excerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
The Spirit and Form of Bahá'í Administration.Declaration of Trust by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and Canada.Certificate of Incorporation by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York.
Documents related to the incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada as a recognized Religious Society in
Palestine.Petition addressed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada to the Prime Minister of the Egyptian Government.
Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi.Facsimile of Bahá'í Marriage Certificates adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of tr&n and of Egypt.
Facsimile of the Certificate 'of the United States Federal Government to the Declaration tion of Trust entered into by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Facsimile of the Certificate of the Palestine Government incorporating the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada as a Religious
Society in Palestine.Facsimile of the Certificate of Incorporation, The Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
Page 966Further Developments in the Case of Bahá'u'lláh's House: Extracts from the Minutes of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations.
Minutes of the Sixteenth Session: November 1929.Minutes of the Nineteenth Session: November 193 0.
Minutes of the Twentieth Session: June 1931.Minutes of the Twenty-first Session: November 1931.
Extracts from the Report to the Council of the League of Nations.
Baha Calendar and Festivals.Additional Material gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding the Baha'i
Calendar.Historical Data gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding Bahá'u'lláh.
Short History of the International Bahá'í Bureau at Geneva, Switzerland.
In Memoriam.Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and Canada.Local Baha Spiritual Assemblies and Groups in the United States and Canada.
Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia.Address of Centers of Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia.
List of the Bib's BestKnown Works.References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books by non-Balri'i Authors.
References to the Baha Faith in Magazines by non-l3ahA'i Writers.
Transliteration of Oriental 'Words frequently used in Bahá'í Literature with Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Persian Alphabet.
Definitions of Oriental Terms used in Bahá'í Literature. Glossary.
PART FOURThe Goal of a New World Order: A Letter of Shoghi Effendi.
The Way of the Master, by G. Townshend.Italy and the Bahá'í Cause, by General Renato Piola Caselli.
The World Economy of Bahá'u'lláh, by Horace Holley.
Education as a Source of Good Will, by President Bayard Dodge.
Unity through Diversity: A Baha Principle, by Alain Locke, A.B., Ph.D. A Short ~hronic1e of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Visit to London, 19111912, by Lady Blomfield.
Professor Auguste Forel and the Bahá'í Teaching, by Stanwood Cobb.
A Tribute from Dr. Edmund Print.The First Fruits of Victory, by Keith Ransom-Kehier.
Where Is the Key to World Unity, by Louise Drake Wright.
A Visit to Baha, by Nancy Bowditch.Appreciations of the Bahá'í Movement, by Martha L. Root.
The Supreme Affliction, by Alfred E. Lunt.The Bahá'í Movement and North American University Circles, by Martha L. Root.
Bahá'í Ideals of Education, by Stanwood Cobb.Man and Mankind on the Way of Progress, by Lidja Zamenhof.
The Epidemic of the Persian Jews, by A. J. Wienberg.
The Younger Generailon, by Mardiyyih Nabil Carpenter.
Light on Basic Unity, by Louis G. Gregory.Science and Religion, compiled by Loulie A. Mathews.
A Bahá'í Traveler in Palestine, by Walter B. Guy, M.D. Dr. David Starr Jordan, by Willard P. Hatch.
Song Offerings.Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
Excerpts from Bahá'í Sacred Writings.The Passing of Bahá'í Kh4num, the Most Exalted Leaf.
PART TWOExcerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Genealogy of the Mb.Facsimile of Baha Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the Bahá'ís of Persia and of Egypt.
The Spirit and Form of the Bahá'í Administrative Order.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Facsimile of the Certificate of the United States Federal Government to the Declaration tion of Trust entered into by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Facsimile of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Chicago, Illinois, U. S. A. Facsimile of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Washington, D. C., U. S. A. ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York.
Facsimile of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Teaneck, New Jersey, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
India and Burma.Certificate of Incorporation, the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Esslingen,
Germany.Map of Bahá'í holdings surrounding and dedicated to the shrine of the B&b on Mt. Carmel and tentative design of terraces.
The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
The Spell of the Temple.The Project of Ornamenting the Bahá'í Temple Dome.
Architectural Concrete of the Exposed Aggregate Type.
God-Intoxicated Architecture.Model of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar at the Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago, 1933.
Referenccs to the Bahá'í Faith, by: Archduchess Anton of Austria, Charles Baudouin, Prof. Norman Bentwich, Prof.
E. G. Browne, Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, General Renato Piola Caselli, Rev. 17. K.
Page 969Cheyene, Valentine Chirol, Rev. K. T. Chung, Right Hon. The Earl Curzon of Kedleston, Prof. James Darmesteter, Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, Dr. Auguste Forel, Dr. Herbert Adams Gibbons, Dr. Henry H. Jessup, Prof. Jowett, Prof. Dimitry Kazarov, Helen Keller, Harry Charles Lukach, Dowager Queen Marie of Rumania, Alfred W. Martin, President Masaryk, Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, Mr. Renwick J. G. Millar, Prof. Herbert A. Miller, The Hon. Lilian Helen Montague, Rev. Frederick W. O~kes, Sir Flinders Petrie, Charles H. Frisk, Dr. Edmund Privat, Herbert Putnam, Ernest Renan, Right Hon. Sir Herbert Samuel, Emile Schreiber, Prof. Han Prasad Shastri, Rev. Griffith J. Sparham, Shri Purohit Swami, Leo Tolstoy, Prof. Arminius Vamb6ry, Sir Francis Younghusband.
Further Developments in the case of Bahá'u'lláh's House in Baghdad.
Excerpts from the Minutes of the XXII session of the Permanent Mandates Commission sion of the League of Nations: Nov. 3 to Dec. 6, 1932.
Excerpts from the Minutes of the XXIV session of the Permanent Mandates Commission sion of the League of Nations: Oct. 23 to Nov. 4,1933.
Note.Additional Material gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding the Baha'i
Calendar.Historical Data gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding Bahá'u'lláh.
Youth Activities Throughout the Bahá'í World.Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and Canada.Local Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies and Groups in the United States and Canada.
Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia.Address of Centers of Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia.
Alphabetical List of Bahá'u'lláh's BestKnown Writings.
List of the Mb's BestKnown Works.References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books by non-Babi'i Authors.
References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines by non-BaM'i Writers.
References by Bahá'ís in non-Bahá'í Publications.Transliteration of Oriental Words frequently used in Bahá'í Literature with Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Persian Alphabet.
Definitions of Oriental Terms used in Bahá'í Literature.
PART FOURThe Administrative Order in the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, from a letter of Shoghi
Effendi.The Descent of the New Jerusalem, by G. Townshend.
Page 971The Spiritual Basis of World Peace, by Horace Holley.
In the Footsteps of the Pioneers, by Keith Ransom-Keller.
The Orientation of Hope, by Akin Locke.La Foje et la Science Unies par 1'Art, by Marie Antoinette Aussenac, Princess de Brogue.
Religion and Social Progress, by Keith Ransom-Kehier.
Prince Paul and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia, by Martha L. Root.
A Religion of Reconciliation, by Rev. Griffith J. Sparham.
The Men of the Trees, by Richard St. Barbe Baker.Les Probkmes du Monde a la Foje Baha'i, by 'Au Afdalipur.
The Bahá'í Movement, the Greatness of Its Power, by Martha L. Root.
Der Sinn Unserer Zeit, by Dr. Hermann Grossmann.The Re-florescence of Historical Romance in Nabil, by Mary MaxwelL
William Miller, Student of Prophecy, by Bertha Hyde Kirkpatrick.
A New Cycle of Human Power, by Marion Holley.The Nature of the Divine Manifestations, by Glenn A. Shook.
Religious Education for the Young, by Mrs. M. H. Inouye.
Why Do I Espouse the Bahá'í Cause? by Clii Kao Fujisawa.
Count Leo Tolstoy and the Bahá'í Movement, by Martha L. Root.
A Chinese View of the Bahá'í Cause, by Chan S. Liix Vernunft und Glaube, by Dr. Adelbert Mflhlschlegel.
Influence of Astronomy on Religious Thought, by Giorgio Abetti.
Haifa Calling, by Florence E. Pinchon.Taking the Message to the Maori People, by Keith Ransom-Kehier.
Only a Word, by Laura Dreyfus-Barney.Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
Excerpts from Bahá'í Sacred Writings.Excerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi.Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Page 972Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of Persia.Declaration and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
Germany and Austria.Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
Declaration of Trust and By7Laws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Iraq.
Text of Authorization Issued for Registration by the Mixed Court in Egypt of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
Egypt.ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New
York.Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Teaneck, New Jersey, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Chicago, go, Illinois, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Washington, D. C., U. S. A. Petition of the Bahá'ís of Montreal, Canada.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Bahá'ís of Montreal, Canada.
ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Montreal, Canada.
ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Esslingen, Germany.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Es-lingen, en, Germany.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Karachi,
India.Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Calcutta, ta, India.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Delhi,
India.Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of Bahá'ís of Rangoon, on, Burma.
Certificate of Registration of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Daida-naw, aw, Burma.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Mandalay, ay, Burma.
Certificate of Incorporation of th~ Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Auckland, nd, New Zealand.
Documents Related to the Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, as a Recognized Religious
Society in Palestine.Certificate of the Palestine Government Incorporating the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada, Palestine Branch, as a Recognized Religious 'Society in Palestine.
Text of Application to the Palestine Government for Incorporation of the
Page 973Palestine Branch of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
Certificate of the Palestine Government Incorporating the National Spiritual
Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma, Palestine Branch.
Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the United States Government covering the word "Baha'i."
Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the United States Government covering the symbol of the Greatest Name.
Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the Canadian Government covering the name Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the Canadian Government covering the symbol of the Greatest Name.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Bahá'í Marriage Cenificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Idq.
Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Outline of Bahá'í Laws regarding matters of Personal Status submitted for recognition to the Egyptian Government by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Text of the FarmAn issued by sultAn 'Abdu'1-'Aziz banishing Bahá'u'lláh to 'Akka, Palestine.
Text of the Resolution presented to President Franklin D. Roosevelt by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Map showing Travels of the Mb and Bahá'u'lláh.Map showing Section of Route followed by Bahá'u'lláh on His Journey from
BaghdAd to Constantinople.Map showing Path of Travel of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in the United States of America and Canada, 1912.
Facsimile of Tablet addressed by tAbdu'1-BahA to the Chicago "House of
Justice."The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
The Bahá'í Temple � Why built near Chicago?The Five Billion Carat Gem Bahá'í Temple at Wilmette, Ill.
Temple Echoes from the World's Fair.Bahá'í Holy Days on which Work should be Suspended.
Additional Material Gleaned from Nab/i's Narrative (Volume II) regarding the Bahá'í Calendar.
Historical Data Gleaned from Nab/i's Narrative (Volume II) regarding
Bahá'u'lláh.Bahá'í Youth � An Estimate and Survey of International Events.
Bahá'í Youth in Persia.Prof. E. G. Browne, M.A., M.B., Cambridge University.
Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, D.Litt., Manchester College, Oxford.
Rev. T. K. Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D., Oxford University, Fellow of British Academy.
Prof. Arminius Vamb6ry, Hungarian Academy of Pestli.
Harry Charles Lukach.Alfred W. Martin, Society for Ethical Culture, New York.
Prof. James Darmesteter, tcole des Hautes ttudes, Paris.
Charles Baudouin.Dr. Henry H. Jessup, D.D. Right Hon. The Earl Curzon of Kedleston.
Sir Francis Younghusband, K.C.S.I.; K.C.I.E. The Christian Ccnninonwealth, Anonymous.
Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, B.A. Herbert Putnam, Congressional Library, Washington, D. C.
Leo Tolstoy.Renwick J. G. Millar, Editor of John Q'Groat Journal, Wick, Scotland.
Charles H. Prisk.Right Hon. Sir Herbert Samuel, G.G.B., M.P. Rev. K. T. Chung.
Prof. Dimitry Kazaroy, University of Sofia.Prof. Norman Bentwich, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
tmile Schreiber, Publicist.Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, Doyen of Jurisprudence of Japan.
Miss Helen Keller.President David Starr Jordan, Leland Stanford University.
Prof. Bogdan Popovitch, University of Belgrade, Jugoslavia.
Ex-Governor William Suizer.Prof. Dr. Jan Rypka, Charles University, Praha, Czechoslovakia.
A. L. M. Nicolas.Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and Canada.Local Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and Isolated Believers in the United States
and Canada.Address of Centers of Bahá'í Administrative Divisions in Persia.
Alphabetical List of Bahá'u'lláh's BestKnown Writings.
List of the Mb's BestKnown Works.References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books and Pamphlets by non-Bahá'í Authors.
References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines by non-Bahá'í Writers.
References to the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'ís in non-BaM'i Publications.
Transliteration of Oriental 'Words frequently used in Baha Literature with Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of the Persian Alphabet, and Notes on the
Pronunciation of Persian Words.Definitions of Oriental Terms used in Bahá'í Literature.
PART FOURSpiritual Perspectives, by Prof. Raymond Frank Piper.
Page 977Bah&'i-Glaube und Christentum, by Dr. Eugen Schmidt.
BaM'ismo kaj Ia Socia Problemo, by Prof. Paul Christaller.
Bahá'u'lláh's Ground Plan of World Fellowship, by Archdeacon George Town-shend.
nd.Die Bahá'ís und meine Erfahrungen, by Prof. Dr. J. Rypka.
Impressions of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Louise R. Waite.Zwei Heilige Grabstten, by Dr. Adelbert Miihlschlegel.
In Praise of Words, by Helen Bishop.Some Memories of the Sojourn of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í in Paris, by Lady Blomfield.
Racial Likenesses and Differences: the Scientific Evidence and the Bahá'í Teachings, by Louis G. Gregory.
Denmark's Oriental Scholar, by Martha L. Root.'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Historic Meeting with Jane Addams, by Ruth J. MolTen.
The Soul of Iceland, by Martha L. Root.Em Junger Glaube wird Bekannt, by Dr. Hermann Grossmann.
South America: Journey Taken in the Interest of the Bahá'í Cause, by Loulie A.
Mathews.Russia's Cultural Contribution to the Bahá'í Faith, by Martha L. Root.
A Bahá'í Incident from the Netherlands, by Louise Drake Wright.
Mr. Harald Thilander and his Publications for the Blind in Sweden, by Nellie S.
French.The Modern Miracles of Palestine, by Beatrice Irwin.
A New Future for Radio, by Shirley Warde.Map of the United States of America Showing Bahá'í Centers.
VOLUME VIISurvey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
Excerpts from Bahá'í Sacred 'Writings.Commemoration of the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í Visit to America.
PART TWOExcerpts from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'1 � Baha.
Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi.Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of Persia.Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and Austria.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Ir4q.
Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of
Egypt.Facsimile of Document related to the Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand.
ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York, N. Y., U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New York, N. Y., U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Kenosha, Wisconsin, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Racine, Wisconsin, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Los Angeles, California, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Milwaukee, , Wisconsin, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Cleveland, , Ohio, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Minneapolis, Minn., U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Bombay, India.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Poona, India.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Adelaide, Australia.
Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the United States Government covering the "World Order Magazine."
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Iraq.
Certificate of Marriage issued by the Palestine Government and delivered to the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Haifa for official registration.
Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Page 979Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt.
Translation of the Record of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'í voice.
Map of Bahá'í holdings showing extension of properties surrounding and dedicated cated to the shrine of the BTh on Mt. Carmel.
The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
Progress of Temple Ornamentation.References to Bahá'í House of Worship in U. S. Steel News.
When Bahá'ís Build a Temple.Bahá'í Holy Days on which Work should be Suspended.
Additional Material Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Volume H) regarding the Baha Calendar.
Historical Data Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Volume H) regarding
Bahá'u'lláh.The World Activities of Bahá'í Youth, 1936 to 1938.
Excerpts from Bahá'í Youth, 1937 to 1938.Prof. E. G. Browne, M.A., M.B., Cambridge University.
Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, D.Litt., Manchester College, Oxford.
Rev. T. K. Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D., Oxford University, Fellow of the British
Academy.Prof. Arminius Vamb&y, Hungarian Academy of Pestli.
Harry Charles Lukach.Alfred W. Martin, Society for Ethical Culture, New York.
Prof. James Darmesteter, tcole des Hautes etudes, Paris.
Charles Baudouin.Dr. Henry H. Jessup, D.D. Right Hon. The Earl Curzon of Kedleston.
Sir Francis Younghusband, K.C.S.I., K.C.LE.Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, B.A. Herbert Putnam, Congressional Library, Washington, D. C.
Leo Tolstoy.Renwick J. G. Millar, Editor of 'tJohn O'Groat Journal," Wick, Scotland.
Charles H. Prisk.The Hon. Lilian Helen Montague, J.P., D.H.L. Prof. Norman Bentwich, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
tmile Schreiber, Publicist.Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, Doyen of Jurisprudence of Japan.
Miss Helen Keller.President David Starr Jordan, Leland Stanford University.
Prof. Bogdan Popovitch, University of Belgrade, Jugoslavia.
Ex-Governor William Suizer of New York.Prof. Dr. Jan Rypka, Charles University, Praha, Czechoslovakia.
A. L. M. Nicolas.Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies and Groups Alphabetically listed according to
Nations.Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the
United States and Canada.Local Bahá'í Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and Isolated Believers in the United
States and Canada.Addresses of Centers of Bahá'í Administrative Divisons in Persia.
Alphabetical List of Bahá'u'lláh's BestKnown Writings.
List of the BM,'s BestKnown Works.References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books and Pamphlets by non-Bahá'í Authors.
References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines by non-BaM'i Writers.
References to the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'ís in nonBahá'í Publications.
Page 983Transliteration of Oriental Words frequently used in Bahá'í Literature with Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of Persian Alphabet and Notes on the
Pronunciation of Persian Words.Definitions of Oriental Terms used in BaN'i Literature.
PART FOURThe Seven Valleys by Bahá'u'lláh; A Meditation, by G. Townshend.
The World of Heart and Spirit, by Horace Holley.A Session at the World Congress of Faiths, by Helen Bishop.
Importance dc 1'Id6e Spirituelle dans Ia Vie Actuelle, by Lucienne Migette.
Racial Amity in America, by Louis G. Gregory.Dawn over Mount Hira, by Mardiyyih Nabil Carpenter.
The Bahá'í Faith and Eastern Scholars, by Martha L. Root.
The Unity of Nations, by Stanwood Cobb.Baha'i, from "La Sagesse de l'Orient," by Dr. Edmund Privat.
Sources of Community Life, by Marion Holley.A Brief Account of Thomas Breakwell, by May Maxwell.
Unity of Races, by Genevieve L. Coy.The Fulfillment of Religion, by Bertha Hyde Kirkpatrick.
A World Community, by George 0. Latimer.Bahá'í Radio Program, delivered over Station ttWHN" New York.
The Bust of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, by Mrs. Stannard.The NonPolitical Nature of the Bahá'í Cause, by Emily M. Axford.
Teaching the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh in Distant Lands, by Nellie S. French.
Two Letters of Mrs. Phoebe Apperson Hearst from 'tPersia by a Persian."
A Tribute from Iceland, by H6lmfridur Arnad6ttir.Map of the United States and Canada Showing Bahá'í Centers.
VOLUME VIIIII. Survey of Current Bahá'í Activities in the East and West.
International.Martha Root's Travels in India, Burma, and Australia, Her Death in Honolulu.
The Bahá'í Faith in Persia.Persecution and Deportation of the Bahá'ís of Caucasus and Turkistan.
The Bahá'í Faith in Australia and New Zealand.Important Developments in the Bahá'í Community of North America.
Bahá'í Summer Schools.National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Annual report, 19381939.National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Supplementary report, 193 81939.National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Annual report, 19391940.National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Supplementary report, 19391940.National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles. Annual report, 193 8193 9.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of the British Isles. Annual report, 19391940.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia. Annual report, 193 81939.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia. Annual report, 19 391940.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Iraq. Annual report, 193 81940.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma. Annual report, 19381940.
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand.
Annual report, 19381940.Excerpts from Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh.
Words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.Explanation of the Rebukes Addressed by God to the Prophets.
Explanation of the Verse of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. "There Is No Associate for the Dawning � Place of Command in the Supreme Sinlessness.~~
Perfections Are Without Limit.Explanation of a Verse in the Kitáb-i -Aqd as. The Existence of the Rational Soul After the Death of the Body.
Eternal Life and Entrance into the Kingdom of God.
Page 985IV. Transfer of the Remains of the Brother and Mother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá to Mt. Carmel.
The Spiritual Potencies of that Consecrated Spot.The Burial of the Purest Branch and the Mother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
V. The Passing of Munirih KhAnum the Holy Mother.
Episodes in the Life of Munirih KhAnum.1. PresentDay Administration of the Bahá'í Faith.
Introductory Statement.A Procedure for the Conduct of the Local Spiritual Assembly.
The Annual Bahá'í Convention.Concerning Membership in Non-Baltd'i Religious Organizations.
Bahá'ís and War.Excerpts from The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
Excerpts from the Letters of Shoghi Effendi.2. The Spirit and Form of the Bahá'í Administrative Order.
Certificate of Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Germany and Austria.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India and Burma.
Declaration of Trust and ByLaws of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'IrAq.
Declaration of Trust of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and Si~d~n.
Facsimile of Document related to the Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and Si~d~n.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha of the British Isles.
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the British Isles.
Certificate of Incorporation of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand.ByLaws of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York, N. Y., U. S. A Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York, N. Y., U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of Sydney, Australia.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of Vancouver, B. C., Canada.
Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Cincinnati, Ohio, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of San Francisco, California, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Lima, Ohio, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Columbus, Ohio, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Phoenix, Arizona, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Portland, Oregon, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Jersey City, New Jersey, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Wilmette, Illinois, U. S. A. Corporation Declaration by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Peoria, Illinois, U. S. A. Corporation Declaration by the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Winnetka, Illinois, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Seattle, Washington, U. S. A. Certificate of Incorporation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. A. Certificate of Formation of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Mexico City, Mexico.
Membership card used in enrolling new believers in the Bahá'í Faith in the City of Mexico.
Trade Mark Certificate obtained from the Government of the Commonwealth h of Australia covering the Name C(Bh~~i~~ and the Symbol of the Greatest Name.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Bahá'í Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and Si~d~n.
Baha Marriage Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of 'Iriq.
Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Persia.
Bahá'í Divorce Certificate adopted and enforced by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and S6dAn.
Marriage License issued by the State of Illinois authorizing the Spiritual
Page 987Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Chicago, Ill., to solemnize Bahá'í Marriages, es, with explanatory letter.
Text in Persian of the Outline of Bahá'í Laws regarding Matters of Personal Status submitted for recognition to the Egyptian Government ent by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Egypt and Siid~n.
Map of Bahá'í holdings showing extension of properties surrounding and dedicated to the Shrine of the B~b on Mt. Carmel.
3. The Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.The Spiritual Significance of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
Bahá'í Texts for the Nine Outer Doors of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
The Bahá'í Temple used as design for Cachet selected by the Postal Authorities of Wilmette, Illinois.
Envelope and Article related to the Cachet used by the Postal Authorities ies of Wilmette, Illinois.
Letter of the Postmaster of W3lmette, flikois, to the National Spiritual Assem~h1y of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
The Temples of the Ages.Two Articles on the Bahá'í Temple published in Finland.
4. Bahá'í Calendar and Festivals.Bahá'í Holy Days on which work should be suspended.
Additional Material Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding the Bahá'í Calendar.
Historical Data Gleaned from Nabil's Narrative (Vol. II) regarding
J3aM'u'11&h.Excerpts from (CE h"~ Youth" Magazine, 1938 to 1939.
II. References to the Bahá'í Faith.2. Prof. E. G. Browne, M.A., M.B., Cambridge University.
3. Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, D.Litt., Manchester College, Oxford.
4. Rev. T. K. Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D., Oxford University, Fellow of British
Academy.5. Prof. Arminius Vamb6ry, Hungarian Academy of Pestli.
6. Sir Valentine Chirol.9. Alfred W. Martin, Society for Ethical Culture, New York.
10. Prof. James Darmesteter, tcole des Hautes etudes, Paris.
11. Charles Baudouin.14. Sir Francis Younghusband, K.C.SI.; K.C.I.E. 15. The Christian Commonwealth, Anonymous.
16. Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, B.A. 17. Herbert Putnam, Congressional Library, Washington, D. C. 18. Leo Tolstoy.
19. Dr. Edmund Privat, University of Geneva.23. Renwick J. G. Millar, Editor of John O'Groat 24. Charles H. Prisk.
25. Prof. Han Prasad Shastri, D.Litt.28. Viscount Herbert Samuel, G.C.B., M.P. 29. Rev. K. T. Chung.
30. Prof. Dimitry Kazarov, University of Sofia.33. The Hon. Lilian Helen Montague, J.P., D.H.L. 34. Prof. Norman Bentwich, Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
35. tmile Schreiber, Publicist.37. Dr. Rokuichiro Masujima, Doyen of Jurisprudence of Japan.
38. Sir Flinders Petrie, Archaeologist.46. Princess Marie Antoinette de Brogue Aussenac.
47. Late President David Starr Jordan, Leland Stanford University.
48. Prof. Bogdan Popovitch, University of Belgrade, Jugoslavia.
49. Ex-Governor William Suizer.55. Prof. Dr. Jan Rypka, Charles University, Praha, Czechoslovakia.
56. A. L. M. Nicholas.58. Sir Ronald Storrs, N.y.C., M.G., C.B.E. 59. Coi. Raja Jai Prithvi Bahadur Singh, Raja of Bajang (Nepal).
60. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
61. Rt. Hon. M. R. Jayakar.3. Officers and Committees of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
4. Local Baha Spiritual Assemblies, Groups and Isolated Believers in the
United States and Canada.6. Directory of Leading Assemblies in Bahá'í Administrative Divisions of
Persia.7. Alphabetical List of Bahá'u'lláh's BestKnown Writings.
8. List of the EM,'s BestKnown Works.27. Bahá'í Literature in Braille (for the Blind).
America.29. References to the Bahá'í Faith in Books and Pamphlets Published tinder
Non-Bahá'í Auspices.30. References to the Bahá'í Faith in Magazines by Non-BaM'i Writers.
31. References to the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'ís in Non-BaM'i Publications.
32. References to the Bahá'í Faith in Specialized Reference Works.
III. Transliteration of Oriental 'Words frequently used in Bahá'í Literature.
Guide to Transliteration and Pronunciation of Persian Alphabet and Notes on the Pronunciation of Persian Words.
TV. Definition of Oriental Terms used in Bahá'í Literature.
PART FOUR4. International Bahá'í Congress Day at the Panama-Pacific International
Exposition.5. Bahá'í Message to the Universities of Northern India, by Martha L. Root.
6. Essai sur les Diffdrentes Formes de Pri~res, by Lucienne L. Migette.
7. Crisis of the World Psyche, by Wilfrid Barton.
8. The New Citizenship, by Beatrice Irwin.9. The Oneness of Religion, by Doris McKay.
10. The Well of Happiness, by George Townshend.
11. Bahá'ís and War, by David Hofman.12. Conf&ence dans un cercie Bahá'í a Paris, le 19 Mars, 1939, by Madame J. Montefiore.
13. Reloice, 0 Israel, by Alice Simmons Cox.14. Pioneer Introduction of the Bahá'í Faith to the Netherlands, by Louise
Drake Wright.15. An Interview with A. L. M. Nicolas of Paris, by Edith Sanderson.
16. Yucatan 1939, by Loulie A. Mathews.17. The Scriptures of Different Faiths, by Priram Singh.
18. Faith and the Man, by Louis G. Gregory.19. Appreciation by Leaders of Thought, by RuhAniyyih Moffett.
20. A Journey to the Arctic, by Nellie S. French.
21. TAhirih's Message to the Modern World, by Martha L. Root.
A Brief Commentary, by Marian Little.22. A Brief Survey of the Literature of the Bahá'í Faith in English, by
William Kenneth Christian.23. John Ebenezer Esslemont, His Life and Service, by Jessie IT. Revell.
24. A Letter from Finland, by V~in5 Rissanen.V. Maps of Teaching Regions of the United States and Canada, of Central and South America, and of the Bahá'í World.
Page 993MAPS OF BURMA, TEACHING OF THE UNITED STATES CANADA
CENTRAL AND OF THE(1) 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Philip Marangella, resident teachers in Havana.
Established Center in Palacio Pedrosa.19411942 Miss Josephine Kruka assisting Mrs. Hoagg.
19431944 Miss Kruka and Miss Jean Silver. Spiritual Assembly established in 1942.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC(2)19391944 Miss Margaret Lena, resident teacher in Ciudad Trujillo. Also spent some time in Sosua.
1944 Miss Gwenne Sholtis, resident teacher. Miss Lena returned to
United States.(3) 1937 Mr. and Mrs. Louis Gregory spent some time in Port-au-Prince.
1940 Mrs. Ruth Blackwellr resident teacher in Port-au-Prince, later assisted by Mr. Ellsworth Blackwell.
1941 Mrs. Amelie Bates visiting teacher.(4) 1940 Miss Rouhiyyih Jones and Mrs. Katherine Disdier permanent resident teachers. Later joined 1942 by Mrs. Ella Guthrie, Mrs. Edith Marangella, Mrs. Ayned Mc-Comb b and Mr. Lucien McComb.
1943 Spiritual Assembly formed.(5) 1940 Mr. and Mrs. John Shaw resided in Kingston for some months.
19421943 Dr. Malcolm King resident teacher.19391940 Mrs. Frances Benedict Stewart travelling teacher.
Center established by Pedro Espinosa.1941 Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bishop and Mrs. Pilkington spent some time in Mexico City.
1942 Mrs. Florence Keemer.1944 Miss Juliet Thompson and Mrs. Daisy Smyth resident teachers in
Mexico City.Some extension work has been done by the friends from Mexico City. Among the outlying cities are � 1943 Puebla, where a Spiritual Assembly is said to exist.
1943 Veracruz, also has a Spiritual Assembly.(1) 19361937 19391940 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1943 1943 1944
Journey(3) 19391940 1940 1940 1940194 1 19411942 1942 1942
Mr. Antonio(5)19361937 Journey of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mathews.
1940 Mrs. Gayle Woolson and Mrs. Amalia Ford first resident teachers,
San Jose.Mr. a id Mrs. Stuart W. French circumnavigated the continent of South America.
1939 Mr. Mathew Kaszab first resident teacher (remained 5 months).
19391944 Mrs. Louise Caswell and Mrs. Cora Oliver first resident teachers.
Page 999MAPS OF THE BAHÁ'Í WORLD 999
Page 10001943 Mr. and Mrs. Clare Hamilton established residence as pioneers.
1943 Miss Julie Regal resident teacher.1943 Sr. Gerardo Vega visiting teacher from Costa Rica.
1943 Miss Gwenne Sholtis, Mrs. Mary Barton, Miss Virginia Orbison and many other visitors for brief periods.
SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS1921 Miss Martha Root visited most important cities.
1935 Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Mathews visited most important cities.
1937 Stuart W. and Nellie S. French circumnavigated the continent, visiting especially Lima, Peru, Santiago, Chile, Punta Arenas de Magallanes, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Baha.
19371939 Mrs. Frances Stewart visited all important cities.
VENEZUELA(1) 1936 Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Blakeley visited Caracas.
19391940 Mr. and Mrs. Emeric Sala resident teachers in Caracas.
19391944 Miss Priscilla Rhodes.19421943 Miss Gwenne Sholtis resident teacher in Caracas.
1944 Mrs. Dorothy Baker visiting teacher.(2) 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Emeric Sala visited Bogod.
19401944 Mr. Gerrard Sluter transferred from Honduras for permanent residence in Bogot4, in 1940.
1942 Mrs. Ruth Shook (Fendell).19421943 Miss Winifred Louise Baker resident teacher.
1943 Mrs. Dorothy Baker visiting teacher.1942 Mr. and Mrs. Rafi Mottahedeh visiting tea6hers.
PERU(4)19351938 Mrs. Isabel Stebbins Dodge resident teacher in Morococha and
Lima.1 937 Mrs. Joel Stebbins visited Lima for several months.
19411944 Miss Eve Nicklin resident teacher.1944 Mr. John Stearns transfers residence from Ecuador to Peru.
Several visiting teachers pass through Lima.(5) 1940 Mrs. Eleanor Smith (Adler) first pioneer teacher resided in La Paz for several months.
19421944 Miss Flora Hottes resident teacher.1943 Miss Virginia Orbison visiting teacher in La Paz and also Sucre.
1944 Miss Orbison returned for one month.(Atwater), now in Magallanes, will return to Santiago to reside.
1944 Mr.(7) 1940 After successive visiting teachers the Spiritual Assembly organized.
1941 Mrs. May Maxwell ascended to AbhA Kingdom, Miss Jeanne Bolles had accompanied her to Buenos Aires.
19411944 Visiting teachers were Mrs. Nourse, Mrs. Stewart, Miss Bolles, Mr. Sprague, Mr. Wilt rid Barton, Mrs. Mary Barton, Mrs. Amelia Collins, Miss Elisabeth Cheney, Miss Virginia Orbison.
19431944 Miss Etta Mac Lawrence resident teacher.(8) 1940 Mr. Wilfrid Barton resident teacher in Montevideo.
19401943 Mrs. Mary Barton made protracted visits to assist Spiritual Assembly organized in 1 942 � dissolved later because of removals.
Visiting teachers � Miss Orbison, Mrs. Collins, Miss Elisabeth Cheney, Mr. Sprague.
PARAGUAY(9) 19401941 Miss Elisabeth Cheney, resident teacher, left well established group in Asunci6n.
1943 Miss Virginia Orbison, visiting teacher, spent some months in
Asunci6n.1943 Miss Gertrude Eisenberg transferred from Rio de Janeiro to
Asunci6n.1944 Elisabeth Cheney en route to resume residence in Asunci6n.
Page 1002(10) 1924 Miss Leonora Holsapple became permanent resident in Baha.
She also spent much time in Rio and STh Paulo and Santos and now is permanent resident of Recife having married Mr. Harold Armstrong in 1942 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Roy L. Worley have been permanent residents since 1940. Spiritual Assembly organized in 1940.
Miss Eve Nicklin also assisted in teaching for some months in
Baha.Miss Gertrude Eisenberg resident before going to Asunci6n.
Many travelling teachers visited Rio, some of them spending some time in Baha. Among these are Miss Jeanne Bolles, Mr. Philip Sprague, Miss Beatrice Irwin, Mr. and Mrs. Raffi Mottahedeh.
Mr. and Mrs. Mottahedeh also visited most of the large cities also along the west coast where valuable teaching work was done.
THE GTJIANAS1940 Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Blakeley visited British Guiana for some time but the Gujanas were not included in the present assignment which covered Latin America only.
Page 1003